lucrative killing grounds； and thus save the Imperium from devastation。 However； it was a cruel and
callous strategy； and not one that sat well with Admiral Augustine； even if it was humanity’s only
hope of stalling the hive fleet。 Billions of Imperial citizens had already been evacuated； their home
worlds destroyed； and hundreds of millions had perished； killed by orbital barrages and virus bombs
launched by those sworn to protect them。
He turned away from the observation portal； his movements； like his appearance； crisp and
precise。 He strode back along the command deck； his expression unreadable。 His staff upon the
bridge went about their work with practiced efficiency and calm； talking in low voices。 Several of
them looked up as their admiral passed them by and were greeted with curt nods。 Banks of
logisticians； hard…wired into the battleship’s logic engines and monitoring a constant flow of
technical data； murmured as stylus…fingers traced the mnemo…papers feeding from skull…faced
machines。 A pair of enginseers were reporting to the flag…lieutenant； Gideon Cortez； and humming
cogitator arrays flickered with updates from the fleet； the eyelids of servitors flickering as
information was relayed。
Augustine moved to the holo…table positioned within a sunken recess in the floor； stepping down
to look upon the position of his fleet。 The table was crisscrossed with a grid of glowing green lines；
indicating spatial parameters； and scale models of the entire fleet were positioned across its smooth
expanse。
He took a moment to study the formations。 Most of the fleet； seventy…two vessels of escort class
and higher； had formed a bulwark spreading across the system with the Hammer of Righteousness at
its centre。 The cruiser Valkyrie； accompanied by three squadrons of smaller frigates and destroyers；
was out in front； slowing the vanguard of the tyranid fleet to enable the pleasure world of Circe to
fully evacuate； formless black spheres being placed on the table to represent the known enemy
forces。 More of them were being put on the table all the time； placed there by lobotomised servitors
hanging like twisted marionettes amid the gently hissing mechanics above the table。
The bio…mechanical amalgamations had no lower torso or legs。 Their upper bodies； replete with
wires and cables protruding from their pallid flesh； were attached to multi…jointed mechanical
armatures that whirred and hissed as they extended and retracted； accurately moving and placing the
fleets； accordingly； as fresh data was transmitted into them。 Augustine was so used to their
movements that he barely registered their presence； they were merely part of the ship； one more tool
to help him with his strategy。
16
Two other cruisers aller escorts clustered in front of other populated
worlds； the agri…world Perse； and the mining moons of Perdus Skylla and Perdus Kharybdis； rotating
slowly around the uninhabitable gas giant； Calyptus。
Small； featureless scale models； representing a host of transports and carriers engaged in the
evacuation efforts； were positioned touching the inhabited worlds。 Several other models
representing similar transports were positioned en route to the blockade。 Almost two hundred
million people were being evacuated from this system alone。 Already； there had been problems with
some of the mass transports associated with the fleet； as riots had broken out within the civilian
populations already evacuated。 He pushed these thoughts out of his mind； it was his job to enact the
strategy laid down to him and see the worlds evacuated safely； not to police those populations once
they were safely onboard the mass transport ships。
As he watched； an Imperial light cruiser was placed on the table on the lee side of Perdus Skylla；
and then removed。 The arm of the servitor jerked spasmodically； and it placed the light cruiser back
down upon the table。
“What’s that？” asked Admiral Augustine； pointing towards the ship； which was once again
removed from the table。
One of his aides； a junior lieutenant； shrugged。
“It’s been doing that for the past hour； admiral；” he said； “interference from the hive fleet； or a
radiation field； perhaps。 The flag…lieutenant thinks it may be nothing more than a technical glitch in
the servitor unit。 He is speaking to the enginseers about it。”
Admiral Augustine raised an eyebrow and regarded the peculiar behaviour of the servitor with a
frown。 Once again it put the ship back on the table； and then removed it。
“Useless bastards；” said Cortez； shaking his head as he extricated himself from the enginseers
and walked to Augustine’s side。 “They say the unit was serviced last week。”
The servitor…unit seemed to be operating as normal； again； and the phantom ship was nowhere to
be seen on the table。
“Give me an update on the evacuations； Cortez；” said Augustine。
“Circe is almost completed； admiral；” said Cortez。 “The Valkyrie will be disengaging and
pulling back within the hour。”
The flag…lieutenant was a stocky man of indeterminable age。 A livid scar tracked across his chin；
