"This is the Fidelitas Lex. We are about to die, but we will die gazing upon the Emperor's light!"
Strahn's voice rang from the Bridge's amplification arrays, cut by the noise of battle into ragged bursts of roaring.
He stood on the Command Throne, his captain's uniform soaked with sweat, the medals on his chest covered in dust.
He stood before the Throne and slowly drew the Ritual Longsword from his waist with his right hand.
The sword had been awarded to him when he was promoted to ship captain. Prayers of Holy Terra were engraved on its blade. Ordinarily, it was merely a ceremonial symbol, but at this moment, it became a shining declaration.
He pointed its tip toward the black vortex drawing ever closer directly ahead of the Bridge, advancing in the Emperor's name.
Not one of the mortal crew was absent. They all held fast at their posts.
There was no weeping, no fleeing.
The helmsman gripped the control stick tightly, the weapons officers were still checking the Macro-cannons already doomed never to fire again, and the communications officer wore headphones, checking the communications signals that would soon fail...
Every face was illuminated by the pulsing red light on the Bridge. There was no fear on them, only a strange solemnity, like ranks assembled at a funeral.
Kais stood beside Strahn, quietly watching Gungnir grow larger before him.
He neither sat at any control station nor touched any equipment.
He simply stood there, holding that enormous Chainsword, his gaze passing through the observation window to the gathering rift in reality.
Countless streams of energy were converging at that single point, the distorted halo making its outline shift constantly.
"Shut down the Macro-cannons, turn, overload the engines, Void Shields to full power!" Strahn's order rang out.
The operators'