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load and ready the batteries for firing； and Admiral Augustine was proud to know that his gunnery
crew； under the stern guidance of his master gunner and master of ordnance； were amongst the most
efficient in all of Battlefleet Tempestus。
He never grew weary of looking out across the Hammer of Righteousness； and he knew in his
heart that he never would。 Even after all these years of service； the power and scale of the battleship
filled him with awe。 Set against the sheer scale of space with its untold millions of solar systems；
she was tiny and insignificant； but it was her duty to protect Imperial space from all threats； xenos or
otherwise。
Constructed in the Adeptus Mechanicus shipyard moons of Gryphonne IV over a period of a
thousand years； Hammer of Righteousness had been in commission； defending Imperial space for
nigh…on eight thousand years。 Admiral Augustine had served on her for almost one hundred and
fifteen years； first as a junior officer before moving steadily up through the ranks。 He had served on
two other ships after fulfilling his commissioned appointments on the Hammer of Righteousness；
first as a flag…lieutenant on the Lunar…class cruiser Dauntless。 After a tenure of fifteen years he had
been promoted to flag…captain of the recommissioned Emperor’s Wrath； which had recently been
reassigned to Segmentum Tempestus。 Augustine served aboard this Overlord…class battle cruiser—a
famed veteran of the Gothic wars—for ten years； before he was reassigned back to the Hammer of
Righteousness； the ship where he had began his naval career。
He had held the rank of admiral for forty…two years； and at the age of one hundred and sixty…two；
he was one of the most experienced officers in the fleet。 No one knew the nuances and quirks of the
ancient battleship like he did； save perhaps for the ship’s long…serving flag…lieutenant； Gideon
Cortez。 Only two other ships assigned to Battlefleet Tempestus were of comparable size； and they
were facing off against the xenos menace in distant sectors of the segmentum。 The eastern expanses
were his responsibility； and it was here that he had formed his blockade。
He could not see the enemy with the naked eye； for they were still millions of kilometres away；
but he knew that they were out there and closing on them inexorably。 He could see flashes in the
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distance。 From here； they looked almost incongruous； but he knew that more of the enemy bio…ships
were being subjected to concentrated barrages of ordnance。
His fleet was making a good account of itself in this engagement； the most recent of dozens over
the last months； having destroyed two dozen hive…ships for no losses。 Still； the xenos fleet continued
to plough relentlessly on into Imperial space。 The losses they had suffered made no discernible
impact on the vast tyranid hive…fleet。
Vile bio…organisms that consumed everything in their path； like the locusts of Augustine’s home
world but on a galactic scale； the tyranid menace was a very real threat to the Imperium as a whole。
Four years previously a new hive…fleet had been identified； dubbed Hive Fleet Leviathan。 It was
a fitting name。 Already billions had lost their lives to its insatiable hunger。
Admiral Augustine stared balefully out into the darkness。 For all his years of service he had
proudly defended the reliant worlds of the Imperium from its enemies。 Now he was tasked with
destroying those same worlds that he had dedicated his life to protect。
By Lord Inquisitor Kryptman’s order a galactic cordon stretching before the encroaching xenos
fleet was formed。 The band of worlds directly in front of the cordon were evacuated； and many of
them utterly destroyed； in order to deny the hive fleet raw organic matter。 Any world already under
tyranid invasion was to suffer Exterminatus—the theory being that the xenos would expend much
energy in claiming a world； only to have all living things on the world exterminated。 The inquisitor
believed that by stalling the hive fleet’s advance； it would eventually turn aside； towards more
lucrative killing grounds； and thus save the Imperium from devastation。 However； it was a cruel and
callous strategy； and not one that sat well with Admiral Augustine； even if it was humanity’s only
hope of stalling the hive fleet。 Billions of Imperial citizens had already been evacuated； their home
worlds destroyed； and hundreds of millions had perished； killed by orbital barrages and virus bombs
launched by those sworn to protect them。
He turned away from the observation portal； his movements； like his appearance； crisp and
