Deliverance Lost

‘There is fighting on Mars?’ Agapito’s incredulity was betrayed by his tone. ‘That puts the traitors within striking distance of Terra already!’

‘I expected as much,’ said Corax, leaning forwards to pick up a wine bottle in his giant hand. He delicately poured himself a glass of red, the crystal goblet seeming tiny in his fingers as he raised it to his lips. ‘Horus would not be able to launch a war against the Imperium without support from the tech-priests. That it reaches as far as Mars is worrying, but not a revelation.’

Corax sipped his drink and nodded to Noriz to continue. The captain cleared his throat and looked at the assembled commanders.

‘If you do not trust us now, Horus has struck an even keener blow than I had feared,’ said Corax, sensing the captain’s continuing reluctance. ‘Your reticence is starting to become tiresome, captain. Are we wasting our time here?’

‘Our primary focus is the fortification of Terra and the defence of the Sol system,’ Noriz told them, pouring himself a drink. He looked long at Corax and the commanders and then gave a single, unconscious nod, indicating that he was willing to trust them. ‘The turncoats on Mars are contained, their defection destabilising our efforts rather than directly threatening them. With the loyal Mechanicum occupied with the enemy within their ranks, they can provide little support for our growing war effort.’

‘Which is all very interesting, but we want to know what happened to other Legions on Isstvan. Who is left to fight Horus?’ This was from Agapito.

‘I was hoping that you might know more than me on that account,’ confessed Noriz. ‘There has been scattered traffic returning from the system, a ship or two bearing survivors, but little else. We’re not really sure what happened out there. As I said before, we had heard that the Raven Guard had been eliminated.’

‘Though the news has proven false in that case, we must still assume for the moment that the Salamanders and Iron Hands have been wiped out,’ said Corax. ‘Ferrus Manus was slain, I saw as much myself, and nothing has been seen of Vulkan. It is likely that their Legions were also destroyed. What of other loyal forces? How far has the taint spread to the Imperial Army? Any news from Guilliman, or Jonson, or the Khan?’

‘I do not know,’ Noriz said with a shrug. ‘Nothing has been passed down to me from Legion command, you will have to speak to Lord Dorn about that.’

‘The Emperor, what is the Emperor doing?’ asked Aloni. ‘Surely he will lead the fight against Horus.’

A pained look crossed the face of Noriz.

‘We have heard nothing directly,’ said the captain, placing his cup on the table in front of him. ‘Lord Dorn has been placed in charge of the Sol defence and the fortification of the Imperial Palace. Malcador appears to be acting as regent on Terra, with the authority of the Emperor alongside the primarch. We have been told that the Emperor is engaged fully in his own endeavours to defeat the traitors, though what that means I have no clue.’

The Raven Guard commanders muttered shock and disapproval at this revelation, until Corax stepped up to the table.

‘Quiet,’ said the primarch. He cast a stern look at the legionaries. ‘If the Emperor is embroiled in some unseen effort, we must trust that it is the surest road to victory. Did you think he would come out of the Imperial Palace, sword in hand, and cast down these traitors with a single blow? The Emperor created us to be his warriors, and we will bring him victory.’

With further questioning it became clear that Noriz could furnish them with little more information other than the ongoing defensive measures being undertaken. Jaghatai Khan and his White Scars were presumably en route to Terra, having been recalled from Chondax by Dorn himself, but no other communication had been received from them for some time. The First Legion, the Dark Angels under Lion El’Jonson, had not been heard from and were likely unaware of the recent treachery of Horus. Leman Russ and his Space Wolves were equally incommunicado, having been despatched by the Emperor to deal with the problem of the Thousand Sons and their continuing sorceries many months before. The Ultramarines, largest of the Legions, had been sent to the opposite side of the galaxy by Horus prior to the massacre, and were unlikely to be able to intervene any time soon. For the moment, the only Legions that could be accounted for and depended upon were the Raven Guard and the Imperial Fists.

The council ended with little learnt, but what small amount of intelligence Noriz had passed on was far from comforting. The warp storms were, as Corax had suspected, widespread; perhaps the whole galaxy was engulfed. Certainly the region around Isstvan was cloaked in a massive tempest that blocked navigation and communication.

It seemed increasingly likely that the warp disruption was part of Horus’s strategy. The last time warp storms had raged like this, the worlds of mankind had been divided and isolated, leading to the onset of Old Night and the dissolving of the original human empire. Unable to unite properly, prevented from coordinating their strategy or enforcing loyalty to the Emperor, the disparate planets of the Imperium would be much easier pickings for the traitors. With a swift strike to secure power on Terra, Horus could emerge as a new uniter of humanity, sweeping away the rule of the Emperor at a stroke.

THE PREPARATIONS FOR Terra’s defence became more evident as the Avengermoved in-system towards Terra. The Sol battlefleet, the largest single armada in the Imperium, was gathering in strength. Dozens of warships blockaded Mars, while hundreds of other vessels took station in orbital positions over the other planets, their sensors turned outwards in readiness for the arrival of Horus’s fleet.

The communications networks were overloaded with activity, the strat-net frequencies used by the Legiones Astartes and Imperial Army sometimes so clogged with data that it took many hours for messages to be relayed. There was a tangible aura of desperation amidst the turmoil, as though any day would see the warp tearing apart with the arrival of hundreds of traitor ships.

As they neared their destination, the Raven Guard encountered increasing numbers of security screens. Warship patrols hailed them frequently, while massive star forts locked their guns upon the arriving vessel, keeping watch until it had passed out of range. Passing further and further into the heart of the Sol system, the Avengerwas subjected to constant scrutiny, though its passage was never barred outright.

Gaining orbit over Terra was an expedition in itself, despite the assurances and assistance of Captain Noriz. After three days entangled in the security protocols of half a dozen different military jurisdictions and organisations, Corax finally lost patience. Dismissing the communications attendants from their posts, he keyed in a failsafe code for the most secure cha

There was no reply for half an hour, as Corax paced back and forth across the strategium. Finally the vox crackled into life, with a voice that was deep and thoughtful, every word carefully enunciated, every syllable spoken with crisp authority.

‘Is that you, Corax? It is about time you contacted me, brother. I was wondering if the news that you were still alive had been yet another breakdown in communication.’

‘Brother Rogal, yes it is Corax,’ replied the primarch. ‘If you do not find me an orbital station in the next five minutes, I’m going to use my weapons batteries to make a space for myself.’

There was a short but hearty laugh over the vox.

‘That would not be a good idea!’ said Rogal Dorn. ‘I heard that you had arrived, but then I must admit that your whereabouts were washed away in all of the other clutter. Do you want to berth at a platform or take up an independent orbit?’