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eyebrow　raised。
“You　have　something　to　say；　Gideon？”
“Can　we　really　hold　them　for　another　six　hours？”　asked　the　flag…lieutenant；　his　voice　low　to
avoid　any　of　the　other　crew　members　overhearing　his　words。
“I　don’t　know；”　admitted　Augustine；　“but　we　owe　it　to　those　people　to　try。”
Gideon　still　did　not　look　happy。
“You　can’t　save　them　all；”　he　said。
“No；”　agreed　Augustine；　shaking　his　head；　“I　cannot。”
The　Idolator　banked　and　jinked　from　side　to　side　as　hundreds　of　mycetic　spores；　fired　by　the　hive
fleet　still　some　ten　thousand　kilometres　from　Perdus　Skylla　streamed　down　towards　the　surface　of
the　moon。　Each　of　the　cyst…like　chrysalis　organisms　was　filled　with　a　deadly　warrior　cargo；　which
would　scour　all　life　from　the　doomed　world。　They　fell　like　a　meteor　shower　through　the　atmosphere；
their　shell…like　exteriors　glowing　hot　as　they　descended　at　phenomenal　speeds。
One　of　the　spores　passed　within　metres　of　the　shuttle；　which　was　pulled　to　the　side　by　the　rush　of
air；　but　the　guidance　systems　of　the　ship　hauled　it　back　on　course；　narrowly　being　struck　by　another
pair　of　mycetic　spores　as　they　roared　down　towards　the　surface　of　Perdus　Skylla。
Each　of　the　spores　was　the　size　of　a　Rhino　transport　vehicle；　and　a　direct　hit　would　cause
tremendous　damage　to　the　unshielded　Idolator。　Engines　roared　as　the　shuttle　veered　sharply　to　avoid
a　collision；　but　its　movement　took　it　into　the　path　of　another　descending　spore；　which　clipped　the
side　of　the　ship；　sending　it　into　a　spin。
The　Idolator　rolled　through　the　air；　dropping　hundreds　of　metres　and　narrowly　avoiding　being
struck　by　more　of　the　spores；　but　it　came　back　under　control；　pulling　out　of　its　death　spin　and
shooting　once　more　skywards；　pulling　free　of　the　descending　shower　of　chrysalides。
Burias　and　Kol　Badar　picked　themselves　up；　the　Coryphaus　reading　the　damage　reports　that
spewed　from　the　mouth　of　a　graven；　daemonic　face。　He　swore。
“We　are　not　going　to　make　it　to　the　Infidus　Diabolus；”　he　said；　scrunching　the　thin　strips　of
mnemo…paper　in　his　fist。　“Guidance　systems　are　damaged；　and　the　aft　engines　are　at　quarter　power。”
Burias　was　silent　while　the　Coryphaus　muttered；　his　strategic　mind　working　to　solve　the
problem。
“Do　we　have　enough　power　to　break　from　the　moon’s　gravity？”　he　ventured。
“Yes；”　snapped　the　Coryphaus；　“but　we’d　be　drifting。　We’ll　conserve　our　power　once　we　have
broken　the　atmosphere；　and　fire　the　engines　to　take　us　past　the　Imperial　blockade。　We’ll　order　the
Infidus　Diabolus　to　break　from　its　mooring　and　come　to　meet　us　halfway。”
“The　Imperial　fleet　will　be　aware　of　its　presence　as　soon　as　it　pulls　out　of　the　radiation　of　the
sun；”　said　Burias。　“If　they　turn　their　fleet…”
“Then　we　must　pray　that　they　do　not。　Let　us　hope　that　the　cursed　Imperials　are　too　occupied　by
the　xenos　to　swing　their　blockade。”
“And　if　they　don’t？”
“Then　we　are　dead。”
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CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
“You　are　wasting　your　time；”　growled　Marduk；　blood　and　spittle　dripping　from　his　lips。　His　head
was　held　immobile　by　bladed　callipers　that　had　emerged　from　the　floating　slab　on　which　he　lay；
making　any　movement　of　his　head　or　neck　impossible。　He　glared　at　the　eldar　tormentor　out　of　the
corner　of　his　left　eye；　his　daemonic　right　eye　rendered　useless。
“I　won’t　break；”　snarled　Marduk。　“You　will　have　to　kill　me　first。”
His　torturer　did　not　look　up；　his　utterly　black　eyes　focused　on　the　incisions　that　he　had　cut　into
Marduk’s　neck。　He　was　gazing　into　them；　prodding　and　poking　around　the　area　where　one　of　his
progenoid　glands；　those　sacred　glands　that　contained　the　essence　of　his　enhanced　gene…seed；　had
been　surgically　removed　thousands　of　years　previously。　As　if　satisfied；　the　eldar　closed　up　the
wound；　and　lifted　what　looked　like　a　spike…ripped　handgun　from　a　pad　that　hovered　at　his　side。
Marduk　tensed；　thinking　momentarily　that　perhaps　the　eldar　was　going　to　kill　him。　The　eldar　ran
the　spiked　tip　of　the　pistol　along　the　edge　of　the　incision　at　his　neck；　and　Marduk　hissed　in　pain；
