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6:ECHOESOFTHELONGWAR7:THEHUNTFORVULKAN8:THEBEASTMUSTDIE

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CONTENTS

CoverBacklistTitlePageWarhammer40,000HeadhuntedExhumedDeathwatchDramatisPersonaePrologueActI:TheCall123456789101112ActII:TheWatch1234

5678910111213141516171819202122ActIII:Deployment1234567891011121314

15161718192021EpilogueTheAlienHuntersOnyxMachineSpiritSwordwindDeathwatch:Kryptman’sWarDramatisPersonaeProloguePartIOneTwoThreeFourFivePartIISixSevenEightNineTenElevenTwelveThirteenFourteenFifteenSixteen

SeventeenEighteenNineteenPartIIITwentyTwenty-OneTwenty-TwoTwenty-ThreeTwenty-FourTwenty-FiveTwenty-SixTwenty-SevenTwenty-EightTwenty-NineEpilogueRackinruinWeaponsmithTheVoragoFastnessStormofDamoclesDramatisPersonaePartOne:TheSearchChapterOneChapterTwoChapterThreeChapterFourChapterFiveChapterSixChapterSevenChapterEightChapterNineChapterTenChapterElevenChapterTwelve

PartTwo:TheHuntChapterThirteenChapterfourteenChapterfifteenChapterSixteenChapterSeventeenChapterEighteenChapterNineteenChapterTwentyChapterTwenty-OneChapterTwenty-twoChapterTwenty-threePartThree:TheKillChapterTwenty-fourChapterTwenty-fiveChapterTwenty-sixChapterTwenty-sevenChapterTwenty-eightChapterTwenty-nineChapterThirtyChapterThirty-OneChapterThirty-twoChapterThirty-threeChapterThirty-fourChapterThirty-fiveChapterThirty-sixChapterThirty-sevenWhiteoutMission:AnnihilateTheInfiniteTableauAbouttheAuthorsAnExtractfrom‘Deathwatch’ABlackLibraryPublication

eBooklicense

WARHAMMER40,000

Itisthe41stmillennium.FormorethanahundredcenturiestheEmperorhassatimmobileontheGoldenThroneofEarth.Heisthemasterofmankindbythewillofthegods,andmasterofamillion

worldsbythemightofhisinexhaustiblearmies.HeisarottingcarcasswrithinginvisiblywithpowerfromtheDarkAgeofTechnology.HeistheCarrionLordoftheImperiumforwhomathousandsoulsare

sacrificedeveryday,sothathemaynevertrulydie.

Yeteveninhisdeathlessstate,theEmperorcontinueshiseternalvigilance.Mightybattlefleetscrossthedaemon-infestedmiasmaofthe

warp,theonlyroutebetweendistantstars,theirwaylitbytheAstronomican,thepsychicmanifestationoftheEmperor’swill.Vastarmiesgivebattleinhisnameonuncountedworlds.Greatestamongst

HissoldiersaretheAdeptusAstartes,theSpaceMarines,bio-engineeredsuper-warriors.Theircomradesinarmsarelegion:theAstraMilitarumandcountlessplanetarydefenceforces,theever-

vigilantInquisitionandthetech-priestsoftheAdeptusMechanicustonameonlyafew.Butforalltheirmultitudes,theyarebarelyenoughtoholdofftheever-presentthreatfromaliens,heretics,mutants–and

worse.

Tobeamaninsuchtimesistobeoneamongstuntoldbillions.Itistoliveinthecruellestandmostbloodyregimeimaginable.Thesearethetalesofthosetimes.Forgetthepoweroftechnologyandscience,forsomuchhasbeenforgotten,nevertobere-learned.Forgetthepromiseofprogressandunderstanding,forinthegrimdarkfuturethereisonlywar.Thereisnopeaceamongstthestars,onlyaneternityofcarnage

andslaughter,andthelaughterofthirstinggods.

TobeUncleanThatistheMarkoftheXenosTobeImpureThatistheMarkoftheXenosTobeAbhorredThatistheMarkoftheXenosTobeReviledThatistheMarkoftheXenosTobeHuntedThatistheMarkoftheXenosTobePurgedThatistheFateoftheXenosTobeCleansedThatistheFateofallXenos

–CatechismoftheXeno,extractfromTheThirdBookofIndoctrinations

HEADHUNTEDSteveParker

Somethingvast,darkandbrutishmovedacrossthepinprickedcurtainofspace,blottingout thediamond lightsof theconstellationsbehind itas if swallowingthemwhole.Itwasthesizeofacityblock,anditsbulbouseyes,likethoseofagreatblindfish,glowedwithagreenandbalefullight.Itwasaterriblethingtobehold,thisleviathan–aharbingerofdoom–anditspassagehadbroughtagonyanddestructiontocountlessvictimsinthecenturiesithadswumamongthestars.Ittravelled,now,throughtheCharybdisSubsectorontrailsofangryredplasma,cuttingacrosstheinkydarknesswithapurpose.Thatpurposewascloseathand,andachangebegantotakeplaceonitsbestialfeatures. New lights flickered to life on its muzzle, shining far brighter andsharper than its eyes, illuminatingmyriad shapes, large and small, thatdancedandspun inhighorbitabove theglowingorangesphereofArronax II.Withaslow, deliberate motion, the leviathan unhinged its massive lower jaw, andopeneditsmouthtofeed.At first, the glimmering pieces of debris it swallowedweremere fragments,nothingmuch larger than aman.But soon,heavier, bulkierpiecesdrifted intothat gapingmaw, passing between its bladelike teeth and down into its blackthroat.For hours, the monster gorged itself on space-borne scrap, devouringeverythingitcouldfit into itsmouth.Thepickingsweregood.Therehadbeenheavyfightinghereinagespast.Scouredworldsandlifelesswreckswereallthatremained now, locked in a slow elliptical dance around the local star.But thewrecks,atleast,hadafuture.Oncesalvaged,theywouldbeforgedanew,recastinformsthatwouldbringdeathandsufferingdownuponcountlessothers.For,ofcourse,thisbeast,thishungrymonsterofthevoid,wasnobeastatall.Itwasanorkship.AndthemassiveglyphsdaubedsloppilyonitshullmarkeditasavesseloftheDeathskullclan.

Re-pressurisationbeganthemomenttheship’svastmetaljawsclangedshut.Theprocess took around twenty minutes, pumps flooding the salvage bay with

breathable,iffoul-smelling,air.Theorkscrowdingthecorridorbeyondthebay’sairlockdoorsroaredtheirimpatienceandhammeredtheirfistsagainstthethickmetal bulkheads. They shoved and jostled for position. Then, just when itseemed murderous violence was sure to erupt, sirens sounded and the heavydoors split apart. The orks surged forward, pushing and scrambling, racingtowards themountains of scrap, each utterly focused on claiming the choicestpiecesforhimself.Fights broke out between the biggest and darkest-skinned. They roared andwrestledwitheachother,andsnappedateachotherwithtusk-filledjaws.Theylashed outwith the tools andweapons that bristled on their augmented limbs.Theymighthavekilledeachotherbutforthemassivesuitsofcyberneticarmourtheywore. These were nomere greenskin foot soldiers. Theywere orks of aunique genus, the engineers of their race, each born with an inherentunderstandingofmachines.Itwashard-codedintotheirmarrowinthesamewayasviolenceandtorture.As was true of every caste, however, some among them were cleverer thanothers.Whilethemightiestbellowedandbeattheirmetal-platedchests,oneork,marginally shorter and leaner than the rest, slid around them and into theshadows,intentongettingfirstpickings.ThisorkwascalledGorgrot in the rough speechofhis race, and,despite thesheerdensityofsalvagetheshiphadswallowed,itdidn’ttakehimlongtofindsomethingtrulyvaluable.Attheverybackofthejunk-filledbay,closesttotheship’sgreatmetalteeth,hefoundtheruined,severedprowofamid-sizedhumancraft.Ashestudiedit,henoticedweaponbarrelsprotrudingfromthefrontend.His alien heart quickened. Functional or not, he could do great things withsalvagedweaponsystems.Hewouldmakehimselfmoredangerous,anorktobereckonedwith.Afterafurtivelookoverhisshouldertomakesurenoneofthebiggerorkshadnoticed him, he moved straight across to the wrecked prow, reached out agnarledhandandtouchedthehull.Itsarmour-platingwasinbadshape,pockedand cratered by plasma fire and torpedo impacts. To the rear, the metal wastwistedandblackwhereithadshearedawayfromtherestofthecraft.Itlookedlikeanexplosionhadtorntheshipapart.ToGorgrot,however,thenatureoftheship’sdestructionmatterednotatall.Whatmatteredwasitspotential.Already,visions of murderous creativity were flashing through his tiny mind in rapidsuccession,somanyatonce,infact,thatheforgottobreatheuntilhislungssenthim a painful reminder. These visions were a gift from Gork and Mork, the

bloodthirstygreenskingods,andhehad received their likemany timesbefore.All greenskin engineers received them, and nothing, save the rending of anenemy’sflesh,feltsoutterlyright.Even so, itwas something small and insignificant that pulled him out of hisrapture.Alighthadbeguntoflashonthelowerleftsideoftheruinedprow,winkingathim from beneath a tangle of beams and cables and dented armour plates,ignitinghis simple-mindedcuriosity,drawinghim towards it. Itwas smallandgreen, and it looked like it might be a button of some kind. Gorgrot beganclearingdebrisfromtheareaaroundit.Soon,hewasgruntingandgrowlingwiththe effort, sweating despite the assistance of his armour’s strength-boostinghydraulics.Within minutes, he had removed all obstructions between himself and theblinkinglight,anddiscoveredthatitwasindeedakindofbutton.Gorgrot was extending his finger out to press it when something suddenlywrenched him backwardswith irresistible force.Hewas hurled to the groundandlandedhardonhisbackwithasnarl.Immediately,hetriedtoscrambleupagain, but a hugemetal boot stamped down on him, denting his belly-armourandpushinghimdeepintothecarpetofsharpscrap.Gorgrotlookedupintotheblazingredeyesofthebiggest,heaviestorkinthesalvagebay.This was Zazog, personal engineer to the mighty Warboss BalthazogBludwrekk,andfeworksontheshipwerefoolishenoughtochallengeanyofhissalvageclaims.Itwasthereasonhealwaysarrivedinthesalvagebaylastofall;histardinesswasthesupremesymbolofhisdominanceamongthescavengers.Zazog staked his claim now, turning fromGorgrot and stomping over to thewrecked prow. There, he hunkered down to examine the winking button. Heknew well enough what it meant. There had to be a working power sourceonboard, something far more valuable than most scrap. He flicked out ablowtorchattachmentfromthemiddleknuckleofhismechanisedleftclawandburnedaroughlikenessofhispersonalglyphintothesideofthewreckedprow.Thenheroseandbellowedachallengetothosearoundhim.Scoresofgretchin, thepuniestmembersof theorkoid race, skitteredaway inpanic,disappearing into theprotectionof the shadows.Theotherorks steppedback,growlingatZazog,snarlinginanger.Butnonedaredchallengehim.Zazogglaredateachinturn,forcingthem,onebyone,todroptheirgazesordiebyhishand.Then,satisfiedattheirdeference,heturnedandpressedathick

