“Are you well, my brothers?” asked Gymir.
“Aye,” answered Mikal.
As the Wolf Guard clambered to their feet and reformed, Mikal noticed something unusual. The bodies of the Dark Angels lay shredded. Mikal walked over and knelt down beside the body of one of the fallen Marines.
During the attack, some of the creatures had opened up the Space Marine’s power armour and dug their claws into his flesh. Mikal felt a chill run through him. Chunks had been dug out of the Dark Angel. Organs had been removed, including the Marine’s gene-seed. He checked the other bodies; all of them showed the same signs. The beasts had been collecting the gene-seed of the Emperor’s finest.
Mikal looked over at the Wolf Guard and then up to Gymir. “The creatures stole the Dark Angels’ gene-seed,” he roared.
Mikal’s comm crackled to life. “Wolf Guard Mikal, this is Lieutenant Markham. We have reptos entering the city in untold numbers.”
Above the planet, the Fist of Russ hung in space and for the moment her guns lay silent. The Dark Angels’ fleet backed away from the Space Wolves’ ships while Thunderhawks from the planet below docked with their parent vessels.
From his bridge, sitting in his stone command chair, Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist could not believe his eyes. The battle runes indicated the Dark Angels’ retreat, as did the holographic projections of the battle. The Dark Angels were breaking off their attack. The ship’s herald called to him, “M’lord, we are receiving hails from the Dark Angels’ battle-barge.”
Berek waited for a moment. He couldn’t believe that Ragnar had negotiated something like this. He knew that the young lad had courage to spare and a zeal for battle, but Ragnar wasn’t a diplomat unless his time with the Wolfblade had changed him quite a bit.
The Wolf Lord’s men held their posts, waiting for orders. They would follow Berek into the Eye of Terror itself if he so commanded. The Wolf Lord stood up. “Herald, accept the transmission from the Dark Angels.”
The herald touched a rune and two of the carved wolfs’ heads opened their jaws to reveal hidden speakers.
A cold metallic voice came over the speaker. “Space Wolf commander, this is Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas of the Vinco Redemptor. We are withdrawing our forces from your planet. We trust that you have the strength to keep Chaos in check, now that you are here in numbers. We have stopped our assaults on your vessels, but be assured, we will defend ourselves if you do not break off your attack immediately.”
Berek cleared his throat and took the comms console. The ship’s herald stepped back. “This is Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist, interrogator-chaplain. I’m sure you realise that I’m familiar with your Chapter’s history of treachery and duplicity.”
“Just as we are familiar with your reputation as ignorant barbarians,” replied Vargas.
“Good,” said Berek baring his fangs. “Since we understand one another, you are retreating, and you are asking us not to fire upon you. I can understand that, since we’ve nearly crippled your precious battle-barge and bled you white on the surface. We will stand down. After all, I don’t want to leave the Imperium without one of its Chapters of Space Marines, even the Dark Angels, but my men might like to hear you announcing your retreat.”
“I will not rise to your bait, Space Wolf. We will only fire if fired upon. We have accomplished our purpose.
“The rest of the mess is yours, Wolf Lord. I also do not wish to leave mankind without several of its defenders, even when they’ve let their territory be infiltrated by Chaos.”
“Good, so you are retreating,” said Berek.
“We will withdraw once we have retrieved all of our men from the surface,” answered Interrogator-Chaplain Vargas.
The battle in space was over.
The members of the Wolfblade made their way through Hyades’s jungles back towards the city. Ragnar supported Gabriella, while he, Torin and Haegr kept up as fast a pace as they could. Choker vines lashed out at them, and they splattered through swarms of buzzing beetles.
One of the trees tried to trip up Haegr with its roots. The giant Space Wolf swung his hammer around and smashed through the living wood. The entire tree shuddered. “And don’t try that again,” Haegr warned it.
When Torin, Haegr and Ragnar burst from the jungle into the kill zone, several columns of smoke and clouds of dust greeted them. Mounds of broken rockcrete maned the once invincible walls of Lethe. One of the gates hung open. Thunderous explosions echoed from the city. The battle hadn’t ended yet.
