Chapter 2: A Long Haul through Hell

Zenith Starport, 1 Week Later

The day had finally come, and the reinforcement elements of the 119th Mechanized Regiment, known as the 'Silver Scales', along with Chimera IFVs, Sentinel walkers, and Leman Russ tanks of more than a few varieties that had been waiting for this day as well, were walking up into the massive cargo and personnel lifters that would be taking them into space to meet the gargantuan Mass Conveyer that awaited them in orbit.

The infantry of the 119th were all marching into purpose-built personnel carriers, lines and lines of seating and storage for packs, weapons, and other gear awaiting the tens of thousands of men that it would be carrying.

That it was so spacious didn't make it any more comfortable, however, as Daniel and company settled into well-worn bucket-style chairs lined up in 3 rows 8 abreast, the cabin of the transport awash with the nose of conversations held between people all wearing the steel gray and purple of the regiment.

Finally, after what felt like hours (and what likely was indeed many hours) of soldiers finding their seats, the transport rumbled louder than it had been for the last while, the loud whir of what must have been the massive ramp of the ship lifting punctuated with the clunk and hiss of it sealing. Then, the engines roared, and they lifted from the ground, the relatively small porthole window next to Vherra showing the city, then the world, receding below them.

"First time into space?" Daniel, who sat next to her, said.

"Yeah," Vherra said. Daniel had found that she was usually a woman of few words and many actions. "What's it like?"

"Better seen on this side of the ship," Daniel said with a slight grin. "The last thing you want to experience is sucking vacuum without a helmet. It tastes terrible."

Vherra looked back at him with a slightly confused expression as the blue atmosphere began to deepen in color. "The void has a… taste?"

"Like chewing on metal foil," Daniel said. "And that's while you're asphyxiating. All in all, enjoy it from here."

"What had you tasting the void?" Galen asked as the view outside faded to black, pinpricks of stars. "I'm guessing something went wrong?"

"To some extent or another," Daniel replied. "Our ship, the Munificent, was scouring a depressurized ship for anything useful. Turns out that something decided to make a nest there. Cracked my void helmet, though I managed to seal it quickly."

"I'll take your word on the taste of it," Galen said. "You Rogue Traders are a funny bunch anyway."

"And don't I know it," Daniel said, watching out the window with Vherra as they turned, the world of Pallaidus Primus coming into view below them. It was, for all the industry Daniel had heard was on it, a remarkably clean world, blue seas and a green land dotted with steel gray.

"I'm impressed," Daniel said. "Isn't Pallaidus Primus supposed to be a Forge World? I've never seen one this… clean."

"It was some sort of Mechanicus experiment, from what I've heard." Stavros, another person of few words, said. "An attempt at sustainability for the sake of the population who would work within the factories and assembly lines here. The systems here in the Billet are all like that, supposedly."

Daniel looked over at the well-built man, who regarded him levelly with those knowing hazel eyes. "I'm surprised the Mechanicus were that considerate."

Stavros shrugged. "It was centuries ago, from what I've been told. All the Fabricator-Generals since then have been content to just… keep going."

Daniel considered Stavros for a moment, wondering what else he knew and didn't decide to share. The pondering, however, was interrupted by their final approach to the Faith's Child. It was a rather inauspicious thing, the stars simply… disappearing as they were swallowed by the hangar bay of the Mass Conveyor. He watched the rows and rows and rows of transports in clearly demarcated landing zones, the men and machines disgorged from them following orderly lines.

At last, they landed with a slight jostle, the soldiers finally stood and stretched from the aching journey they'd taken. After a few minutes, two senior officers began to walk down the twin aisles, shepherding the soldiers down and out of the transport.

The sight that greeted them as they stepped onto the deckplate of the Faith's Child was nothing short of breathtaking. The ceiling of the ship must have been at least two kilometers high, vaulted in a way that made it resemble a spare, simple cathedral. At the far end, several massive staircases, equally massive ramps next to them, led up and down to other levels in the ship.

The sight of it sent those stepping into it into awed silence. An awed silence that one noticed they all shared. "You seem pretty shocked by all this," Iago said as he saw Daniel's reverence. "I thought you were used to starships."

