Introduction: The Astral Knights

The Astral Knights were a Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists, based on the Crystal desert World of Obsidia in the Vidar sector. Dour and stubborn like nearly all of Rogal Dorn's, when an Astral Knight's honour is impugned there is no talk, no discussion of right or wrong. It is in the duelling chamber such slights are settled, with crystal daggers forged from the materials of the world itself, though only rarely are these fights to the death.

The Knights were struck from the official register of Astartes Chapters in service to the Imperium in the middle of M41, though this was not due to heresy or similar anti-Imperial actions as is often the case. Instead, the Astral Knights are no longer considered an active Chapter because there are not enough of them left to be able to rebuild even in the long term.

This near complete destruction occurred when the Astral Knights took part in the campaign against the Necron Tomb-World of Borsis, known to the Imperium as the World Engine. The entire world moved as a starship, equipped with weapons of such strength it could scour entire worlds in a matter of hours.

Despite the Imperial Navy's best efforts, they couldn't penetrate the World Engines shielding, so the Astral Knight's used their Battle Barge Tempestus to ram the thing directly. This overcame the World Engine's shields and more than 700 Battle Brothers of the Chapter stormed aboard, never to return. Their sacrifice did enough damage to drop the World Engine's shields permanently, allowing the Navy to destroy the thing with cyclonic torpedoes, but the Chapter was left with only 30 Astartes that had remained at their Chapter Monastery to defend it and train their Scouts and Neophytes.

Replaced by the newly created Silver Sables Chapter, the remaining Astral Knights left aboard the Strike Cruiser Acralem's Lament, to ply the stars in search of final glorious deeds. There are no official reports of the Astral Knights after this point, and they are assumed to have done what all Astartes yearn for in service to the Emperor. Died with bolter in hand and the screams of dying enemies in their ears…

The Eternal Archive, in orbit over Solemnace, 999.M41

Trazyn the Infinite, Necron Overlord and 'Archaeovist' of the Solemnace Galleries

"The number of Tyranid ships is statistically greater than I had anticipated, it is… beneficial that you had the foresight to draw the Orruscar Fleet into the path of that tendril from Leviathan when we jumped through the Dolmen Gate, otherwise things would be more than a little…precarious right now." The words stung even as Trazyn did his best to modulate his tone, admitting The Diviner's skill in any way was something he'd done his level best to avoid for millennia, though he was not so prideful to ignore the role the other Necron Lord had played in their escape.

Two Necron battleships, especially ones with the ancient technologies and battle hardened crews like Trazyn's and Orikan's, had been able to break away from Orruscar with minimal damage and relative ease. Most of the planet's defences were designed to prevent things from getting in rather than out after all, and it took precious minutes for the system defences away from the planet to receive their new orders.

It hadn't been the initial escape that had concerned Trazyn but the return journey to Solemnace through the Dolmen gates, something the pursuing Orruscaran forces seemed to realise as well after losing a dozen smaller vessels to the monstrous firepower of the twin battleships they were trying to pin down.

Dolmen gate travel wasn't simply a case of travelling from one gate to another, instead one used the gate as a fixed point and could then interpolate a position around it to travel to. This distance could be measured in terms of systems, though the distance dropped considerably for larger ships like theirs compared to the Cruisers and lighter ships of the line. So even when they jumped away from Orruscar, the pursuing Necrons would be able to block the path back to Solemnace. So when Orikan had ordered a translation position that wasn't the closest point towards Solemnace, Trazyn had been a sliver of Necrodermis away from leaving him behind and ordering his ship to ignore his instructions.

But the memories of Orrery and its implications to the galaxy were still fresh in his mind, and Trazyn knew he needed allies that weren't going to suddenly stab him in the back right now, which for all he faulted Orikan was not an issue he'd ever had with the Cryptek. At least, not when he hadn't betrayed Orikan first.

