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put　to　the　sword。　Cathedral　spires　rose　behind　the　giants’　command　stations；　immense　structures　that
housed　thousands。　Marduk　clenched　his　fists　in　hatred　as　he　looked　upon　the　giant　twin…headed
eagle　effigies　at　the　tops　of　the　spires；　and　snarled　a　benediction　to　the　gods　of　Chaos。
They　glided　by　the　vast　and　silent　Imperial　ships；　and　Marduk　stared　at　the　immense　cannon
batteries；　torpedo　tubes　and　lance　arrays。　If　the　enemy　suspected　them；　they　would　blast　them　to
pieces　in　an　instant；　and　nothing　could　be　done　to　stop　them。　The　shields　of　the　transport　vessel　were
enough　to　protect　it　from　showers　of　small　meteors　and　other　space…born　debris；　but　a　single
broadside　from　even　the　smaller　battle　cruisers　would　easily　overpower　them；　and　the　ship　would　be
ripped　apart。
“This　is　insanity；”　said　Kol　Badar。
“Have　faith；　Coryphaus；”　said　Marduk　mildly；　masking　his　own　unease。
At　the　dawning　of　the　Great　Crusade；　before　the　Warmaster　Horus　had　led　his　divine　crusade
against　the　Emperor　of　Mankind；　the　Legion　had　been　outfitted　with　hundreds　of　Stormbird
gunships；　impressively　armed　and　armoured　transport　ships　that　doubled　as　attack　craft。　Borne
within　the　Stormbirds；　the　Word　Bearers　had　sallied　forth　from　the　docking　bays　of　their　strike
cruisers；　bringing　the　word　of　the　Emperor　to　the　outlying　planets　on　the　fringe　of　the　empire。　As　the
crusade　ground　on；　many　of　the　Stormbirds　were　replaced　with　the　newer　Thunderhawk　gunships；
which　were　less　heavily　armed　and　had　a　smaller　transport　capacity；　but　had　the　benefit　of　being
quicker　and　cheaper　for　the　forge…worlds　to　manufacture。
With　the　advent　of　the　crusade　against　the　Emperor；　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　forge…worlds　that
had　thrown　their　weight　behind　the　warmaster　produced　more　of　the　Thunderhawks　for　his　Legions；
and　the　Stormbirds　were　all　but　fazed　out　within　the　XVII　Legion。　However；　with　the　shocking
defeat　of　Horus；　and　the　subsequent　retreat　to　the　Eye　of　Terror；　the　majority　of　the　forge…worlds
that　supplied　the　Legions　of　Horus　were　virus　bombed；　and　thus　the　Word　Bearers　Legion　had　no
way　of　replacing　its　lost　attack　craft。
Few　original　Stormbirds　remained　in　service　within　the　34th　Company　Host。　Those　that
remained　had　had　their　hulls　patched　and　repaired　a　hundred　times。　Many　of　the　original
Thunderhawks　were　still　serviceable；　though　they　had　been　altered　and　modified　over　the　millennia
to　fit　the　needs　of　the　Host　and　as　a　response　to　limited　manufactory　facilities。
The　flotilla　had　also　been　increased　with　vessels　stolen　from　enemies。　One　Thunderhawk
gunship；　a　new　model　fresh　from　the　forge…worlds　of　Mars；　had　been　claimed　from　the　loyalist
White　Consuls　Chapter；　out　on　the　fringe　of　the　Cadian　Gate；　and　an　ancient；　near　fatally　damaged
Stormbird　that　had　been　claimed　from　the　cursed　Alpha　Legion　in　a　raid　upon　one　of　their　cult
worlds　was　currently　being　refitted　for　use。
As　well　as　these　original　Astartes…pattern　attack　craft；　there　were　dozens　of　recommissioned
civilian　transports；　assault　boats；　refitted　cargo　ships　and　auxiliary　vessels　that　had　been　captured　by
the　Host；　rearmed　and　armoured　for　use　as　makeshift　assault　craft。　These　had　all　been　modified　and
refitted　by　the　chirumeks　of　the　Host；　and　some　of　them　barely　resembled　their　original　model。
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Marduk　and　his　hand…picked　entourage　of　Word　Bearers　were　aboard　one　of　these　salvaged　and
refitted　vessels　as　they　made　their　way　towards　the　Imperial　moon　of　Perdus　Skylla。
It　was　an　ugly　brute　of　a　ship；　a　squat；　stub…nosed　vessel　that　the　Host　had　crippled　and　boarded
centuries　earlier。　Dubbed　Idolater　by　its　new　owners；　it　had　been　part　of　a　small　convoy　used　by
smugglers　running　the　blockades　of　Imperial　space；　rogue　traders　that　had　been　circumventing
Administratum　taxes　on　the　outskirts　of　the　Maelstrom。　The　Infidus　Diabolus　had　scattered　the
convoy；　emerging　from　the　darkness　behind　a　shattered　planet　and　ripping　two　of　the　ships　apart
with　full　broadsides。　The　Idolater　had　been　crippled　with　lance　strikes；　and　a　single　dreadclaw　had