“We’ve made it to the city. Now we just need to get through the fighting to the palace and find a shuttle,” said Gabriella. She still looked tired, but she had regained her air of command.
Ragnar’s comm crackled to life. “This is Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist. Ragnar, lad, if you’re out there, answer.”
“This is Ragnar. Have the Dark Angels retreated?” Ragnar was curious since the explosions hadn’t stopped.
“They are retreating. I’m impressed, young one. Only one thing prevents us from removing the Dark Angels. The Hyades defence forces keep firing on them. The governor doesn’t answer his comm, and well, I know about the commander. Where is Lady Gabriella? Aren’t you her bodyguard? I need someone to order the planetary defenders to stand down against the Dark Angels,” the Wolf Lord chuckled. “Mikal went out onto the battlefield, but I’m having trouble raising him. Do you have Lady Gabriella?”
“Yes, Wolf Lord. She is here with us,” Ragnar replied.
“Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist is on the comm. He asks you to order the Hyades planetary defence force to stand down against the Dark Angels,” said Ragnar.
Gabriella leaned over to speak into the comm system. “This is Lady Gabriella of House Belisarius, Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist. I will immediately give the order to cease hostilities against the Dark Angels.”
“Good to hear your voice, my lady,” said the Wolf Lord. “We’re still ready to defend House Belisarius. I understand that you have a xenos problem on the ground, but I think it’s time to start by removing the Dark Angels.”
“House Belisarius will not keep them here. I’m giving the orders now.”
“Aye. Berek Thunderfist, out,” responded the Wolf Lord.
Gabriella adjusted the comm codes. “Hyades planetary defence forces, this is Lady Gabriella of House Belisarius. You are ordered to cease hostilities against the invading Dark Angels. They have agreed to withdraw. The Space Wolves will help restore order. Governor Pelias and Commander Cadmus have fallen, and as of this moment, you will take all orders from Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist or myself. Again, cease all attacks on the Dark Angels immediately.”
“Now, we just need to listen,” said Torin. “If the guns stop, you did it m’lady. If not, then we’re in for a long bout of fighting.”
Without saying anything, the four stood in the kill zone and listened. The regular blasts of the guns slowed, and then stopped. The only sounds Ragnar could hear were servos in the Space Marines’ armour and the ever-present buzz of beetles.
“They stopped,” said Ragnar.
“Pity,” said Haegr, “I would have preferred to thrash the lot of them.”
“Now, we just have to survive the reptos,” said Ragnar, “and with Berek’s company here, we will.”
“Lady Gabriella,” offered Torin, “let’s get you to the House Belisarius shuttle, assuming it’s in one piece, and safely off this planet.”
“Finally, Torin has a good idea,” said Haegr.
The four of them clambered over the remnants of a wall and entered the city.
The Wolfblade’s trek to the city centre revealed the full extent of the devastation. Buildings lay shattered and broken. Craters pockmarked the roads, and the landscape more resembled a volcanic badland than a city. Despite the devastation to the landscape, the real horror came from the number of bodies lying strewn everywhere.
Bodies lay scattered, rotting in the ruins. Some of the corpses wore the colours of the planetary defence force
, but far more were civilians. The stench of death and decay burned Ragnar’s nostrils. The dead had looks of pain and horror on their faces. Ragnar had a new respect for the terror that Space Marines could inspire in their foes. Lethe had suffered horribly, there was nothing but ruins and flames in all directions. Torin kept pausing and checking his auspex to make certain that they were heading in the proper direction.
“By the Emperor,” said Gabriella, as she stared at the limp body of a child at the edge of a crater, “what evil guided Cadmus?”
“The worst kind of evil, Gabriella,” said Ragnar, “Chaos… and not only Chaos, but the work of our worst enemies, the Thousand Sons.”
