Praxa­medes turned to the group of green-robed men and women clustered to the side of the strategium – Fedualis and the astropaths from the station. With them was the Chaplain, Exelloria. Captain Aeschelus had posited that the reclusiarch’s spiritual strength was as powerful as the psychic might of the astrotelepaths. Praxa­medes was unconvinced, but it was good to have another Space Marine aboard the Ithraca’s Vengeance. The only others were a few comatose warriors in the apothecarion – ones that had lost limbs and organs to glancing necron beam hits.

‘No, not yet,’ said Fedualis, face strained. ‘The warp-nullification still reaches us.’

‘Keep going,’ the lieutenant told Oloris. ‘All power to the engines and shields.’

‘The enemy are closing, lieutenant commander,’ said Oloris. ‘You want us to shut down gunnery?’

‘All power, Mister Oloris,’ said Praxa­medes. ‘We’re not fighting our way out of this one.’

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

The lifter container had several external vid-links, directed upwards and to the surface. Monitoring the feeds, Aeschelus saw the sudden new star in the darkening sky that heralded the end of the necron capital ship. It did not matter what madness or idiocy had possessed the necron commander to come within range, perhaps thinking the orbital palaces were out of commission. The result was all that counted. The read-outs told him that his force of several dozen Space Marines would be on the ground in a matter of minutes, but his future was a secondary concern now.

‘Ship command, what is your status?’ he voxed. The container-elevators had dedicated channels to the ground and orbital terminals, but the station tech-adepts had overridden them and increased their power so that he could remain in contact with the Ithraca’s Vengeance for several hundred thousand more miles.

‘Still no warp traction, brother-captain,’ Praxa­medes replied. ‘We are trying to get out-system but are being pursued. If we turn on our attackers, I think we might lose our opportunity.’

‘I see,’ the captain replied, heart sinking. It had been a long shot, and perhaps just a hope-dream rather than a plan. ‘Keep going as best you can. I trust you to make the right decision, brother.’

Adjusting the channel, he responded to a signal from the orbital palaces. He recognised the voice of the Imperial commander himself answering.

‘Captain Aeschelus, this will be our last conversation.’

Lowensten’s words automatically brought to mind the warnings of Sister Aures. Aeschelus had left the Imperial commander aboard the palaces, but suddenly doubted the wisdom of that decision.

‘What do you mean, Imperial commander?’ he growled. ‘What are you planning?’

‘I received a notice from the aliens shortly prior to the destruction of the enemy capital ship. It confirms that the bulk carrier vessel we have been ignoring is the key to their attack. There is no ship in orbit or weapon on the ground that can defeat it. I–’