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remaining　forces　from　the　settlement　up　ahead。　Find　the　warboss。　When　you　have　achieved　these
things；　the　beacon　shall　be　launched。　Not　before。”
DeViers　heard　the　tell…tale　click　of　the　vox…link　being　cut　from　the　other　end。
“Gruber；”　he　yelled；　“get　me　Gerard　Bergen　again。”
175
Four　tanks；　they　were　all　that　remained　of　Gossefried　van　Droi’s　10th　Company：　his　own　Foe…
Breaker；　Wulfe’s　Last　Rites　II；　Viess’　Steelhearted　II；　and　Lenck’s　Exterminator；　New　Champion　of
Cerbera。
Of　these；　only　Lenck’s　was　firing　on　anything　other　than　the　giant　squiggoth。　His　crate’s　twinlinked
heavy　bolters　were　outstanding　anti…infantry　weapons；　and　they　had　helped　cut　a　bloody　path
of　carnage　through　the　ork　ranks；　but　they　were　little　use　against　something　like　the　insane
behemoth　that　was　chasing　him。　Instead；　Lenck　ordered　Riesmann　to　concentrate　on　keeping　the
way　clear　with　a　torrent　of　fire。　There　was　no　way　he　was　getting　trampled　to　death　like　those　other
idiots。
Damn　that　stupid　Immrich　for　ordering　them　back　into　the　middle　of　the　horde。　Not　only　was　it
slowing　them　down；　putting　them　in　reach　of　the　squiggoth’s　tusks　and　feet；　but　six　tanks　from　the
2nd；　4th　and　7th　Companies　had　been　slapped　with　magnetic　mines　that　blew　them　to　tiny；　spinning
pieces。　Other　tanks　were　struggling　through　the　press　of　bodies　with　dozens　of　orks　on　top　of　them；
all　yanking　hard　at　the　hatches　and　hammering　at　the　vision　blocks　with　the　butts　of　their　blades。　All
the　weight　of　those　hangers…on　slowed　the　tanks　to　a　crawl。　As　Lenck　watched；　the　squiggoth
thundered　forward；　crushing　one　and　knocking　two　others　onto　their　backs。　Broken　ork　bodies　flew
in　every　direction。　In　the　wake　of　the　beast’s　rampage；　however；　more　orks　immediately　moved　in
on　the　upturned　machines。　They　began　trying　to　cut　their　way　through　belly　armour　with　chainaxes
and　blowtorches；　desperate　to　get　at　the　helpless　men　inside。
Lenck　grimaced。　It　wasn’t　that　he　cared　for　his　fellow　tankers　per　se；　but　he　imagined　that　it
might　not　be　long　until　New　Champion　was　on　her　back　like　that。　He　definitely　wasn’t　ready　to　die。
Most　of　the　dolts　around　him　thought　it　was　an　honour　to　die　for　a　so…called　God…Emperor　they　had
never　even　seen；　or　to　die　for　a　planet　that　had　sacrificed　them　to　a　life　of　war　in　that　same。
Emperor’s　name。　Not　Lenck。　He　still　had　scores　to　settle。　He　enjoyed　being　Voeder　Lenck　far　too
much　to　give　it　up　on　some　foolish　notion　of　honour　and　duty。
It　wasn’t　his　destiny　to　die　here。　He　knew　he　would　make　it　through。
Part　of　him　hoped　Wulfe　would　make　it；　too。
Wulfe　watched　two　massive；　ugly；　scar…faced　orks　climb　up　onto　the　outside　of　his　turret　and　start
hacking　at　it　with　their　axes。　Futile；　of　course；　but　he　knew　how　lucky　he　was　that　neither　of　them
appeared　to　be　carrying　explosives　or　a　burner。　All　he　could　do　was　tell　Metzger　to　keep　the　old　girl
moving　and　pray　they　wouldn’t　get　tagged　with　something　nasty。
Beans　was　firing　back　at　the　squiggoth；　but　it　was　hard　to　aim　with　all　the　jouncing　around。　With
armour…piercing　rounds；　he　had　managed　to　wound　the　beast　twice；　hitting　it　both　times　in　the　thick
muscles　of　its　front　right　leg。
Now　a　third　sound　punched　through　its　skin　and　buried　deep；　causing　the　creature　to　scream　and
rear　up　on　its　hind　legs；　towering　like　a　Titan　over　the　battlefield。　Even　the　orks　turned　and　gaped。
It　was　at　that　very　moment；　with　the　monster’s　belly　exposed　to　the　tanks　below；　that　a　long
yellow　muzzle　flame　erupted　from　the　end　of　Foe…Breaker’s　Vanquisher　cannon。　The　special　highvelocity
armour…piercing　shell　lanced　straight　into　the　monster’s　heart。
With　a　scream　that　hurt　Wulfe’s　ears　even　through　his　baffles；　the　squiggoth　collapsed　sideways；