fingertothewinkinggreenbutton.For a briefmoment, nothing happened. Zazog growled and pressed it again.Stillnothing.Hewasabout tobeginpounding itwithhismighty fistwhenheheardanoise.Itwasthesoundofatmosphericsealsunlocking.Thedoorshuddered,andbeganslidingupintothehull.Zazog’scraggy,scar-coveredfacetwistedintoahideousgrin.Yes,therewasapowersourceonboard.Thedoor’smotionprovedit.He,likeGorgrot,begantoexperience flashes of divine inspiration, visions of weaponry so grand anddeadlythathislimitedbraincouldhardlycope.Nomatter;thegodswouldworkthroughhimoncehegotstarted.Hishandswouldautomaticallyfashionwhathisbraincouldbarelycomprehend.Itwasalwaystheway.Theslidingdoorretractedfullynow,revealinganentrancejustlargeenoughforZazog’s armoured bulk to squeeze through.He shifted forwardwith that veryintention,butthemomentnevercame.Fromtheshadowsinsidethedoorway,therewasasoftcoughingsound.Zazog’s skull disintegrated in a haze of blood and bone chips. His headlesscorpsecrashedbackwardsontothecarpetofjunk.The other orks gaped in slack-jawed wonder. They looked down at Zazog’sbody,tryingtomakesenseofthedimwarningsthatrolledthroughtheirminds.Ignoringtheobviousthreat,thebiggestorksquicklybeganroaringfreshclaimsandshovingtheothersaside,littlerealisingthattheirowndeathswereimminent.Butimminenttheywere.Agreatblackshadowappeared,bursting from thedoorZazoghadopened. Itwas humanoid, not quite as large as the orks surrounding it, but bulkynonetheless, though it movedwith a speed and confidence no ork could everhave matched. Its long adamantium talons sparked and crackled with deadlyenergyasitslashedandstabbedinalldirections,awhirlwindoflethalmotion.Great fountains of thick red blood arced through the air as it killed again andagain.Greenskinsfelllikesacksofmeat.Moreshadowsemergedfromthewrecknow.Fourof them.Like the first,allweredressedinheavyblackceramitearmour.Allboreanintricateskulland‘I’design on their massive left pauldrons. The icons on their right pauldrons,however,wereeachunique.‘Clear the room,’ barked one over his comm-link as he gunned down agreenskin in frontofhim, spittingdeath from thebarrelofhis silencedbolter.‘Quick and quiet. Kill the rest before they raise the alarm.’ Switching comm

channels,hesaid,‘Sigma,thisisTalonAlpha.Phaseonecomplete.Kill-teamisaboard.Securingentrypointnow.’‘Understood, Alpha,’ replied the toneless voice at the other end of the link.‘Proceedonmission.Extractwithin thehour,as instructed.CaptainRedthornehas orders to pull out if youmiss your pick-up, so keep your teamon a tightleash.Thisisnotapurgeoperation.Isthatclear?’‘I’mwellawareofthat,Sigma,’thekill-teamleaderrepliedbrusquely.‘Youhadbetterbe,’repliedthevoice.‘Sigma,out.’

It took Talon squad less than sixty seconds to clear the salvage bay. BrotherRauthoftheExorcistsChaptergunneddownthelastofthefleeinggretchinasitdashedfortheexit.Thecreaturestumbledasasinglesilencedboltpunchedintoitsback.Halfasecondlater,aflesh-muffleddetonationrippeditapart.Itwasthelastoftwenty-sixbodiestofallamongthelitterofsalvagedscrap.‘Targetdown,Karras,’reportedRauth.‘Areaclear.’‘Confirmed,’ repliedKarras.He turned to face a SpaceMarinewith a heavyflamer.‘Omni,youknowwhattodo.Therestofyou,covertheentrance.’WiththeexceptionofOmni,theteamimmediatelymovedtopositionscoveringthemouth of the corridor throughwhich the orks had come.Omni, otherwiseknownasMaximmionVossoftheImperialFists,movedtothesidewalls,firstthe left, then the right,workingquicklyatanumberof thickhydraulicpistonsandpowercablesthere.‘That was messy, Karras,’ said Brother Solarion, ‘letting them see us as wecameout.Itoldyouweshouldhaveusedsmoke.Ifonehadescapedandraisedthealarm…’Karrasignoredthecomment.ItwasjustSolarionbeingSolarion.‘Giveitarest,Prophet,’saidBrotherZeed,optingtouseSolarion’snickname.Zeedhadcoinedithimself,andknewpreciselyhowmuchitirritatedtheproudUltramarine. ‘The room is clear.No runners.No alarms. Scholar knowswhathe’sdoing.’Scholar.ThatwaswhattheycalledKarras,oratleastBrothersVossandZeeddid. Rauth and Solarion insisted on calling him by his second name. SigmaalwayscalledhimAlpha.Andhisbattle-brothersbackonOccludus,homeworldoftheDeathSpectresChapter,simplycalledhimbyhisfirstname,Lyandro,orsometimessimplyCodicier–hisrankintheLibrarius.Karrasdidn’tmuchcarewhatanyonecalledhimso longas theyalldid theirjobs.ThehonourofservingintheDeathwatchhadbeenofferedtohim,andhe

had taken it, knowing the great glory it would bring both himself and hisChapter.But hewouldn’t be sorrywhenhis obligation to theEmperor’sHolyInquisitionwasover.Astarteslifeseemedfarlesscomplicatedamongone’sownChapter-brothers.Whenwouldhereturntothefold?Hedidn’tknow.TherewasnofixedtermforDeathwatch service.The Inquisitionmade high demands of all it called upon.Karrasmightnot see thedarklybeautiful crypt-citiesofhishomeworldagainfordecades…ifhelivedthatlong.‘Done,Scholar,’reportedVossasherejoinedtherestoftheteam.Karrasnoddedandpointedtowardsashatteredpictscreenandrune-boardthatprotruded from the wall, close to the bay’s only exit. ‘Think you can getanythingfromthat?’heasked.‘Nothing from the screen,’ said Voss, ‘but I could try wiring the data-feeddirectlyintomyvisor.’‘Doit,’saidKarras,‘butbequick.’Totheothers,hesaid,‘Proceedwithphasetwo.Solarion,takepoint.’The Ultramarine nodded curtly, rose from his position among the scrap andstalked forward into the shadowy corridor, bolter raised and ready.Hemovedwithsmooth,near-silentstepsdespite themassiveweightofhisarmour.ToriasTelion, famedUltramarine ScoutMaster and Solarion’s formermentor,wouldhavebeenproudofhisprizestudent.Onebyone,withtheexceptionofVoss,therestofthekill-teamfollowedinhiswake.

The filthy, rustingcorridorsof theork shipwere lit,but theelectric lamps thegreenskins had strung up along pipes and ducts were old and in poor repair.Barely half of them seemed to be working at all. Even these buzzed andflickeredinaconstantbattletothrowouttheirweakillumination.Still,thelittlelight they did give was enough to bother the kill-team leader. The inquisitor,knowntothemembersofTalononlybyhiscall-sign,Sigma,hadestimatedtheorkpopulationoftheshipatsomewhereovertwentythousand.Againstoddslikethese,Karrasknewonlytoowellthatdarknessandstealthwereamonghisbestweapons.‘Iwantthelightstakenout,’hegrowled.‘Thelongerwestayhidden,thebetterourchancesofmakingitoffthisdamnedheap.’‘Wecouldshootthemoutaswego,’offeredSolarion,‘butI’drathernotwastemyammunitiononsomethingthatdoesn’tbleed.’

Justthen,KarrasheardVossonthecomm-link.‘I’vefinishedwiththeterminal,Scholar. Imanaged to pull some old cargomanifests from the ship’smemorycore.Notmuchelse, though.Apparently, thisshipusedtobeacivilianheavy-transport,Magellannclass,builtonStygies.ItwascalledThePegasus.’‘Noschematics?’‘Mostofthememorycoreisheavilycorrupted.It’sthousandsofyearsold.Wewereluckytogetthatmuch.’‘Sigma, this isAlpha,’ saidKarras. ‘Theork ship isbuilt aroundan ImperialtransportcalledThePegasus.Requestingschematics,priorityone.’‘Iheard,’saidSigma.‘You’llhavethemassoonasIdo.’‘Voss,whereareyounow?’Karrasasked.‘Closetoyourposition,’saidtheImperialFist.‘Doyouhaveanyideawhichcableprovidespowertothelights?’‘Look up,’ saidVoss. ‘See those cables running along the ceiling?The thickone,thirdfromtheleft.I’dwagermyknifeonit.’Karrasdidn’thavetoissuetheorder.ThemomentZeedheardVoss’swords,hisright arm flashed upwards. There was a crackle of blue energy as the RavenGuard’sclawsslicedthroughthecable,andthecorridorwentutterlydark.TotheSpaceMarines,however,everythingremainedclearasday.TheirMarkVIIhelmets,likeeverythingelseintheirarsenal,hadbeenheavilymodifiedbythe Inquisition’s finest artificers. They boasted a composite low-light/thermalvisionmodethatwassuperiortoanythingelseKarrashadeverused.Inthethreeyears hehadbeen leadingTalon, it had tipped thebalance in his favourmoretimesthanhecaredtocount.Hehopeditwoulddosomanymoretimesintheyearstocome,butthatwouldalldependontheirsurvivalhere,andheknewalltoo well that the odds were against them from the start. It wasn’t just thenumberstheywereupagainst,orthetightdeadline.TherewassomethingherethelikesofwhichfewDeathwatchkill-teamshadeverfacedbefore.Karras could already feel its presence somewhere on the upper levels of theship.‘Keepmoving,’hetoldtheothers.

Threeminutes afterZeedhadkilled the lights, Solarionhissed for themall tostop.‘Karras,’herasped,‘Ihavemultiplexenosupahead.Suggestyoumoveupandtakealook.’Karras ordered the others to hold and went forward, careful not to bang orscrapehis broadpauldrons against the clutter of twistingpipes that linedboth

walls.CrouchingbesideSolarion,he realisedheneedn’thaveworriedabout alittle noise. In front of him, over a hundred orks had crowded into a high-ceilinged, octagonal chamber. They were hooting and laughing and wrestlingwitheachothertogetnearerthecentreoftheroom.NeitherKarrasnorSolarioncould seebeyond thewallofbroadgreenbacks,buttherewasclearlysomethinginthemiddlethatwasholdingtheirattention.‘Whataretheydoing?’whisperedSolarion.Karrasdecided therewasonlyonewaytofindout.Hecentredhisawarenessdown in the pit of his stomach, and began reciting the Litany of the SightBeyondSightthathisformermaster,ChiefLibrarianAthioCordatus,hadtaughthimduringhisearliestyears in theLibrarius.Beneathhishelmet,hiddenfromSolarion’sview,Karras’seyes,normallydeepredincolour,begantoglowwithanetherealwhite flame.Onhis forehead, awoundappeared.A singledropofbloodrolledoverhisbrowanddowntothebridgeofhisnarrow,angularnose.Slowly,asheopenedhissoulfractionallymore to thedangerouspowerwithinhim, the wound widened, revealing the physical manifestation of his psychicinnereye.Karrasfelthisawarenessliftoutofhisbodynow.Hewilleditdeeperintothechamber,risingabovethebacksoftheorks,lookingdownonthemfromabove.He saw a great pit sunk into the centre of themetal floor. Itwas filledwithhideousovoid creaturesof everypossible colour, their tiny red eyes set aboveoversizedmouthscrammedwithrazor-edgedteeth.‘It’samesshall,’Karrastoldhisteamoverthelink.‘There’sasquigpitinthecentre.’As his projected consciousnesswatched, the greenskins at the rim of the pitstabbeddownwardswith cruellybarbedpoles, hooking their prey through softflesh. Then they lifted the squigs, bleeding and screaming, into the air beforereachingforthem,tearingthemfromthehooks,andfeastingonthem.‘They’rebusy,’saidKarras,‘butwe’llneedtofindanotherwaythrough.’‘Sendme in,Scholar,’ saidVoss fromthe rear. ‘I’ll turn themall intocookedmeatbeforetheyevenrealisethey’reunderattack.Ghostcanbackmeup.’‘Onyourorder,Scholar,’saidZeedeagerly.Ghost.ThatwasSieferZeed.Withhishelmetoff,itwaseasytoseehowhe’dcome by the name. Like Karras, and like all brothers of their respectiveChapters, Zeed was the victim of a failed melanochromic implant, a slightmutationinhisancientandotherwiseworthygene-seed.Theskinofbothheandthe kill-team leader was as white as porcelain. But, whereas Karras bore the

blood-redeyesandchalk-whitehairofthetruealbino,Zeed’seyeswereblackascoals,andhishairnolessdark.‘Negative,’saidKarras.‘We’llfindanotherwaythrough.’He pushed his astral-self further into the chamber, desperate to find ameansthatdidn’tinvolvealertingthefoe,butthereseemedlittlechoice.Onlywhenheturnedhisawarenessupwardsdidheseewhathewaslookingfor.‘There’sawalkwayneartheceiling,’hereported.‘Itlooksfrail,rustingbadly,butifwecrossitoneatatime,itshouldhold.’Asharp,icyvoiceonthecomm-linkinterruptedhim.‘TalonAlpha,getreadytoreceivethoseschematics.Transmittingnow.’Karraswilledhisconsciousnessbackintohisbody,andhisglowingthirdeyesealeditself,leavingonlythebaresttraceofascar.Usingconventionalsight,heconsultedhishelmet’sheads-updisplayandwatchedthelastfewpercentoftheschematicsfilebeingdownloaded.Whenitwasfinished,hecalleditupwithathought,and thehelmetprojected itasashimmeringgreen imagecastdirectlyontohisleftretina.Theothers,heknew,wereseeingthesamething.‘Accordingtotheseplans,’hetoldthem,‘there’sanaccessladderset intothewall near the second junction we passed. We’ll backtrack to it. The corridorabovethisonewillgiveusaccesstothewalkway.’‘Ifit’sstillthere,’saidSolarion.‘Theorksmayhaveremovedit.’‘Andbacktrackingwillcostustime,’grumbledVoss.‘Lesstimethanafirefightwouldcostus,’counteredRauth.Hishard,gravellytonesweremadeevenharderbytheslightdistortiononthecomm-link.‘There’satimeandplaceforthatkindofkilling,butitisn’tnow.’‘Watcher’sright,’saidZeedreluctantly.ItwasrareforheandRauthtoagree.‘I’vetoldyoubefore,’warnedRauth.‘Don’tcallmethat.’‘Rightorwrong,’saidKarras,‘I’mnottakingvotes.I’vemademycall.Let’smove.’

