"A pack of traitors hiding in their shells!" he roared. "Keep firing! Smash through their shields! Ground forces, attack! Tear those golden cowards to pieces!"
More Lance strikes rained down, hammering the Void Shield in a relentless barrage. At the same time, several Thunderhawk Gunships screamed into the atmosphere, dropping squads of murderous Fire Hawks assault warriors along the edges of the spaceport.
"For the Emperor! Kill these traitors!" the Fire Hawks roared as they charged the Sons of Sorrow's shield wall.
Saul looked at the faltering Void Shield, then at the civilians still boarding behind him. He knew they could not keep taking this punishment without fighting back.
"Sergeant Malakai!" Saul bellowed over the vox. "Take half our men and hold the shield wall! Keep it standing until every civilian is aboard, whatever it takes!"
"Yes, Company Captain!" The veteran Malakai's voice was as steady as a mountain.
"The rest of you!" Saul turned toward the other half of his brothers, his gaze cold and sharp. "With me! Remember our rules! Knock them unconscious. No killing! We'll teach these fanatical lunatics what true honor means!"
"For the Sons of Sorrow!"
Led by Saul, fifty golden giants surged out like a blade drawn from its sheath, meeting the charging main force of the Fire Hawks head-on.
An utterly bizarre battle began.
A Fire Hawks warrior swung his Chainsword at a Son of Sorrow with enough force to split rock. The Son of Sorrow neither dodged nor flinched. Just before the blade struck, he brought his Combat Blade up at an impossible angle and hit the Chainsword's power coupling with pinpoint precision.
Crack! With a sharp electrical snap, the roaring Chainsword died. In the instant the Fire Hawks warrior hesitated, the Son of Sorrow's fist slammed squarely into the side of