It was only as they completed the translation, and the ship's sensors started screaming a warning of hundreds of Tyranid vessels near the location that they had guessed the Orruscarran's would arrive, that Trazyn realised his near constant derision of the Cryptek's abilities to foresee events had perhaps, perhaps been a little too mocking compared to the true skill the other Necron possessed.

"Such an unsubtle attempt to continue attempting to silence us was annoying me, and their forces serve as suitable pawns to stymie this particular section of the Hive Fleet Leviathan I think the humans are calling it. I've already called for supporting fleet forces from the Sautekh Dynasty, as I need your forces intact, and Phaeron Imotekh will find the news about the Orruscar to be most interesting…" It seemed that it wasn't just him that felt the time of subtle manipulations and bickering was over, Orikan seemingly overt and honest about his schemes for the first time in what felt like millenia.

"And is this the point when we reconcile with each other and bury old hatreds, for the greater good of the Necrons and the galaxy as a whole?" Trazyn's snarky question hung in the air for several moments as the two Overlords stared at each other across the large holo-display Trazyn had been using to review Solemnace's defences while waiting for Orikan to arrive aboard.

Then both of them laughed deeply, eliciting a feeling that Trazyn encountered with The Traveller and then found so lacking in the Necrontyr on Orruscar. While he and Orikan would never stop plotting against each other, Trazyn was only now belated realising that neither of them had tried as hard as they could to eliminate the other.

Certainly an Eldar Solitaire would have been a far more effective assassin than a single Genestealer if he had been determined to see Orikan dead, not to mention the other numerous horrors that he had contained in the Infinite Archive. Harder to control and manipulate of course, but that had never been a sufficient excuse for him before now.

"I have not considered the Greater Good of the Necrons to be a primary concern of mine for almost 60 millennia, not since I was dragged in chains into the furnaces of our 'glorious resurrection'. I don't intend to start now." Despite his clear amusement lingering from the moment before, Orikan's tone turned almost venomous as he was clearly reliving his greatest failure as a cryptek, his lone voice of dissent about the alliance with the C'Tan during the war with the Ancient Ones both a source of great pride and sorrow even now.

"Despite the foolish belief of the various Phaerons and Lords that you have bartered yours services to over the years. Still, enough of disparaging our 'fellows', we would be here for the next millenia. You know of my plans to go to Cadia, but with this distraction and the Tyranid threat we did not discuss it further." Trazyn was still determined to go to the wartorn system, as there was no doubt in his mind that history would be shaped there in a way that hadn't been seen in centuries if not longer.

And if the Traveller had managed to make it there, Trazyn was personally looking forward to the chaos that would erupt on all sides, and if needed he wanted to be on hand to spirit the Traveller away. Even with The Legion of the Damned on his side, the Traveller was going to find his views and ethics tested to beyond any reasonable limit he could possibly imagine.

"I know the system will be vital in the upcoming conflict, the stars are clear on that. But even with your help, it will fall into that wretched miasma that the humans call the Eye of Terror, there is no stopping such." Trazyn couldn't help it, he laughed even as the last of the Orruscar forces that had been dragged into the conflict the tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan disappeared from the strategic map he had in front of him.

"In the same way the Orrery could never be wrong? The numerous times your predictions have been proven right despite all the odds? Have a little faith, Orikan. Even if we cannot reveal ourselves openly, there are numerous ways in which we can influence matters." Trazyn hadn't been idle while his ship had been in orbit over Solemnace, thousands of Scarabs pouring over it's surface as they worked to repair the battle damage it had suffered over the last couple of cycles.

"I was there when the defences were put in place against the Empereal Ones, and if all else fails I have certain… reinforcements that I can provide to the Imperial forces to try and protect key areas." In addition to the 'reserves' from the Imperial gallery that Trazyn carried around with him as 'emergency protections', he had grabbed two additional 'libraries' of reserve forces that were far more expendable than the main one.

He had learnt from the issue with the Bell that humans took considerable time to fully recover from their confinement, and he didn't want to sacrifice his best weapons in such a useless endeavour when other meatshields could be employed first.