"Yeah, but the Munificent was a Cobra-class destroyer. This… this is on a whole different level." Daniel said quietly. His words were almost lost in the massive crowd that was led by those crew members of the ship, a number which must have been in the hundreds, if not the thousands, here at the landing bay.

"Wonder how long this is going to take." Galen said as they began to ascend the stairs, steel pilgrims in a moving, living consecrated city.

"Depending on how close Salome is supposed to be," Daniel surmised, "I'd say no less than a week if it's close. The further away, the longer this will take."

"Well," Kat said as they emerged into a long, massive hallway, railed staircases ascending to levels that likely had entire hab-blocks nestled within, "if nothing else, it gives us time to settle a little after the training we went through."

"Yes." Leona agreed. "We should find the ship's chaplain. Sanctify ourselves and our cause."

"All in due time," Daniel said. "For now, let's find our bunks, so we can sleep in heavenly peace at the end of the day."

. . .

1 Day Later

Daniel Theisman found the gentle hum of the ship soothing. It was a deep, steady thing, like a tune being held in anticipation of something, that reminded him somewhat of his own vessel, so far away now.

But, for now, he simply stretched in the massive bunk quarters that his team had been set up in, the others waking 'early', whatever that might have meant in deep space, alongside him. It was a rather open design, the only real privacy to be gained in the communal showers that ran on the recycled, sterilized, and treated water table that this ship carried as a matter of course.

As the four men waited patiently for the ladies to finish military standard showers, they commiserated over a simple breakfast of ship-provided jerky, biscuits, and recaf.

"So," Galen said as he took a sip, "we've heard plenty of stories from Daniel here about his wild adventures. But what about the rest of us native Palladians? Stavros, what were you doing before the Guard whisked you away from life?"

Stavros shrugged slightly. "Not much, I'll admit. My father is an administrator of some minor renown. I was getting ready to follow in his footsteps entirely when he heard the news the Guard needed new recruits desperately. After a… lengthy debate, I decided to go and give myself over to one of the patrols that was searching for recruits."

Daniel found the story… unconvincing, to some extent. And apparently, he wasn't the only one. "So you, on purpose," Iago began, "gave yourself over to the Imperial Guard during a conscription tithe, where anyone off the street could risk getting snatched away from their old lives, because you just… felt like it?"

Stavros shrugged. "Yeah. What does it matter to you?"

"I'd like to make sure that anyone that's supposed to be around me has a stake in, you know, not dying before our time," Iago said pointedly. "We may be supposed to die for the glory of Mankind, but martyrs can't fire lasguns."

"I'm not out to sell my life," Stavros said coolly. "I'm just here for something… a little more exciting."

It was a silent moment before Daniel shrugged. "Well," he said as he glanced back at the others vacating the showers, "far be it from me to dictate why you should be here."

He stood, making his way to the showers. "I'm going to get ready, and I'm going to go exploring as best I can. I'll have my comm-bead in my ear if you need to get me for any surprise drills."

With that, he showered, prepared for the day, and walked out the door, walking down from the 4th-story floor hab-block that his fireteam inhabited for the time being. Getting to the 'ground floor', he spotted a nearby corridor. Well, at least as nearby as several dozen meters could be.

His walk today was methodical, a grid slowly being trodden out in the hab section of the ship, then more and more beyond to other points of interest. The rest of the ship was as massive as its cargo bay, the halls causeways of giants. Thankfully, there were massive training rooms and firing ranges close by, though it seemed that they lay empty for the moment.

After walking for hours, sure that he'd only explored a fraction of the ship around him, he came across another series of hab-blocks. But the gray and purple of the Silver Scales were absent from these halls, replaced with simple coveralls and cloaks in solid colors of various kinds. The people that regarded him warily were most likely members of the crew. And he wondered if they might be able to help him.

He scanned the groups around him with a casual gaze, a critical eye veiled as best it could be as he picked out someone who looked to be, nominally at least, in charge of this particular little ship-borne village, a woman with weathered, somewhat pale skin and black hair, who looked back at him with blue eyes that mirrored the wariness of her compatriots.

