envious and covetous of his hallowed role；” said Kol Badar； “and that Marduk was subsequently
slain for his misdeed。”
“You wish to lie to the Council？” asked Burias； his voice incredulous。
Kol Badar did not have a chance to answer； as warning lights lit up across the consoles of the
shuttle。 The Coryphaus moved swiftly towards the pict screens flashing with a stream of data； and
swore。
“What is it？” asked Burias in alarm。
“A tyranid spore shower；” answered the Coryphaus。
It was heading right towards them。
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“Admiral；” said Gideon Cortez； flag…lieutenant of the Hammer of Righteousness。 “The master of
ordnance has a firing solution。 Request approval to launch torpedoes。”
“Approved；” said Admiral Rutger Augustine。
He was standing at the forward observation deck with his hands on his hips； watching the battle
unfold before him。 The strategy of maintaining a blockade in front of the encroaching tyranid
menace and decimating any world； inhabited or not； in its path still rankled with Augustine； but such
were his orders。
Most of the enemy hive ships were still tens of thousands of kilometres away； but he could see
them： immense； sentient creatures kilometres long with skin thick enough to endure living in deep
space； their vile bodies armoured in segmented carapace easily as strong as the hull of the mighty
Retribution…class battleship he stood in。 It almost defied logic that creatures as large as this could
exist in the universe。 The largest of the bio…ships was easily a match for the Hammer of
Righteousness； and rivalled her for size； and there were hundreds of smaller living ships that shoaled
around the largest organisms。 The smaller creatures ranged from the size of light cruisers all the way
down to the size of attack craft and interceptors。 The smallest bio…ships flew in dense clouds around
the large hive ships； like swarms of angry bees around their mother…hive； and several Cobra…class
escorts had already been destroyed by them when they had ventured too close。
The tyranid fleet was a terrifying prospect to face at close range； and Augustine had decreed that
no Imperial vessel approach within six thousand kilometres of it。 Even so； the xenos bio…ships were
capable of startling bursts of speed that had at first taken the Imperials by surprise； and Augustine
had lost the light cruiser Dominae Noctus and its entourage of frigates and escorts due to this
unexpected trait。
A pair of hive ships had swung towards the Dauntless…class light cruiser as she had been turning
to starboard to make a strafing run across the flank of the hive fleet； breaking from the formation of
bio…ships。
Though the commander of the Dominae Noctus had seen the danger； he had been powerless to
pull away fast enough。 The cruiser had desperately unleashed the fury of a full broadside into the
two bio…ships training in on him。 Augustine had watched the destruction unleashed on the living
organisms on one of his flickering pict screens； and had seen the carapaced hides of the beasts
rupture beneath the barrage； spilling bio…fluids into space。 Still； the bio…ships had continued on；
spitting streams of acid that melted the side of the Dauntless light cruiser and launching swarms of
smaller creatures； exhaling them from gill…like rents in their sides。
A trio of Sword frigates had nobly moved into the path of the behemoths； seeking to draw them
away from the floundering light cruiser； and two of them were overwhelmed as boarding chrysalides
were excreted from the hive ships； clamping onto and cutting through their hulls before overrunning
their decks with swarms of warrior organisms。
One of the bio…ships was drawn by the bait； and turned on the last remaining Sword frigate；
while its twin closed on the doomed Dominae Noctus。 The rest of the fleet had watched in growing
horror as immense hooked tentacles shot forth from the prow of the bio…ships； locking onto the hulls
of the light cruiser and the frigate； drawing them into the immense living beasts。 More tentacles
wrapped around their hulls。 The Sword frigate was crushed utterly beneath the pressure and ripped
in half。 The Dominae Noctus lasted little longer； for the tentacles drew it in close to the hive ship；
and its hull was rent by the immense； bony beak concealed at the heart of the mass of tentacles。 For
an hour； the creature gorged upon the light cruiser； its hull almost entirely obscured by the tentacles
that wrapped around it； and Augustine had listened in stoic silence to the screams of the dying as
bio…acid and feeder organisms had been spewed into the interior of the compromised ship。