Karraswasthelasttocrossthegantryabovetheorkfeedingpit.Theshadowsuphereweredenseand,sofar,theorkshadnoticednothing,thoughtherehadbeena few moments when it looked as if the aging iron were about to collapse,particularlybeneaththetremendousweightofVosswithhisheavyflamer,highexplosives,andback-mountedpromethiumsupply.SuchwastheweightoftheImperialFistandhiskitthatKarrashaddecidedtosend him over first. Voss had made it across, but it was nothing short of a

miraclethattheorksbelowhadn’tnoticedtherainofredflakesshoweringdownonthem.Luckywedidn’tbringoldChyronafterall,thoughtKarras.ThesixthmemberofTalonwouldn’thavemadeitoutofthesalvagebay.ThecorridorsonthisshipweretoonarrowforsuchamightySpaceMarine.Instead,Sigma had ordered the redoubtable Dreadnought, formerly of the LamentersChapter but now permanently attached to Talon, to remain behind onRedthorne’s ship, the Saint Nevarre. That had caused a few tense moments.Chyronhadaviletemper.Karrasmadehisway,centimetrebycentimetre,alongthecreakingmetalgrille,his silenced bolter fixed securely to themagnetic couplings on his right thighplate,hisforceswordsheathedonhis lefthip.Overonemassiveshoulderwasslungthecryo-casethatSigmahadinsistedhecarry.Karrascursedit,buttherewasnowayhecouldleaveitbehind.Itaddedtwentykilogrammestohisalreadysignificantweight,butthecasewasabsolutelycriticaltothemission.Hehadnochoice.Up ahead, he could see Rauth watching him, as ever, from the end of thegangway.Whatwas the Exorcist thinking?Karras had no clue.He had neverbeen able to read the mysterious Astartes. Rauth seemed to have no warpsignaturewhatsoever.Hesimplydidn’tregisteratall.Evenhisarmour,evenhisbolterforThrone’ssake,resonatedmorethanhedid.AnditwasananomalythatRauthwassingularlyunwillingtodiscuss.There was no love lost between them, Karras knew, and, for his part, heregretted that. He had made gestures, occasional overtures, but for whateverreason, they had been rebuffed every time. The Exorcist was unreachable,distant,remote,anditseemedheplannedtostaythatway.As Karras took his next step, the cryo-case suddenly swung forward on itsstrap, shifting his centre of gravity and threatening to unbalance him. Hecompensatedswiftly,buttheeffortcausedthegangwaytocreakandapieceofrustedmetalsnappedoff,spinningawayunderhim.Hefroze,prayingthattheorkswouldn’tnotice.Butonedid.Itwasattheedgeofthepit,pokingafatsquigwithitsbarbedpole,whenthemetalfragmentstruckitshead.Theorkimmediatelystoppedwhatitwasdoingand scanned the shadowsabove it, squinting suspiciouslyup towards theunlitrecessesofthehighceiling.Karras stared back, willing it to turn away. Reading minds and controlling

minds,however,weretwoverydifferentthings.Thelatterwasapowerbeyondhisgifts.Ultimately,itwasn’tKarras’swillthatturnedtheorkfromitsscrutiny.Itwasthenatureofthegreenskinspecies.Theotherorksaroundit,impatienttofeed,begangrabbingatthebarbedpole.Onemanagedtosnatchit,andthegazingorksuddenlyfoundhimselfrobbedofhischancetofeed.Helaunchedhimselfintoaviolentfrenzy,lashingoutatthepole-thiefandthosenearby.Thatwaswhentheorksbehindhimsurgedforward,andpushedhimintothesquigpit.Karrassawthesquigsswarmonthehaplessork,sinkingtheirlongteethintoitsfleshandtearingawaygreat,bloodymouthfuls.Thefoodchainhadbeenturnedon its head. The orks around the pit laughed and capered and struck at theirdyingfellowwiththeirpoles.Karrasdidn’tstoptowatch.Hemovedoncarefully,cursingtheblackcasethatwas now pressed tight to his side with one arm. He rejoined his team in themouth of a tunnel on the far side of the gantry and theymoved off, pressingdeeper into the ship. Solarion moved up front with Zeed. Voss stayed in themiddle.RauthandKarrasbroughtuptherear.‘Theyneedtodosomedamnedmaintenancearoundhere,’KarrastoldRauthinawrytone.TheExorcistsaidnothing.

BycomparingSigma’sschematicsofThePegasuswiththefeatureshesawashemoved through it, it soon became clear toKarras that the orks had done verylittletoaltertheinterioroftheshipbeyondcoveringitswallsinbadlyrenderedglyphs,defecatingwherevertheypleased,leavingdeadbodiestorotwheretheyfell,andgenerallymaking theplaceunfit forhabitationbyanythingsave theirownwretchedkind.Massesofquiveringfungihadsproutedfrombrokenwaterpipes.Frayedelectricalcablessparkedandhissedatanyonewhowalkedby.Andtherewere somanybones strewn about that some sections almost looked likemassgraves.TheDeathwatchmembersmade a number of kills, or rather Solarion did, astheyproceededdeeperintotheship’sbelly.Mostoftheseweregretchinsentoutonsomeerrandorotherbytheirslavemasters.TheUltramarinesilentlyexecutedthemwherever he found themand stuffed the small corpses under pipes or indarkalcoves.Onlytwicedidthekill-teamencounterpartiesoforkwarriors,andbothtimes,thegreenskinsannouncedthemselveswellinadvancewiththeirloudgruntingandjabbering.KarrascouldtellthatVossandZeedwerebothitchingto

engage, but stealth was still paramount. Instead, he, Rauth and Solarioneliminatedthefoe,loadingpowerfulhellfireroundsintotheirsilencedbolterstoensurequick,quietone-shotkills.‘I’ve reachedWaypoint Adrius,’ Solarion soon reported from up ahead. ‘Noxenoscontacts.’‘Okay,moveinandsecure,’Karrasordered.‘Checkyourcornersandexits.’Thekill-teamhurriedforward,emergingfromtheblacknessofthecorridorintoatoweringsquareshaft.Itwashundredsofmetreshigh,itsmetalwallsstainedwithageandrustandallkindsofspillage.Thickpipesranacrossthewallsatallangles,manyofthemventingsteamordrippingicycoolant.Therewerebrokenstaircasesandrustinggantriesat regular intervals,eachofwhich led togapingdoorways.And, in themiddle of the left-sidewall, an open elevator shaft ranalmosttothetop.It was here that Talonwould be forced to split up. From this chamber, theycouldaccess any level in the ship.VossandZeedwouldgodownvia ametalstairway,theotherswouldgoup.‘Good luck using that,’ saidVoss, nodding towards the elevator cage. Itwasclearly of ork construction, amishmash ofmetal bits bolted together. It had abloodstainedsteelfloor,afoldinglattice-workgateandalargeleverwhichcouldbepushedforwardforup,orpulledbackwardsfordown.Therewasnosignofwhathadhappenedtotheoriginalelevator.Karrasscowledunderhishelmetashe lookedat itandcross-referencedwhathesawagainsthisschematics.‘We’llhavetotakeitashighasitwillgo,’hetoldRauthandSolarion.Hepointeduptowardsthefarceiling.‘Thatlandingatthetop; that iswherewe are going. From therewe can access the corridor to thebridge.Ghost,Omni, you have your own objectives.’He checked themissionchrono in the corner of his visor. ‘Forty-threeminutes,’ he told them. ‘Avoidconfrontationifyoucan.Andstayincontact.’‘Understood,Scholar,’saidVoss.Karras frowned. He could sense the Imperial Fist’s hunger for battle. It hadbeen there since themoment they’d set foot on thismechanical abomination.LikemostImperialFists,onceVosswasinafight,hetendedtostaythereuntilthefoewasdead.Hecouldbestubborntothepointofidiocy,buttherewasnodenyinghisversatility.Weapons,vehicles,demolitions…Vosscoulddoitall.‘Ghost,’saidKarras.‘Makesurehegetsbackhereonschedule.’‘IfIhavetoknockhimoutanddraghimbackmyself,’saidZeed.‘Youcantry,’Vosssnorted,grinningunderhishelmet.HeandtheRavenGuard

hadenjoyedagoodrapportsincethemomenttheyhadmet.Karrasoccasionallyenviedthemthat.‘Go,’he told them,and theymovedoff,disappearingdownastairwellon theright,theirfootstepsvibratingthegrilleunderKarras’sfeet.‘Thentherewerethree,’saidSolarion.‘With the Emperor’s blessing,’ saidKarras, ‘that’s all we’ll need.’ He strodeovertotheelevator,pulledthelatticeworkgateaside,andgotin.Astheothersjoinedhim,headded,‘IfeitherofyouknowaMechanicusprayer,nowwouldbeagoodtime.Rauth,takeusup.’The Exorcist pushed the control lever forward, and it gave a harsh,metallicscreech. A winch high above them began turning. Slowly at first, then withincreasing speed, the lower levels dropped away beneath them. Pipes andlandingsflashedby,thenthecounterweightwhistledpast.Thefloorofthecagecreaked and groaned under their feet as it carried them higher and higher.Disconcertingsoundsissuedfromthecableandtheassemblyatthetop,buttheridewasshort,lastingbarelyaminute,forwhichKarrasthankedtheEmperor.When theywere almost at the topof the shaft,Rauth eased the control leverbackwards and the elevator slowed, issuing the same high-pitched complaintwithwhichithadstarted.KarrasheardSolarioncursing.‘Problem,brother?’heasked.‘We’ll be lucky if thewholedamned shipdoesn’t knowwe’reherebynow,’spattheUltramarine.‘Accursedpieceoforkjunk.’Theelevatorgroundtoahaltatthelevelofthetopmostlanding,andSolarionalmost tore the latticework gate from its fixings as he wrenched it aside.Steppingout,hetookpointagainautomatically.Thericketysteellandingledoffintwodirections.Totheleft,itledtoatrioofdimlylitcorridorentrances.Totheright,itledtowardsasteepmetalstaircaseinaseverestateofdisrepair.Karrasconsultedhisschematics.‘Nowforthebadnews,’hesaid.Theotherseyedthestairgrimly.‘Itwon’tholdus,’saidRauth.‘Nottogether.’Someof themetal stepshad rusted awaycompletely leavinggapsofup to ametre. Others were bent and twisted, torn halfway free of their bolts as ifsomethingheavyhadlandedhardonthem.‘Sowespreadout,’saidKarras.‘Stayclosetothewall.Putaslittlepressureon

