‘New sensory vertex, detected anomalies. Early analysis suggests a second wave of xenos – a fleet heading inward, at high velocity.’

‘We have already seen what the xenos ships can do at speed and range.’ Aeschelus noticed the near-panic on the faces of various uniformed attendants and the sudden hastening of the tech-priests in the command module. There were a lot of red runes on the augur displays. ‘How many?’

‘Estimate only. Excess of twenty vessels. At least five capital class.’

Aeschelus was lost for words. They were barely holding against the forces from two capital ships, one of them already destroyed.

‘Estimated time until they arrive at the threshold of attack used by the other capital ship?’ he asked, subdued by the prospect.

‘Two hundred and eight minutes.’

Roughly three and a half hours to defeat the enemy already on the planet and within the orbital palaces, and then to confront a vastly superior foe newly arrived to the war. Aeschelus turned from the others, trying to hide his dismay. He had no fear of death. The changes made to his body put him beyond mortal concern. But irrelevant to his life expectancy, there was no gene-enhancement or psychodoctrination that could shield him fully from the prospect of imminent, unavoidable and total failure.

His eyes fell upon the skull-faced helm of Chaplain Exelloria.

‘Be strong, brother,’ growled the Chaplain, stepping closer. ‘This is beyond you.’

The captain recoiled, confused by the seemingly contradictory statements. He knew the situation was hopeless but had not expected to hear such harsh testimony from his spiritual aide.

‘I will do what I can,’ he managed to say.

The Chaplain regarded him for a moment and then shook his head. ‘I was unclear, brother. I mean that the situation is beyond us all. It is greater than you, this force, the Orestes System. We have encountered something unprecedented. Even the lord pri­march had not conceived of such an event at the outset of the Indomitus Crusade. Against such adversity we will strive to kill as many foes as possible but that will not be enough to bring victory. I recall the great words of the lord pri­march: “The galaxy is the dominion of man, bought and paid for a billion times over with the blood of its sons. It is ours. Were the xenos ten times more mighty, it would still be ours. For never do warriors live nor die in vain.“’

The Chaplain’s stark assessment brought a different train of thought, freeing Aeschelus from the fog of the soul-deadening. He laid a hand on the Chaplain’s shoulder and his thoughts cleared further, making him realise just how despondent he had become. Whether it was due to a renewed sense of purpose or the physical proximity of the stoic Chaplain was impossible to know.