'Thank you, Chaplain.'
'I shall be sure to tell the Chapter Master upon our return home,' said Clausel, 'and any who doubt your loyalty or fidelity to the Ultramarines shall answer to me.'
Clausel hammered his fist against his breastplate, and bowed to Uriel before turning and following the rest of the Ultramarines.
Uriel watched him go, feeling a wholeness in his heart that came from knowing that he was truly home. Though he had felt welcome upon his return to the Fortress of Hera, only now did he fell fully accepted once more.
He heard footsteps approaching, and smiled at the sight of Lord Winterbourne and Colonel Loic. Both men wore their finest dress uniforms, a vivid panoply of gold and green, cream and bronze. The three-legged vorehound padded alongside the Lavrentian colonel, and Uriel saw a glittering medal hanging from its collar.
Winterbourne saw his glance and said, 'Old Fynlae deserved a medal as much as anyone. Saved my life back in Deep Canyon Six, after all.'
'I could not agree more,' said Uriel, shaking hands with Winterbourne. 'He is a credit to your regiment.'
'Farewell, Uriel,' said Winterbourne. 'If you ever find yourself in Segmentum Solar, you'll be assured a place of honour at the regimental mess on Lavrentia.'
'Thank you, Lord Winterbourne,' said Uriel with a short bow.
Winterbourne turned to Loic. 'I keep telling him to call me Nathaniel, but he never listens.'
'It was an honour to fight alongside you, Captain Ventris,' said Colonel Loic as Winterbourne led Fynlae away. 'I'm sure my lads will be speaking of this campaign for decades. That's twice you've saved this world.'
'I hope there will not be a third time,' said Uriel, and Loic chuckled.
'You and me both, but I think we'll be fine from here.'
Uriel nodded. 'I hope so. You have come a long way since we first met, Colonel Loic. You and your soldiers have proved to be warriors of courage and honour, let no man tell you otherwise.'
Loic beamed at Uriel's words and gave him a crisp salute. 'Farewell, Uriel. Courage and honour!'
Uriel smiled and made his way towards the waiting gunships.
Courage and honour indeed.
Admiral Tiberius was waiting for Uriel when he stepped from the ramp of the Thunderhawk that had brought him from Pavonis.
Straight away Uriel saw that something was terribly wrong.
The embarkation deck was strangely quiet, the crew standing with their heads bowed, as though in mourning. An atmosphere of anger and loss pervaded the ship, and Uriel marched straight over to the venerable Tiberius.
'Admiral? What has happened?'
'News from Macragge,' said Tiberius. 'It's Tarsis Ultra.'
'Tarsis Ultra? Where we fought the Great Devourer? What of it?'
'It's gone, Uriel,' said Tiberius. 'Destroyed.'
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Courage and Honour w4u-5 Page 34