Cassandra Vanlescus pulled the trigger.
The muzzle of the R-2 jumped slightly, and the Navigator collapsed at her feet, his head already reduced to pulp splattered across the wall. Lady Cassandra cast the traitor a disgusted glance, then, still unsatisfied, pulled the trigger twice more and blasted apart the golden Aquila on his chest.
That symbol of heresy and blasphemy made her blood boil. She could not understand how these traitors could strut so openly aboard the fleet of The Emperor of Mankind, not even bothering to disguise themselves.
Ingratitude was a wicked blasphemy, and these fools, who had utterly forgotten whose grace allowed them to survive in the cold void, were simply hateful beyond measure!
At the same time, another emotion began to surge within her—humiliation and fury at having been deceived. She had actually been fooled by a pack of traitors for so long, had even taken them on the Vengeance Crusade! Had made them the vanguard!
Deep shame churned inside her. She thought, Cassandra Vanlescus, you are a disgrace to your name! The ancestors of House Vanlescus would be ashamed of you!
All those emotions piled together and drove her to start cursing.
"You shameless piece of filth!"
She stared with hatred at the traitor who had brazenly worn the Evil God's mark on his body and roared in fury, "Damnable traitor, shameful heretic! I was so wrong about you, Lion El'Jonson. To think you hid yourself so deeply!"
After that brief release of emotion, she regained a measure of calm.
Wasting no more time, she stepped over the Navigator's corpse and came to the front of the bridge's Logis Engine. After a series of complicated verification procedures, the ancient machine, already several centuries old, began to stir into activity.
Cassandra watched it nervously, pinning her hopes