Dawn of War III (Warhammer 40,000) by Robbie MacNiven

Author:Robbie MacNiven [MacNiven, Robbie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Games Workshop
Published: 2017-04-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

No one aboard the Final Judgement’s bridge dared speak, except Henghast.

‘They’ve broken through,’ the astropath murmured in Holt’s ear. ‘The beast has reached the outer surface.’

The inquisitor said nothing. He had already issued orders to Novorex and his kill team to deploy to Acheron immediately. They would be provided with the most likely location of the spear in due course. For now, speed was everything.

‘There’s more,’ Henghast murmured, her vile breath hot in Holt’s ear. ‘The Angel is on his way. This time he will not be denied.’

‘My lord,’ said the bridge’s Augur Chief, breaking the icy stillness. ‘We’re detecting a ship designate moving in the wake of the ork fleet. It’s about to pass the Charon’s rimward flank.’

‘The Dauntless,’ Holt said, his words neither statement nor question. After a moment the Augur Chief nodded, pale-faced.

‘Yes, lord.’

‘Communications, open a link with the Dauntless,’ Holt ordered.

‘Lord, they won’t accept the connection,’ a vox officer said after a moment’s work at his tuning station.

‘Will a message still log with their systems?’

‘If we run it under your priority code, lord.’

‘Do it,’ Holt said, picking up the vox horn wired into the flank of his command throne. The communications officer nodded to him, one hand on his headset.

‘Angelos,’ Holt said into the speaker, eyes fixed on the bloodied raven sigil representing the Dauntless on the oculus stand. ‘Halt your current course, or I will have the fleet open fire on you.’

There was no response. The Dauntless continued its progress across the display, following in the wake of the ork flotilla that had already pounded into Acheron’s outer layer.

‘Directive to all Naval vessels in sector three-three,’ Holt said, gesturing to the communications pit. ‘Adeptus Astartes battle-barge designate Dauntless is now considered a hostile threat. Acquire target locks.’

For a second, nobody moved.

‘Don’t make me repeat myself,’ the inquisitor snarled, hand on the butt of his plasma pistol. The vox staff began to transmit.

‘You are an arrogant and dangerous man, Inquisitor Holt,’ crackled a voice over the throne vox set.

‘Transmission picked up from the Dauntless, lord,’ reported one of the vox officers.

‘I know,’ Holt responded, once more lifting the speaker to his lips. ‘That got your attention, Chapter Master?’

‘Ordering Imperial vessels to fire on one another is nothing short of heresy, inquisitor.’

‘I decide what is and is not heresy, Angelos. And right now your actions are borderline. I told you to stay on Cyprus Ultima.’

‘You told my company to withdraw to the system’s edge, and you told me I could have only a single squad and ship at my disposal. You said nothing about remaining on Cyprus.’

‘You cannot hope to stop the greenskins with the forces at your disposal. Landing on the outer superstructure would be futile at best, and suicide at worst.’

‘But of more use than enacting a blockade that has already been breached. I am leading. Others may follow, if they wish. We do the Emperor’s work.’

Holt felt Henghast’s gaunt fingers on his shoulder. He cut the vox feed.

‘What is it?’

‘He will not stop for you unless you offer him something in return,’ the astropath said.

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