One arrow shot through the clouds, and a thousand troops came running. When you spotted one dog, there was a good chance you were already surrounded by countless big dogs.
The three offered no resistance and obediently returned to the surface, where eight Interstellar Super-Dogs surrounded them. The good news was that the dogs soon lowered their guns. Their database contained information on Hogg and the other two, and Steve remembered the three rookies as well.
The nanobeacons inside the trio were still active. After scanning them, the dogs immediately identified them as allies. They didn't perform the human Imperium's signature memory-restoration procedure, or even interrogate them.
Using the Power Armour Magnus wore, Kargath Bladefist, commander of the Tactical Squad, accessed the earlier combat footage with his clearance and sent it to his squadmates.
As masters of the Galaxy, the Dog-men had built a highly connected society. Methods like the memory-restoration procedure had been obsolete for thousands of years.
With military Nanobots, the Interstellar Super-Dogs no longer had to probe enemy brains by devouring their tissue, as they had during the Great Crusade. One injection of nanite solvent, and they could find out anything.
Even though he was only the lowest-ranking cannon fodder, Kargath still followed the Brass Codex, written by the great God-Emperor. He protected Hogg and his companions' basic rights as members of the Coalition and didn't dig too deeply into their memories.
When the squad saw these rookie recruits—members of a species called Ogryn—kill five elite Sergeants in less than a second, they raised their guns again.
"Lower your guns! Who told you to do that? The three of them earned merit by killing the traitors. Under the promotion system, they now hold the same rank as me. And in the Imperium, anyone outranking their superior is