In the First Strike Fleet, two Strike Cruisers came under attack from Dark Eldar boarders.
The Dark Eldar fleet was small, with only a hundred ships. Its largest vessels formed the backbone of the force resisting the Strike Fleet.
It sent out vast numbers of shadowy aircraft, using all manner of Aeldari technology beyond human comprehension to ferry hordes of warriors onto human ships.
But the Dark Eldar did not head for the Void Shield generators or try to cripple the ships' engines.
They were taking people.
Under Kampa's plan, the Eighth Special Operations Company of the Fierce Angels would join the Void Rangers to form a Legion assault company, using their strength in airborne assaults.
After the Strike Cruiser carrying Kais, captain of the Eighth Assault Company, came under attack, he roamed through the ship, shouting orders for his company to repel the boarders.
Kais carried two Battle Axes. One had been brought by Kayan during the Battle of Saint George. It had belonged to his best friend and contained a fragment of the Sword of Sanguinius.
Kais believed in the Imperial Truth. He did not think that fusing a fragment of a Primarch's weapon into an axe would give it any miraculous power. After all, Primarchs were no more gods than the Emperor was.
But now he had to admit that he hoped—and prayed—the weapon in his hands might work a miracle.
"Sana—Sana—"
Kais growled the name.
He deeply regretted bringing his slave onto this Strike Cruiser instead of leaving her aboard the Judgement Day.
But he had thought she would be safest by his side, and that no one else would care whether a blind, legless woman lived or died.
The Judgement Day wasn't completely safe—
But it was far safer than this Strike Cruiser.
Kais followed