Chapter Fifteen

Janey looked up at the great portrait, and bowed her head. "Lord Sanguinius, Mr Morgan says you were the best tactician he ever saw. Please look after your Blood Angels today and keep them safe. Lead those brave warriors who fall into your father's light, to dwell secure for all time. Amen."

She lifted her head and smiled. The Blood Angels had the Legion with them today. Even if the Legion was just Mr Morgan. She touched the portrait gently, turned and walked back to the bridge.

On Eternal Wrath the chaplains were intoning the litanies of hatred. As was normal with the Blood Angels, they were watchful for a slightly glazed look in their brothers' eyes. If a marine had that look he would be close to falling to the Black Rage, reliving the death of the Primarch as he flung himself into battle uncaring of life or injury, connected by some mystical thread to his genefather and partaking of the Angel's strength. Such warriors were almost unstoppable, and were gathered into the Death Company, to be loosed on the enemy where their augmented fury would be most useful. It was an honourable death, and better than any other option, for such warriors were otherwise a danger to all around them, insane and lethal.

Chaplain Caliel helped the kneeling form of brother-sergeant Astinius to his feet, seeing the onset of the Rage as a living thing in the man's eyes. A great pity; Astinius had long been looked on as a potential captain.

"Come, brother. Let us attend you."

Astinius gave him a glazed look, mumbling to himself. Then he stopped dead and raised his head. He looked, eyes clear and focussed, at Caliel, and laughed, a sane and joyful sound. "Brother chaplain, I do not need your assistance. Do you not feel it? The Angel is with us this day." He laughed again and bellowed across the dock.

"Blood Angels. What is your duty?"

The answer roared back from five hundred voices. "Service to the Emperor's will."

"What is the Emperor's will?"

"That we fight and die."

"What is death?"

"Death is our duty."

High above, Lord Commander Dante looked at his Chief Librarian, who had an almost gentle smile on his face. "Mephiston?"

"Astinius is right. The Primarch is with us today. I can feel him."

Dante nodded. "I thought it was just me." He leant on the railing and roared the question again. "Blood Angels. What is your duty?"

The answer woke the echoes across the ship. Space marines had tears in their eyes and almost joyful expressions. A wave of Dante's hand swept a tide of crimson-armoured warriors to their positions in the boarding torpedoes. There was a loud, impossibly ominous, click as five hundred bolters were cocked almost together, then silence. It was time.

Sedreth watched as the torpedoes streaked from the sides of the golden battle-barge. He nodded to himself as the Blood Angels deployed, eliminating any escape pods and setting a perimeter for the remaining companies to deploy to. Small detachments of First Company Terminators moved to secure specific points, wiping out any resistance efficiently and speedily. Very professional.

One large group moved quickly towards a nearby power source, an unidentified source of energy and set up a perimeter to guard it. His tacscan showed techmarines moving around beside it.

Sara came over and looked past his shoulder. "Sedreth, can we help do you think? Our scans are military-grade too. We could add our scans to theirs, cover a wider area."

He looked round at her, and thought for a few moments. "It can be done, but it requires a priority link to ensure real-time communication. Even a delay of a couple of seconds can be tactically fatal."

Sara smiled briefly. "I trust our scan tech, don't you?"

He looked across to Janey's eager face and smiled. "Yes, I rather think I do. Sara, you had better do the talking."

She grinned and walked back to her command chair.

"Lord Commander, I have received a communication from Eyes of the Phoenix. They suggest marrying their scans to ours to extend our scan coverage."

Dante thought for a second. Could they be trusted? Well, if they could not, they'd be very dead. And if they could succeed in doing it it would be tactically very valuable. "Captain Ghallius, If you can synchronise it, do so. If there is lag between their scan readings and ours it is worse than useless."

"Yes, Lord Commander."

Matthias watched the scan closely. He had lost seven of his Terminators so far, fewer than expected but each a grievous loss to the Imperium and the Chapter nonetheless. Lord Dante's voice came over the vox.

