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were　his　orders。
Most　of　the　enemy　hive　ships　were　still　tens　of　thousands　of　kilometres　away；　but　he　could　see
them：　immense；　sentient　creatures　kilometres　long　with　skin　thick　enough　to　endure　living　in　deep
space；　their　vile　bodies　armoured　in　segmented　carapace　easily　as　strong　as　the　hull　of　the　mighty
Retribution…class　battleship　he　stood　in。　It　almost　defied　logic　that　creatures　as　large　as　this　could
exist　in　the　universe。　The　largest　of　the　bio…ships　was　easily　a　match　for　the　Hammer　of
Righteousness；　and　rivalled　her　for　size；　and　there　were　hundreds　of　smaller　living　ships　that　shoaled
around　the　largest　organisms。　The　smaller　creatures　ranged　from　the　size　of　light　cruisers　all　the　way
down　to　the　size　of　attack　craft　and　interceptors。　The　smallest　bio…ships　flew　in　dense　clouds　around
the　large　hive　ships；　like　swarms　of　angry　bees　around　their　mother…hive；　and　several　Cobra…class
escorts　had　already　been　destroyed　by　them　when　they　had　ventured　too　close。
The　tyranid　fleet　was　a　terrifying　prospect　to　face　at　close　range；　and　Augustine　had　decreed　that
no　Imperial　vessel　approach　within　six　thousand　kilometres　of　it。　Even　so；　the　xenos　bio…ships　were
capable　of　startling　bursts　of　speed　that　had　at　first　taken　the　Imperials　by　surprise；　and　Augustine
had　lost　the　light　cruiser　Dominae　Noctus　and　its　entourage　of　frigates　and　escorts　due　to　this
unexpected　trait。
A　pair　of　hive　ships　had　swung　towards　the　Dauntless…class　light　cruiser　as　she　had　been　turning
to　starboard　to　make　a　strafing　run　across　the　flank　of　the　hive　fleet；　breaking　from　the　formation　of
bio…ships。
Though　the　commander　of　the　Dominae　Noctus　had　seen　the　danger；　he　had　been　powerless　to
pull　away　fast　enough。　The　cruiser　had　desperately　unleashed　the　fury　of　a　full　broadside　into　the
two　bio…ships　training　in　on　him。　Augustine　had　watched　the　destruction　unleashed　on　the　living
organisms　on　one　of　his　flickering　pict　screens；　and　had　seen　the　carapaced　hides　of　the　beasts
rupture　beneath　the　barrage；　spilling　bio…fluids　into　space。　Still；　the　bio…ships　had　continued　on；
spitting　streams　of　acid　that　melted　the　side　of　the　Dauntless　light　cruiser　and　launching　swarms　of
smaller　creatures；　exhaling　them　from　gill…like　rents　in　their　sides。
A　trio　of　Sword　frigates　had　nobly　moved　into　the　path　of　the　behemoths；　seeking　to　draw　them
away　from　the　floundering　light　cruiser；　and　two　of　them　were　overwhelmed　as　boarding　chrysalides
were　excreted　from　the　hive　ships；　clamping　onto　and　cutting　through　their　hulls　before　overrunning
their　decks　with　swarms　of　warrior　organisms。
One　of　the　bio…ships　was　drawn　by　the　bait；　and　turned　on　the　last　remaining　Sword　frigate；
while　its　twin　closed　on　the　doomed　Dominae　Noctus。　The　rest　of　the　fleet　had　watched　in　growing
horror　as　immense　hooked　tentacles　shot　forth　from　the　prow　of　the　bio…ships；　locking　onto　the　hulls
of　the　light　cruiser　and　the　frigate；　drawing　them　into　the　immense　living　beasts。　More　tentacles
wrapped　around　their　hulls。　The　Sword　frigate　was　crushed　utterly　beneath　the　pressure　and　ripped
in　half。　The　Dominae　Noctus　lasted　little　longer；　for　the　tentacles　drew　it　in　close　to　the　hive　ship；
and　its　hull　was　rent　by　the　immense；　bony　beak　concealed　at　the　heart　of　the　mass　of　tentacles。　For
an　hour；　the　creature　gorged　upon　the　light　cruiser；　its　hull　almost　entirely　obscured　by　the　tentacles
that　wrapped　around　it；　and　Augustine　had　listened　in　stoic　silence　to　the　screams　of　the　dying　as
bio…acid　and　feeder　organisms　had　been　spewed　into　the　interior　of　the　compromised　ship。
Augustine　had　no　intention　of　losing　any　more　of　his　fleet　to　the　xenos　fleet；　and　the　Imperials
were　engaging　the　tyranids　only　at　medium　to　long　range。
The　Hammer　of　Righteousness’s　dorsal　lance　batteries　had　taken　a　heavy　toll　on　the　advancing
tyranid　fleet；　but　the　xenos　ships　continued　on　relentlessly；　absorbing　the　casualties　they　suffered
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and　pushing　ever　forwards。　The　bio…ships　mortally　wounded　by　the　long　distance　barrages　were