eachstepaswecan.Wedon’thavetimetodebateit.’They moved off, Solarion in front, Karras in the middle, Rauth at the rear.Karras watched his point-man carefully, noting exactly where he placed eachfoot.TheUltramarinemovedwithacertaintyandfluiditythatfewcouldmatch.Hadheregisteredmoreofawarpsignaturethanhedid,Karrasmightevenhavesuspectedsomekindofextrasensoryperception,but, in fact, itwassimply thesuperiortrainingoftheMasterScout,Telion.Halfwayupthestair,however,Solarionsuddenlyhelduphishandandhissed,‘Hold!’RauthandKarrasfrozeatonce.Thestairwaycreakedgentlyunderthem.‘Xenos,directfront.Twentymetres.Threebigones.’NeitherKarrasnorRauthcouldseethem.Thesteepangleofthestairpreventedit.‘Canyoudealwiththem?’askedKarras.‘Notalone,’saidSolarion.‘Oneisstandinginadoorway.Idon’thaveclearlineoffireonhim.Itcouldgoeitherway.Ifhecharges,fine.ButhemayraisethealarmassoonasIdroptheothers.Betterthethreeofustakethemoutatonce,ifyouthinkyoucanmoveupquietly.’The challenge in Solarion’s words, not tomention his tone, could hardly bemissed.Karrasliftedafootandplaceditgentlyonthenextstepup.Slowly,heputhisweightonit.Therewasaharshgratingsound.‘Isaidquietly,’hissedSolarion.‘Iheardyou,damnit,’Karrassnappedback.Silently,hecursed thecryo-casestrapped over his shoulder. Its extraweight and shifting centre of gravitywashamperinghim,as ithadon thegantryabove thesquigpit,butwhatcouldhedo?‘Rauth,’ he said. ‘Move past me. Don’t touch this step. Place yourself onSolarion’sleft.Trytogetanangleontheorkinthedoorway.Solarion,openfireonRauth’smark.You’llhavetohandletheothertwoyourself.’‘Confirmed,’ rumbled Rauth. Slowly, carefully, the Exorcistmoved out frombehindKarrasandcontinuedclimbingasquietlyashecould.Flakesofrustfellfromtheundersideofthestairlikeredsnow.RauthwasjustaheadofKarras,barelyametreoutinfront,when,asheputtheweight down on his right foot, the step under it gavewaywith a sharp snap.Rauthplunged intoopenspace,nothingbelowhimbut twohundredmetresoffreefallandalethallyhardlanding.Karras moved on instinct with a speed that bordered on supernatural. His

gauntleted fist shot out, catching Rauth just in time, closing around theExorcist’sleftwristwithalmostcrushingforce.Theorksturnedtheirheadstowardsthesuddennoiseandstompedtowardsthetopofthestairs,massivestubbersraisedinfrontofthem.‘ByGuilliman’sblood!’ragedSolarion.Heopenedfire.Thefirstoftheorkscollapsedwithitsbrainpanblownout.KarraswasstrugglingtohaulRauthbackontothestairway,butthemetalunderhisownfeet,forcedtosupporttheweightofbothAstartes,begantoscrapeclearofitsfixings.‘Quickly,psyker,’gaspedRauth,‘orwe’llbothdie.’‘Notadamnedchance,’Karrasgrowled.Withamonumentaleffortofstrength,he heaved Rauth high enough that the Exorcist could grab the staircase andscramblebackontoit.AsRauthgottohisfeet,hebreathed,‘Thankyou,Karras…butyoumaylivetoregretsavingme.’Karraswasscowlingfuriouslyunderhishelmet.‘Youmaynotthinkofmeasyourbrother,but,attheveryleast,youareamemberofmyteam.However,thenexttimeyoucallmepsykerwithsuchdisdain,youwillbetheonetoregretit.Isthatunderstood?’Rauthglaredathimforasecond,thennoddedonce.‘Fairwords.’Karrasmovedpasthim,steppingoverthebroadgapthenstoppingatSolarion’sside.Onthelandingahead,hesawtwoorkbodiesleakingcopiousamountsoffluidfromsevereheadwounds.Ashelookedatthem,wailingalarmsbegantosoundthroughouttheship.Solarionturnedtofacehim.‘ItoldSigmaheshouldhaveputmeincharge,’hehissed.‘Damnit,Karras.’‘Save it,’ Karras barked. His eyes flicked to the countdown on his heads-updisplay. ‘Thirty-threeminutes left.Theyknowwe’rehere.Thekillingstarts inearnest now, butwe can’t let them hold us up. Both of you followme. Let’smove!’Withoutanotherword,thethreeAstartespoundedacrosstheupperlandingandintothemouthofthecorridordownwhichthethirdorkhadvanished,desperateto reach theirprimaryobjectivebefore thewholedamnedhordedescendedonthem.

‘Somuchforkeepingalowprofile,eh,brother?’saidZeedasheguardedVoss’s

back.Adeafening,ululatingwailhadfilledtheair.Redlightsbegantorotateintheirwallfixtures.Voss grunted byway of response. Hewas concentrating hard on the task athand.Hecrouchedby thecoolantvalvesof theship’smassiveplasma reactor,powersourceforthevessel’sgiganticmainthrusters.Thenoiseinthereactorroomwasdeafeningevenwithouttheorkalarms,andnoneofthebusygretchinworkcrewshadnoticedthetwoDeathwatchmembersuntilitwastoolate.Zeedhadhackedthemlimbfromlimbbeforethey’dhadachancetoscatter.Nowthatthealarmhadbeensounded,though,orkswouldbearmingthemselvesandfillingthecorridorsoutside,eachfilthyaliendesperatetoclaimakill.‘We’re done here,’ said Voss, rising from his crouch. He hefted his heavyflamerfromthefloorandturned.‘TherestisuptoScholarandtheothers.’Voss couldn’t check inwith them.Not from here. Such close proximity to areactor, particularly one with so much leakage, filled the kill-team’s primarycomm-channelswithnothingbutstatic.Zeedmovedtothethicksteeldoorofthereactorroom,openeditacrack,andpeeredoutside.‘It’s gettingbusyout there,’ he reported. ‘Lots ofmean-lookingbastards, buttheycanhardlyseewithall the lightsknockedout.Whatdoyousay,brother?Areyoureadytopaintthewallswiththebloodofthefoe?’Underhishelmet,Vossgrinned.Hethumbedhisheavyflamer’signiterswitchand a hot blue flame burst to life just in front of the weapon’s promethiumnozzle.‘Always,’hesaid,comingabreastoftheRavenGuard.Together, the two comrades charged into the corridor, howling the names oftheirprimarchsasbattle-cries.

‘We’re pinned,’ hissed Rauth as ork stubber and pistol fire smacked into themetalwallbesidehim.Pipesshattered.Ironflakesshoweredtheground.Karras,RauthandSolarionhadpushedasfarandasfastastheycouldoncethealarmshad been tripped. But now they found themselves penned-in at a junction, aconfluenceofthreebroadcorridors,andmobsofhowling,jabberingorkswerepouringtowardsthemfromallsides.Withhisknife,Solarionhadalreadyseveredthecablethatpoweredthelights,alongwithascoreofothersthatdidThroneknewwhat.Anumberoftheorks,however,wereequippedwithgoggles,not tomentionweaponsandarmourfar

above typicalgreenskin standards.Karrashad fought such fiendsbefore.Theywere the greenskin equivalent of commando squads, far more cunning anddeadlythantheusualmuscle-mindedoafs.Theirrednight-visionlensesglowedlikedaemons’eyesastheypressedcloserandcloser,keepingtocoverasmuchaspossible.KarrasandhisDeathwatchMarineswereoutnumberedat least twentytoone,and that ratiowouldquicklychangefor theworse if theydidn’tbreak throughsoon.‘Orders,Karras,’growledSolarionashisrightpauldronabsorbedadirecthit.Theorkshell leftanuglyscrapeon theblueandwhiteChapter insignia there.‘We’retakingtoomuchfire.Thecoverhereispitiful.’Karrasthoughtfast.Asmokescreenwouldbeuseless.Iftheorkgoggleswereoperatingonthermalsignatures,theywouldseerightthroughit.Incendiariesorfragswouldkillagoodscoreofthemanddissuadetheothersfromclosing,butthatwouldn’tsolvetheproblemofbeingpinned.‘Novas,’he told them. ‘Onmysignal,onedowneachcorridor.Short throws.Remember to cover your visors.Themoment theydetonate,wemake a push.I’mtakingpoint.Clear?’‘Onyourmark,Karras,’saidSolarionwithanod.‘Givetheword,’saidRauth.Karras tugged a nova grenade from thewebbing around his armouredwaist.Theothersdidthesame.Hepulledthepin,swunghisarmbackandcalledout,‘Now!’Three small black cylinders flew through the darkness to clatter against themetal floor. Swept up in the excitement of the firefight, the orks didn’t noticethem.‘Eyes!’shoutedKarrasandthrewanarmupoverhisvisor.Threedeafeningbangssoundedinquicksuccession,loudereventhanthebarkoftheorks’guns.Howlsofagonyimmediatelyfollowed,fillingtheclose,dampairofthecorridors.Karraslookeduptoseetheorksreelingaroundinthedarkwiththeirgreat,thick-fingeredhandspressedtotheirfaces.Theywerecrashinginto the walls, weapons forgotten, thrown to the floor in their agony andconfusion.Novagrenadeswere typicallyemployed for roomclearance,but theyworkedwell in any dark, enclosed space. Theywere far from standard-issueAstarteshardware,but theDeathwatchweretheelite, thebestof thebest,andtheyhadaccess to the kind of resources that few others could boast. The intense,

phosphor-bright flash that the grenades produced overloaded optical receptors,bothmechanicalandbiological.Theblindnesswastemporaryinmostcases,butKarraswasbettingthattheorks’goggleswouldmagnifytheglare.Theirretinaswouldbepermanentlyburnedout.‘Withme,’ he barked, and charged out from his corner.Hemoved in a blur,fixing his silenced bolter to themag-locks on his thigh plate and drawing hisfaithfulforcesword,Arquemann,fromitsscabbardasheracedtowardsthefoe.RauthandSolarioncamebehind,butnotsocloseastogamblewiththeirlives.ThebiteofArquemannwascertaindeathwheneveritglowedwithotherworldlyenergy,andithadbeguntoglownow,throwingoutachill,unnaturallight.Karras threw himself in among the greenskin commandos, turning greatpowerful arcs with his blade, despatching more xenos filth with every limb-severing stroke. Steaming corpses soon littered the floor. The orks in thecorridors behind continued to flail blindly, attacking each other now, in theirsightlessdesperation.‘Theway isclear,’Karrasgasped. ‘Werun.’HesheathedArquemannand ledtheway, feetpoundingon themetaldeck.Thecryo-caseswungwildlybehindhimashemoved,buthepaiditnomind.Beneathhishelmet,histhirdeyewasclosingagain.Thedangerousenergiesthatgavehimhispowerswereretreatingathiscommand,suppressedbythemantrasthatkepthimstrong,kepthimsafe.The inquisitor’s voice intruded on the comm-link. ‘Alpha, this is Sigma.Respond.’‘Ihearyou,Sigma,’saidKarrasasheran.‘Whereareyounow?’‘ClosingonWaypointBarrius.We’reaboutoneminuteout.’‘You’re falling behind, Alpha. Perhaps I should begin preparing deathcertificatestoyourrespectiveChapters.’‘Damnyou,inquisitor.We’llmakeit.Nowifthat’sallyouwanted…’‘SolarionistoleaveyouatBarrius.Ihaveanothertaskforhim.’‘No,’saidKarrasflatly.‘We’realreadyfacingheavyresistancehere.Ineedhimwithme.’‘I don’tmake requests, Deathwatch. According to naval intelligence reports,thereisalargefighterbayontheship’sstarboardside.Significantfueldumps.GiveSolarionyourexplosives. Iwanthim toknockout that fighterbaywhileyou andRauth proceed to the bridge. If all goeswell, the diversionmay helpclearyourescaperoute.Ifnot,youhadbetterstartprayingforamiracle.’‘Rauthwillblowthefueldumps,’saidKarras,optingtotestahunch.

