Friedisch pawed at Cawl's shoulder, pulling his attention away from the battle outside. He found it fascinating. There was so much information in the dance of starships and the patterns of fire exchange. It was beautiful. He was no longer afraid. He no longer feared death.

The same could not be said of Friedisch.

'Cawl,' he said.

The noise of feral warriors echoed up the way. It was impossible to tell where it was coming from, but past the vanishing point, destructive light flashed.

Cawl nodded. 'We need to move on.'

'They sound so savage,' Friedisch said in terror. 'Who would make something like them?'

'The Emperor had His reasons.' Cawl looked out of the window at the battle again, where men who were once brothers tore each other apart. That was why the Space Wolves were made. They were watchdogs, created to guard against betrayal.

'Are you sure we're choosing the right side?'

'My friend,' said Cawl. 'In this war, there is only the least bad side, and we are on it. Come on. Let's go.'

Cawl went ahead. Friedisch dithered, looking back down the long outer corridor of the tether-tube, trying to guess where the battle was.

'But Cawl, where are you going?' Friedisch called after his friend. 'The domina keeps her ship in the mid-range docking halls. That way.' He pointed at a maintenance door set into the floor that led inwards, towards the hollow core of the tower and the giant expressway that ran from Septa, through Momus and up the tether-tube of Prima.

Cawl looked ahead, which, in relation to the moon, was up towards the station at the end of the trunk and the void beyond.

'We're not going to her ship just yet. We have to pay the domina herself a visit. And we have to get there before the Space Wolves do.'

'You never said we were going to do that! You said we were going to steal her ship!'

'We are,' said Cawl. He set off. Tez-Lar lumbered after him.

'But Cawl! They'll be going after her, they'll kill us!' Friedisch shouted up the corridor until he realised that Cawl would not listen to him. At a loss as to what to do, he hurried after.

Leman Russ had his assault launch before the Vengeful Spirit's shields were down.