"Matthias, we're about to extend the scan area using Eyes of the Phoenix's scan systems. Captain Ghallius assures me they are compatible, and that there should be no appreciable lag between theirs and ours. If there are any problems at all, I want to know immediately. The extended area will cover quadrant tertius, marches three through seven."

His right-hand perimeter, where their scan had difficulty penetrating due to the denseness of the material – some crushed xenos ship – there. "Yes, Lord Commander. That will be most helpful."

The image extended, slowly at first, then more. Matthias swore.

"Squad Serros, 'stealers massing in your vicinity, multiple signals bearing nu mark seven, marches four and five. Pull back to the cross-junction at nu sigma six."

Sergeant Serros' voice came back. "Acknowledged, brother-captain. Pulling back now."

Matthias moved squads Thitius and Borrel to support positions and watched with satisfaction as the 'stealer attack was annihilated.

"Squad Serros, here, brother-captain. One down, two wounded."

Matthias grimaced. Even the victories were hard-won against these accursed things. He replied tersely. "Acknowledged. Good job, brother-sergeant. Uplink to tacscan confirmed effective. I'm patching through our extended scan data to all units. Squads Thitius and Borrel will support your advance. An apothecary is en route to brother Elias."

Esceriel watched his brothers deploy with quiet satisfaction. So far, so good. He was just turning to leave the bridge when there was a loud bang and a console exploded in fire. Crewmen rushed to extinguish the brief flames. Beside him, brother-techmarine Simbalist swore. Esceriel looked enquiringly at the normally unflappable marine.

"The primary teleport control panel, brother-captain."

Esceriel met the man's worried gaze. "In simple Gothic?"

"We can still teleport large objects, but there is no longer any fine focus. 'Porting individual marines will not be possible until it is repaired."

"How long?"

"Several hours at least, brother-captain."

"You had better tell the Lord Commander." He gave a brief grin as he went to join his company for deployment to the hulk.

Four hours in and the Blood Angels had established a firm perimeter extending deep into the hulk. Genestealer attacks were increasing in frequency, but so far had not been made in huge numbers. Sedreth watched the tacscan feed with his companions as three squads of Terminators moved towards a nexus of stairwells and passages. An excellent, if risky, tactical move which would prevent 'stealer access through that dangerous section and secure communications with advance elements. If the 'stealers were organised they would move swiftly against that; Dante was clearly taking the chance that they were not yet awake in sufficient numbers to prevent the setting up of a choke point there. If he was right, his perimeter in that section would be close to impregnable except in massive numbers. If he was wrong, he was about to lose three squads, or be forced to teleport them out, which would weaken his forces significantly for a short time.

Sara spoke quietly. "That looks quite exposed."

He nodded, pleased that she'd noticed. "It is. But if they have time to establish a strong defence then Lord Commander Dante can reinforce with the third company from here and his perimeter will be very strong indeed."

Janey asked him, "What if the 'stealers attack before they're in position?"

"They'll have to teleport out, probably. It depends on the 'stealer forces and their position; they may be able to hold long enough for reinforcements to arrive if this corridor here and that one there are secure. And their ammunition holds out."

They watched the cautious advance. The Terminators started to split up, taking defensive positions. "Mr Morgan, look!" Janey was pointing to a different section of the scan, where genestealers were moving in large numbers. "The 'stealers have broken through the wall there."

Sedreth cursed. "There's an access; small, but they don't need much space. They're going to cut those squads off."

Dante cursed fluently as he realised he'd been suckered. Worse, he could not 'port the squads out with the controls damaged. "Esceriel, the squads at nexus three are about to be cut off. Have you the forces to get to them?"

Esceriel's quiet voice came back. "Not according to the codex, Lord Commander. A company against that number of 'stealers should take a defensive position and wear them down."

Dante waited and as expected Esceriel went on with suppressed humour in his tone. "However, the codex was written by Lord Guilleman and is the battle doctrine of the Ultramarines. We are the Blood Angels. Company will commence assault in two minutes."

"I shall ensure reinforcements are moved into your current positions, brother-captain."