‘No,’saidSigma.‘Solarionisbetteracquaintedwithoperatingalone.’KarraswonderedaboutSigma’sinsistencethatSolariongo.RauthhardlyeverletKarras out of his sight. It had been thatway ever since they’dmet. Littlewonder, then, that Zeed had settled on the nickname ‘Watcher’. Was Sigmabehinditall?Karrascouldn’tbesure.TheinquisitorhadapointaboutSolarion’ssoloskills,andheknewit.‘Fine,I’llgiveSolariontheneworders.’‘No,’saidSigma.‘I’lldoitdirectly.YouandRauthmusthurrytothecommandbridge.Expecttolosecommsonceyougetclosertothetarget.I’msureyou’vesensed the creature’s incredible power already. I want that thing eliminated,Alpha.Donotfailme.’‘When have I ever?’ Karras retorted, but Sigma had already cut the link.JudgingbySolarion’sbodylanguageasheran,theinquisitorwasalreadygivinghimhisneworders.Atthenextjunction,WaypointBarrius,thetrioencounteredanotherorkmob.But the speed at whichKarras and hismenweremoving caught the orks bysurprise.Karrasdidn’tevenhave time tochargehisbladewithpsychicenergybeforehewas inamong them,hackingand thrusting.Arquemannwas lethallysharp evenwithout thepowerof the immaterium running through it, andorksfell in a great tide of blood. Silenced bolters coughed on either side of him,SolarionandRauthgivingfiresupport,andsoonthejunctionwasheapedwithtwitchinggreenmeat.Karras turned toRauth. ‘Give Solarion your frags and incendiaries,’ he said,pullinghisownfromhiswebbing.‘Butkeeptwobreachingcharges.We’llneedthem.’Solarion accepted thegrenades, quickly fixing them tohis belt, thenhe said,‘Goodhunting,brothers.’Karras nodded. ‘We’ll rendezvous back at the elevator shaft. Whoever getsthere firstholds ituntil theothers arrive.Keep thecomm-linkopen. If itgoesdead formore than tenminutes at our end,don’twaste any time.RendezvouswithVossandZeedandgettothesalvagebay.’Solarionbangedafistonhisbreastplateinsaluteandturned.KarrasnoddedtoRauth.‘Let’sgo,’hesaid,andtogether,theyranontowardstheforesectionoftheshipwhileSolarionmergedwiththeshadowsintheotherdirection.

‘Die!’spatZeedasanothermassivegreenskinslidtothefloor,itsbodyopened

fromgullettogroin.Thenhewasmovingagain.Instinctseverybitassharpashislightningclawstoldhimtosidestepjustintimetoavoidthestrokeofagiantchainaxethatwouldhavecleavedhimintwo.Theorkwieldingtheaxeroaredinfrustrationasitswhirringbladebitintothemetalfloor,sendingupashoweroforangesparks. Itmadeagrab forZeedwith itsemptyhand,butZeedparried,slipped inside at the same instant, and thrust his right set of claws straight upunder the creature’s jutting jaw. The tips of the long slender blades punchedthroughthetopofitsskull,anditstoodtherequivering,literallydeadonitsfeet.Zeedsteppedback,wrenchinghisclawsfromthecreature’sthroat,andwatcheditsbodydropbesidetheothers.He looked around hungrily, eager for another opponent to step forward, buttherewerenone to behad.Voss andhe stood surroundedbydeadxenos.TheImperial Fist had already lowered his heavy flamer. He stood admiring hishandiwork,asmallhillofsmokingblackcorpses.Thetwocomradeshadfoughttheirwayback toWaypointAdrius.Theair in the toweringchamberwasnowthickwiththestinkofspilledbloodandburntflesh.Zeedlookedupatthelandingsoverheadandsaid,‘Nosignoftheothers.’Vossmovedupbesidehim. ‘There’smuch less staticon thecomm-linkhere.Scholar,thisisOmni.Ifyoucanhearme,respond.’At first there was no answer. Voss was about to try again when the DeathSpectreLibrarian finally acknowledged. ‘I hear you,Omni.This isn’t thebesttime.’Karrassoundedstrained,asiffightingforhislife.‘We are finishedwith the reactor,’Voss reported. ‘Back atWaypointAdrius,now.Doyouneedassistance?’Asheaskedthis,Vossautomaticallycheckedthemissioncountdown.Notgood.Twenty-sevenminutesleft.‘Holdthatposition,’Karrasgrunted.‘Weneedtokeepthatareasecureforourescape.RauthandIare–’His words were cut off in mid-sentence. For a brief instant, Voss and Zeedthought the kill-team leader had been hit, possibly even killed.But their fearswere allayed when Karras heaved a sigh of relief and said, ‘Damn, thosebastards were strong. Ghost, you would have enjoyed that. Listen, brothers,RauthandIareoutsidetheship’scommandbridge.Timeisrunningout.Ifwedon’tmake itback toWaypointAdriuswithin thenext twelveminutes, Iwanttherestofyoutopullout.Donotmissthepick-up.Isthatunderstood?’

Vossscowled.Thewordspulloutmadehimwanttosmashsomething.AsfarashisChapterwasconcerned,theywerecursewords.ButheknewKarraswasright.Therewaslittletobegainedbydyinghere.‘Emperor’sspeed,Scholar,’hesaid.‘ForTerraandtheThrone,’Karrasrepliedthensignedoff.Zeed was scraping his claws together restlessly, a bad habit that manifesteditselfwhenhehadexcessadrenalineandnofurtheroutletforit.‘Damn,’hesaid.‘I’mnot standingaroundherewhile theothersare fighting for their lives.’Hepointed to themetal landinghigh abovehimwhereKarras and the others hadgotten off the elevator. ‘There has to be away to call that piece of junkbackdowntothislevel.Wecanrideitupthereand–’He was interrupted by the clatter of heavy, iron-shod boots closing frommultipledirections.Thesoundsechoedintothechamberfromadozencorridormouths.‘Ithinkwe’reabouttobetoobusyforthat,brother,’saidVossdarkly.

Rauthsteppedoverthebodyofthemassiveorkguardhehadjustslain,flickedthebeast’sbloodfromthegrooveonhisshortsword,andsheatheditathisside.There was a shallow crater in the ceramite of his right pauldron. Part of hisChaptericonwasmissing,cleavedoffinthefight.Thedaemon-skulldesignnowboasted only a single horn. The other pauldron, intricately detailed with theskull, bones and inquisitorial ‘I’ of theDeathwatch,was chipped and scraped,buthadsufferednoseriousdamage.‘That’s the biggest I’ve slain hand-to-hand,’ theExorcistmuttered,mostly tohimself.The one Karras had just slain was no smaller, but the Death Spectre wasfocusedonsomethingelse.Hewasstandingwithonehandpressedtoamassivesteelblastdoorcoveredinorkishglyphs.Tinylambentarcsofunnaturalenergyflickeredaroundhim.‘There’satremendousamountofpsychicinterference,’hesaid,‘butIsenseatleastthirtyofthemonthislevel.Ourtargetisontheupperdeck.Andheknowswe’rehere.’Rauthnodded,butsaidnothing.We?No.Karraswaswronginthat.Rauthknewwellenoughthatthetargetcouldn’thavesensedhim.Nothingpsychiccould.ItwasasideeffectoftheunspeakablehorrorshehadenduredduringhisChapter’sselectionandtrainingprogrammes–programmesthathadtaughthimtohateallpsykersandtheterribledaemonstheirpowerssometimesloosedintothegalaxy.

ThefrequencywithwhichLyandroKarrastappedthepoweroftheimmateriumdisgustedRauth.DidtheLibrariannotrealisethegreatperilinwhichheplacedhissoul?Orwashesimplya fool,spillingoverwithanarrogance that invitedtheultimatecalamity.Daemonsofthewarprejoicedinthefollyofsuchmen.Ofcourse,thatwaswhyRauthhadbeensequesteredtoDeathwatchinthefirstplace. The inquisitor had never said so explicitly, but it simply had to be thecase.As enigmatic asSigmawas, hewas clearly no fool.Whobetter than anExorcisttowatchoveronesuchasKarras?EventhemightyGreyKnights,fromwhoseseedRauth’sChapterhadbeenborn,couldhardlyhavebeenmoresuitedtothetask.‘Smoke,’saidKarras.‘Themomentwebreach,Iwantsmokegrenadesinthere.Don’t spare them for later.Usewhatwe have.Wego inwith bolters blazing.Removeyoursuppressor.There’snoneedforitnow.Letthemhearthebarkofourguns.Theminutethelowerflooriscleared,weeachtakeasidestairtothecommanddeck.Yougoleft.I’lltaketheright.We’llfindthetargetatthetop.’‘Bodyguards?’ asked Rauth. Like Karras, he began unscrewing the soundsuppressorfromthebarrelofhisbolter.‘I can’t tell. If there are, the psychic resonance is blotting them out. It’s…incredible.’The twoAstartes stored their suppressors in pouches on their webbing, thenRauth fixed a rectangular breaching charge to the seam between the doubledoors.TheExorcistwasabouttostepbackwhenKarrassaid,‘No,brother.We’llneedtwo.Thesedoorsarestrongerthanyouthink.’Rauth fixedanothercharge justbelow the first, thenheandKarrasmoved toeithersideofthedoorwayandpressedtheirbackstothewall.Simultaneously, they checked themagazines in their bolters. Rauth slid in afreshclip.Karrastuggedasmokegrenadefromhiswebbing,andnodded.‘Now!’Rauth pressed the tiny detonator switch in his hand, and the whole corridorshookwithadeafeningblasttorivaltheboomofanyartillerypiece.Theheavydoorsblewstraightintotheroom,causingimmediatecasualtiesamongtheorksclosesttotheexplosion.‘Smoke!’ ordered Karras as he threw his first grenade. Rauth discarded thedetonator anddid the same.Two, three, four small canisters bouncedonto theship’sbridge,spreadjustenoughtoavoidredundancy.Withintwoseconds,thewhole deck was covered in a dense grey cloud. The ork crew went into anuproar,barelyabletoseetheirhandsinfrontoftheirfaces.ButtotheAstartes,

allwas perfectly clear. They entered the roomwith bolters firing, each shot aviciousbark,andthegreenskinsfellwheretheystood.Not a single bolt was wasted. Every last one found its target, every shot aheadshot,aninstantkill.Inthetimeittooktodrawthreebreaths,thelowerfloorofthebridgewasclearedofthreats.‘Move!’saidKarras,makingforthestairthatjuttedfromtheright-handwall.Thesmokehadbeguntobillowupwardsnow,thinningasitdid.Rauthstormedtheleft-sidestair.NeitherSpaceMarine,however,wasentirelypreparedforwhathefoundatthetop.

Solarion burst from the mouth of the corridor and sprinted along the metallandinginthedirectionoftheelevatorcage.Hewasbreathinghard,andrivuletsofredbloodranfromgrape-sizedholesinthearmourofhistorsoandleftupperarm.Ifhecouldonlystop,thewoundswouldquicklysealthemselves,buttherewasnotimeforthat.Hisnormallydormantsecondheartwaspumpingintandemwiththefirst,flushinglacticacidfromhismuscles,helpinghimtokeepgoing.Followingbarelyasecondbehindhim,agreatmobofarmouredorkswithheavypistolsandbladessurgedoutof thesamecorridor inhotpursuit.Theplatformtrembledundertheirtremendousweight.Solariondidn’tstoptolookbehind.Justaheadofhim,theuppersectionofthelanding ended. Beyond it was the rusted stairway that had almost claimedRauth’slife.Therewasnotimenowtonavigatethosestairs.Heputonanextraburstofspeedandleaptstraightoutoverthem.Itwas an impressive jump.For amoment, he almost seemed to fly.Thenhepassed theapexofhis jumpand theship’sartificialgravitystarted topullhimdownwards.He landed on the lower section of the landingwith a loud clang.Sharp spears of pain shot up the nerves in his legs, but he ignored them andturned,bolterheldreadyathisshoulder.Theorkswerefollowinghisexample,leapingfromtheupperplatform,hopingto land right besidehimandcut him topieces.Their lackof agility, however,betrayed them. The first row crashed down onto the rickety stairs about twothirdsofthewaydown.Theoldironstepscouldn’ttakethatkindofpunishment.Theycrumbledandsnapped,droppingthelucklessorksintolethalfreefall.Theair filledwithhowls,but theothersdidn’tcatchonuntil itwas too late.They,too, leaptfromtheplatform’sedgein theireagerness tomakeakill.Stepafterstep gave way with each heavy body that crashed down on it, and soon the