been　launched　from　the　Infidus　Diabolus。　The　boarding　pod　latched　onto　the　hull　of　the　Idolater　like
a　limpet；　cutting　through　its　armour　with　ease；　and　a　boarding　party　of　Word　Bearers；　led　by　Kol
Badar；　had　stormed　aboard。　The　crew　were　slaughtered；　and　the　reeling　vessel　claimed　by　the　Host。
Marduk　stood　with　Kol　Badar　looking　out　through　the　curved　blister　portal　of　the　bridge　of　the
Idolater。　Behind　them；　serfs　of　the　Host　were　guiding　the　ship　to　its　destination；　directing　it　in
towards　the　Imperial　moon。　They　had　once　been　men；　but　their　humanity　had　all　but　abandoned
them。　Their　flesh　was　stretched　and　covered　in　vile；　cancerous　blemishes　and　the　hands　of　the　pilots
had　become　fused　to　their　controls。　Tears　of　blood　ran　down　their　cheeks。
The　bridge　was　dim；　the　only　light　coming　from　the　crimson…tinged　sensor　screens；　bathing　the
room　in　a　hellish　red　aura。
The　Coryphaus　glared　balefully　out　at　the　Imperial　vessels；　and　he　clenched　and　unclenched　the
bladed　fingers　of　his　power　talon　unconsciously。
“If　they　realise　what　we　are；　all　the　faith　in　the　warp　will　not　save　us；”　he　snarled。
“They　will　not；”　said　Marduk　calmly。　“We　are　but　another　transport　vessel；　aiding　the
evacuation　efforts。”
“Such　deception　is　beneath　us；”　said　Kol　Badar。　“It　belittles　the　Legion。　We　are　the　sons　of
Lorgar；　we　should　not　need　to　conceal　ourselves　from　the　enemy。”
“Were　we　to　have　an　armada　of　our　own；　I　would　joyfully　engage　them；”　said　Marduk；　“but　we
do　not。　Have　patience；　Coryphaus；　we　will　take　the　fight　to　the　cursed　Imperium　soon　enough。”
One　of　the　Imperial　cruisers；　not　one　of　the　larger　vessels　by　any　stretch；　though　it　dwarfed　the
Idolater；　rotated　on　its　axis　and　moved　above　them；　throwing　them　into　deep　shadow　as　it　blotted
out　the　system’s　dying　sun。　Its　port　weapons　batteries　came　level　with　them；　and　Kol　Badar　hissed。
The　cruiser　continued　to　turn；　and　its　weapon　arrays　slid　away　from　the　Idolater。　They　passed
beneath　its　mass；　and　though　hundreds　of　kilometres　of　empty　space　separated　the　two　ships；　it
seemed　that　every　intricate　detail　of　the　cruiser　could　be　made　out。　It　felt　close　enough　that　Marduk
had　but　to　reach　out　his　hand　to　touch　it；　and　he　wondered　if　people　aboard　it　looked　even　now　upon
the　Idolater。　Did　any　of　them　realise　that　their　mortal　enemy　was　passing　beneath　them　so　close？
The　shadow　of　the　cruiser　passed；　and　Marduk　nodded　his　head　to　the　Coryphaus。　Kol　Badar
barked　an　order；　and　the　Idolater　turned　onto　a　new　bearing。　The　engines　were　fed　more　power；　and
the　ship　pushed　through　the　blockade　of　the　Imperial　cordon　and　began　to　power　towards　Perdus
Skylla。
It　looked　so　insignificant　from　here：　a　tiny　white　moon　circling　in　the　orbit　of　a　green　gas　giant。
“Five　hours　until　planetfall；”　said　Kol　Badar；　consulting　a　glowing　data…slate　built　into　the
command　array　of　the　bridge。
“See　that　the　warrior　brothers　are　ready。　I　want　to　move　out　as　soon　as　the　landing　is　made；”　said
Marduk；　not　looking　at　the　Coryphaus。
Kol　Badar’s　lips　curled　back；　and　his　ancient　eyes　burrowed　into　Marduk’s　face。
“What？”　asked　Marduk；　turning　to　face　the　larger　warrior　brother。　“I　am　your　master　now；　Kol
Badar。　Be　a　good　dog　and　do　as　you　are　told。”
Kol　Badar　struck　with　a　speed　that　belied　the　bulk　of　his　Terminator　armour；　wrapping　his
power　talons　around　Marduk’s　throat；　his　eyes　blazing　in　fury。
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Marduk　laughed　in　his　face。
“Do　it；”　he　barked。　“Do　it；　and　be　cursed　by　Lorgar。”
Kol　Badar　released　Marduk　with　a　shove。
“Know　your　place；　Kol　Badar。　Jarulek　is　dead。　This　Host　is　mine　now；　mine　alone；”　said
Marduk。　“Just　as　you　are　mine。”
“The　Council　of　Sicarus　will　repudiate　your　claim　over　the　Host；”　growled　Kol　Badar。　“They
will　strip　you　of　your　brotherhood；　flay　the　flesh　from　your　bones　and　have　your　eyes　burnt　from
your　sockets。　Bloody　and　blind；　you　will　be　cast　out　into　the　corpse…plains；　where　the　souls　of　the
condemned　will　torment　you；　and　the　kathartes　will　strip　the　muscles　from　your　limbs。　You　will
wander　in　agony　for　ten　thousand　years；　unable　to　die；　your　mortal　body　a　wretched　shell；　your　soul
stripped　and　gnawed　u