"Damn," said Sedreth. "It was a trap. The 'stealers are alert all right. Fifteen Terminators is a huge loss."

"Why don't they 'port out?"

"I don't know."

Janey ran to her console. "Mr Morgan, I can't get a lock. There's too much interference. I'd need something to boost the signals." She fiddled frantically with controls, almost crying with frustration.

Sedreth turned and ran for the armoury.

Brother-sergeant Quinn swore as the tactical readouts showed green blobs all round the squads. "Quinn, here. Status report."

"Squad Laertes, two effectives, three dead. We have fired the corridor, but have only two heavy flamer shots left."

"Squad Falco, four effectives, one seriously wounded and immobile. Xenos attack repelled for the moment, but scan indicates massing for another. We must pull back as we're about to be flanked, brother-sergeant."

"Do that. Fire the corridor ahead of you to give you time to pull out."

"By your command."

The thunder of stormbolters echoed down the corridor to his right where two of his squad had good views. The high screeches of dying and injured xenos gave him a small satisfaction, but he knew it was only a matter of time. Not even eleven Terminators could hold out against the masses on scan for very long. He watched as brother Mercier opened up with his assault cannon, tearing a dozen or so 'stealers into bloody shrapnel. Without the heavy weapons they wouldn't last ten minutes.

"How's your ammunition, brother?"

"Not yet down to half, brother-sergeant. I can hold this corridor without difficulty."

"Do that, brother." He turned as Falco lumbered into view, his massive Thunder Hammer stained with xenos blood and gore. The assault Terminator did not look happy.

"Brother Linaeus is with the Primarch. He refused to let us carry him."

Quinn nodded grimly. Ten Terminators then. Linaeus had been a fine warrior. "We shall avenge him, brother."

Falco nodded. "I suggest that I and my squad take positions in the corridors. Let the 'stealers bunch up behind each other as we hold them up, then the flamers can be fired past us."

Quinn shook his head. "You'll all be caught in the fires. We need your firepower. You do still remember how to use a stormbolter?"

Falco grinned. "Better than you, old friend. So how do we deploy?"

"The third company are attempting to break through to us. But they'll have to break down a few walls so that their accumulated fire can bear, otherwise they'll be massacred at close quarters. That will take time. We have to hold our position for as long as we can."

"Esceriel is a brave man."

"He is a Blood Angel."

The two sergeants grinned at each other.

Dante watched as the icons blinked out one by one, swarmed under by xenos. Just seven left now. Esceriel was blasting his way through walls and xenos alike, but it was taking too long. He cursed under his breath. Perhaps he should write off the cut-off squads. But he couldn't do that. No matter what the tactical situation, it was not in him to call off Esceriel's assault until there was no hope at all. He blinked in astonishment as another icon, the standard for unknown astartes, appeared on the scan. What?

Quinn swore as he heard brother Mercier's assault cannon click empty. He spun towards the marine, knowing that Mercier was as good as dead; a power fist was no match for multiple 'stealers. Light flared to his right and a voice bellowed, "Fire in the hole!"

Mercier instinctively flung himself sideways as burning promethium erupted past him, crisping the half dozen xenos that he had expected to be his last sight. A space marine, resplendently armoured in purple and gold and draped in weapons, stepped past him and sent another gout of flame along the corridor before reaching out a hand and hauling him to his feet.

The man's voice was amused. "You seem to have upset them." He shrugged free the massive, familiar, form of a heavy bolter from his back. "Sorry, but I didn't have any Terminator heavy weapons available. I hope this will do instead."

Mercier checked the ammunition counter, then grinned inside his helmet. "I think I can manage."

The marine turned to brother-sergeant Quinn and saluted. "I'm Sedreth, brother-sergeant, of the 79th. Sorry, but we couldn't get a lock to 'port you out to Eyes of the Phoenix, so I came instead." He unslung a second flamer, elegantly decorated in gold and bronze from his hip. "I trust one of your Terminators can make good use of this?"

