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eyebrow raised。
“You have something to say； Gideon？”
“Can we really hold them for another six hours？” asked the flag…lieutenant； his voice low to
avoid any of the other crew members overhearing his words。
“I don’t know；” admitted Augustine； “but we owe it to those people to try。”
Gideon still did not look happy。
“You can’t save them all；” he said。
“No；” agreed Augustine； shaking his head； “I cannot。”
The Idolator banked and jinked from side to side as hundreds of mycetic spores； fired by the hive
fleet still some ten thousand kilometres from Perdus Skylla streamed down towards the surface of
the moon。 Each of the cyst…like chrysalis organisms was filled with a deadly warrior cargo； which
would scour all life from the doomed world。 They fell like a meteor shower through the atmosphere；
their shell…like exteriors glowing hot as they descended at phenomenal speeds。
One of the spores passed within metres of the shuttle； which was pulled to the side by the rush of
air； but the guidance systems of the ship hauled it back on course； narrowly being struck by another
pair of mycetic spores as they roared down towards the surface of Perdus Skylla。
Each of the spores was the size of a Rhino transport vehicle； and a direct hit would cause
tremendous damage to the unshielded Idolator。 Engines roared as the shuttle veered sharply to avoid
a collision； but its movement took it into the path of another descending spore； which clipped the
side of the ship； sending it into a spin。
The Idolator rolled through the air； dropping hundreds of metres and narrowly avoiding being
struck by more of the spores； but it came back under control； pulling out of its death spin and
shooting once more skywards； pulling free of the descending shower of chrysalides。
Burias and Kol Badar picked themselves up； the Coryphaus reading the damage reports that
spewed from the mouth of a graven； daemonic face。 He swore。
“We are not going to make it to the Infidus Diabolus；” he said； scrunching the thin strips of
mnemo…paper in his fist。 “Guidance systems are damaged； and the aft engines are at quarter power。”
Burias was silent while the Coryphaus muttered； his strategic mind working to solve the
problem。
“Do we have enough power to break from the moon’s gravity？” he ventured。
“Yes；” snapped the Coryphaus； “but we’d be drifting。 We’ll conserve our power once we have
broken the atmosphere； and fire the engines to take us past the Imperial blockade。 We’ll order the
Infidus Diabolus to break from its mooring and come to meet us halfway。”
“The Imperial fleet will be aware of its presence as soon as it pulls out of the radiation of the
sun；” said Burias。 “If they turn their fleet…”
“Then we must pray that they do not。 Let us hope that the cursed Imperials are too occupied by
the xenos to swing their blockade。”
“And if they don’t？”
“Then we are dead。”
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“You are wasting your time；” growled Marduk； blood and spittle dripping from his lips。 His head
was held immobile by bladed callipers that had emerged from the floating slab on which he lay；
making any movement of his head or neck impossible。 He glared at the eldar tormentor out of the
corner of his left eye； his daemonic right eye rendered useless。
“I won’t break；” snarled Marduk。 “You will have to kill me first。”
His torturer did not look up； his utterly black eyes focused on the incisions that he had cut into
Marduk’s neck。 He was gazing into them； prodding and poking around the area where one of his
progenoid glands； those sacred glands that contained the essence of his enhanced gene…seed； had
been surgically removed thousands of years previously。 As if satisfied； the eldar closed up the
wound； and lifted what looked like a spike…ripped handgun from a pad that hovered at his side。
Marduk tensed； thinking momentarily that perhaps the eldar was going to kill him。 The eldar ran
the spiked tip of the pistol along the edge of the incision at his neck； and Marduk hissed in pain；
feeling a searing laser melting his flesh。 The eldar replaced the strange implement back on its
floating platform； and Marduk realised that the wound in his neck was sealed。
The First Acolyte stared at the spiked pistol…like piece of apparatus for a moment； and then
flexed his neck from side to side as the callipers retracted from their clamped position around his
cranium。 The bladed lengths slid away soundlessly； and came to rest around his head like a razorsharp
halo； leaving him free of their constriction； but still protruding from the hovering slab； just
