At the edge of the makeshift refugee gathering area, the Word Bearers' Imperialis Militia—Mortals from Colchis, rigorously trained and equipped with excellent armour and weapons—took on the vital duties of maintaining order and distributing supplies.
They were not Space Marines, but their discipline far surpassed that of the local defenders.
Crates marked with the Imperial Aquila, filled with emergency medical kits, high-energy nutrient paste, water purification tablets, and thermal blankets, were swiftly unloaded from the rear of transports hovering low overhead.
"Stay in line! Collect your supplies in order! Medical supplies go to the wounded first! Everyone will receive their share!" the militia commander shouted through a loudspeaker, his voice clear and forceful even amid the clamour.
The soldiers quickly established distribution points, deftly opening crates and handing out supplies while vigilantly maintaining order to prevent any riots that shortages might provoke.
Nearby, the Word Bearers' Techmarines were not idle either.
They directed engineering vehicles to clear obstructions from the main thoroughfares and used precision detection equipment to search for underground shelters that might lie buried deep beneath the rubble.
At the same time, they assisted local Technicians in attempts to repair critical communications and power nodes.
The Astartes' superhuman endurance, strength, and mastery of technology proved invaluable in the relief efforts.
They could work for dozens of hours without tiring, move enormous obstacles that Mortals' machinery could not handle with their bare hands, and rapidly diagnose and repair complex system failures.
Elsewhere, the rescue efforts had reached their most difficult stage.
An area that had once housed an enormous synthesis plant had collapsed entirely. Twisted steel frames and prefabricated slabs weighing hundreds of tonnes lay piled across one another, forming a death Labyrinth. Faint cries for help drifted from survivors deep within.
Conventional engineering machinery was utterly powerless here.