"So you intend to lend our support to these… humans. The so-called 'Imperium' will not suffer our presence anymore than they would those who succumb to the corruption of the Warp." Orikan didn't even try and keep the distaste out of his voice as he talked about the Imperium, though Trazyn had no doubt that the Chronomancer could see the parallels between the Imperium now and the Necrontyr before and perhaps even after they ascended.

Fear and mortality were two very powerful drivers for cultures throughout the galaxy, and they did not lend themselves towards warm and welcoming ideologies. Still, Trazyn felt that it was something that if the Traveller didn't change, would instead be guided towards the exterior threats of Chaos and the Tyranids rather than universal hatred and fury.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Come and join me in the Archive, I will send you the coordinates for phase-shifting. I think you will find my newest galleries very interesting…"

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Unknown Space Station, Reznor System, 999.M41 13 days after 'The Saint's awakening'

Harry Potter, Master of Death

"Halt and offer blood for testing!" The cry from the Kastelan, who had returned to guard duty after the three of them had massacred the horde of Tyranid creatures as if nothing had happened, made Harry's back stiffen slightly as he led the trio towards the giant robots.

Having watched them in combat, Harry was fairly certain that he could deal with this group if things turned violent, but having such a construct point it's weapons in your direction wasn't something that could rationally be ignored.

"How would you like the blood offered?" Still, the fact that the Kastelan was asking for blood had made Harry think that it wouldn't act immediately hostile, even if Octus' prediction about them becoming self-aware AI proved prophetic.

"Analysing Response." The Kastelan stayed in place for a moment before it shifted to a slightly less aggressive stance.

"Blood to be collected by Servitor. Code 38179, Authorisation Charnel Spectre." The code and authorisation seemed to mean something to the working servitors, as they all stopped work and turned in Harry's direction, two of them moving forward a moment later as they drew out small jars from internal storage areas in their chests.

The small jar lids were removed by the time the Servitors reached the trio, each holding out three jars, so it was clear they had to give a sample to each.

"Well, here goes nothing." Harry had already removed the right gauntlet of his power armour, before the three of them had agreed to try this little experiment into madness, Gallant having done the same.

As the two of them pricked their index fingers, crimson blood dropping from the small wounds into separate jars of the first servitor, Harry saw Veilwalker reach up and pull away her mask. Clearly the armoured bodysuit she wore wasn't segmented, or she was just messing with him again as she smiled coyishly in his direction.

Compared to the grey-white, almost ashen skin that Lelith had showed off aboard the slaver vessel, Veilwalker's skin was that of marble, at least those parts that weren't marked by war. Her right cheek was partially covered by an angry red scar, and her elfin nose distorted by multiple breakages, though that was not to say she wasn't beautiful as she brought up a stiletto blade to provide her own crimson offering.

"You shouldn't stare so Lord Commander, even if you are the first Mon-keigh to have been blessed with my countenance for Millenia, your muscular 'bodyguard' will get jealous and defensive…" It was probably a bad sign of how quickly Harry was getting used to Veilwalker's attitude, but even as he realised she was right and he had been staring, his mind was already formulating a response.

"Probably with good reason, if you showed that face to the Commissar and the Guardsmen we'd have a double mutiny on our hands, half of them trying to kill you for seducing them as the others tried to stop them. Though it would go a long way to convincing them that not everything about Xenos is bad for them…" Even as Harry spoke, Gallant's angry muttering threatened to overwhelm his words such was the disdain in his tone,

"Pah, unlike you Witch I do not need constant emotional or physical gratification to ensure my wellbeing. Such weakness is typical of lesser species." Veilwalker's expression barely changed, the smile becoming a little less… forced even as she sliced the blade across her scar, but Harry found himself looking away without consciously intending to as she moved her mask back over her face.

"Samples received for testing, protocol 31-A approved. You are authorised for entrance, transportation to central hub has been requested, estimated time of arrival 7 minutes." With that, the Kastelans stepped to one side, clearly to allow them passage, as it returned to watch duty and the Servitors returned to performing maintenance on the floor.

