The Tech-Priests were not the only ones who had made gains. The Techmarines and other Astartes from the Imperial Fleet Group were just as busy.
Since they had arrived later than the Adeptus Mechanicus fleet, they abandoned the outer few hundred metres of the arks and instead headed deeper inside, following the Men of Iron forces advancing ahead.
Before long, however, these Astartes from various Chapters discovered some valuable finds.
Among the sections of Imperial Ships incorporated into the arks were considerable quantities of ancient Astartes equipment.
A Deathwatch squad discovered a large cache of Mark II and Mark III Power Armour left in one area. The suits bore numerous scars of battle, and the bodies inside had long since decayed. The insignia on the armour had become the only means of identifying them.
Yet as their investigation continued, they soon discovered that the remains belonged to Imperial Fists, and even former Word Bearers and Death Guard.
The bones inside the Power Armour had not disappeared. Judging by their skulls, these warriors must have died as far back as the Great Crusade.
Several Blackshield warriors stared at the Power Armour and remains without a word.
But no one knew why these otherwise unrelated Astartes had appeared in the same place, let alone died together.
From several Servo-skulls and other devices left on the floor, the Techmarines carefully extracted some crucial data. These warriors were all Loyalists who had become lost in the Warp while following the Emperor on the Great Crusade.
After the many remains had been sorted, every shoulder plate was carefully examined.
These Loyalists came from two Tactical Squads of the Imperial Fists' Third Company, a Scout Squad of the Death Guard's Eighth Company, and a Support Squad of the Word Bearers' Fifth Company.
The remains of these