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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。
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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
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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　posi