stairwaywasreducedalmosttonothing.Abroadchasm,somethirtymetresacross,nowseparated themetalplatformsthat had been joined by the stairs. The surviving orks saw that they couldn’tfollow the Space Marine across. Instead, they paced the edge of the upperplatform, bellowing at Solarion in outrage and frustration and taking wildpotshotsathimwiththeirclunkypistols.‘It’sraininggreenskins,’saidagruffvoiceonthelink.‘WhatinDorn’snameisgoingonupthere?’With one eye still on the pacing orks, Solarion moved to the edge of theplatform. As he reached the twisted railing, he looked out over the edge anddown towards the steel floor two-hundred metres below. Gouts of brightpromethium flame illuminated a conflict there. Voss and Zeed were standingbacktoback,aboutfivemetresapart,fightingoffanorkassaultfromallsides.Theflooraroundthemwasheapedwithdeadaliens.‘ThisisSolarion,’theUltramarinetoldthem.‘Doyouneedaid,brothers?’‘Prophet?’ saidZeedbetween lethal sweepsofhis claws. ‘Where areScholarandWatcher?’‘You’vehadnoword?’askedSolarion.‘They’ve been out of contact since they entered the command bridge. Sigmawarnedofthat.Buttimeisrunningout.Canyougotothem?’‘Impossible,’ repliedSolarion. ‘The stairs are gone. I can’t get back up therenow.’‘Thenprayforthem,’saidVoss.Solarion checked his mission chrono. He remembered Karras’s orders. Fourmoreminutes.After that,hewouldhave toassume theyweredead.Hewouldtake theelevatordownand,with theothers, strikeout for thesalvagebayandtheironlyhopeofescape.Ashellfromanorkpistolricochetedfromtheplatformandsmackedagainsthisbreastplate.Theshotwasn’tpowerfulenoughtopenetrateceramite,notliketheheavy-stubbershellshehadtakenatcloserange,butitgothisattention.Hewasabouttoreturnfire,tostartclearingtheupperplatforminanticipationofKarrasandRauth’s return,when agreat boomshook the air and sent deepvibrationsthroughthemetalunderhisfeet.‘That’snotoneofmine,’saidVoss.‘It’smine,’saidSolarion.‘Iriggedthefueldumpintheirfighterbay.Ifwe’relucky, most of the greenskins will be drawn there, thinking that’s where theconflictis.Itmightbuyourbrothersalittletime.’

Themissionchrononowreadeighteenminutesandfortyseconds.Hewatcheditdrop.Thirty-nineseconds.Thirty-eight.Thirty-seven.Comeon,Karras,hethought.WhatinTerra’snameareyoudoing?

KarrasbarelyhadtimetoregisterthesheersizeofBalthazogBludwrekk’stwinbodyguards before their blistering assault began. Theywere easily the largestorkshehadeverseen,evenlargerthanthedoorguardsheandRauthhadslain,and they wielded their massive two-handed warhammers as if they weighednothingatall.Undernormalcircumstances,orksofthissizeandstrengthwouldhavebecomemightywarbosses,but these twowerenothingof thekind.Theywereslaves toa fargreaterpower thanmere muscleoraggression.Theyweremindlesspuppetsheldinservitudebyamuchdeadlierforce,andthepuppeteerhimself sat some ten metres behind them, perched on a bizarre mechanicalthroneinthecentreoftheship’scommanddeck.Bludwrekk!Karrasonlyneededaninstant,afractionofasecond, to takein thedetailsofthefiend’sappearance.Even foranork, thepsychicwarbosswashideous.Portionsofhisheadwerevastly swollen,with great vein-marbled bumps extending out in all directionsfromhiscrown.Hisbrowwasringedwithlarge,blood-stainedmetalplugssunkdeep into theboneofhis skull.Thebeast’s leering, lopsided facewas twisted,like something seen in a curvedmirror, the features pathetically small on oneside,grotesquelyoverlargeontheother,andsalivadrippedfromhisslackjaw,greatstrandsofithangingfromthespacesbetweenhistusks.Heworeapatchworkrobeofcuredhumanskinsstitchedtogetherwithgut,anda trio of decaying heads hung between his knees, fixed to his belt by long,braidedhair.Karrashadtheimmediateimpressionthattheheadshadbeentakenfrommurderedwomen,perhaps thewivesofsomehuman lordor tribal leaderthatthebeasthadslainduringaraid.Orkshadaknownfondnessforsuchgrislytrophies.Thebeast’sthronewasjustasstrange;amassofcoils,cogsandmovingpistonswithoutanyapparentpurposewhatsoever.Thickbundlesofwirelinkedittoaninexplicable clutter of vast, arcane machines that crackled and hummed withsicklygreenlight.IntheinstantKarrastookallthisin,hefelthisangerandhatebreakoverhimlikeathunderstorm.Itwasasifthiscreature,thisblastedaberration,satinsickening,blasphemousparodyoftheimmortalEmperorHimself.

The two Space Marines opened fire at the same time, eager to drop thebodyguardsandengage the real targetquickly.Theirbolterschattered, spittingtheirdeadlyhail,butsomehoweachrounddetonatedharmlesslyintheair.‘He’sshieldingthem!’Karrascalledout.‘Drawyourblade!’He dropped the cryo-case from his shoulder, pulled Arquemann from itsscabbardandletthepoweroftheimmateriumflowthroughhim,focusingitintotheancientcrystallinematrixthatlayembeddedintheblade.‘Tome,xenosscum!’heroaredatthehulkingbeastinfrontofhim.The bodyguard’s massive hammer whistled up into the air, then changeddirectionwith a speed that seemed impossible.Karras barelymanaged to stepaside. Sparks flew as theweapon clipped his left pauldron, sending a painfulshockalonghisarm.Thethicksteelfloorfaredworse.Thehammerleftaholeinitthesizeofahumanhead.Onhisright,KarrasheardRauthlooseagreatbattle-cryasheclashedwithhisown opponent, barely ducking a lateral blow that would have taken his headclean off. The Exorcist’s short-sword looked awfully small compared to hisenemy’shammer.Bludwrekk was laughing, revelling in the life and death struggle that wasplayingoutbeforehim,as if itweresomekindofgrandentertainment laidonjustforhim.Themorehecackled,themorethegreenlightseemedtoshimmerandchurnaroundhim.Karrasfelttheresonanceofthatpowerdisorientinghim.Theairwassuperchargedwithit.Hefelthisownpowersurgingupinsidehim,rising to meet it. Only so much could be channelled into his force sword.Already,thebladesangwithdeadlyenergyasitslashedthroughtheair.Thissurgeisdangerous,hewarnedhimself.Imustn’tletitgetoutofcontrol.Automatically,hebeganrecitingthemantrasMasterCordatushadtaughthim,but the effort ofwrestling tomaintain his equilibrium cost him an opening inwhich he could have killed his foewith a stroke. The ork bodyguard, on theother hand, did not miss its chance. It caught Karras squarely on the rightpauldronwiththeheadofitshammer,shatteringtheDeathwatchinsigniathere,andknockinghimsideways,straightoffhisfeet.TheimpacthurledKarrasdirectlyintoRauth’sopponent,andthetwotumbledtothemetalfloor.Karras’shelmetwastornfromhishead,androlledaway.Inthe sudden tangle of thrashing Space Marine and ork bodies, Rauth saw anopening.He stepped straight in, plunging his shortsword up under the beast’ssternum,shovingitdeep,cleavingtheork’sheartintwo.Withouthesitation,hethenturnedtofacetheremainingbodyguardwhileKarraskickedhimselfclear

ofthedeadbehemothandgottohisfeet.Thelastbodyguardwasfast,andRauthdidwelltostayclearofthewhistlinghammerhead, but the stabbing and slashing strokes of his shortsword werehavinglittleeffect.ItwasonlywhenKarrasjoinedhim,andtheorkwasfacedwithattacksfromtwodirectionsatonce,thatthetablestrulyturned.BalthazogBludwrekk had stopped laughing now. He gave a deafening roar of anger asRauth andKarras thrust from opposite angles and, between them, pierced thegreenskin’sheartandlungs.Blood bubbled from its wounds as it sank to the floor, dropping its mightyhammerwithacrash.Bludwrekk surged upwards from his throne. Arcs of green lightning lancedoutwardsfromhisfingers.KarrasfeltWaaagh!energylickhisarmour,lookingforchinksthroughwhichitmightburnhisfleshandcorrodehissoul.Together,bladesraised,heandRauthroundedontheirfoe.Themomenttheysteppedforwardtoengage,however,agreattorrentofkineticenergyburstfromtheork’soutstretchedhandsandlaunchedRauthintotheair.Karrasduckedandrolledsideways,narrowlyavoidingdeath,butheheardRauthlandwithaheavycrashonthelowerfloorofthebridge.‘Rauth!’heshoutedoverthelink.‘Answer!’No answer was forthcoming. The comm-linkwas useless here. And perhapsRauthwasalreadydead.Karras felt the ork’smagnified power pressing in on him from all sides, andnowhesawitssource.BehindBludwrekk’smechanicalthrone,beyondafilthy,blood-spatteredwindowofthickglass,therewerehundreds–no,thousands–oforksstrappedtoverticalslabsthatlookedlikeoperatingtables.Thetopsoftheirskullshadbeenremoved,andcablesandtubesranfromtheirexposedbrainstothecoreofavastpower-siphoningsystem.‘By theGoldenThrone,’ gaspedKarras. ‘Nowonder Sigmawants your uglyhead.’How much time remained before the ship’s reactors detonated?Without hishelmet,hecouldn’ttell.Longenoughtokillthismonstrosity?Maybe.But,oneonone,washeevenamatchforthething?Notwithoutexploitingmoreofthedangerouspowerathisdisposal.Hehadtotrustinhismaster’steachings.Themantraswouldkeephimsafe.Theyhadto.Heopenedhimselfuptothewarpalittlemore,channellingit,focusingitwithhismind.Bludwrekk stepped forward to meet him, and the two powers clashed with

apocalypticfury.

DarrionRauthwas not dead. The searing impact of the orkwarlord’s psychicblastwouldhavekilledalessermanoncontact,rippinghissoulfromhisbodyandleavingitalifelesshunkofmeat.ButRauthwasnolesserman.ThesecretritesofhisChapter,andthesufferinghehadenduredtoearnhisplaceinit,hadproofed him against such a fate. Also, though a number of his bones werebroken,hissuperhumanphysiologywasalreadyaboutthebusinessofreknittingthem,making themwhole and strong again.The internal bleedingwould stopsoon,too.Buttherewasn’ttimetohealcompletely.Notifhewantedtomakeadifference.Withagruntofpain,herolled,pushedhimselftooneknee,andlookedforhisshortsword.Hecouldn’tseeit.Hisbolter,however,wasstillattachedtohisthighplate.Hetuggeditfree,slammedinafreshmagazine,cockedit,andstruggledtohisfeet.Hecoughedwetly,tastingbloodinhismouth.Lookinguptowardstheplace from which he had been thrown, he saw unnatural light blazing andstrobing.Therewasagreatdealofnoise,too,almostlikethunder,butnotquitethesame.Itmadetheairtremblearoundhim.Karrasmuststillbealive,hethought.He’sstillfighting.Pushingasidetheagonyinhislimbs,herantothestairsonhisrightand,withanancientlitanyofstrengthonhislips,chargedupthemtorejointhebattle.

