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performed　seemed　to　indicate　that　the　vessel　may　be　an　Astartes　strike　cruiser　or　battle…barge。”
Augustine　frowned。
“I　was　notified　of　no　Space　Marine　presence　inbound；　though　we　could　do　with　their　aid。”　He
rubbed　a　hand　across　his　freshly　shaved　chin。　“Have　Orion　send　a　frigate　squadron　on　an　intercept
course　with　the　vessel；　and　keep　me　informed　of　any　updates。”
With　that；　the　admiral　turned　away　from　the　petty　officer。　“Yes；　admiral。”
The　Infidus　Diabolus　ploughed　through　the　vacuum　of　space；　its　plasma…core　engines　burning　bluewhite
as　it　closed　towards　the　vast　red　giant　sun　around　which　the　solar　system　rotated。　Solar　flares　a
million　kilometres　in　height　burst　from　the　daemonic　red　corona；　leaping　up　from　around　dark
sunspots　that　blemished　its　unstable　surface。
The　sun　was　dying。　Five　billion　years　earlier　it　was　less　than　one　hundredth　of　its　current　size；
though　it　had　burnt　over　ten　times　as　hot。　Having　exhausted　its　gaseous　core；　it　had　expanded
exponentially；　engulfing　its　nearest　planets。　Even　as　it　grew　in　size；　it　was　diminished　in　mass；　and
the　outer　planets　circling　it　began　to　pull　further　away；　its　gravitational　hold　over　them　weakening。
Now　it　burnt　the　colour　of　hell　itself；　but　in　another　billion　years　it　would　be　no　more。
The　Infidus　Diabolus　dropped　closer　to　the　hellish；　glowing　corona；　buffeted　by　solar　winds。
There；　with　intense　spikes　of　radiation　spilling　around　her　hull；　she　drew　anchor。
26
“I　would　hear　your　council；　revered　Warmonger；”　said　Marduk。　He　ran　the　fingers　of　his　hand
thoughtfully　along　the　surface　of　a　stone　column。　A　cold　wind　gusted　through　the　darkness；　tugging
at　Marduk’s　cloak；　and　a　mechanical　scream　of　insane　rage　echoed　from　deeper　within　the　crypt。
Marduk　and　Kol　Badar　stood　beneath　the　shadow　of　a　wide　archway；　facing　into　a　cavernous
alcove　set　into　the　side　of　the　expansive　passageway。　They　were　deep　within　the　depths　of　the
Infidus　Diabolus；　in　the　undercroft　that　housed　those　warriors　of　the　Host　that　had　long　ago　fallen　in
holy　battle；　but　had　not　been　allowed　to　pass　on　into　blessed　oblivion。
The　damned　warriors　lived　on　in　the　deepest　labyrinthine　catacombs　of　the　strike　cruiser；
condemned　to　a　tortured　limbo；　neither　living　nor　dead；　the　shattered　remnants　of　their　earthly　forms
interred　in　great　sarcophagi　that　they　might　serve　the　Host　even　after　their　time　had　long　passed。
A　delicate　mural　decorated　the　back　wall　of　the　alcove；　detailing　the　great　moments　of　the
Warmonger’s　life　before　he　had　been　condemned　to　an　eternity　of　servitude　within　the　towering
mechanical　form　of　a　Dreadnought。
Once　he　had　been　amongst　Lorgar’s　most　favoured　and　devout　chaplains；　the　first　Dark　Apostle
of　the　34th　Company　Host　that　Marduk　now　led。　He　had　fought　alongside　the　god　primarchs；　and
counted　such　exalted　heroes　as　Erebus；　Kor　Phaeron　and　Abaddon　as　his　battle…brothers。　Marduk
had　listened　in　awe　to　the　scratchy　vox…recordings　of　his　passionate　sermons；　and　had　pored　over　a
thousand　volumes　of　his　thoughtful　scripture；　and　his　fiery　rhetoric　and　hate…filled　sermons　never
failed　to　inspire。
Though　the　other　warriors　interred　within　the　Dreadnoughts　of　the　Host　had　long　ago　lost　any
semblance　of　sanity；　cursed　as　they　were　and　unable　to　attain　oblivion　yet　denied　the　physical
sensations　of　holy　war；　the　Warmonger　retained　a　coherent　self…awareness；　and　was　a　source　of
great　wisdom　and　council。
It　was　his　unshakeable　faith　that　kept　him　lucid。　Holy　Erebus　had　once　said；　the　power　and
conviction　of　his　rapturous　belief　that　kept　him　from　toppling　off　the　precipice　into　madness。
A　thousand　blood…candles　ringed　the　mighty　Warmonger；　tended　day　and　night　by　a　pair　of
slave…proselytes　to　ensure　that　the　flames　never　died；　and　their　light　cast　a　divine　glow　over　the
Dreadnought’s　sarcophagus。
It　towered　over　Marduk；　even　Kol　Badar；　standing　over　five　metres　tall　with　the　armoured
sarcophagus　that　held　the　Dark　Apostle’s　shattered　remains　at　its　heart。　The　Dreadnought　stood　on
squat；　powerful　legs；　and　immense　arms　bearing　ancient　heavy　weapons　systems　were　held