"Excuse me?" he said as he approached. "Could you help me find where I need to go to get a stellar map of the region we're in? I used to be a stellar cartographer for a Rogue Trader, and I was… well, dumped on our last destination by a rather irrational captain."

The woman frowned slightly. "You're in the wrong part of the ship." she began. "But I'm sure you could tell that. You'll need to make your way up to the cartographer's station."

"Great." Daniel smiled slightly. "Would you be able to direct me?"

The smile made her frown a little more deeply. "It'll be up and back near the bridge of the ship. That's the best I can give you."

Daniel nodded. "I see. Thanks."

With that, he turned away, leaving what he was sure was a rather confused ship's crew. At least now he had a direction if nothing else. But, for now, it was about time for lunch.

. . .

The Next Day

Daniel walked through the corridors of the ship once again, his exploration directed up and back from his fireteam's quarters. That much was to be expected on the second day of their journey, at least. What wasn't, however, was his company.

He glanced, once again, at Vherra, who had announced that she was joining him on his walk rather out of the blue. That, in and of itself, was rather strange for the otherwise nearly silent woman.

"So," he asked, "what brings you along with me today?"

Vherra shrugged. "It's nice to get some time away from people. Going with you was a good cover story."

"Ah." Daniel nodded. "I understand."

They walked up several flights of steps in relative silence, Daniel once again breaking it almost an hour later. "So, what was your life on Pallaidus like? I've gotten something of a gauge on the others, but you're far more reserved even than most. Which, I must say, can be quite the welcome virtue."

Vherra smiled slightly. "I don't know what there is to say, really. My father's a manager at one of the weapons Manufactorums back home. Mainly made the sort of things that we'll be carrying into battle."

"I guess that explains how you can field strip a lasgun as skillfully as any Cadian I've known," Daniel said with a smile. "Any thoughts on Iago's methods?"

Vherra took a deep breath. "Keeping the refractor assembly partially assembled like he does risks the primary lenses that he quite deliberately refrains from cleaning will make the resultant beam noticeably weaker after the first 6 months of operation. I don't exactly think that's the outcome anyone who shaves a minute or so off of their cleaning time wants. And the way he treats the poor power feed system…"

She shook her head. "It'd be enough to make my father have conniptions."

Apparently, Daniel had struck something of a nerve. "So he's familiar with how the weapons he oversees work then."

Vherra nodded. "He was a member of the PDF before he went fully into the factory work. He'd bring home one of the lasguns or meltas that was part of a factory run, strip it down, and inspect it himself. It's his… stamp of approval, I guess. He started teaching me how to do it as well."

"Quite the family time," Daniel remarked.

"I was his only child. Mother… died several years ago." Vherra shrugged. "It was nice to get to see him when I could."

Daniel nodded. "So, then, is the lasgun your favorite weapon to assemble, then? Or are there other guns competing for your heart?"

"Well, meltas are an interesting beast. They have this soft hum to them when they're powered on."

"Like a plasma gun?"

"No, no, plasma weapons have more of a buzz to them, but it's still a soft buzz when it's just on and idling."

Daniel nodded as Vherra began a rather spirited explanation as to the power sources of various weapons that would have likely challenged that of a Mechanicus adept. For the moment, he was content to let her talk.

Eventually, they came to a door with a sign next to it that read in Low Gothic 'Star Charts' and in High Gothic 'Stellar Cartography'. At the door were two figures in pale blue robes with a red stripe down the center of the back. At the upper back of the cloak was the all too recognizable skull enveloped by the cog of the Mechanicus, as well as the glyph that Daniel had seen on many of the tech-priests back on Pallaidus Primus.

Coming up beside them, Daniel found himself somewhat surprised to see two recognizably human faces, though he saw movement shifting the cloaks like an unfelt wind. A woman and a man, both fairly young, looking similar enough in their slightly tanned skin, gray eyes, and blonde hair to potentially be related, regarded their new company somewhat quizzically.

"Afternoon," he said airily. "What brings you to stellar cartography?"