devoured　by　the　other　hive…ships；　who　would　doubtless　use　the　genetic　material　to　spawn　more　of
their　foul　kind。
Augustine　felt　a　shudder　beneath　his　feet　as　the　prow　torpedo　tubes　fired；　and　he　watched　with
satisfaction　as　the　six　immense；　plasma…core　projectiles；　each　almost　eighty　metres　long；　powered
through　the　gulf　of　space　towards　the　largest　of　the　hive　organisms。
Lance　batteries　from　the　rest　of　the　fleet　stabbed　into　the　closest　bio…ships；　and　other　torpedoes
impacted　with　fleshy　bodies　several　kilometres　in　length。　Tentacles　flailed　in　death…spasms；　and
thousands　of　tiny　organisms　flew　into　the　mighty　wounds　in　the　hides　of　the　immense　beasts；
latching　onto　flesh　and　each　other　and　excreting　a　cement…like　substance　over　themselves　to　form　a
living　bandage；　sealing　up　wounds　even　as　they　were　caused。
The　largest　of　the　hive　ships　veered　to　avoid　the　flagship’s　torpedoes；　but　its　immense　bulk
turned　slowly；　and　it　was　clear　that　it　could　not　avoid　the　impacts。　Smaller　bio…ships　interposed
themselves；　and　three　torpedoes　exploded　prematurely　as　they　slammed　into　the　sides　of　the　lesser
vessels。　The　last　three　plasma　torpedoes　hit　their　target；　and　gobbets　of　flesh　the　size　of　city　blocks
were　blasted　from　the　behemoth’s　flank。
“Order　the　Valkyrie　to　pull　back；”　said　Augustine　to　one　of　his　aides。　“She　is　getting　too　close。”
“Yes；　admiral；”　came　the　response；　and　the　order　was　quickly　passed　on。
“Ground　invasions　have　commenced　on　both　the　Perdus　moons；”　said　Gideon　Cortez；
Augustine’s　trusty　flag…lieutenant；　his　face　grim。
Augustine　sighed　wearily。　He　didn’t　know　how　long　it　had　been　since　he　had　slept。　Plenty　of
time　to　sleep　when　you　are　dead；　he　thought。
He　had　already　ordered　the　destruction　of　six　inhabited　Imperial　worlds　in　this　sector；　but　at　least
those　worlds　had　been　successfully　evacuated　before　he　had　been　forced　to　order　their　destruction。
Trying　to　give　the　citizens　of　the　two　moons　as　much　time　to　evacuate　as　possible；　Augustine
had　moved　the　blockade　forward；　so　that　the　fleet　could　hold　back　the　tyranid　advance　for　as　long　as
possible。　Now；　he　looked　down　upon　the　twin　moons；　orbiting　the　gaseous　giant　nearby；　and　he
cursed　that　he　could　buy　them　little　more　time。
“Percentage　of　the　populations　evacuated？”　he　asked；　already　dreading　the　answer。
It　had　been　estimated　that　the　twin　moons　of　Perdus　Skylla　and　Perdus　Kharybdis　would　require
three　journeys　of　the　bulk　transport　ships　available；　at　the　minimum；　for　a　complete　evacuation。　As
far　as　he　was　aware；　only　one　journey　had　been　completed。
“Less　than　thirty　per　cent；”　replied　Gideon。
“How　many　are　left？”　asked　Augustine。　He　didn’t　really　want　to　know　the　answer；　but　felt　that
he　ought　to　know　how　many　people　he　was　condemning　to　death。
“On　Perdus　Kharybdis；　around　eighty　million；”　said　Gideon　in　a　quiet　voice。
“Eighty　million；”　said　Admiral　Augustine　in　a　weary　voice；　“and　Perdus　Skylla？”
“No　more　than　twenty　million。”
“The　evacuations　were　more　successful　there？”
“No；”　admitted　Gideon　Cortez；　shaking　his　head。　“The　population　of　Perdus　Skylla　is　but　a
fraction　of　its　twin；　mostly　labourers　and　mine　workers。”
“One　hundred　million　loyal　souls；　and　we　are　going　to　eradicate　them；　like　that；”　said　Augustine；
clicking　his　fingers　together。
“Some　might　say　it　is　a　blessing；　sir；”　said　Gideon；　“better　than　being　devoured　by　the　xenos。”
“Yes；　you　are　quite　right；”　snapped　Augustine。　“They　should　be　thanking　us。”
Gideon　gave　him　a　hurt　look；　and　the　admiral　sighed。
“I’m　sorry；　Gideon；”　he　said　quickly；　“that　was　unfair。　How　long　would　it　take　to　do　one　final
evacuation　run！”
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“The　carriers　are　already　en　route　for　a　final　pickup；”　said　Gideon；　“though　they　will　need　an
escort。　Six　hours；　they’ll　need；　according　to　the　logistics　reports。”
“Order　the　left　flanks　to　close　up；　with　the　Cypra　Mordatis　at　the　fore；”　said　Augustine　after　a
moment　of　deliberation。　“We　can　buy　them　six　hours。”
Feeling　Gideon　still　hovering　behind　him；　Augustine　turned　to　face　his　flag…lieutenant；　one
eyebrow　raised。
“You　have　something　to　say；　Gideon？”
“Can　we　really　hold　them　for