Optera, aboard the Mother of Tears
Saul was instructing the recruits in the training grounds when the warship's chief Astropath suddenly staggered in. His face was deathly pale, blood seeped from every orifice in his head, and his hands clutched a data scroll he had just risked his life to decipher.
"Chapter Master... highest-priority emergency orders... from Holy Terra..."
Saul frowned deeply and strode forward to take the scroll. Beside him, Gareth's expression darkened. "Something's gone terribly wrong?"
Saul quickly scanned the horrifying intelligence on the scroll: the complete corruption of the Star of Hope, the wildly spreading Chaos Engine, thirty-seven worlds on the brink of destruction, the advance force of Space Marines wiped out to a man... and the one insane plan that could save hundreds of billions of lives.
"The High Lords of Terra want me to go straight to the Star of Hope, enter the core of that corrupted engine, and neutralize it with my power." Saul's voice was unusually calm, but a dark golden light had already kindled in his eyes.
"You alone? Against Chaos energy on that scale?" Gareth drew a deep breath. "With all due respect, how is that any different from marching to your death?"
"But if I don't go, hundreds of billions across the entire sector will die with it." Without a moment's hesitation, Saul turned toward the communications station. "Open an astropathic reply channel. Send our response directly to Terra."
The Communications Officer immediately took his station.
"First, I accept the mission. Second, prepare a contingency plan. If I fail, immediately carry out Exterminatus on the Star of Hope. Do not hesitate. Third..." Saul paused, his gaze softening a little. "Tell Commander Valoris that if I truly cannot return, please look after the Lamenters for me. They are good brothers. They