and a gleaming； bronze…rimmed lens stared from the hollow socket of his left eye。 He was a natural
officer and Augustine’s closest confidant； the one and only man that he would class as his friend。
“And the evacuations of Galatea？ And the Perdus moons？” asked the admiral。
“Galatea goes well； the moons of Calyptus less so。 There are not enough transports。 It’s going to
take those transports that are available three trips to complete the evacuation of Perdus Skylla and
Perdus Kharybdis。”
“Three trips；” mused Admiral Augustine。 He hissed through his teeth； gauging the position of
the moons and the advancing enemy hive fleet。 “It’s going to be tight。”
“If the evacuation is not completed before a ground invasion commences； anybody still on the
moons must be forgotten；” said Cortez； moving to the opposite side of the table to the admiral。
“We shall buy the moons as much time as we can；” Admiral Augustine said； “but you are
correct； I cannot risk the fleet for the benefit of two moons。 Our orders are clear。”
His orders were clear； as much as they rankled with him。 They were the same orders that all of
the fleets engaging Hive Fleet Leviathan had been issued； and he knew that they were being
enforced all across the war…front。
The tyranids were a deadly menace； there was no disputing that； but it sat badly with the admiral
that they were giving way before the xenos forces rather than making them fight for every bit of
Imperial space。 Of course； he would not allow his personal feelings to colour his judgement； and he
would never go so far as to voice his feelings in front of his officers。 Their orders were clear。 He had
17
sent an astrotelepathic message to the lord admiral on receiving the dictate； but once confirmation of
the order had been returned； his path was set。
The new tyranid advance was potentially more catastrophic than any ever seen before； and the
strategy that had been decreed to be used against it was similarly extreme。
It was genocide。 Those worlds that were already suffering under the first waves of ground
assault were effectively condemned to death； along with their Planetary Defence Force and any
force of the Imperial Guard that could not be extricated。
Admiral Augustine knew that the political ramifications and backlash from this modus operandi
would be devastating； but he also knew that no fleet captain would fail in his duty。 They would carry
out their orders； and leave the politicking to the bickering bureaucrats of the Administratum。
Cortez cursed； and Augustine shook his head slightly as the malfunctioning servitor unit once
again placed the phantom Imperial light cruiser back on the table。
“Have a destroyer do a sweep around the moon； just to be sure；” said Augustine； and Cortez
nodded his assent； even as he was shouting for the enginseers to be returned to the bridge。
Augustine’s gaze focused on the spherical representations of the twin moons of Perdus Skylla
and Perdus Kharybdis。
The evacuation of the moons would continue； and he would hold the fleet in position for as long
as possible。 However； looking again at their position； and the advance of the tyranid fleet； he knew
instinctively that it would not be long enough。
Before the week was out； he would be ordering their Exterminatus。
The chamber was a shrine to death。 Part of Marduk’s personal quarters within the labyrinthine
lnfidus Diabolus； its high； domed ceiling was formed from the ribs of sacrifices； and eight pillars；
each constructed from thousands of bones； rose into the gloom。 Oily candles had been set into the
hollow craniums of the skulls set into the pillars； and an infernal glow exuded from fire blackened；
hollow sockets。
Braziers of black iron burnt low； and black； acrid smoke rose from the smouldering coals。
Hunched figures； their abhorrent faces hidden from view beneath deep cowls； stalked the darkness
outside the circle of pillars； swinging heavy censors from which thick； heady incense spilled。
Inside the pillars； the floor was rough granite； carved into the image of a holy eight…pointed star；
the symbol of Chaos in all its guises。 A massive figure stood at its centre； his augmented arms raised
out to either side as he was prepared for the forthcoming ceremony。
Marduk was silently fuming； still angry at Magos Darioq’s inability to unlock the secrets of the
Nexus Arrangement。 Silently incanting the Nine Levels of Enlightenment； he forced himself to
calm。 From the archive facility of Kharion IV； the magos had identified the location—a backwater
Imperial moon called Perdus Skylla—of the one whose knowledge would release the artefact’s
power； and Marduk forced himself to breathe evenly。 Be patient； he reminded himself。
More than a dozen hooded figures； stunted creatures that stood not even to the mighty warrior’s
chest； clustered around their master； making him ready for the ceremony。 Their eyes had been
ritually sutured closed with thick staples； for it was regarded as a sin for them to look upon such a
revered warrior。 They brushed his blessed armour with sacred unguents； and fixed icons and holy
charms to his armour。
Marduk； First Ac