"Well, either those Servitors have some impressive internal analytical tools, or the collection of the blood was more important than the actual testing." Harry wasn't really expecting a response to his comment, it had more been him vocalising his own thoughts, but Octus spoke over the comms a moment later with a thoughtful inflection on his tone.

"Given the dangers of this area of space, it is logical to devise a test for Kastelan interaction with lifeforms outside their core programming. Most Xenos would not understand Low Gothic, and even if they did creatures like Orks would attack rather than try and ask for instructions. It is clever, almost ingenious, and removes a major limitation in allowing the Kastelan to act unsupervised if sufficient spaces for control wafers are available…" While Octus focussed on the Kastelan, Captain Gratis brought up another interesting point.

"Transportation implies other humans, as Servitors are barely capable of driving something in a straight line back and forth let alone navigating to different areas of a Space Station this size. Though the presence of Servitors in the first place would imply that, as they tend to only survive 10-20 years before their biological parts begin to fail." The mention of Servitor's limited lifespans sent Harry down a dark path in his mind, another reason why the Space Station would be sending out communications offering sanctuary and anchorage.

"So we might be about to uncover another slaver group, though this one will try and turn us into mindless servitors, good to know." The following minutes were agonising, even with the automatons ignoring their presence none of them wanted to move more than strictly necessary.

Those watching were not idle however, Nihlus and his fellow Techpriests analysing the images they were receiving and their discussion on the potential techniques and technologies being used to control the Kastelans rapidly moved from talking in Gothic into binary and then into a form of communication that resembled a very high pitched whine.

This in turn prompted Captain Gratis and the other non-Mechanicus elements of 'his' force to depart from the bridge before their ears decided to revolt, though Gratis was at least assigning some of the more literary Kasrkin still on The Chariot of Fire to go through the ship's records and libraries to see if they could find anything about a 'Charnel Sceptre'. It was too obvious a name of something for them to ignore, Harry was currently leaning towards a battleship of some kind, whereas Veilwalker was guessing an astrological phenomena like a comet or asteroid.

They heard the sound of the approaching vehicle long before they saw it, coming down a ramp a few hundred metres further down the large corridor, though Harry almost instantly revised his mental assumption that just a single vehicle was coming to collect them. Four Chimera tanks followed the first tank, which Harry didn't immediately recognise, though it took only moments for the ever helpful Octus to start commenting.

"Leman Russ tank, the pattern is unknown as is that weapon, but it also bears the mark of the Mechanicum. If these denizens prove to be non-hostile Lord Commander, the technology we can recover here…" Nihlus' voice faded from Harry's comms even as the Leman Russ came to a rumbling stop probably seventy metres from them, the Chimeras stacking up on either side of it but further back, creating a wedge of tanks that blocked the majority of the causeway as the sound of hatches being lowered echoed around them.

"All squads on high alert, Xenos corpses indicate conflict, more of the same creatures that infiltrated aboard the Stalwart Sorrow. Comms, report back to the Magi conclave that sweep teams will be required on our location." A loud voice carried across the sounds of massed movement, as over thirty people poured through the gaps between the Chimeras with weapons sweeping back and forth.

Unlike the Kasrkin or the Imperial Guardsmen Harry had encountered so far, these soldiers were covered from head to foot in well armoured void-suits, which looked to be as protective as the Carapace armour that the Kasrkin donned if not more so. Their weapons were an eclectic mix, though more than half of them were wielding something that looked like a lasgun but were far more advanced specification.

"Three humanoids identified, including an Adeptus Astartes and an Eldar Xenos of unidentified Aspect." Striding forward, one of the void-suited men pointed a strange plasma gun in their direction, showing a lack of fear at both Gallant and Veilwalker that either showed an impressive level of training or a lack of the fear that seemed to pervade the Imperium.