Karraswas failing.Hecould feel it.BalthazogBludwrekkwasdrawingon anincrediblereserveofpower.ThepsychicWaaagh!energyhewastappingseemedboundless,pouringintothewarlordfromthebrainsofthetormentedorkswiredintohisinsanecontraption.Karrascursedashestruggledtoturnasideanotherwaveofroilinggreenfire.Itbuckled thedeckplatesallaroundhim.Only thosebeneathhis feet, those thatfellinsidetheshimmeringbubblehefoughttomaintain,remainedundamaged.His shield was holding, but only just, and the effort required to maintain itprecludedhimfromlaunchingattacksofhisown.Worseyet,astheorkwarlordpressed his advantage, Karras was forced to let the power of the warp flowthrough him more and more. A cacophony of voices had risen in his head,chitteringandwhispering in tonguesheknewwereblasphemous.Thiswas themoment all Librarians feared, when the power they wielded threatened toconsumethem,whenuserbecameused,masterbecameslave.Thevoicesstartedtodrownouthisown.Muchmoreofthisandhissoulwouldbelostforeternity,ripped from him and thrown into the maelstrom. Daemons would wrestle for

commandofhismortalflesh.Was it right to slay this ork at the cost of his immortal soul? Should he notsimply drop his shield and die so that something far worse than Bludwrekkwouldbedeniedentryintothematerialuniverse?Karras could barely hear these questions in his head. So many other voicescrowdedthemout.BalthazogBludwrekkseemedtosensethemomentwashis.Hesteppednearer,stilltrailingthickcablesfromthemetalplugsinhisdistortedskull.Karras sank to one knee under the onslaught to both body and mind. Hisprotectivebubblewasdissipating.Onlysecondsremained.Onewayoranother,herealised,hewasdoomed.Bludwrekk was almost on him now, still throwing green lightning from onehand,drawinga long, curvedbladewith theother.Glistening strandsofdroolshoneinthefiercegreenlight.Hiseyeswereablaze.Karras sagged, barely able to hold himself upright, leaning heavily on theswordhismentorhadgivenhim.IamLyandroKarras,hetriedtothink.Librarian.DeathSpectre.SpaceMarine.TheEmperorwillnotletmefall.But his inner voice was faint. Bludwrekk was barely two metres away. Hispsychic assault piercedKarras’s shield. TheCodicer felt the skin on his armsblazingandcrisping.Hisnervesbegantoscream.Inhismind,onevoicebegantodominatetheothers.Wasthisthevoiceofthedaemonthatwouldclaimhim?Itwassoloudandclearthat itseemedtoissuefromtheveryairaroundhim.‘Getup,Karras!’itsnarled.‘Fight!’HerealiseditwasspeakinginHighGothic.Hehadn’texpectedthat.His vision was darkening, despite the green fire that blazed all around, but,distantly, he caught a flickerofmovement tohis right.Ahulkingblack figureappeared as if from nowhere, weapon raised before it. There was somethingfamiliaraboutit,aniconontheleftshoulder;askullwithasinglegleamingredeye.Rauth!TheExorcist’sbolter spata torrentofshells, forcingBalthazogBludwrekk tospin and defend himself, concentrating all his psychic power on stopping thestreamofdeadlybolts.Karras acted without pause for conscious thought. He moved on reflex,conditioned by decades of harsh daily training rituals. With Bludwrekk’smercilessassaultmomentarilyhalted,hesurgedupwards,puttingallhisstrength

intoasinglehorizontalswingofhisforcesword.Thewarpenergyhehadbeentrying tomarshal crashed over him, flooding into the crystallinematrix of hisbladeastherazor-edgedmetalbitdeepintotheork’sthickgreenneck.Themonsterdidn’tevenhave time toscream.Bodyandheadfell inseparatedirections, thegreen lightvanished, and theupperbridgewas suddenly awashwithsteamingorkblood.Karras fell to his knees, and screamed, droppingArquemann at his side.Hisfightwasn’tover.Notyet.Now,heturnedhisattentiontothebattleforhissoul.

Rauthsawall tooclearlythathismomenthadcome,ashehadknownitmust,soonerorlater,buthecouldn’trelishit.Therewasnojoytobehadhere.Psykerornot,LyandroKarraswasaSpaceMarine,asonoftheEmperorjustashewashimself,andhehadsavedRauth’slife.Butyoumustdoitforhim,Rauthtoldhimself.Youmustdoittosavehissoul.Outofrespect,RauthtookoffhishelmetsothathemightbearwitnesstotheDeathSpectre’s finalmomentswithhisownnakedeyes.Grimacing,he raisedthebarrelofhisbolter toKarras’s templeandbegan reciting thewordsof theMortis Morgatii Praetovo. It was an ancient rite from long before the GreatCrusade,forgottenbyallsavetheExorcistsandtheGreyKnights.Ifitworked,itwouldsendKarras’sspiritualessencebeyond thereachof thewarp’s ravenousfiends,butitcouldnotsavehislife.Itwasnotalongrite,andRauthreciteditperfectly.Ashecametotheendofit,hepreparedtosqueezethetrigger.

WarragedinsideLyandroKarras.Sickeningentitiesfilledwithhateandhungerstrovetooverwhelmhim.Theywerebrutalandrelentless,bombardinghimwithunholy visions that threatened to drown him in horror and disgust. He sawImperialsaintsdefiledandmutilatedonaltarsofburningblackrock.HesawtheGolden Throne smashed and ruined, and the body of the Emperor trampledunder the feet of vile caperingbeasts.He sawhisChapter house sundered, itswallscoveredinweepingsoresasifthestonesthemselveshadcontractedaviledisease.Hecriedout,railingagainstthevisions,denyingthem.Butstilltheycame.HescrambledforsomethingCordatushadtoldhim.Cordatus!The thoughtof thatnamealonegavehimthestrength tokeepup thefight, ifonlyforamoment.Toavoidbecominglostintheempyrean,theoldwarriorhad

said,onemustanchoroneselftothephysical.Karrasreachedfor thephysicalnow,forsomethingreal,abastionagainst thevisions.He found it in a strange place, in a sensation he couldn’t quite explain.Somethinghotandmetallicwaspressinghardagainsttheskinofhistemple.Themetalwasscaldinghim,causinghimphysicalpain.Otherpainsjoinedit,accumulatingsothat thesongofagonyhisnervesweresingingbecamelouderand louder. He felt again the pain of his burned hands, even while his gene-boosted body worked fast to heal them. He clutched at the pain, letting thesensationpullhismindbacktothemoment,tothehereandnow.Hegraspeditlikearockinastorm-tossedsea.Thevoicesofthevilemultitudebegantoweaken.Heheardhisowninnervoiceagain, and immediately resumed hismantras. Soon enough, the energy of theimmaterium slowed to a trickle, then ceased completely. He felt the physicalmanifestationofhisthirdeyeclosing.Hefelttheskinknittingonhisbrowonceagain.Whatwasit,hewondered,thishotmetalpressedtohishead,thisthingthathadsavedhim?He opened his eyes and saw the craggy, battle-scarred features of DarrionRauth. The Exorcist was standing very close, helmet at his side, mutteringsomethingthatsoundedlikeaprayer.Hisbolterwaspressed toKarras’shead,andhewasabout toblowhisbrainsout.

‘Whatareyoudoing?’Karrasaskedquietly.Rauthlookedsurprisedtohearhisvoice.‘I’msavingyoursoul,DeathSpectre.Beatpeace.Yourhonourwillbespared.Thedaemonsofthewarpwillnothaveyou.’‘That is good to know,’ said Karras. ‘Now lower your weapon. My soul isexactlywhereitshouldbe,andthereitstaysuntilmyservicetotheEmperorisdone.’For a moment, neither Rauth nor Karras moved. The Exorcist did not seemconvinced.‘DarrionRauth,’saidKarras.‘Areyousoeagertospillmyblood?Isthiswhyyou have shadowed my every movement for the last three years? PerhapsSolarionwouldthankyouforkillingme,butIdon’tthinkSigmawould.’‘Thatwoulddepend,’Rauth replied.Hesitantly,however,he loweredhisgun.

‘YouwillsubmittopropertestingwhenwereturntotheSaintNevarre.Sigmawillinsistonit,andsoshallI.’‘Asisyourright,brother,butbeassuredthatyouwillfindnotaint.Ofcourseitwon’tmattereitherwayunlesswegetoffthisshipalive.Quicklynow,grabthemonster’shead.Iwillopenthecryo-case.’Rauthdidasordered,thoughhekeptawaryeyeonthekill-teamleader.LiftingBludwrekk’s lifelesshead,heoffered it toKarras, saying, ‘Themachinery thatboostedBludwrekk’s power should be analysed. If other ork psykers begin toemploysuchthings…’Karras took the ork’s head from him, placed it inside the black case, andpresseda four-digit code into thekeypadon the side.The lid fused itself shutwithahiss.Karras rose,slung itoverhis rightshoulder,sheathedArquemann,locatedhishelmet,andfixeditbackonhishead.Rauthdonnedhisownhelmet,too.‘If Sigma wanted the machine,’ said Karras as he led his comrade off thecommandbridge,‘hewouldhavesaidso.’Glancingatthemissionchrono,hesawthatbarelyseventeenminutesremaineduntiltheexfiltrationdeadline.Hedoubteditwouldbeenoughtoescapetheship,but he wasn’t about to give up without trying. Not after all they had beenthroughhere.‘Canyourun?’heaskedRauth.

‘Timeisup,’saidSolariongrimly.Hestoodinfrontoftheopenelevatorcage.‘They’renotgoingtomakeit.I’mcomingdown.’‘No,’saidVoss.‘Givethemanotherminute,Prophet.’Voss andZeedhad finished slaughtering their attackers on the lower floor. Itwas just aswell, too.Vosshadusedup the last of his promethium fuel in thefight.Withgreatregret,hehadslungthefuelpackoffhisbackandrelinquishedthepowerfulweapon.Hedrewhissupportweapon,aboltpistol,fromaholsteronhiswebbing.Itfeltpatheticallysmallandlightinhishand.‘Would you have us all die here, brother?’ asked the Ultra-marine. ‘For nogain?Becausethatwillbeourlotifwedon’tgetmovingrightnow.’‘Ifonlywehadheardsomethingonthelink…’saidZeed.‘Omni,asmuchasIhatetosayit,Prophethasapoint.’‘Believe me,’ said Solarion, ‘I wish it were otherwise. As of this moment,however, it seemsonlyprudent that I assumeoperational command.Sigma, if

youarelistening–’Afamiliarvoicecuthimoff.‘Waituntilmybootshavecooledbeforeyoustepintothem,Solarion!’‘Scholar!’exclaimedZeed.‘AndisWatcherwithyou?’‘HowmanytimesmustIwarnyou,RavenGuard,’saidtheExorcist.‘Don’tcallmethat.’‘Atleastanotherhundred,’repliedZeed.‘Karras,’saidVoss,‘whereinDorn’snameareyou?’‘Almost at the platform now,’ said Karras. ‘We’ve got company. Orkcommandosclosingthedistancefromtherear.’‘Keepyourspeedup,’saidSolarion. ‘Thestairsareout.You’llhave to jump.Thegapisaboutthirtymetres.’‘Understood,’saidKarras.‘Comingoutofthecorridornow.’Solarion could hear the thunder of heavy feet pounding the upper metalplatform from which he had so recently leaped. He watched from beside theelevator,andsawtwobulkyblackfiguressoaroutintotheair.Karraslandedfirst,comingdownhard.Thecryo-casecamefreeofhisshoulderandskiddedacrossthemetalfloortowardstheedge.Solarionsawitandmovedautomatically,stoppingitwithonebootedfootbeforeitslidovertheside.Rauthlandedasecondlater,slammingontotheplatforminaheap.Hegaveagruntofpain,pushedhimselfupandlimpedpastSolarionintotheelevatorcage.‘Areyouwounded,brother?’askedtheUltramarine.‘Itisnothing,’growledRauth.Karras and Solarion joined him in the cage. The kill-team leader pulled thelever,startingthemontheirdownwardjourney.Thecage started slowly at first, but soongathered speed.Halfwaydown, theheavycounterweightagainwhooshedpastthem.‘Ghost,Omni,’saidKarrasover the link.‘Startclearingtheroute towardsthesalvagebay.We’llcatchupwithyouassoonaswe’reatthebottom.’‘Loud and clear, Scholar,’ said Zeed. He and Voss disappeared off into thedarknessofthecorridorthroughwhichthekill-teamhadoriginallycome.Suddenly,Rauthpointedupwards.‘Trouble,’hesaid.KarrasandSolarionlookedup.Someof theorkcommandos, thosemore resourceful than theirkin,hadusedgrapnelstocrossthegapintheplatforms.Nowtheywerehackingattheelevatorcableswiththeirbroadblades.‘Solarion,’saidKarras.

