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The　Dvorak…class　freighter　was　wedged　between　the　walls　of　the　chasm；　its　prow　and　stem
ground　into　the　sheer　walls　of　the　drop…off；　bridging　the　bottomless　gap。
As　the　submersibles　ploughed　on　through　the　clear　water；　impeller　engines　whirring；　the　sheer
size　of　the　ship　became　apparent。　It　was　one　thing　to　see　battle　cruisers　hanging　in　space　where　there
were　few　reference　points　to　give　an　indication　of　their　sheer　scale；　but　seeing　this　ship　wedged
firmly　between　the　two　distant　sides　of　the　chasm　was　breathtaking。
A　portion　of　the　lower　stern　looked　as　though　it　had　been　sheared　away。　It　might　have　suffered
the　damage　as　it　struck　the　mouth　of　the　chasm；　or　it　might　have　occurred　thousands　of　years　before
the　ship　entered　this　sub…system；　long　before　it　had　smashed　through　the　ice　crust　of　Perdus　Skylla。
According　to　Darioq…Grendh’al；　the　ship　had　been　lost　in　a　warp　storm　anomaly　for　some　six　and　a
half　thousand　years。　Anything　could　have　happened　to　it　in　that　time。
Warp　storms　were　notoriously　unpredictable；　and　time　and　distance　became　blurred　within　their
bounds。　The　Flame　of　Perdition　might　have　been　drifting　through　the　nebulous　warp　storms　for
fifteen　thousand　years；　twenty　thousand　years；　thrown　like　a　leaf　on　the　wind　through　the　ether。　Or；
equally　as　likely；　it　might　have　seemed　to　its　crew　to　have　been　gone　only　a　fraction　of　a　second
before　it　struck　the　surface　of　the　frozen　moon；　and　plunged　into　the　oceanic　depths。
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During　its　time　in　the　warp；　and　wherever　else　it　may　have　emerged；　the　ship　may　have
encountered　any　number　of　daemonic　and　xenos　entities；　and　it　was　highly　possible　that　some　of　the
creatures　remained　onboard。
Apart　from　the　shattered　stern；　the　ship　appeared　to　be　in　a　remarkably　complete　state；　and
though　Marduk　feared　that　its　interior　had　been　flooded；　there　was　every　likelihood　that　at　least　the
upper　decks　might　still　contain　breathable　air。
At　such　depth；　and　with　its　integrity　compromised；　what　air　did　remain　within　the　ship　would
have　shrunk　to　a　tiny　fraction　of　its　previous　volume；　but　if　any　man…made　structure　could　withstand
the　immense　pressure　as　deep　as　this；　it　was　a　space…faring　cruiser。
The　submersibles　ploughed　inexorably　towards　the　ship　that　grew　ever　larger　in　the　small　pict
screen。　As　they　drew　closer；　Marduk　could　see　that　the　sides　of　the　ship　were　scarred。　Entire
sections　of　its　thick　armour　had　bubbled；　and　other　portions　looked　unnaturally　smooth；　like　the　skin
of　a　burn　victim；　or　as　if　they　had　been　splashed　with　corrosive；　high…grade　acid。
The　four　submersibles　drew　towards　the　immense　freighter；　dipping　down　towards　one　of　its
gaping；　water…filled　hangar　bays；　still　following　an　automated　route。
“At　least　they　seem　to　know　where　they　are　going；”　said　Marduk。
“Or　they　are　leading　us　into　a　trap；”　said　Burias；　angrily　flicking　switches　and　yanking　on　the
controls。
The　four　deep…sea　craft；　dwarfed　to　insignificance　by　the　sheer　size　of　the　Flame　of　Perdition；
entered　the　cavernous　hangar　bay。　It　was　a　surreal　experience　to　drift　through　the　submerged　bay；　to
pass　by　upturned　shuttles　that　had　clearly　been　tossed　around　the　expansive　hangar　bay　by　the　force
of　the　impact　with　the　ice；　or　the　chasm　sides。　The　four　submersibles　ghosted　through　the　massive
open　space；　leaving　a　swirling　wake　of　turbulence　behind　them　that　blurred　the　water。
They　began　to　ascend　vertically；　climbing　up　through　the　flooded　levels　of　the　ship；　the
automated　controls　carefully　navigating　them　safely　through　the　tangle　of　shattered　girders　and
twisted　metal。
The　corpse　of　a　man　dressed　in　naval　fatigues　reared　up　in　front　of　the　submersible；　filling　the
pict　screen　with　its　cadaverous　rictus　grin。　The　flesh　was　almost　completely　rotted　from　its　bones
and　as　the　submersible　bumped　the　corpse　out　of　the　way；　one　of　its　arms　came　loose。　A　host　of
wriggling　eel…creatures　squirmed　from　the　cavity；　thrashing　madly；　and　then　the　corpse　drifted　out　of
sight。
As　they　continued　to　ascend；　passing　through　flooded　cargo　bays　and　freight　holds；　they　passed