Quinn's answering smile was wolfish. "I believe I can find someone."

The stranger grinned wickedly and put his helmet on.

Laertes' voice rang over the vox. "Here they come." The thunder of weapons echoed along the corridors as genestealers poured along them from all angles.

Dante watched, thankful and amazed and angry all at the same time as the 'stealers swarmed round and along corridors at his cut-off Terminators. Brother-sergeant Laertes' icon winked out, then brother Eliadus'. The unknown marine was apparently kneeling in the corridor beneath Quinn, and the genestealers were only inching closer, taking massive casualties from the combined fire of multiple weapons. Good. Esceriel had blasted down another wall and his company was engaging dozens of the monsters only a hundred metres from the Terminators. They might just make it.

He cursed as the icons of Quinn and the stranger came into contact with the xenos.

Sedreth drove the butt of his empty bolter through a stealer face, kicking the thing aside as he drew his chainsword. "For the Emperor!" He severed a neck, drawing his bolt pistol one-handed and shooting another in the face. Beside him the stormbolter still roared defiance and a powersword glowed with blue energies as it slashed past his shoulder. Everything seemed to slow down, as it always did when he was at his best; his chainsword severed limbs and heads as he spun and slew, a machine of destruction.

Falco watched, almost in awe, as the stranger marine engaged the onrushing 'stealers head on with chainsword and bolt pistol. What a swordsman! He wondered where the man had come from, then dismissed the thought. There would be time, later. If they lived. The tearing of metal to his left heralded yet more of the accursed things and he stepped into the breach with Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield. "For the Angel and the Emperor!"

Mercier sent long bursts of bolter fire along the narrow corridor. The heavy bolter was a fine example of its type, beautifully balanced, decorated with the aquila in gold and chased in gilts and bronzes. Thankfully the marine, Sedreth, had brought plenty of ammunition, because there was no shortage of targets.

Quinn grimaced as a stealer claw dug into his thigh, tearing the hallowed plate like paper. He stuck his stormbolter into the thing's face and blew its head off, kicking the corpse loose. Blood poured briefly from the injury before his enhanced metabolism clotted the wound.

Vatiel stood waiting as the horde came round the corridor into his field of fire. He had only one shot left and was determined to make it count. He raised the heavy flamer to get the best spread. The lead 'stealer was just two metres from him when he pressed the firing stud. A claw drove into his chest and everything went black.

Desial cursed as his brother went down with a xeno on top of him. A burst from his stormbolter killed the thing, and he ran in a lumbering sprint to the other's side. "Stay alive brother. We are not done yet." He knelt facing the still-burning corridor, his stormbolter over his forearm in the classic marksman's pose. He had ten shots. That was ten dead xenos.

"They're falling back!" yelled Mercier.

Desial echoed him. "Here too. But Vatiel's down."

Falco smashed another stealer into ruin and paused. There wasn't another, just half a dozen corpses. He winced at the pain beside his left shoulder; broken collar-bone, for certain. At least they were still alive. "Clear here also."

Quinn looked at the marine in front of him. "We're clear along here too. Where have they gone?"

The echoing thunder of dozens of bolters answered for him.

"They're attacking the reinforcements," said the big stranger. Quinn realised that he was tall, even for a space marine, nearly three metres. Sedreth, that was the name he'd given. He reached up and detached his half-smashed helmet revealing a handsome face with cold grey eyes under close-cropped white-blond hair. He spoke into his vox. "Janey, can you get a lock on any of us?"

Quinn couldn't here the answer, but it was clearly negative. Sedreth took something from his utility belt, a small square box with a strap attached.

"Teleport booster. I only have the two, I'm afraid. There's a lot of interference and we may need both for one man. But we can get at least one of your wounded brothers out."

Quinn nodded. "Vatiel, then."

"Janey, we're going to boost the signal on a wounded man. Can you have medical ready for him; it looks bad?"

Quinn heard the acknowledgement this time, a light female voice. "Yes, Mr Morgan."

Sedreth strapped the devices to Vatiel and grinned down at the barely conscious man. "One to teleport, Janey."