"We were informed that there were repairs that we should oversee." the man replied. "You are a Guardsman, are you not? I could ask the same question of you."

"It's fine, Isyander." the woman sighed. "I'm sure he has his reasons."

"Koda…" Isyander said somewhat begrudgingly.

"I'm just an ardent believer in knowing where one is in this galaxy," Daniel replied.

The door opened, and Daniel stepped aside slightly to allow the tech-priests through. The pair walked through, Daniel and Vherra following them into a massive, circular room, pillar-like in its height to accommodate the literal pillar of cogitators in its center with censers scattered across its height, a mixture of strange, effervescent smells wafting through the room.

True to Isyander's word, the two novitiates drifted over to another tech-priest who was hunched over an open panel. As much as Daniel would have liked to go over and check it out, there were other matters to attend to. After some quiet inquiries, Daniel came to a stop in front of a heavily cybernetic person, wearing robes that showed the mark of the Mechanicus. "Magos Jirel?" Daniel inquired.

"You wish to see the maps of this space." the Magos said, the voice coming from a vocalizer within a head wrapped in steel and electronics. "What designs do you have for such knowledge?"

Daniel glanced over at a somewhat uncomfortable Vherra for a moment, listening closely for the bursts of noise, almost out of hearing, that was the Mechanicus' cryptic binaric language. "I simply wish to know where I am. It is wisdom to go into battle with a knowledge of the terrain ahead."

The Magos regarded him silently for a moment, perhaps in conversation with their fellows. "Grand thoughts, from a Guardsman. But we are not opposed to the gaining of any sacred knowledge, no matter how humble. Come."

The Magos turned and walked to a console, Daniel following behind as Vherra trailed a little behind him. They came to a stop in front of a screen, the arms of the Magos ending in dozens of small fingers that tapped on the input controls with dizzying speed. Soon, the screen before them flickered, and a simplified view of the galaxy appeared. "We are currently in Segmentum Ultima," the Magos said as they worked, "in a sector of space nearby to the Maelstrom Zone. The Noranades Cluster, through which we now travel, is situated here, between the Space Marine worlds of Nocturne and Chogoris."

Daniel regarded the map intently. "Where is Salome? Within the Cluster?"

"Yes." the Magos' digits clattered the inputs again, and the screen changed, zooming in on the cluster they traveled through. "Within the Noranades Cluster is what is known as 'the Billet', the Sentinel Chain to our south, and the Gateway Stars, your destination, to our northwest. Within is contained the world of Salome, an Agri-world, as well the Space Marine world of Anansit."

"Space Marines?" Vherra said, her eyes going wide. "You mean… we might see some while on Salome?"

If the Orks are as bad as I've heard they could be…" Daniel said, shaking his head. He looked over at the Magos. "Are we the last stop of the journey before we go on to Salome?"

"You are the first." the Magos replied. "We will be proceeding to Jinocti, then Terinix, then Adinim, before making way to Salome. Estimated time of arrival is currently 3 weeks."

Daniel's brow rose. "Alright, then. That's good to know." he paused for a moment. "May I get a print-out of the maps of the Noranades Cluster and the surrounding space out to the Badab subsector?"

"As you have requested respectfully, so shall you receive." the Magos intoned. "May the machine spirit complete its task with precision and speed."

As they spoke, the cogitator hummed, then a rapid scratching sound preceded a sheet of parchment, as detailed as what had been on the screen, slid out, followed by a partner.

Daniel took them quickly, studying them for a moment before nodding. "Thank you, Magos. Good day to you."

"May the light of the Omnissiah shine on you." the Magos replied, and Daniel and Vherra departed.

Daniel perused the maps for a moment before tucking them under his arm. "Well," he said, "I think that went well enough."

. . .

5 Days Later

Daniel made an effort to study the maps whenever he could, sipping the recaf in his hand as he scanned the papers, and the stars scattered across their surface like a splatter of ink.

"You've been studying those maps for days, training drills or not," Iago said, pulling Daniel out of his reverie as he looked up at the man who continued. "There some vast secret in them that you'd be able to tell us?"

