ripping apart flesh and bubbling blood that appeared on the screens； focusing on the wealth of subsystem
information being picked up by the daemonic sensor…arrays protruding from the prow of the
Infidus Diabolus。 They saw the conglomeration of Imperial vessels forming an unbroken line across
the system and the flickering waves of warp…energy that marked jump…points； and located the
position of the target： the moon the Imperials called Perdus Skylla。
The sounds of Chaos croaked from grilled vox…speakers and discords throughout the ship； a
blaring cacophony of madness and rage。 Bellows and screams were overlaid with inhuman
screeches and hateful whispers； and the painful squeal of scraping metal blurred with the relentless
pounding of hammers and gears； the sound of flesh being rent by steel； the roar of the fires of hell
and the plaintive weeping of children。 It was a beautiful din； one that calmed Marduk’s mind；
though to listen too deeply was to give yourself over to insanity。
25
A face appeared on the central pict screen； its eyes black as pitch and its cheeks carved with
bloody sigils； and it opened its mouth wide； exposing a mass of writhing serpents； spiders and
worms。
“Enough；” barked Marduk； banishing the daemon with a wave of his hand。 Instantly； the
snarling image disappeared。
More flashing lights and runic symbols appeared on the representation of the surrounding
galactic plane； and both Marduk and Kol Badar leant forward to peer upon them。 Kol Badar snorted
and leant back。 A bitter laugh burst from Marduk’s lips； the sound making the image on the pict
viewers shimmer with static。
“It would seem； Coryphaus； that the Imperium is engaged in a war in this little solar system；”
said Marduk； “and they are losing。”
“Admiral；” someone shouted。
Rutger Augustine pulled his gaze away from the scale model representations of the fleet and
turned to see one of his petty officers moving towards him。
“Go ahead；” he said。
The petty officer was flushed and he carried a transmission card； its waxy surface punched with
a series of holes。 He thrust it towards the admiral。
“Sir； Battle Group Orion has picked up a warp…echo emanating from jump…point XIV。 It has
been verified by our own Navigatorii。”
Augustine frowned at the transmission card； and then turned and fed it into the chest…slot of the
servitor unit wired into his command console。 The servitor jerked； and its needle finger began to
punch away at a set of keys in front of it。 Ignoring the drooling servitor； Augustine looked at the
transmission data as it was relayed onto the screen。
“What is it？” he asked。 “A rogue hive ship？ Don’t say the bastards have got behind us。”
“No sir。 Initial sweeps indicate a vessel of cruiser mass； but it is not an organic entity。”
“No？ Probably another trade vessel come to aid the evacuations。 Why are you bothering me with
this？” asked Admiral Augustine。 “The fleet is engaging the xenos threat； petty officer！”
“I’m sorry； sir； and it may be nothing； but the long…range scan that Battle Group Orion
performed seemed to indicate that the vessel may be an Astartes strike cruiser or battle…barge。”
Augustine frowned。
“I was notified of no Space Marine presence inbound； though we could do with their aid。” He
rubbed a hand across his freshly shaved chin。 “Have Orion send a frigate squadron on an intercept
course with the vessel； and keep me informed of any updates。”
With that； the admiral turned away from the petty officer。 “Yes； admiral。”
The Infidus Diabolus ploughed through the vacuum of space； its plasma…core engines burning bluewhite
as it closed towards the vast red giant sun around which the solar system rotated。 Solar flares a
million kilometres in height burst from the daemonic red corona； leaping up from around dark
sunspots that blemished its unstable surface。
The sun was dying。 Five billion years earlier it was less than one hundredth of its current size；
though it had burnt over ten times as hot。 Having exhausted its gaseous core； it had expanded
exponentially； engulfing its nearest planets。 Even as it grew in size； it was diminished in mass； and
the outer planets circling it began to pull further away； its gravitational hold over them weakening。
Now it burnt the colour of hell itself； but in another billion years it would be no more。
The Infidus Diabolus dropped closer to the hellish； glowing corona； buffeted by solar winds。
There； with intense spikes of radiation spilling around her hull； she drew anchor。
26
“I would hear your council； revered Warmonger；” said Marduk。 He ran the fingers of his hand
thoughtfully along the surface of a stone column。 A cold wind gusted through the darkness； tugging
at Marduk’s cloak； and a mechanical scream of insane rage echoed from deeper within the crypt。
Marduk and Kol Badar stood beneath the shadow of a wide archway； facing into a cavernous
alcove set into the side of the expansive passageway。 They were deep within the depths of the
Infidus Diabolus； in the undercroft that housed those warriors of the Host that had long ago fallen in
holy battle； but had not been allowed to pass on into blessed oblivion。
The damned warriors lived on in the deepest labyrinthine catacombs of the strike cruiser；
condemned to a tortured limbo； neither living nor dead； the shattered remnants of their earthly forms
interred in great sarcophagi that they might serve the Host even after their time had long passed。
A delicate mural decorated the back wall of the alcove； detailing the great moments of the
Warmonger’s life before he had been condemned to an eternity of servitude within the towering