Augustine had no intention of losing any more of his fleet to the xenos fleet； and the Imperials
were engaging the tyranids only at medium to long range。
The Hammer of Righteousness’s dorsal lance batteries had taken a heavy toll on the advancing
tyranid fleet； but the xenos ships continued on relentlessly； absorbing the casualties they suffered
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and pushing ever forwards。 The bio…ships mortally wounded by the long distance barrages were
devoured by the other hive…ships； who would doubtless use the genetic material to spawn more of
their foul kind。
Augustine felt a shudder beneath his feet as the prow torpedo tubes fired； and he watched with
satisfaction as the six immense； plasma…core projectiles； each almost eighty metres long； powered
through the gulf of space towards the largest of the hive organisms。
Lance batteries from the rest of the fleet stabbed into the closest bio…ships； and other torpedoes
impacted with fleshy bodies several kilometres in length。 Tentacles flailed in death…spasms； and
thousands of tiny organisms flew into the mighty wounds in the hides of the immense beasts；
latching onto flesh and each other and excreting a cement…like substance over themselves to form a
living bandage； sealing up wounds even as they were caused。
The largest of the hive ships veered to avoid the flagship’s torpedoes； but its immense bulk
turned slowly； and it was clear that it could not avoid the impacts。 Smaller bio…ships interposed
themselves； and three torpedoes exploded prematurely as they slammed into the sides of the lesser
vessels。 The last three plasma torpedoes hit their target； and gobbets of flesh the size of city blocks
were blasted from the behemoth’s flank。
“Order the Valkyrie to pull back；” said Augustine to one of his aides。 “She is getting too close。”
“Yes； admiral；” came the response； and the order was quickly passed on。
“Ground invasions have commenced on both the Perdus moons；” said Gideon Cortez；
Augustine’s trusty flag…lieutenant； his face grim。
Augustine sighed wearily。 He didn’t know how long it had been since he had slept。 Plenty of
time to sleep when you are dead； he thought。
He had already ordered the destruction of six inhabited Imperial worlds in this sector； but at least
those worlds had been successfully evacuated before he had been forced to order their destruction。
Trying to give the citizens of the two moons as much time to evacuate as possible； Augustine
had moved the blockade forward； so that the fleet could hold back the tyranid advance for as long as
possible。 Now； he looked down upon the twin moons； orbiting the gaseous giant nearby； and he
cursed that he could buy them little more time。
“Percentage of the populations evacuated？” he asked； already dreading the answer。
It had been estimated that the twin moons of Perdus Skylla and Perdus Kharybdis would require
three journeys of the bulk transport ships available； at the minimum； for a complete evacuation。 As
far as he was aware； only one journey had been completed。
“Less than thirty per cent；” replied Gideon。
“How many are left？” asked Augustine。 He didn’t really want to know the answer； but felt that
he ought to know how many people he was condemning to death。
“On Perdus Kharybdis； around eighty million；” said Gideon in a quiet voice。
“Eighty million；” said Admiral Augustine in a weary voice； “and Perdus Skylla？”
“No more than twenty million。”
“The evacuations were more successful there？”
“No；” admitted Gideon Cortez； shaking his head。 “The population of Perdus Skylla is but a
fraction of its twin； mostly labourers and mine workers。”
“One hundred million loyal souls； and we are going to eradicate them； like that；” said Augustine；
clicking his fingers together。
“Some might say it is a blessing； sir；” said Gideon； “better than being devoured by the xenos。”
“Yes； you are quite right；” snapped Augustine。 “They should be thanking us。”
Gideon gave him a hurt look； and the admiral sighed。
“I’m sorry； Gideon；” he said quickly； “that was unfair。 How long would it take to do one final
evacuation run！”
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“The carriers are already en route for a final pickup；” said Gideon； “though they will need an
escort。 Six hours； they’ll need； according to the logistics reports。”
“Order the left flanks to close up； with the Cypra Mordatis at the fore；” said Augustine after a
moment of deliberation。 “We can buy them six hours。”
Feeling Gideon still hovering behind him； Augustine turned to face his flag…lieutenant； one
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 a