He pondered silently on what he should possibly reveal. "Well, I know we've got a surprising amount of Space Marine worlds around us." he finally said. "Nocturne is home of the Salamanders, Chogoris here is home to the White Scars. We even have a Space Marine homeworld in the Billet itself, on Adinim. The Emerald Dragons Chapter."

"Our neck of the woods is thick with them, isn't it?" Iago mused.

"Have a little more reverence for the Emperor's Angels," Leona said sternly. "They are the defenders of the Imperium and of Mankind, and our greatest allies in battle."

Iago sighed wearily and nodded. "I'm sure. I'll believe it when I see it."

Daniel looked around the room, resting from one of the drills that the Silver Scales had been engaging in within one of the massive chambers of the ship. He found, as he sometimes did now that they were out of boot camp, Katherine glancing up at something, at the moment being him over the maps, before looking down at a little pocketbook, scrawling something with a pencil.

"What's in the book?" Daniel asked. "Making some sketches?"

The question seemed to draw Kat out of her reverie as a few others looked over at her. "Oh. Just a few sketches. Things that catch my interest."

"You know," Galen said, "I'm sure you'll find plenty of interesting things to doodle about wherever we're going."

"I don't doubt it," Kat replied. "Though the Orks are going to be an interesting contrast to what's usually in here."

"Give it some time," Iago said with a dour wryness. "I'm sure the Orks will be just as pedestrian after a while."

"To say nothing of the not-so-lively things we might see on… what was it again?" Vherra said. "Salome, I think."

Daniel nodded, and before anyone could go further, they all heard the deep, rumbling hum that softened as they slowly came to a stop. They'd cracked through the Warp last evening. "Let's see…" Daniel's brow furled slightly. "We should be coming to rest over Terinix."

"Terinix…" Stavros said. "That would be the Adamant Claws, I believe. An armored Regiment."

"Sounds like an interesting sight to see as it comes in," Daniel said, standing from his maps. "We've still got a few days before our next training exercise. Let's go see where they come in."

The fireteam made their way, over the next several hours, to one of the massive cargo bays. They were not alone, it seemed, as by the time they entered the landing bay, several dozen others who, alongside those of Jinocti's 98th "Drake's Eyes" Infantry Regiment, crowded to see the disembarking of the many, many vehicles that would be streaming into their storage bays.

The first transport, larger than any of the ones that they'd seen thus far by a remarkable amount, drifted in and settled down. The gathered soldiers watched the transport's massive doors begin to swing open, slowly but surely, an opening over 20 meters tall gaping before them.

At first, only a line of tech-priests, robed in red and deep purple and appearing so small compared to the monstrous entrance that they emerged from, slowly walked from the vessel. Then, as they made a corridor as wide as the opened doors, the whole room shuddered with a massive step. Then another. By the time a massive shadow loomed in the exit of the transport craft, the entire bay was rendered silent.

Then, a cockpit, with a head vaguely resembling a canine skull in both shape and styling, seemed to peek around as it emerged on a stout body and reverse-jointed legs, making its way down the corridor of tech-priests as another war machine like it followed.

"Warhounds…" Daniel said breathlessly as a counterpart followed after it.

"By the Emperor," Galen said in awe. "It's… a Titan. Two of them."

"What kind of threat are we looking at to need two of those?" Iago said, no small amount of trepidation in his voice.

"A threat that will be stamped out by the will of the God-Emperor and by the strength of all your efforts."

The voice that spoke up behind them was loud, sharp, and clearly used to authority. The gathered soldiers turned to face the man, dressed in what was now an all too familiar regalia, those closest to the thin, sharp-faced man drifting apart to give him room. He looked around the collected soldiers with discerning, brilliantly green eyes. "Who among this schoolyard rabble is of the Pallaidus 119th Mechanized Regiment?" he asked.

Those of the Drake's Eyes quickly separated themselves out, leaving only enough Guardsmen for about three squads to come to attention.

"I see." the man said quietly, nodding slightly. "I am Kurtiz Alberis of the Ordo Praefectus. I am, in simpler terms that I am sure all of you will understand, your regiment's newest Commissar. As I am sure you are aware, I am here to ensure that you all do your duty to the Imperium and Mankind."

