'More Dark Angels?' asked Berek. 'Do they ever stand ready to interfere in our business?'
'No, my lord, these are not Imperial vessels…' Hroth's expression hardened. Wolf Lord, a Chaos fleet approaches!'
The guide touched the activation runes of the holographic projector. The Dark Angels ships moving to the edge of the display appeared green, while the Hyades defence patrol and the Space Wolf vessels
showed blue. Flickering red shapes indicated the incoming enemy ships.
'Give me a tactical report.’ growled the Wolf Lord.
'The fleet appears to be composed of a number of cruisers, escort ships and one larger vessel, a Styx-class heavy cruiser.’ replied Hroth.
'Let's hope we didn't cripple that Dark Angels' battle-barge too badly, lads.’ snarled Berek. We'll need her guns. Herald, open a channel to the Dark Angels. Iron Priest, how long until the generator spirits have their strength renewed? Has Mikal reported on withdrawing from Hyades? I want my Thunderhawks back and my men ready to board the enemy vessels.’
Berek considered the tactical possibilities. Most Imperial strategists would say that the Chaos fleet should split, sending half their force to one side of the Imperial vessels and half to the other and trap them in the middle. It would be a good strategy, considering the range and armaments of the Chaos ships, and it might work.
These Chaos ships must have known about the battle between the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels to be ready to take advantage of them so quickly. Analysing the tactics of his enemies, he determined that they would soon close for the attack, bringing their guns to bear and attempting to board his ships. After all, they had a battered Space Wolf fleet in their sights.
A large number of Chaos fighters have launched and are forming up ahead of the main cruisers.’ announced Hroth. 'I believe that they are meant to
screen the cruisers from our guns and shoot down any Thunderhawks we launch, m'lord.'
'I suspect you are correct, Hroth. Alert the fleet to be ready for the enemy to close directly with us,' said the Wolf Lord. 'Iron Priest, see if the spirits can find us a bit more essence. I will need all our weapons for this battle.'
'Of course, m'lord. I will oversee the libations and rituals on the generators myself.' The Iron Priest strode off the bridge past the banners and carved wolf heads.
'Half of the Thunderhawks have returned to the ship,' announced the ship's herald.
'Where's my channel to the Dark Angels?' demanded Berek.
'I have them now, Lord Berek,' responded the herald.
The Vinco Redemptor had moved down towards Hyades, nearly touching the atmosphere. On the holographic display, several Thunderhawks were docking with the Dark Angels' battle-barge. The Dark Angels were pulling all of their troops back.
'Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas, this is Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist. I hope that you and your men are ready to defend the Imperium from an actual enemy' said Berek.
'Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist, this is Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas. We have agreed to withdraw and withdraw we shall. The enemy has numbers and both of our fleets are weary. We are currently receiving the last of our vessels. Hyades is lost to us. We shall return with the wrath of the Lion at the appropriate time.' Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas's voice was metallic and inhuman, which Berek felt matched Vargas's heart.
'Get out of the system, and don't worry, we won't need you watching our backs. You've done enough damage. This isn't over.’ snarled Berek.
The last green blips representing Thunderhawk gun-ships disappeared as they touched the holographic image of the Vinco Redemptor. The Dark Angels' withdrawal was complete.
'It is over. May the Emperor watch over you if you decide to throw away your lives defending this corrupt planet,' said the Dark Angel commander.
'We understand about defending a man's home-world.’ retorted Berek.
He cut the channel on the interrogator-chaplain, hoping to annoy the Dark Angels by having the last word. The Dark Angels' lack of compassion and lack of apparent desire to defend the Imperium annoyed him deeply. Berek hoped that Vargas would catch the reference to losing a home world and take it as he meant it, as a reminder that the Dark Angels had failed to defend their own world during the Horus Heresy.
AH the ships fire with full guns.’ commanded Berek. 'Let's blow through the Chaos fighter screens quickly and cripple those Chaos cruisers before the Styx joins the fray.’
Even as Berek gave the order, he could see the cloud of red blips on the holographic display descending on the blue ones.