more　corpses；　all　being　slowly　devoured。　They　powered　along　a　wide　corridor；　the　tilt　that　the　ship
had　come　to　rest　at　forcing　the　submersible　to　travel　at　an　obtuse　angle。
They　entered　another　area　of　the　ship；　and　the　submersibles　bobbed　to　the　surface　of　the　water
like　corks。　Automated　pressurisation　systems　kicked　into　gear；　slowly　equalising　with　the　outside
pressure；　and　once　the　dials　began　to　flash　green；　the　access　hatch　began　to　release。　It　swung　wide
with　a　slight　vacuum　hiss；　and　Marduk　stepped　out　into　knee…deep　water。　The　submersible　had
brought　itself　up　to　a　raised　gantry　twenty　metres　above　what　appeared　to　be　a　holding　area。
Evidently；　the　upper　portion　of　the　ship　was　still　structurally　sound；　and　air　had　been　trapped　within
it。
Marduk’s　helmet　readouts　gave　him　a　flood　of　information　and　he　saw　that　the　air　was　unsafe
for　an　unprotected　human　to　breathe。　Astartes　warriors；　with　their　superior；　genhanced　physiology；
would　probably　last　around　an　hour　before　they　expired。
Marduk　saw　that　the　submersible　he　had　emerged　from　was　drawn　up　alongside　half　a　dozen
others。
“The　explorator　and　her　team’s　vessels；　presumably；”　said　Kol　Badar；　stamping　through　the
water　to　Marduk’s　side。
A　massive　doorway　yawned　behind　them；　leading　further　into　the　Imperial　freighter。　With　no
other　obvious　way　of　proceeding；　Marduk　led　the　warriors　through　its　arched　expanse。
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They　came　upon　a　series　of　bulkheads；　part　of　the　latticework　that　subdivided　the　ship　into
distinct　sections；　adding　strength　to　the　whole　and　allowing　areas　of　the　ship　to　be　isolated　from
each　other　in　the　event　of　hull　breach。
Though　there　was　no　power　within　the　ship—its　plasma　core　reactors　were　clearly　dead；　or　at
least　dormant—the　bulkheads　could　be　accessed　manually。　Kol　Badar　ripped　one　of　them　open　with
a　wrench；　half…expecting　to　be　washed　away　by　a　flood　of　water。　Once　all　the　warriors　had　passed
the　bulkhead　it　was　sealed　behind　them　once　more；　and　the　next　bulkhead　opened。　The　ship　beyond
was　dark；　but　the　air　was　breathable　without　danger；　and　Marduk　felt　certain　that　this　was　the　way
that　the　explorator　had　taken。
He　grinned　within　his　helmet。　He　could　almost　feel　the　presence　of　the　wretched　devotee　of　the
Machine…God。　He　had　but　to　reach　out　to　possess　her。
“She　is　here；　somewhere；”　said　Marduk。　“I　know　it。”
“She’d　better　be；”　growled　Kol　Badar。
Warily；　the　warriors　of　the　Host　began　to　move　further　into　the　wrecked　hulk　that　was　the　Flame
of　Perdition；　weapons　at　the　ready。
They　had　advanced　for　over　three　hours；　though　in　that　time　that　had　been　forced　to　retrace　their
steps　a　dozen　times　as　their　way　was　blocked　by　shattered　sections　of　the　ship；　or　by　bulkheads　that
led　back　into　the　flooded　lower　sections。
Burias’s　mood；　previously　buoyed　by　Marduk’s　optimism；　had　slowly　soured　as　the　sheer
improbability　of　finding　the　explorator　within　this　confusing　maze　was　driven　home。　Kol　Badar　was
right。　The　cursed　worshipper　of　the　profane　Machine…God　could　be　anywhere　within　the　ship；　if　she
were　here　at　all。　The　ship　was　over　two　kilometres　in　length　and　consisted　of　almost　fifty　deck
levels；　depending　on　where　within　the　ship　one　was　located。　In　addition；　a　myriad　of　air　ducts；　subfloor
tunnels　and　inter…deck　stowage　vaults　made　the　Flame　of　Perdition　a　veritable　labyrinth；　and
despite　the　fact　that　perhaps　seventy　per　cent　of　it　was　flooded　and　impassable；　it　would　take　a
Herculean　effort　and　incredible　luck　to　locate　a　single　individual　within　its　confines。
“There　is　no　such　thing　as　luck；”　Marduk　snapped　angrily；　picking　up　the　vagaries　of　the　icon
bearer’s　unfocused　thoughts。　This　was　a　test　of　his　faith；　the　First　Acolyte　reminded　himself；　ridding
his　thoughts　of　any　shadow　of　doubt。　The　explorator　would　be　delivered　to　him；　it　was　the　will　of
the　gods。　He　had　only　to　open　himself　up　to　the　powers　of　the　ether；　and　allow　his　earthly　flesh　to　be
guided。
“Keep　moving；”　said　Marduk。
Kol　Badar　and　two　of　his　Anointed　warriors　were　leading　the　advance；　walking　in　single　file；
their　massive　shoulders　sometimes　scraping　along　the　walls　of　the　narr