centimetres from his head。
Marduk hissed as fresh pain seared across his abdomen。 Two long cuts bisected his flesh； and
snarling； he leant forwards to watch the monstrous eldar surgeon at work。 Doubtless that was the
reason his head restraints had been retracted； so that he could witness the surgery being performed
upon him。 His skin was sliced； and the thick black carapace beneath； the implant that allowed his
holy armour to be plugged directly into his body； was cut open with laser…tipped tools。
The biomechanical creature hovering on the pulsing ceiling reached out with four slender limbs；
each of them piercing one corner of his flesh； painfully drawing his sliced black carapace apart to
expose the stomach cavity。 The wraith…like eldar began to probe his organs with his slender fingers。
Marduk’s chest had not yet been cut open； but he knew that it was just a matter of time。 He had
witnessed two of his brother Space Marines have their organs removed； though Marduk had noted
that the eldar was careful to leave his victims alive； using inferior substitute organs to keep them
going。 It had taken some time to cut through the black carapace beneath the flesh of the warriors’
chests； but the tools of the twisted creature were powerful。
“I have no interest in your death；” intoned his torturer； still engrossed in his work。 Marduk could
feel the fingers probing within him； handling his enhanced organs。 The feeling was uncomfortable；
but he pushed the sensation away； focusing his mind。
“If your intention is not to kill me； what then is to be my fate？” asked Marduk； feigning
weakness in his voice。
The twisted surgeon did not pause in his work； and for a moment Marduk thought he would not
get an answer； but at last the eldar spoke。
“Upon reaching Commoragh；” said the eldar； though Marduk did not recognise the word； “your
savayaethoth； your… soul…flame… will be drained from your body。 This soul…essence will be
delivered to Lord Vect； for him to do with as he pleases。 Your savayaethoth burns brighter than
148
those of your comrades。 Most likely； the Lord Vect will take it into himself。 All that you are will be
consumed； utterly and completely； and She Who Thirsts will be denied her claim upon him a little
longer。”
“The soul…extraction；” continued the eldar torturer； “is excruciatingly painful。 What you have
experienced thus far is nothing beside it； and I have been known to prolong the process for a week
or more。”
“What will happen to you if I die beneath your scalpel before then？” asked Marduk。
“My master would be displeased；” said the eldar simply； as if he were talking to an imbecile。
“Your master is going to be very displeased； then；” said Marduk； and his primary heart stopped
beating。
Admiral Rutger Augustine stared at the blinking icon in disbelief。 Scans had picked up the telltale
sign of a ship moving towards the rear of the Imperial blockade； emerging from within the radiation
field of the system’s dying sun。
“It’s an Adeptus Astartes cruiser； sir；” said his aide in awe。 “And it’s big。”
“Yes； I can see that；” snapped Augustine； “but is it friend or foe？”
“You think it may be renegade； sir？” asked the man； looking at him in shock。
“I don’t know。 I have received no information of a Chapter of Astartes coming to our aid；
though it would be welcome。 That they have not intervened thus far does not bode well。”
“Initial hails have been ignored；” said the aide。 “The archives are being scoured as we speak to
identify the vessel。”
“Fine；” snapped Augustine； waving the man away。
“Trouble？” asked his flag…lieutenant； Gideon Cortez； as he strode to the admiral’s side。
“Possibly；” replied Augustine。 “Damn it； I need more ships。”
“We could always order the Exterminatus of the Perdus moons now；” said Gideon in a low
voice。 “Pull back； and swing to face this strike cruiser。”
“No；” said Augustine。 “I want that last convoy secured before I make the order。”
“Are the lives of those people down there worth risking the fleet for？” asked Gideon。
Augustine clenched his fists。 Then he sighed。
“I’ll give it one hour；” he said。 “Order the Implacable to disengage and swing around to the rear；
with its full escort。 Order them to stand off； though。 Let the Astartes make their move。”
Glowing runes flashed； appearing in the air above Marduk’s still chest； and the haemonculus’s
pitch…black eyes flashed towards them in alarm。
With a flick of his bloody fingers he banished the runes and brought another set up before him；
swiftly acknowledging the diagnostic reports。 The mon…keigh’s secondary heart had f