Ambush
Krogar and the other four members of the scout squad strolled through the desert.
The squad's mission was to penetrate deep into enemy territory and find out how many positions and how many troops the enemy had deployed in the desert.
After trudging through the desert for seven minutes, a red-armored Space Marine came running from nearby.
Krogar looked at the Space Marine.
The two parties drew closer.
The Space Marine looked down at Krogar.
In the depths of his eyes, Krogar saw only a mountainlike steadfastness, so unshakable it seemed to regard everything with indifference.
He remembered that a year earlier, when Krogar had sat on the operating table and learned that his transformation had failed, his eyes had been just as impassive.
"There are two enemy positions nearby, both anti-aircraft sites," the Space Marine said. "Check the information I sent you, Brother Krogar."
That word, brother, carried not only the meaning of battle-brother but also the affection between them from when they had both still been mortal.
"I've seen it. Lead us on, brother," Krogar said.
The Space Marine set off again.
With a Firstborn Space Marine leading them, the reconnaissance mission was easy to carry out.
As Krogar trudged through the sand, he occasionally lifted his head to watch the sky.
Beyond orbit, twelve warships faced off against twelve others.
It looked like a fierce battle, but in reality neither fleet had inflicted much damage on the other.
Those twelve warships belonged to no Chapter in the alliance. They were Imperial Navy forces originally stationed in the Maelstrom region, and after being integrated, they had dutifully fought alongside the alliance.
Warp travel and astropathic communication were still unavailable to them.
Krogar wasn't sure whether the Navy beyond the sky could receive reinforcements. After all, they had