immobile　at　its　side。
For　hundreds　of　years　at　a　time　the　Warmonger　stood　motionless　within　its　own　death　shrine；
lost　in　contemplation；　waiting　for　holy　battle　to　be　joined　once　more。
“It　is　pleasing　to　my　soul　to　see　you　once　more；　First　Acolyte　Marduk；”　boomed　the
Warmonger；　its　voice　a　deep　reverberating　baritone；　the　words　spoken　slowly　and　deliberately；　“and
you；　Kol　Badar；　finest　of　my　captains。”
The　two　warriors　bowed　their　heads　in　deference。
“The　loss　of　Jarulek　pains　me；”　continued　the　Warmonger。　“Though　in　you　I　see　a　worthy
successor；　young　disciple　Marduk。”
“Jaruilek’s　death　cuts　me　deeply　as　well；　revered　Warmonger；”　said　Marduk。　A　slight　smile
curled　his　lips　as　he　felt　Kol　Badar’s　anger　at　his　words。　“I　am　honoured　to　fill　the　role　of　religious
leader　of　the　Host；　though　I　feel…　unworthy　of　such　a　hallowed　duty。”
“It　is　only　right　that　you　step　into　the　breach　and　guide　the　flock；”　said　the　Warmonger。　“Your
star　is　in　the　ascendant。　Feel　not　unworthy　of　the　duty；　be　humbled　by　it；　but　never　doubt　your　right
to　serve。　The　gods　have　ordained　it。”
Marduk　turned　his　head　to　Kol　Badar　and　smiled。
“I　fear　that　some　amongst　the　Host　feel　I　am　not　ready　for　such　an　exalted　position；　my　lord；”　he
said。
27
“Tolerate　no　insubordination；　First　Acolyte；”　boomed　the　Warmonger。　“Crucify　any　who　seed
dissent；　for　theirs　are　the　voices　of　poison　and　doubt。”
“I　shall　heed　your　council　in　this　matter；　revered　one；”　said　Marduk。
“You　are　walking　the　black　path；　Marduk；”　said　the　Warmonger。　“You　are　the　dark　disciple；
moving　towards　the　light　of　truth；　and　you　shall；　in　time；　be　granted　enlightenment。　You　did　not；
however；　come　here　for　my　acceptance；　for　you　already　know　that　you　have　it。　What　is　it　you　would
ask　of　me？”
“I　had　wished　to　descend　on　the　Imperial　world　of　Perdus　Skylla　with　the　full　force　of　the　Host；
laying　waste　to　the　world　and　claiming　that　which　is　needed。　While　it　pleases　me　to　see　the
Imperium　weakened　in　their　battles　with　the　xenos；　for　it　will　make　our　eventual　victory　in　the　Long
War　come　all　the　sooner；　the　size　of　the　battlefleet　here　in　this　sector　forces　me　to　change　my
intentions。　Mighty　as　she　is；　the　Infidus　Diabolus　would　not　survive　long　enough　to　get　us　to　the
Imperial　moon。”
“I　say　we　abandon　this　fool’s　errand　here　and　now；”　growled　Kol　Badar。　“Let　us　return　to
Sicarus　and　leave　the　Imperials　to　wage　their　war　against　the　xenos　hive…creatures。　We　will　recoup
our　strength　in　the　Eye　while　the　Imperium　suffers。”
“Kol　Badar　speaks；　as　always；　with　wisdom；”　said　the　Warmonger；　and　for　a　moment　Marduk
thought　he　had　horribly　misjudged　the　way　this　conversation　would　go。　He　felt　a　flicker　of　unease　at
having　instigated　it　in　the　presence　of　the　Coryphaus　as　Kol　Badar　flashed　him　a　look　of　triumph。
“And　yet；”　continued　the　Warmonger；　“Jarulek　saw　in　the　xenos　device　something　of　great
import。　He　was　always　a　gifted　zealot　and　the　power　of　his　gods…gifted　dream　visions　were　stronger
than　my　own。　If　he　saw　that　the　item　was　worth　waging　war　for；　then　it　is　an　artefact　of　great
importance；　and　is　destined　to　further　the　spread　of　the　holy　Word　of　Truth。”
“We　already　have　the　device　in　our　possession；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“We　need　not　tarry　here　and
risk　it　further。”
“We　have　the　device；　that　is　true；”　admitted　Marduk；　“but　as　it　is；　it　is　worthless　to　us；　its　secrets
are　locked　within　it。　It　is　nothing　more　than　a　xenos　curio；　an　inert　and　useless　sphere　of　metal。”
“The　chirumeks　of　the　Legion　will　unlock　its　secrets；　whatever　they　may　be；”　said　Kol　Badar。
I　will　not　return　to　Sicarus　in　anything　but　glory；　thought　Marduk　fiercely；　glaring　at　the
Coryphaus。　Were　he　to　return　empty…handed；　he　feared　that　the　council　would　not　endorse　his　rise　to
Dark　Apostle。　With　the　secrets　of　the　Nexus　Arrangement　unlocked　and　his　to　command；　they
would　be　forced　to　heap　honour　upon　him。
“You　know　that　the　knowledge　that　will　unlock　the　device　will　be　attained　upon　this　Imperial
world？”　asked　the　Warmonger。
“I　do；”　said　Marduk。　“It　is　held　within　the　mind　of