There was a flare of light and Vatiel vanished. Sedreth spoke into his vox again. "You have him?"

"Yes, Mr Morgan. But he's really bad. Mummy's on the comm to the Blood Angels; we're going to 'port him to them."

Sedreth looked at Quinn. "You heard that?"

Quinn nodded. "Vatiel has been worse. He will survive."

Sedreth grinned at him. "Then I suggest we hit the bastard things from behind while they're attacking the Third Company."

Falco chuckled. "Typical assault marine."

Sedreth gave him a wicked smile. "I'm no assault marine, brother-sergeant. But I do owe the Blood Angels; a Blood Angel saved my life a long time ago. I'd quite like to repay the debt."

Quinn looked at him and the others. "Well, we cannot hold here; we don't have enough people to cover all the attack vectors. Falco, take point. Let's go."

They moved out as a mixed squad, the assault sergeant in the lead, then the other assault marine, Rachiel, with his massive lightning claws, Sedreth, Desial the marksman, Mercier and finally himself bringing up the rear with his powersword and stormbolter. He spoke into the vox.

"Squad Quinn to Lord Commander Dante. We have insufficient firepower to hold our position against another attack. Moving out to rendezvous with the Third Company. We will attempt to assault the xenos from behind while they are engaged with captain Esceriel's warriors."

The reply came through, distorted and scratchy. "Acknowledged brother-sergeant. Captain Esceriel has been informed. The Angel look on you, brother."

They were lucky; they didn't encounter anything until they were only metres from Esceriel's position. An apparently endless wave of genestealers was sweeping forward into the massed fire of the Third Company.

"There's quite a few of them," said Sedreth conversationally. "Can you two keep them off our flanks for a while? I suspect we're about to be unpopular."

Falco laughed aloud. "I suspect you are correct, Sedreth. On your command, brother-sergeant?"

Quinn grinned and nodded. "Keep them from flanking us as long as you can."

Falco and Rachiel slid to either side of their small firing line even as a couple of stealers near the rear of the horde turned and spotted them. Mercier's heavy bolter roared thunder, joined almost immediately by himself and Desial, the latter having scavenged spare clips from their two dead brothers, Laertes and Eliadus, whose bodies they'd passed on the way. Sedreth had taken a kneeling stance and was firing short controlled bursts into the xenos line, as if he was simply at target practice. The swarm seemed to hesitate at the sudden attack, then missiles streaked out from Esceriel's heavy weapons squads to explode in the middle of the dense-packed creatures and they split, one group heading towards the new attackers to the rear, the rest reforming and charging the Third Company's massed bolters. Quinn had just enough time to see that captain Esceriel's Company was going to cope quite comfortably, then the monsters were on them and there was nothing to do but fire until his weapon clicked empty, then wade into the clawed mass and take as many with him as he could.

It was carnage. Quinn and his Terminators had timed their assault perfectly. Esceriel nodded in satisfaction as the mass of creatures simply dissolved under the concentrated fire of his squads.

"Flamers!" he yelled, and white-hot streams of promethium swept out, crisping the downed and dead alike and turning the blood-slicked floors black with ashes.

"Company will advance. For the Emperor!"

The answering roar was massive as almost a hundred blood-red-armoured figures smashed their way forward behind non-stop weapons fire. Chainswords rose and fell as the few surviving 'stealers attempted to fight and kill. Ahead Esceriel could see the Terminator firing line almost buried under clawed monstrosities.

"No mercy! Kill them all!" He saw chaplain Caliel's crozius shining gold as it rose and fell, smashing xenos to ruin, driving at the head of wedge of chainsword-wielding assault marines towards the beleaguered First Company warriors. He could still see, and hear, the massive Thunder Hammer of brother-sergeant Falco as the assault Terminator fought like a madman against multiple opponents, and one of the warriors was still firing but they were not going to make it.