He paused, seemingly looking for anyone that might stand out. "I am well aware of your inexperience, having been rushed through your training. Rest assured, I will hold you to the same standards I will expect of any soldier as you face this xenos rabble. That of soldiers of the Imperium willing and ready to lay down your life in a way that these xenos find, well…" he paused to chuckle slightly. "Alien."

As the Commissar spoke, Daniel's jaw began to clench slowly tighter. Finally, dangerous though he was sure it was, he could stand no more. "Sir," he said, drawing all eyes to him as he dared speak up. "May I speak freely?"

Kurtiz walked toward him, almost stalking him like a predator toward unknowing prey. "I will be munificent, soldier, just this once, and say yes," he said after a long silence staring down the man who met his gaze so firmly.

"I have encountered Orks before, sir," Daniel said. "They aren't a force to be trifled with, but with concerted effort, they can be overcome. Tough, seemingly senseless, yet unexpectedly crafty. We must be on our guard for any surprises they might spring on us."

"Have you now?" Kurtiz said softly. "Those are tall claims for a Guardsman who's never made his way off-planet before now to make."

"I don't come from Pallaidus, sir," Daniel replied. "I was in the service of a Rogue Trader who decided I'd slighted him and punished me by… releasing me without identification on Pallaidus. It's the reason I'm somewhat familiar with xenos and heretic forces."

"A fanciful tale indeed," Kurtiz said softly, his voice only somewhat above a whisper as a smile twitched across his face for the briefest of moments. "Truly, you have the mind of a storyteller."

With a sudden crack, the back of Kurtiz's hand met Daniel's cheek, his head snapping aside slightly. "You will learn to heed the truth," Ursus said firmly, "which means you will learn to heed me. You pretend to such grand heights as to lead these fellow Guardsmen to despair against a foe that humanity has beaten before and shall beat again. They will fall under the weight of our guns and our courage, as the Emperor wills."

He paused almost dramatically. "By your life and the sake of your soul, you will not utter these falsehoods in my presence. You have not dedicated years of study to these xenos as I have, and you will defer to my expertise."

He stepped back and looked at the other Guardsmen. "Know this. I will only make an example of those who have so obviously thought themselves more knowledgeable than they are. I do not doubt you will gain experience, but you have no need to puff yourselves up in front of your Commissariat as this poor, currently foolish man has sought to."

He spared a look at the last sight of the Warhound Titans disappearing as other vehicles began to disembark. "I'll go ahead and leave you to your sightseeing. I expect you to be well rested as well as well prepared for your first deployment."

With that, he turned and left, Daniel only now massaging a reddened cheek as his squadmates gathered around him. "Well, damn," Iago said, his voice dripping with resignation. "Just what we needed from a fire team leader. To have a Commissar's target on his back. I hope you're ready for that, starfarer."

"I've dealt with far more acerbic and lived," Daniel replied. "You all deserve to know as much of the truth as you need to survive and win. And if a well-read Commissar will not give it to you, I shall."

It was silent for a moment. "Well," Galen said, "at least we have that comfort ahead for us. He seems eager to prove himself anyway. An example was probably just who he was looking for."

"All too right," Stavros said. "He's as fresh as we are, I'd reckon."

"He reminds me of Halber," Kat said with a slight twist of her mouth. They all remembered a petty bully of a man from basic training who apparently had a rivalry with Iago from their previous life.

Iago rolled his eyes. "Please, don't remind me he's on this ship," he said as they moved to a better vantage point to watch a massive Shadowsword tank, bristling with weaponry and capped with a massive armor-cracking Volcano Las-cannon, rolling at the center of an armored column.

"My apologies," Kat replied. "Need a punching bag before we run into him again? I've been struggling to find one onboard."

"I'll find something to punch," Iago said with some small amount of exasperation. "Please, you're not my mother."

"Throne knows we could use someone so concerned," Leona said with a slight grin. "Though you were a ganger. You lose yours?"