The mere thought of the Thousand Sons made Ragnar’s anger rise within him. Throughout his entire career as a Space Wolf, they had proven to be the most relentless of foes. The legends all spoke of the Thousand Sons as the greatest enemies of the Space Wolves, and Ragnar would vouch for every one of those stories. The passionate rivalry between the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels was a mere shadow of the shared hate between the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons.
For Ragnar, battling the Thousand Sons was personal. He had served with Berek when he had last fought the Thousand Sons and defeated them using the Spear of Russ. How ironic that he had come face to face with more of that traitor Chapter while Berek’s great company fought the Dark Angels both in orbit and on the surface of Hyades.
Still, it was a day of victory. The Dark Angels were leaving, and although they had encountered Chaos Marines, the members of the Wolfblade had defeated them. Cadmus lay dead, his body in possession of the Dark Angels.
The ground shook. Then, it shook again and again… and again. The sound of the explosions kept growing in volume, one after another, after another. A column of white flame burst from the street in front of the Space Wolves. It became a wall of white fire, extending in both directions and rising to nearly thirty metres. The scent of burning promethium was unmistakable.
“Take cover,” yelled Torin.
The next blast threw all of them off their feet, even Haegr. The ground was scalding hot. The explosions weren’t like any they had experienced so far in the battle.
Ragnar took cover with the others behind a large still-standing wall with an overhang from what had once been the second floor of a building. Now, it was shelter against a burning rain. He tried to comprehend what was happening. The aerial bombardment had stopped some time ago, what could be causing these explosions?
The smell of promethium was so strong that he wondered if the refineries were blowing up. He could even taste the fuel on his tongue.
The explosions continued in all directions and smoke billowed upwards from cracks in the streets. The blasts were coming from below.
“What is happening?” asked Haegr.
“I’m not sure,” said Gabriella.
“With the smell of promethium everywhere…” started Ragnar.
“The only thing that I can think of is that something in the refineries, the tunnels or the mines has gone terribly wrong,” finished Torin.
Gabriella looked at the members of her Wolfblade, and then settled her gaze on Ragnar. “We’ve got to get to the shuttle now,” she said.
“I know. If the promethium has ignited,” said Ragnar, “we’ll cook if we stay here.”
“I see something ahead,” said Haegr. “Follow me.”
“Be careful,” said Torin.
Ragnar saw Haegr’s target. A Chimera sat quietly in the street with its ramp down. The bodies of the men who had once occupied the vehicle lay scattered around the ramp. Bolter holes in the bodies and the distinctive cuts of chainswords indicated that these men had encountered the Dark Angels and things had not gone well.
Torin went to the main hatch, which appeared to have been forced open. He reached down into the driver’s compartment and pulled out a charred corpse. “They killed the drivers too,” he said, scooping out another blackened body and throwing it down to the pavement with a wet thunk. The stench was awful. “I’ll make this thing work. I’m driving. With your permission, m’lady, I believe that this vehicle will allow us to reach the shuttle much more safely,” he said.
“Take us there, Torin. Let’s go inside, away from this burning debris,” said Gabriella. Wisps of ash and promethium gently fell from the sky, contrasting with the continuing eruptions.
“You want me to get in one of these, again?” asked Haegr.
“Yes,” said Ragnar. He wanted no delays.
Torin shook his head and climbed into the front of the vehicle. Haegr swore upon the private parts of Fenrisian wolves, but he crouched and angled his way inside.
Static crackled over Ragnar’s comm, and he cursed under his breath. He banged his fist against the driver’s compartment. “Torin, I can’t get a signal again.”
“I suspect we have interference,” replied Torin.
Ragnar wasn’t in the mood for Torin’s ability to state the obvious, although he knew his battle-brother faced the task of driving the Chimera through the exploding hell that Lethe had become. He had to think for a moment.
“Torin, what about the Chimera’s comm system? Could I access that? Shouldn’t it have more signal?” asked Ragnar.
“Try it yourself. There’s a comm station right next to — your seat,” said Torin.