A huge voice bellowed something and a dozen 'stealers fell, wracked by lightnings. Mephiston! The Librarian was at his most fearsome, wreathed in psychic might as he called the wrath of the Emperor down upon his enemies. Beside him a familiar gold-armoured figure led four full squads of Terminators to the assault. The xenos seemed to shudder then they were scattering, fleeing.

Dante's deep bass bellowed above the din. "Blood Angels, hold ranks. Let them flee. Secure our brethren."

The assault halted, squads taking firing positions in mutual support. Esceriel smiled briefly. He had never been so proud of his company as he was right now.

From beneath a mass of xenos corpses a battered and blood-stained figure heaved itself upright. His helmet was gone, and there were huge gouges and scores in his armour, but nonetheless sergeant Falco managed to salute his Lord Commander.

"Lord Commander, squad Falco reporting. Two dead, one evacuated, one wounded and unfit for combat, one effective. Squad Laertes, all lost. Squad Quinn," he paused and shoved a dead 'stealer aside. "Two dead, three wounded and unfit for combat." Falco swayed slightly. "Plus one reinforcement, alive but critical, I think." He reached for a purple boot, swayed again and would have collapsed had Dante himself not caught him. Other marines moved to assist, shoving genestealer corpses aside without ceremony. A purple- and gold-armoured marine was pulled clear of the pile, his chestplate torn apart and blood all over him. He still clutched a blood-drenched chainsword in his right hand. Round his neck was a golden chain from which hung...

There was a ringing, a light. Everything stopped.

Mephiston's voice was disbelieving. "That cannot be."

"It,... sings," said someone behind him.

Something was buzzing in his ear. He shook his head. "Captain Esceriel. Brother-captain, respond."

His voice shook. "Esceriel here."

"Matthias here. I can't raise the Lord Commander. Listen, Esceriel, whatever is going on, it doesn't matter right now. There's more 'stealers coming your way. Hundreds. You hear me? Get your marines out of there before you're overrun."

He looked round. Half his marines were kneeling, entranced at the glowing pinion held in Mephiston's trembling hand. "Matthias, we can't pull out. I'm not even sure my marines are aware of themselves right now. I'll explain later. We need reinforcements; let's take the bastard xenos apart here and now."

"Esceriel, we tried that a thousand years ago, remember? The chapter lost nine hundred and sixty dead that day."

"I know. We shall not today, however. Get everyone you can spare. This day will go down in the chapter's history as one of our greatest."

"The Lord Commander?"

He saw Dante give a shudder, as if waking from a dream. His voice was slightly shaken, the first time anyone had ever heard even the remotest tremor in that gravelled baritone. "Can answer for myself. Matthias, I want all your Terminators here. As fast as you can. And every Librarian we have. Sandros, your assault company too. It is time these genestealers learned exactly what it means to face the Blood Angels."

He turned to Esceriel. "Get this man to the apothecaries, and tell them if he dies, so do they. I want him alive to tell us where he got this. It is real, isn't it, Mephiston? Not some sort of trick?"

The Librarian nodded, his face grim. "It is a true relic. A pinion of the Angel Himself. Part of the Primarch, restored to the Chapter after ten thousand years."

Esceriel looked at them both, then started snapping out orders, walking from squad to squad, looking into the eyes of his marines, re-forming them into a coherent company. Mephiston came up beside him, still holding the golden chain, letting each marine reverently touch the gleaming feather.

The Lord Commander stood and watched them, then spoke quietly into the silence. "Brothers, a relic of the Primarch has been restored to us. The xenos are massing for another assault. They will fail. Captain Esceriel, defensive positions."

Janey watched the tacscan. "Mummy, Mr Morgan's icon is still active. He's moving slowly to the rear of the marine positions."

Mummy nodded. "He must be hurt. They're evacuating the wounded before the 'stealers attack again."

"Are you going to join in?"

She shook her head. "I'd just be in the way. Morgan's a fully trained and very experienced marine; I'm not."

"Will he be alright?"

"Yes, I should think so. The Blood Angels are used to caring for wounded space marines."

Janey nodded and turned back to the screens, a frown of worry creasing her face.