"Greetings strangers. If you wouldn't mind stating your names, your loyalties and what your intentions aboard are, then we can discuss other matters. While the Kastelans have indicated you aren't one of these shapeshifting monsters Lord Fargrus speaks of, we've discovered there are far too many out there that harbour ill-intent to those who still believe in the Imperium's light." Given the number of guns pointed in their direction, Harry suspected that this paranoia wasn't born from a single group that had survived the Kastelans only to then try and turn on the actual denizens of the space station.

"I am Brother Gallant of the Astral Claws Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, and this is Lord Commander Harry Potter, we are here with our…" Gallant paused for a second as he took a step forward to somewhat interpose himself between Harry and the group, before nodding in Veilwalker's direction and continuing slightly more anger appearing in his tone.

"Our ally Lady Veilwalker to investigate the signal this station has been broadcasting while moving in the direction of our ships." There was no sign of immediate hostility in Veilwalker's direction, as the man who had spoken regarded them for a moment before turning back to the other armoured Guardsmen.

"It worked! Comms, let the Magi know that 2nd Lt Fletcher and the others succeeded in activating the comms system before they went dark." There was a sound that erupted from the gathered guardsmen that was a strange cross between a cheer and a sigh of utter relief, much of the tension that had been building since the tanks arrival lifting as the man turned back to the three of them and saluted.

"Apologies Lord Commander, noble Astartes, but it has been generations since an intact ship has arrived here that isn't of Xenos origin, hostile in nature or both! Still, if you can forgive my impertinence my Lord, but even with an Astartes and an Eldar with you it is a bit strange that you came aboard first. Based on the written teachings, High Command Officers are not to enter unsecured areas without significant protective elements clearing the path first." Harry nodded at the question/statement, which was both pertinent and a sign of suitable wariness to unknown forces.

"A suitable point, undoubtedly that is common amongst standard Imperial Guard forces, but I have my own methods of ensuring my protection." Raising his stil unarmoured hand, Harry used the smallest fraction of his magic to generate a ball of lightning, small bolts crackling between his fingertips.

Rather than showing fear at his magic, or more accurately rather than just showing fear, the rest of the assembled soldiers all moved to attention as well.

"Lord Inquisitor! My apologies for not understanding your true authority earlier." Harry wasn't entirely sure how they'd made that jump, but they were far from the first to do so from what he understood.

The Captain of the By His Grace treated him in much the same manner, despite all attempts to correct him of his misunderstanding. But as far as he knew, the Inquisition were not well known among the normal Guardsmen, especially if these weren't original Guardsmen as had been implied.

"What's your name and rank? I take no offence at your caution given the presence of Tyranids and no doubt other dangers aboard, but I prefer to know how to address those I am speaking to." Harry wouldn't have normally been so formal, but it seemed to make Guardsmen more at ease when he did so, many clearly uncomfortable with talking informally with a ranking officer.

"Sergeant Remerius Pulin, of the Morwenian Dawn Conscripts, seventh generation Sir. Permission to report your rank to Station Command? We can arrange a more suitable convoy for your journey to Headquarters." Harry shook his head, gesturing over at Gallant and then in the direction of the fallen Tyranids as he activated his comms.

"Stand easy all of you. While I would like to meet your leaders and better understand the situation here, I would much prefer to deal with the Tyranid problem on this station first. Gallant, track this group back, see if we can find a source. Octus, are you still there?" There was a moment's pause before Lady Typhon's voice came over the comms, quite possibly the last voice Harry had expected to hear.

"Lord Nihlus left the bridge when the Leman Russ model arrived Lord Potter, along with at least half his bridge officers. I imagine they are making their way to a transport with all haste. What can I do for you?" The amusement in the Navigator's voice was easy to make out, she was making no attempt at hiding it, and Harry had no doubt she would be bringing up Octus' lack of professionalism repeatedly going forward.

"I assume everyone will have to submit blood for the Kastelans to stand down Sergeant?" Looking over at the Sergeant, Harry saw him nod somewhat apologetically.