mechanical form of a Dreadnought。
Once he had been amongst Lorgar’s most favoured and devout chaplains； the first Dark Apostle
of the 34th Company Host that Marduk now led。 He had fought alongside the god primarchs； and
counted such exalted heroes as Erebus； Kor Phaeron and Abaddon as his battle…brothers。 Marduk
had listened in awe to the scratchy vox…recordings of his passionate sermons； and had pored over a
thousand volumes of his thoughtful scripture； and his fiery rhetoric and hate…filled sermons never
failed to inspire。
Though the other warriors interred within the Dreadnoughts of the Host had long ago lost any
semblance of sanity； cursed as they were and unable to attain oblivion yet denied the physical
sensations of holy war； the Warmonger retained a coherent self…awareness； and was a source of
great wisdom and council。
It was his unshakeable faith that kept him lucid。 Holy Erebus had once said； the power and
conviction of his rapturous belief that kept him from toppling off the precipice into madness。
A thousand blood…candles ringed the mighty Warmonger； tended day and night by a pair of
slave…proselytes to ensure that the flames never died； and their light cast a divine glow over the
Dreadnought’s sarcophagus。
It towered over Marduk； even Kol Badar； standing over five metres tall with the armoured
sarcophagus that held the Dark Apostle’s shattered remains at its heart。 The Dreadnought stood on
squat； powerful legs； and immense arms bearing ancient heavy weapons systems were held
immobile at its side。
For hundreds of years at a time the Warmonger stood motionless within its own death shrine；
lost in contemplation； waiting for holy battle to be joined once more。
“It is pleasing to my soul to see you once more； First Acolyte Marduk；” boomed the
Warmonger； its voice a deep reverberating baritone； the words spoken slowly and deliberately； “and
you； Kol Badar； finest of my captains。”
The two warriors bowed their heads in deference。
“The loss of Jarulek pains me；” continued the Warmonger。 “Though in you I see a worthy
successor； young disciple Marduk。”
“Jaruilek’s death cuts me deeply as well； revered Warmonger；” said Marduk。 A slight smile
curled his lips as he felt Kol Badar’s anger at his words。 “I am honoured to fill the role of religious
leader of the Host； though I feel… unworthy of such a hallowed duty。”
“It is only right that you step into the breach and guide the flock；” said the Warmonger。 “Your
star is in the ascendant。 Feel not unworthy of the duty； be humbled by it； but never doubt your right
to serve。 The gods have ordained it。”
Marduk turned his head to Kol Badar and smiled。
“I fear that some amongst the Host feel I am not ready for such an exalted position； my lord；” he
said。
27
“Tolerate no insubordination； First Acolyte；” boomed the Warmonger。 “Crucify any who seed
dissent； for theirs are the voices of poison and doubt。”
“I shall heed your council in this matter； revered one；” said Marduk。
“You are walking the black path； Marduk；” said the Warmonger。 “You are the dark disciple；
moving towards the light of truth； and you shall； in time； be granted enlightenment。 You did not；
however； come here for my acceptance； for you already know that you have it。 What is it you would
ask of me？”
“I had wished to descend on the Imperial world of Perdus Skylla with the full force of the Host；
laying waste to the world and claiming that which is needed。 While it pleases me to see the
Imperium weakened in their battles with the xenos； for it will make our eventual victory in the Long
War come all the sooner； the size of the battlefleet here in this sector forces me to change my
intentions。 Mighty as she is； the Infidus Diabolus would not survive long enough to get us to the
Imperial moon。”
“I say we abandon this fool’s errand here and now；” growled Kol Badar。 “Let us return to
Sicarus and leave the Imperials to wage their war against the xenos hive…creatures。 We will recoup
our strength in the Eye while the Imperium suffers。”
“Kol Badar speaks； as always； with wisdom；” said the Warmonger； and for a moment Marduk
thought he had horribly misjudged the way this conversation would go。 He felt a flicker of unease at
having instigated it in the presence of the Coryphaus as Kol Badar flashed him a look of triumph。
“And yet；” continued the Warmonger； “Jarulek saw in the xenos device something of great
import。 He was always a gifted zealot and the power of his gods…gifted dream visions were stronger
than my own。 If he saw that the item was worth waging war for； then it is an artefact of great
importance； and is destined to further the spread of the holy Word of Truth。”
“We already have the device in our possession；” said Kol Badar。 “We need not tarry here and
risk it further。”
“We have the device； that is true；” admitted Marduk； “but as it is； it is worthless to us； its secrets
are locked within it。 It is nothing more than a xenos curio； an inert and useless sphere of metal。”
“The chirumeks of the Legion will unlock its secrets； whatever they may be；” said Kol Badar。
I will not return to Sicarus in anything but glory； thought Marduk fiercely； glaring at the
Coryphaus。 Were he to return empty…handed； he feared that the council would not endorse his rise to
Dark Apostle。 With the secrets of the Nexus Arrangement unlocked and his to command； they
would be forced to heap honour upon him。
“You know that the knowledge that will unlock the device will be attained upon this Imperial
world？” asked the Warmonger。
“I do；” said Marduk。 “It is