"Something like that," Iago said offhandedly.

. . .

2 Weeks Later

Daniel found himself at once somewhat shocked and utterly unsurprised that their Mass Conveyer had a rather sizable chapel built into it, a different incense from Stellar Cartography, something almost like a peach mixed with a lavender-like scent, wafting down from censers hanging high in the swooping, ornately wrought rafters that matched the immensely detailed chapel interior, several Imperial saints, miracles, and acts of valiant self-sacrifice immortalized in painted, shaped metal that lined the walls and ceiling.

This chapel, known as the Sanctuary of Our Lord Jerunen, had who was likely the man in question, in tall, statued form, cloaked in robes and wielding standing next to an utterly imposing statue of the Emperor of Mankind, a brilliant golden effigy that loomed over the statue of Jerunen by well over 3 meters, the massive Imperial Aquila suspended over him with two equally massive gilt chains.

It was a gaudy sight that grated at Daniel's sensibilities. He was sure it would grate at the being, still so far above mere mankind, that the packed chapel, several hundred strong, openly and fervently venerated.

But there was little that the Emperor of Mankind could do about the preacher of the Ministorum, the head chaplain of the ship, as he delivered an impassioned pre-battle sermon, fire and fervor lacing words meant to stir the gathered soldiers to bravery. They were words that Daniel tuned out with an expert skill, intoning the prayers and recitations that the others around him spoke.

"And by the words of the Lectitio Divinitatus, 114th Canto; 'For thus, the human spirit, child souls of the Father and Master, will not be unbowed. No fire nor blade, no gunfire nor death, will shake us from our course. Thus we shall take the purified light of humanity to every corner, every edge of the galaxy. And none shall be able to stand against our might.'"

"Thus it is." the congregation said, their intonation echoing in the massive cathedral.

"So go forth to this wayward world!" the chaplain cried out. "Go forth in the God-Emperor's grace, and let your wrath and indignation spill forth on these enemies of humanity, these foul wretches that must be purged for all humanity's sake!"

"So shall it be done!" the congregation shouted.

The chaplain threw his hands out, hushing the congregation as they heard, for the final time, their vessel tearing a hole in reality. "Go, now! Prepare yourselves for holy battle and complete your sanctifications to the God-Emperor as we release you to your duty!"

The congregation stood and began to funnel out of the twin sets of imposing, equally overwrought doors. The fireteam had decided to stick together at Leona's insistence, and she'd given each of them a small wooden necklace of the Aquila that a brother had stolen into camp at her insistence during their basic training. She'd even shown them how to use it in prayer the way her sister had shown her to.

It was appreciated, as Daniel rubbed the swirling light and dark wood between finger and thumb. For a moment, he considered a silent prayer, removed from the pomp and circumstance of the sermon. 'Emperor, whatever your name might be,' he asked silently, 'perhaps you might spare a bit of protection for us. I will change this galaxy. Likely in ways you might find… distasteful. I do not potentially call to you for your permission. Only for your understanding. And I do not even require that.'

"I've never been to a service like that," Leona said with a contented expression and a gleam in her eyes. "I mean, on a spaceship? I guess it's going to be a lot more common, but I think it'll be hard to beat a Mass Conveyer's chapel for a first time."

"I can agree on that," Galen said. "I mean, the God-Emperor was what, 14, 15 meters tall? I don't think I've ever seen Him quite that large before. To say nothing of the rest of the structure."

It was silent between them all for a moment as, almost as one, a sense of realization settled over them all. "So," Daniel said quietly, "I wonder when we'll deploy to the surface."

"Not much more than a day or two after now, I think." Stavros, quiet thus far, said. "It took us 3 to get to Adinim. 1 to get to Terinix."

"Why does it suddenly feel like we're about to get last rites?" Iago said slowly. "Or just got them?"

"Have faith, Iago," Leona said with a quiet sigh that had become a vital component of the words when spoken to him. "We have the God-Emperor's favor. As long as we strengthen our hearts and souls, then we will be protected by His grace."

Daniel dearly hoped that would be enough even as he wondered what the war-torn surface of Salome looked like.