precise。 He strode back along the command deck； his expression unreadable。 His staff upon the
bridge went about their work with practiced efficiency and calm； talking in low voices。 Several of
them looked up as their admiral passed them by and were greeted with curt nods。 Banks of
logisticians； hard…wired into the battleship’s logic engines and monitoring a constant flow of
technical data； murmured as stylus…fingers traced the mnemo…papers feeding from skull…faced
machines。 A pair of enginseers were reporting to the flag…lieutenant； Gideon Cortez； and humming
cogitator arrays flickered with updates from the fleet； the eyelids of servitors flickering as
information was relayed。
Augustine moved to the holo…table positioned within a sunken recess in the floor； stepping down
to look upon the position of his fleet。 The table was crisscrossed with a grid of glowing green lines；
indicating spatial parameters； and scale models of the entire fleet were positioned across its smooth
expanse。
He took a moment to study the formations。 Most of the fleet； seventy…two vessels of escort class
and higher； had formed a bulwark spreading across the system with the Hammer of Righteousness at
its centre。 The cruiser Valkyrie； accompanied by three squadrons of smaller frigates and destroyers；
was out in front； slowing the vanguard of the tyranid fleet to enable the pleasure world of Circe to
fully evacuate； formless black spheres being placed on the table to represent the known enemy
forces。 More of them were being put on the table all the time； placed there by lobotomised servitors
hanging like twisted marionettes amid the gently hissing mechanics above the table。
The bio…mechanical amalgamations had no lower torso or legs。 Their upper bodies； replete with
wires and cables protruding from their pallid flesh； were attached to multi…jointed mechanical
armatures that whirred and hissed as they extended and retracted； accurately moving and placing the
fleets； accordingly； as fresh data was transmitted into them。 Augustine was so used to their
movements that he barely registered their presence； they were merely part of the ship； one more tool
to help him with his strategy。
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Two other cruisers aller escorts clustered in front of other populated
worlds； the agri…world Perse； and the mining moons of Perdus Skylla and Perdus Kharybdis； rotating
slowly around the uninhabitable gas giant； Calyptus。
Small； featureless scale models； representing a host of transports and carriers engaged in the
evacuation efforts； were positioned touching the inhabited worlds。 Several other models
representing similar transports were positioned en route to the blockade。 Almost two hundred
million people were being evacuated from this system alone。 Already； there had been problems with
some of the mass transports associated with the fleet； as riots had broken out within the civilian
populations already evacuated。 He pushed these thoughts out of his mind； it was his job to enact the
strategy laid down to him and see the worlds evacuated safely； not to police those populations once
they were safely onboard the mass transport ships。
As he watched； an Imperial light cruiser was placed on the table on the lee side of Perdus Skylla；
and then removed。 The arm of the servitor jerked spasmodically； and it placed the light cruiser back
down upon the table。
“What’s that？” asked Admiral Augustine； pointing towards the ship； which was once again
removed from the table。
One of his aides； a junior lieutenant； shrugged。
“It’s been doing that for the past hour； admiral；” he said； “interference from the hive fleet； or a
radiation field； perhaps。 The flag…lieutenant thinks it may be nothing more than a technical glitch in
the servitor unit。 He is speaking to the enginseers about it。”
Admiral Augustine raised an eyebrow and regarded the peculiar behaviour of the servitor with a
frown。 Once again it put the ship back on the table； and then removed it。
“Useless bastards；” said Cortez； shaking his head as he extricated himself from the enginseers
and walked to Augustine’s side。 “They say the unit was serviced last week。”
The servitor…unit seemed to be operating as normal； again； and the phantom ship was nowhere to
be seen on the table。
“Give me an update on the evacuations； Cortez；” said Augustine。
“Circe is almost completed； admiral；” said Cortez。 “The Valkyrie will be disengaging and
pulling back within the hour。”
The flag…lieutenant was a stocky man of indeterminable age。 A livid scar tracked across his chin；
and a gleaming； bronze…rimmed lens stared from the hollow socket of his left eye。 He