"What?!" Calgar shot to his feet. "The Sons of Sorrow? What are they doing here? A fleet? How large is their fleet?"
Shock and confusion covered the communications officer's face. He stared at the incredible figure on his data terminal and stammered, "My lord... according to our preliminary scans... this fleet... has at least... at least twenty battleships and a hundred Strike Cruisers, as well as... countless escorts and support vessels... their strength... may... may exceed that of six full-strength Chapters combined..."
Six full-strength Chapters?
Calgar froze completely. He wondered whether his ears were failing him, or whether the young communications officer had misread the data out of sheer nervousness. The Sons of Sorrow? That Chapter supposedly numbering only a few hundred warriors, renowned throughout the Imperium for its endless misfortunes? Where had they found such an enormous fleet?
"Open a channel to their flagship!" Calgar ordered decisively, his heart filled with suspicion and unease.
Soon, a towering figure in golden commander's Power Armour appeared on the main screen. Behind him stood an equally resplendent bridge and countless Space Marines standing at attention, radiating power.
"This is the Mother of Tears, flagship of the Sons of Sorrow expeditionary fleet." The newcomer's voice was steady and powerful. "I am Malakim Phoros, supreme commander of the Sons of Sorrow Legion. Lord Calgar, we have come on the orders of Saul, Saint of Ember, to support your Chapter and stand together against the invaders."
Phoros! It really was Phoros!
Calgar knew him. They had met once at a gathering of Chapter Masters several centuries earlier. But the Phoros before him bore no resemblance to the commander he remembered, a man shadowed by sorrow and helplessness. Now he was confident and powerful.
"Chapter Master Phoros," Calgar said gravely, suppressing his shock, "thank you for