Hedidn’tneedtosayanythingelse.TheUltramarineraisedhisbolter,sightedalongthebarrel,andbeganfiringupat theorks.Shotssparkedfromthemetalaroundthegreenskins’heads,butitwashardtofireaccuratelywiththeelevatorshakingandshudderingthroughoutitsdescent.Rauth stepped forward and ripped the latticework gate from its hinges. ‘Weshouldjumpthelasttwentymetres,’hesaid.Solarionstoppedfiring.‘Agreed.’Karras lookeddown from the edgeof the cage floor. ‘Fortymetres,’ he said.‘Thirty-five.Thirty.Twenty-five.Go!’Together,thethreeAstartesleaptclearoftheelevatorandlandedonthemetalfloorbelow.Again,Rauthgaveapainedgrunt,buthewasupjustasfastastheothers.Behind them, the elevator cage slammed into the floorwith amighty clang.Karrasturnedjustintimetoseetheheavycounterweightsmashdownontopofit.Theorkshadcutthecablesafterall.HadthethreeSpaceMarinesstayedinthecageuntil it reached thebottom, theywouldhavebeencrushed toafleshypulp.‘Tenminutesleft,’saidKarras,adjustingthecryo-caseonhisshoulder.‘IntheEmperor’sname,run!’

Karras,Rauth andSolarion sooncaughtupwithVoss andZeed.Therewasn’ttime tomove carefully now, but Karras dreaded getting caught up in anotherfirefight.Thatwouldsurelydoomthem.Perhapsthesaintsweresmilingonhim,though, because it seemed that most of the orks in the sections between thecentralshaftand theprowhadrespondedto theearlieralarmsandhadalreadybeenslainbyZeedandVoss.The corridors were comparatively empty, but the large mess room with itscentralsquigpitwasnot.TheSpaceMarineschargedstraightin, thistimeongroundlevel,andopenedfirewiththeirbolters,cuttingdowntheorksthatweredirectlyintheirway.Withhis beloved blade, Karras hacked down all who stood before him, alwaysmaintaininghisforwardmomentum,neverstoppingforamoment.Inamatterofseconds, the kill-team crossed the mess hall and plunged into the shadowycorridoronthefarside.A great noise erupted behind them. Those orks that had not been killed orinjuredweretakingupweaponsandfollowingcloseby.Theirheavy,bootedfeetshookthegrilleworkfloorsofthecorridorastheyswarmedalongit.

‘Omni,’saidKarras,feethammeringthemetalfloor,‘themomentwereachthebay,Iwantyoutoreadytheshuttle.Donotstoptoengage,isthatclear?’IfKarras had been expecting some argument from the Imperial Fist, hewassurprised.Voss acknowledged the orderwithout dispute. Thewhole team hadmade it this far by the skin of their teeth, but he knew it would count forabsolutelynothingiftheirshuttledidn’tgetclearoftheorkshipintime.Upahead,justoverSolarion’sshoulder,Karrassawthelightofthesalvagebay.Then,inanotherfewseconds,theywereoutofthecorridorandchargingthroughthemountains of scrap towards the large piece of starshipwreckage inwhichtheyhadstolenaboard.Therewasacrewofgretchinaroundit,workingfeverishlywithwrenchesandhammers that looked far toobig for their sinewy littlebodies.Someevenhadblowtorchesandwerecuttingthroughsectionsoftheouterplate.Damnthem,cursedKarras.Ifthey’vedamagedanyofourcriticalsystems…Boltersspat,andthegretchindroppedinaredmist.‘Omni,getthosesystemsrunning,’Karrasordered.‘We’llholdthemoff.’Voss tossed Karras his bolt pistol as he ran past, then disappeared into thedoorwayinthesideoftheruinedprow.Karras saw Rauth and Solarion open fire as the first of the pursuing orkscharged in.At first, they came in twos and threes.Then they came in a greatflood.Emptymagazinesfelltothescrap-coveredfloor,tobereplacedbyothersthatwerequicklyspent.Karras drew his own bolt pistol from its holster and joined the firefight,wieldingoneineachhand.Orksfellbeforehimwith gapingexitwoundsintheirheads.‘I’mout!’yelledSolarion,drawinghisshortsword.‘Dry,’calledRauthsecondslateranddidthesame.Frenziedorkscontinuedtopourin,firingtheirgunsandwavingtheiroversizedblades, despite the steadily growing number of their dead that they had totrampleover.‘Blastit!’cursedKarras.‘Talktome,Omni.’‘Fortyseconds,’answeredtheImperialFist.‘Coilsatsixtypercent.’Karras’s bolt pistols clicked empty within two rounds of each other. Heholsteredhisown,fixedVoss’stoalooponhiswebbing,drewArquemannandcalledtotheothers,‘Intotheshuttle,now.We’llhavetotakeourchances.’Andhopetheydon’tcutthroughtoourfuellines,hethoughtsourly.Onememberofthekill-team,however,didn’tseemtolikethoseoddsmuch.

‘They’remine!’Zeedroared,andhethrewhimselfinamongtheorks,cuttingandstabbinginabattle-fury,droppingthegiantaliensavageslikeflies.Karrasfeltaflashofanger,buthemarvelledatthewaytheRavenGuardmoved,asifevery single flexofmuscle andclawwaspartof adance that sentxenos filthhowlingtotheirdeaths.Zeed’s armourwas soon drenched in blood, and still he fought, swiping thisway and that, always moving in perpetual slaughter, as if he were a tirelessengineofdeath.‘Plasma coils at eighty per cent,’Voss announced. ‘What arewewaiting on,Scholar?’Solarion andRauthhad alreadybroken from theorks theywere fighting andhadracedinside,butKarrashoveredbythedoor.Zeedwasstillfighting.‘Ghost,’shoutedKarras.‘Fallback,damnyou.’Zeeddidn’tseemtohearhim,andthesecondskepttickingaway.Anymomentnow,Karrasknew,theorkship’sreactorwouldexplode.Vosshadseentothat.Deathwouldtakeallofthemiftheydidn’tleaverightnow.‘RavenGuard!’Karrasroared.Thatdidit.Zeedplungedhislightningclawsdeepintothebellyofonelastork,guttedhim,thenturnedandracedtowardsKarras.Whentheywerethroughthedoor,Karrasthumpedthelockingmechanismwiththeheelofhisfist.‘You’reworsethanOmni,’hegrowledattheRavenGuard.Then,over thecomm-link,hesaid, ‘Blowthepistonchargesandgetusoutofherefast.’Heheard the soundoforkbladesandhammersbattering thehull as theorkstriedtohacktheirwayinside.Theshuttledoorwouldholdbut,ifVossdidn’tgetthemoutofthesalvagebaysoon,theywouldgoupwiththerestoftheship.‘Detonatingchargesnow,’saidtheImperialFist.Inthesalvagebay,thepackageshehadfixedtothebigpistonsandcablesoneither side of the bay at the start of the mission exploded, shearing straightthroughthemetal.Therewasagreatmetallicscreechingsoundandthewholefloorofthesalvagebaybegan toshudder.Slowly, theorkship’sgiganticmouth fellopen,and thecold void of space rushed in, stealing away the breathable atmosphere.Everythinginsidethesalvagebay,bothanimateandinanimate,wasblownoutofthegiganticmouth,as if snatchedupbyamightyhurricane.Anything thathit

thegreattriangularteethonthewayoutwentintoawildspin.Karras’steamwaslucky.Theircraftmissedclippingtheupperfrontteethbylessthanametre.‘Sheddingtheshell,’saidVoss,‘inthree…two…one…’Hehitabuttononthepilot’sconsolethatfiredaseriesofexplosivebolts,andthewreckedprowfaçadefragmentedandfellaway, thepiecesdriftingoff intospacelikemetalblossomsonabreeze.Theshuttlebeneathwasnowrevealed–asleek,blackwedge-shapedcraftbearing the iconsofboth theOrdoXenosandtheInquisitionproper.Allaroundit,metaldebrisandrapidlyfreezingorkbodiesspuninzerogravity.Inside the craft, Karras, Rauth, Solarion and Zeed fixed their weapons onstorage racks, sat in their respectiveplaces,and locked themselves into impactframes.‘Holdontosomething,’saidVossfromthecockpitashefiredtheship’splasmathrusters.Theshuttleleaptforward,acceleratingviolentlyjustasthesternofthemassiveorkshipexploded.Therewasablindingflashofyellowlightthatoutshoneeventhe local star. Then a series of secondary explosions erupted, blowing eachsectionofthevastmetalmonstrosityapart,fromafttofore,inagreatchainofutter destruction. Twenty thousand ork lives were snuffed out in a matter ofseconds,reducedtotheircomponentatomsintheplasma-chargedblasts.Aboardtheshuttle,Zeedremovedhishelmetandshookouthislongblackhair.Withabroadgrin,hesaid,‘Damn,butIfoughtwelltoday.’KarrasmighthavegrinnedattheRavenGuard’sexaggeratedarrogance,butnotthistime.Hismoodwasdark,despitetheirsurvival.Sigmahadaskedalotthistime.Helookeddownattheblacksurfaceofthecryo-casebetweenhisbootedfeet.Zeedfollowedhisgaze.‘Wegotwhatwecamefor,right,Scholar?’heasked.Karrasnodded.‘Goingtoletmeseeit?’Zeedhated theordo’sneed-to-knowpolicies, hatednotknowingexactlywhyTalonsquadwasputontheline,timeaftertime.Karrascouldidentifywiththat.Maybetheyallcould.Butcuriositybroughtitsowndangers.Inone sense, it didn’t reallymatterwhySigmawantedBludwrekk’shead,oranythingelse,solongaseachoftheSpaceMarineshonouredtheobligationsoftheirChaptersandlivedtoreturntothem.Oneday,itwouldallbeover.Oneday,KarraswouldsetfootonOccludusagain,andreturntotheLibrarius

asaveteranoftheDeathwatch.HefeltRauth’seyesonhim,watchingasalways,perhapscloserthanevernow.There would be trouble later. Difficult questions. Tests. Karras didn’t lie tohimself. He knew how close he had come to losing his soul. He had neverallowedsomuchofthepowertoflowthroughhimbefore,andtheresultsmadehimanxiousnevertodosoagain.HowreadilywouldRauthpullthetriggernexttime?FocusinghisattentionbackonZeed,heshookhisheadandmuttered,‘There’snothingtosee,Ghost.Justanuglygreenheadwithmetalplugsinit.’Hetappedthecase.‘Besides,themomentIlockedthisthing,itfuseditselfshut.YoucouldaskSigmatoletyouseeit,butwebothknowwhathe’llsay.’Thementionofhisnameseemedtoinvoketheinquisitor.Hisvoicesoundedonthecomm-link.‘Thatcouldhavegonebetter,Alpha.IconfessI’mdisappointed.’‘Don’tbe,’Karrasrepliedcoldly.‘Wehavewhatyouwanted.Howfinewecutitisbesidethepoint.’Sigma said nothing for a moment, then, ‘Fly the shuttle to the extractioncoordinates and prepare for pick-up.Redthorne is on herway.And restwhileyoucan.Somethingelsehascomeup,andIwantTalononit.’‘Whatisitthistime?’askedKarras.‘You’llknow,’saidtheinquisitor,‘whenyouneedtoknow.Sigmaout.’

Magos Altando, former member of both biologis and technicus arms of theglorious Adeptus Mechanicus, stared through the wide plex window at hiscurrent project. Beyond the transparent barrier, a hundred captured orks laystrappeddowntocoldmetaltables.Theirskullsweretrepanned,softgreybrainsopentotheair.Servo-armsdanglingfromtheceilingproddedeachofthemwithshort electrically-charged spikes, eliciting thunderous roars and howls of rage.The strange machine in the centre, wired directly to the greenskins’ brains,siphoned off the psychic energy their collective anger and aggression wasgenerating.Altando’s many eye-lenses watched his servitors scuttle among the tables,takingthemeasurementshehaddemanded.Imustcomprehendthemannerofitsfunction,hetoldhimself.Whocouldhaveprojectedthattheorkswerecapableoffabricatingsuchathing?Frustratingly,much of the data surrounding the recovery of the orkmachinewasclassifiedaboveAltando’sclearancelevel.HeknewthataDeathwatchkill-team,designationScimitar,haduncovereditduringapurgeofminingtunnelson

Delta IV Genova. The inquisitor had brought it to him, knowing Altandofollowedascho