Ragnar activated the comms on the tank as it rumbled through the debris towards the palace. Gabriella had strapped herself in, but Haegr was fighting with his seat. “Just how do ogryns ever fit in these things?” he asked.
“Ogryns are smaller than mighty Haegr, I suspect,” said Ragnar, finding the heart to joke. Inside, he prayed to the Emperor to let the comm work. All he received was static.
“By Morkai’s Axe,” said Ragnar, “I can’t contact Berek.” He shook the comm, frustrated with the constant signal interference adding to everything else falling apart around them.
A crackle came over the system. Ragnar had a signal. It was weak, but it was a signal nonetheless.
“This is Ragnar to Wolf Lord Berek. Can you hear me?” asked Ragnar.
“This is the Fist of Russ, Ragnar, ship’s herald here. The Wolf Lord is busy,” came the reply.
The Chimera struck something in one of the roads, bounced, and then got very hot. Haegr cursed again as his head hit the roof of the cramped transport chamber. “We had better get there soon,” he growled.
“I need to talk to the Wolf Lord. All this isn’t just the work of the traitor Cadmus,” said Ragnar.
“This is Berek,” said the voice of the Wolf Lord over the comm. “Wolfblade Ragnar, the events on the planet below are the work of Chaos. Since you have Lady Gabriella with you, leave the surface of Hyades as soon as you can.”
“Someone ignited the promethium mines,” said Ragnar. “Everything’s exploding.”
“Heh, lad,” said Berek. “You should see the view from space.”
“What do you mean, my lord?” asked Ragnar.
The pattern of the burning forms an oval. In fact, it looks like a flaming eye glaring up from the planet, and it’s visible from space. “I can see it from the observation decks. From your signal, you should be near the centre—”
The comm died. “In the name of Russ,” said Ragnar. He dropped the comm quietly, taking in the impact of what he had heard.
Gabriella screamed. Light glowed from beneath her headband and she shook violently.
She gurgled something incoherent. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she banged her head against the Chimera’s restraints. Ragnar saw her muscles tense. A vein bulged in her neck.
“Gabriella. What’s wrong?” asked Ragnar.
“How can we help her?” asked Haegr as Ragnar pulled a med-kit from its storage bin in the back of the Chimera.
Gabriella started hyperventilating.
Ragnar grabbed her hands.
“Hold on, come back to us, your Wolfblade. We’re in the Chimera on Lethe.”
Gabriella’s breathing slowed and her
eyes met Ragnar’s. “Ragnar, something terrible is happening. There are… many disturbances in the warp.”
“Hold on,” shouted Torin from the driver’s seat in the front. “We’re heading through a wall of fire.”
Everything became extremely hot and there was a loud bang. The Chimera lurched to the right, sending Haegr flying across into Ragnar. Neither Space Wolf was wearing safety restraints, but fortunately neither of them landed on Gabriella. Torin swore something from the driver’s seat in front as he fought for control of the tank.
Another loud bang sent the Chimera lurching back to the left. The two Space Wolves tumbled to the other side of the tank. Gabriella’s restraints kept her secure.
“In Russ’s name!” said Haegr as Ragnar smashed into him.
Ragnar thought the Chimera had become airborne for a moment, and then a third loud bang reverberated through the vehicle, followed by a metallic grinding. He knew that at the least, the tank had broken multiple tracks. Ragnar smelled oil and the terrible grinding sound continued from the right side of the transport vehicle. With a loud boom, the Chimera shook and jolted from side to side, before coming to a rest with a resounding thud. At least they had stayed upright. Ragnar and Haegr both climbed to their feet.
“Everyone alive back there? Sorry about that — driving conditions are rather poor at the moment,” snarled Torin.
Ragnar ignored Torin for the moment. “Gabriella, are you all right?” he asked. He looked at her bloodshot eyes and immediately realised it wasn’t one of the brightest questions that he had ever asked.
Gabriella managed a smile, as she seemed to notice what a stupid question it was.
[Space Wolf 05] - Sons of Fenris Page 24