Through the haze of promethium smoke, Ragnar could see the palace. The structure was burning, like everything else, although the banner of House
Belisarius still waved. Five ogryns stood in front of the palace, the same ones that the Wolfblade had fought earlier. They looked relatively untouched from the day's events. Ragnar couldn't believe that the monstrous mutants were still on guard. The abhumans hadn't appeared to notice the Space Wolves' approach due to the smoke all around them.
Haegr readied his thunder hammer. Torin calmly unsheathed his sword and raised his bolt pistol. Ragnar stepped in front of Gabriella. He didn't want to take a chance on the ogryns' ripper guns shredding her. He would protect her with his armoured body if need be.
As the Space Marines approached, the ogryns finally spotted them. The huge mutants leered down at the Space Wolves and readied their guns more as clubs than shooting weapons. The largest of them roared and flexed his huge arms. If he meant to intimidate the Space Wolves, then he failed.
Wait,' said Torin, 'they aren't firing,'
'So?' Ragnar and Haegr responded as one.
'Don't you see? They are obeying orders. In their simple way, they are doing what they were ordered to do, guard the palace,' said Torin.
'And we need to enter the palace, Torin, so we need to kill them,' said Ragnar.
Wait,' said Gabriella, 'if they are so devoutly following orders, maybe they would follow new orders.’
'My thoughts exactly' said Torin.
Gabriella stepped in front of Ragnar and addressed me ogryns. 'I am Lady Gabriella of House Belisarius. Commander Cadmus is dead. I am in charge. Go fight the reptos. Kill them all.'
Ragnar exchanged looks with Torin. Gabriella folded her arms across her chest. The ogryns tilted their heads from side to side as if they were trying to understand.
Yes, lady,' said the lead ogryn. 'Bring you dead ape-lizards.'
Gabriella pointed back the way the Space Wolves had come. 'That way,' she prompted.
The ogryns nodded, and then the five abhumans charged off into the smoke and flame with their ripper guns at the ready, never glancing back. Ragnar watched them disappear in the promethium haze.
Gabriella touched her temple and winced. Ragnar could see her forehead wrinkle around her headband. Her third eye was active. There was psychic activity somewhere, disturbances in the warp. It was straining Gabriella. Ragnar wondered how much of a curse these psyker gifts were. For a moment, he gave a fleeting thought back to Lars, a fey touched youth who had been part of his first pack. The youth had always suffered from haunted visions before giving his life for the Imperium. Ragnar thought Gabriella was stronger than Lars had been, despite the fact that she was no Space Wolf. Still, whatever was happening was taking a greater and greater toll on her.
'What is it?' asked Torin.
'An ancient evil approaches. We need to get off the planet and join up with the Space Wolf fleet. Then we can worry about defeating the enemy,' said Gabriella.
On the bridge of the Fist ofRuss, Berek cursed. 'By the blood of Russ! Those cowards.’ shouted the Wolf Lord.
The Dark Angels vessels were fleeing the engagement. They had accomplished their task, ruined Hyades's defences, damaged the Space Wolf fleet, and now they were leaving. Berek had hoped that his final taunt about defending a home world would have changed their minds, but it wasn't so.
The Chaos fleet was closing in on the Space Wolves and its fighter screen had already arrived. Guns blazed across the battle-barge as it shot down dozens of small enemy craft. A Chaos fighter crashed against the hull of the Fist of Russ. Two Chaos cruisers closed the kilometres quickly, readying their broadside guns. The screen of Chaos escorts was scattered space dust, but they had fulfilled their mission. Nothing would stop the enemy cruisers from bringing their big guns to bear.
Berek turned to his skald. 'Horgrim, make sure that a Thunderhawk is ready for me. If Mikal's back from the surface, get my Wolf Guard, if not, I want Krom's Grey Hunters. I'm going to give these Chaos bastards a taste of the Thunderfist.'
'Yes, Wolf Lord.' Horgrim knew that Berek wanted this task completed immediately, otherwise he wouldn't have given it to his most trusted advisor.