The Khorne forces' assault pods plunged through the gaping breach blasted open earlier. Led by the World Eaters, the Khorne Cultists had already penetrated deep into the warship. The Astra Militarum soldiers defending against the boarding action were mercilessly torn apart by the World Eaters, though powerful internal gun emplacements and resolute defenders still inflicted heavy casualties on the cultists following behind.
To be safe, Evan led the Thirteenth Company to reinforce them.
"Everyone, hold the line!" Captain Sloft's voice rang through the entire warship over the vox. "Astartes reinforcements are on their way. Keep the enemy pinned down!"
The Astra Militarum soldiers' morale surged. Since they had begun fighting the Chaos warships, enemy boarding parties had destroyed several Imperial vessels. There were only a handful of Chaos warriors among the enemy, but under their leadership, the other daemons and mortal cultists could swiftly tear through the defenders' lines. Almost every defensive position had bought time with human lives.
Now their own Astartes had arrived, fighting in their own realspace. It had been a very, very long time since they had fought with an advantage like this.
Likewise, Evan no longer had so much to worry about.
The Crimson Tide Chapter's current Battle Barge was nowhere near as fragile as their old ship. Even without counting the Blackshields and those kept hidden, the warship currently carried eighty-seven active Astartes and a full eighty-one recruits.
Even if the enemy boarded them, they were confident they could hold the Battle Barge.
A transport set off carrying Evan and the Thirteenth Company. They did not need assault pods, because the Victory-class Battleship's flight deck was still under friendly control-if that could even be called a hangar.
The thirteen warriors reached the Victory-class Battleship and headed straight for the reactor. Khorne's assault force was