"Yes, though even then if we encounter another group of them all of us will need to. It's why we haven't gotten any closer. The machine's bypass commands only last while they can see you, though thankfully Lord Fargus made it so they only activate at a certain distance. We can perform the tests ourselves, according to the writings, simply separating the blood from the host's body is sufficient proof that you are not one of the shapechangers." The second mention of Shapechangers made Harry's hairs stand on end, something in his gut telling him that this was important somehow.

Still, he could ask about that when he got the others on their way, and given the size of the station it wouldn't be a quick task to ferret out these Tyranids and any other hostile forces hiding in the shadows.

"Lady Typhon, give the go-ahead for all transports to launch and navigate to the transport hangar we arrived in, and send a communication to Brother Cassiel to ask if he and his men wish to join us. I would prefer to have the Astartes involved in the purging of these Tyranids, even if the Astral Knights aren't combat capable or willing to join us." Given what he had seen of the Astartes so far, Harry very much doubted that the Astral Knights would turn down the opportunity to kill some Xenos, but he'd phrased it as a question rather than a request or order just in case.

Octus had explained to him something of the fragmented command structures involved in the Imperial War Machine, and he wasn't prepared to bluff the perception of him being a Inquisitor to try and bypass or streamline it. That way leads to trouble regardless of whether he was believed or not.

"Of course, and when do I get to come aboard and see your latest discovery, my lord?" Lady Typhon's words were clearly intended to be sensual or teasing, but after only a couple of hours with Lady Veilwalker it felt like a child trying to copy the actions of an adult it had seen do something similar.

"You can accompany me when you can convince Octus to head back and take command of his ship Lady Typhon. I need someone there in case there is any further trouble." It would be a near impossible task and they both knew it, Harry wasn't entirely sure they'd be able to convince Octus to leave such a technological treasure trove with anything short of an immobulus spell and an armoured prisoner transport of some kind.

"You ask the impossible of me My Lord, but I will do my best." Lady Typhon's frustrated tone was so subtle that he had almost missed it entirely, clearly something she had been taught to hide before becoming a Navigator.

With that task started, Harry turned back to the Sergeant and gestured away from the Kastelans, towards the five tanks as it seemed the most defensible position.

"With your permission Sergeant? I'd like to hear more about these shapeshifters you are referring to while we wait. It's the first I have heard of such a dangerous Xenos…"

A/N: A relatively short chapter, but it gives some hints of who is aboard the mysterious space station, as well as some of the potential weaponry/technology that has survived here since the time since the Space Station has been stranded here and a new potential enemy. Either that, or it's the ramblings of a madman that has been propagated through multiple generations of station born survivors.

Also, the forming of a working relationship between Trazyn and Orikan. No sudden bond of brothers, merely the acknowledgement that neither of them believe in the Necron 'grand plan' and that there are enemies far more worthy of their focussed attention.

On the Station, we have more details regarding the type of survivors that Harry and the others are encountering, as well as some of the technology that is aboard. I will probably dispense with the subtle hints in the next chapter or so, but hopefully it has made some of you happy to guess.

Next Chapter will be Brother Cassius aboard the Advocate meeting the Astral Knights remnants, and the relatively rapid progression of the time aboard the station as I think it is almost time to move to the main event!

The system of Cadia and the nearby systems, as well as the events in the Webway, are where the story points that inspired this story are focussed. So now I've done sufficient world building, I think it's time to RUMBLE!

Lastly, as you've probably noticed, I've started including a small introductory section for the different characters, organisations and races that are mentioned in the current chapter. This is designed to give people who aren't as wiki-read regarding Warhammer 40k as myself an idea of what lore we are referring to, but it won't be an in-depth exhaustive read. I will go back and create these for the previous chapters and update them as well, so hopefully this will help if people need to re-read!

Leave a review, it's nice to hear theories and comments even if they are about an issue or bit of the story you don't like.

Defias Out!