feeling　a　searing　laser　melting　his　flesh。　The　eldar　replaced　the　strange　implement　back　on　its
floating　platform；　and　Marduk　realised　that　the　wound　in　his　neck　was　sealed。
The　First　Acolyte　stared　at　the　spiked　pistol…like　piece　of　apparatus　for　a　moment；　and　then
flexed　his　neck　from　side　to　side　as　the　callipers　retracted　from　their　clamped　position　around　his
cranium。　The　bladed　lengths　slid　away　soundlessly；　and　came　to　rest　around　his　head　like　a　razorsharp
halo；　leaving　him　free　of　their　constriction；　but　still　protruding　from　the　hovering　slab；　just
centimetres　from　his　head。
Marduk　hissed　as　fresh　pain　seared　across　his　abdomen。　Two　long　cuts　bisected　his　flesh；　and
snarling；　he　leant　forwards　to　watch　the　monstrous　eldar　surgeon　at　work。　Doubtless　that　was　the
reason　his　head　restraints　had　been　retracted；　so　that　he　could　witness　the　surgery　being　performed
upon　him。　His　skin　was　sliced；　and　the　thick　black　carapace　beneath；　the　implant　that　allowed　his
holy　armour　to　be　plugged　directly　into　his　body；　was　cut　open　with　laser…tipped　tools。
The　biomechanical　creature　hovering　on　the　pulsing　ceiling　reached　out　with　four　slender　limbs；
each　of　them　piercing　one　corner　of　his　flesh；　painfully　drawing　his　sliced　black　carapace　apart　to
expose　the　stomach　cavity。　The　wraith…like　eldar　began　to　probe　his　organs　with　his　slender　fingers。
Marduk’s　chest　had　not　yet　been　cut　open；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　just　a　matter　of　time。　He　had
witnessed　two　of　his　brother　Space　Marines　have　their　organs　removed；　though　Marduk　had　noted
that　the　eldar　was　careful　to　leave　his　victims　alive；　using　inferior　substitute　organs　to　keep　them
going。　It　had　taken　some　time　to　cut　through　the　black　carapace　beneath　the　flesh　of　the　warriors’
chests；　but　the　tools　of　the　twisted　creature　were　powerful。
“I　have　no　interest　in　your　death；”　intoned　his　torturer；　still　engrossed　in　his　work。　Marduk　could
feel　the　fingers　probing　within　him；　handling　his　enhanced　organs。　The　feeling　was　uncomfortable；
but　he　pushed　the　sensation　away；　focusing　his　mind。
“If　your　intention　is　not　to　kill　me；　what　then　is　to　be　my　fate？”　asked　Marduk；　feigning
weakness　in　his　voice。
The　twisted　surgeon　did　not　pause　in　his　work；　and　for　a　moment　Marduk　thought　he　would　not
get　an　answer；　but　at　last　the　eldar　spoke。
“Upon　reaching　Commoragh；”　said　the　eldar；　though　Marduk　did　not　recognise　the　word；　“your
savayaethoth；　your…　soul…flame…　will　be　drained　from　your　body。　This　soul…essence　will　be
delivered　to　Lord　Vect；　for　him　to　do　with　as　he　pleases。　Your　savayaethoth　burns　brighter　than
148
those　of　your　comrades。　Most　likely；　the　Lord　Vect　will　take　it　into　himself。　All　that　you　are　will　be
consumed；　utterly　and　completely；　and　She　Who　Thirsts　will　be　denied　her　claim　upon　him　a　little
longer。”
“The　soul…extraction；”　continued　the　eldar　torturer；　“is　excruciatingly　painful。　What　you　have
experienced　thus　far　is　nothing　beside　it；　and　I　have　been　known　to　prolong　the　process　for　a　week
or　more。”
“What　will　happen　to　you　if　I　die　beneath　your　scalpel　before　then？”　asked　Marduk。
“My　master　would　be　displeased；”　said　the　eldar　simply；　as　if　he　were　talking　to　an　imbecile。
“Your　master　is　going　to　be　very　displeased；　then；”　said　Marduk；　and　his　primary　heart　stopped
beating。
Admiral　Rutger　Augustine　stared　at　the　blinking　icon　in　disbelief。　Scans　had　picked　up　the　telltale
sign　of　a　ship　moving　towards　the　rear　of　the　Imperial　blockade；　emerging　from　within　the　radiation
field　of　the　system’s　dying　sun。
“It’s　an　Adeptus　Astartes　cruiser；　sir；”　said　his　aide　in　awe。　“And　it’s　big。”
“Yes；　I　can　see　that；”　snapped　Augustine；　“but　is　it　friend　or　foe？”
“You　think　it　may　be　renegade；　sir？”　asked　the　man；　looking　at　him　in　shock。
“I　don’t　know。　I　have　received　no　information　of　a　Chapter　of　Astartes　coming　to　our　aid；
though　it　would　be　welcome。　That　they　have　not　intervened　thus　far　does　not　bode　well。”
“Initial　hails　have　been　ignored；”　said　the　aide。　“The　archives　are　being　scoured　as　we　speak　to
identify　the　vessel。”
“Fine；”　snapped　Augustine；　waving　the　man　away。
“Trouble？”　asked　his　flag…lieu