‘Strategium access located, assault command,’ reported Sergeant Lato. ‘Minimal resistance expected. Scattered opposition.’

‘Acknowledged, brother-sergeant.’

Nem­etus drove the tip of his blade through the flak armour of a gang­ling mutant with three eyes, noting with disgust the yellowy fluid that sprayed forth in place of blood. He took the creature’s head off with a backhanded sweep and batted aside the falling body with his shield to fall upon the next foe.

‘We have noticed a distinct lack of enemy command figures, brother-lieutenant. No officers encountered, as far as we can tell. No Traitor Astartes higher echelon.’

Gunfire rattled against the lieutenant from his left. He turned to locate the enemy but one of the brothers from Temerity had already found them, a bolt from his pistol turning the traitor’s upper body to a splayed mess of blood and fractured bone. The mutant slumped sideways, autopistol falling from its grasp.

‘Strategium is sealed,’ added Sergeant Dorium. ‘It is possible they have all taken sanctuary inside. However, enemy crew still appear determined and in good morale despite lack of direct leadership.’

Nem­etus considered the situation for a moment. He did not know if the lack of officers signified anything or was symptomatic of the displacement of forces for the unsuccessful ambush strategy. He had reached the next point of decision: to make for the strategium at all speed with every squad, or a more measured attack with a rearguard. Despite being wrong-footed by Nem­etus’ attack plan, the enemies that he assumed had been waiting around the logistics bay would be redeploying. Four minutes had passed since the first breach, but within four more these corridors could be swarming not with dozens of foes but hundreds, possibly thousands. In such circumstances, the strategium could easily become a mausoleum if he was not prepared.

On the other hand, they were there to seize data, not the whole ship. The longer the Ultramarines remained, the more embroiled in extended combat they would become. If he was to maximise the advantages gained by the shock landing, he had to act decisively.

‘All squads, continue rapid advance. Eradicators, move to the fore of the assault and prepare for breaching action.’

Whichever way Praxa­medes examined the evidence, he could find nothing to support Nem­etus’ proposition that the breach in the ladening bay was engineered. At the stage of the battle at which the damage occurred, the only motive would have been to invite a boarding action to forestall destruction by ranged firepower. Even then it was an extraordinary leap of logic, or intuition, by the enemy commander. It was a gamble, but a very precise kind of gamble when weighed up against many other strategies, as Lerok had suggested.

‘Lieutenant!’