tumbling　heavily　to　the　ground；　crushing　hundreds　of　orks　and　throwing　out　a　great　ring…shaped
cloud　of　dust。　The　impact　shook　the　entire　crater；　knocking　foot　soldiers　on　both　sides　from　their
feet。
Wulfe’s　tank　was　filled　with　cheering　and　whooping。　The　vox　erupted　with　similar　noises。
“Hell　of　a　shot；　sir！”　Wulfe　voxed。　“Give　old　Bullseye　a　slap　on　the　back　from　me。”
The　squiggoth　was　not　dead　yet。　Few　things　smaller　than　a　Titan　could　have　killed　such　a　beast
outright；　certainly　not　a　Vanquisher　tank。　As　the　dust　cleared；　Wulfe　could　see　the　slow　rise　and　fall
176
of　its　belly。　It　was　still　breathing；　but　it　was　desperately　weakened　and　pinned　to　the　ground　by　the
weight　of　the　massive　howdah　on　its　back。
It　wouldn’t　be　getting　back　to　its　feet。　Ever。　Its　death　would　be　long　and　slow。
It　was　too　much　for　the　orks。
Bad　enough　that　the　squiggoth　had　rampaged　through　their　ranks；　leaving　so　many　of　them　as
little　more　than　red　smears　on　the　battlefield；　now；　they　saw　the　Cadian　tanks　put　it　out　of　the　fight；
and　their　morale　shattered　like　glass。　Those　at　the　rear　broke　ranks　first；　fleeing　back　towards　the
settlement；　dropping　heavy　guns　and　blades　on　the　blood…soaked　sand。
The　Cadian　officers　recognised　this　for　exactly　what　it　was：　the　shift　that　signalled　victory。　They
rallied　their　troops；　pressed　their　advantage；　and　surged　forward。　Those　orks　that　did　not　flee
suddenly　found　themselves　facing　a　resurgent　foe。　Without　the　overwhelming　numbers　at　their　back；
they　were　lost。　Their　charred　bodies　fell　to　the　sand；　and　the　Cadians　charged　over　them。
General　deViers　felt　that　the　Emperor　must　surely　be　watching　him　at　that　moment。　His　destiny
had　not　abandoned　him。　His　legacy；　his　immortality；　was　within　reach。
“Forward；　Cadians；”　he　voxed；　“in　the　name　of　the　Emperor。　This　day　is　ours！”
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CHAPTER　THIRTY…TWO
The　Cadian　artillery　moved　up　to　join　the　rest　of　the　expedition　force；　and　began　pounding　the　ork
settlement　to　rusting　rubble。　This　was　something　for　which　the　orks　no　longer　had　an　answer。
Thousands　died　taking　shelter　in　their　pathetic　corrugated　huts　and　barracks。　Thousands　more　were
crushed　and　killed　when　the　Basilisks　turned　their　muzzles　towards　the　ork　foundries　and　levelled
them。　It　was　only　when　General　deViers　received　an　emergency　vox…call　from　Magos　Sennesdiar
that　the　shelling　abruptly　stopped。
“What　the　devil　are　you　doing；　sir？”　asked　Major　General　Rennkamp　on　the　vox。　“We’ve　got
them　right　where　we　want　them。　Keep　shelling。”
“Damn　it；　no！”　snapped　deViers。　“I　want　our　tanks　and　Chimeras　to　move　in。　Each　vehicle　is　to
have　infantry　support。　I　want　them　to　sweep　each　street；　each　building；　and　converge　on　the　far　side。
That’s　how　we’re　going　to　do　this。”
“With　respect；　sir；”　voxed　Major　General　Killian；　“that’s　bloody　nonsense。　The　orks　will　have
retreated　to　their　fallback　positions。　They’ll　be　dug…in。　You’re　sending　our　boys　straight　into　a　death
trap。　I　agree　with　Aaron。　We　have　to　pound　them　to　nothing　with　the　Basilisks　and　then　send　the
infantry　in　to　mop　up。　Anything　else　is　just—”
“Enough！”　snapped　deViers。　“I’ve　already　executed　one　officer　today。　Will　I　have　to　repeat　that
action？　I　will　not　risk　destroying　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance。　We　go　in　with　tanks　and　troops。　We’ve
already　beaten　them；　by　Throne。　They　won’t　put　up　much　more　of　a　fight。　I　want　our　tanks　up　front；
is　that　clear？　Bergen？”
“Clear；　sir；”　voxed　Bergen。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　tone　of　exhausted　resignation　in　his
voice。　His　armour　had　just　won　a　great　victory。　The　Basilisks　could　have　made　it　complete。
However；　if　the　damned　tech…priests　weren’t　lying　for　once；　the　most　famous　and　sacred　Baneblade
battle　tank　in　the　entire　Imperium　was　somewhere　up　ahead。　It　might　be　buried　under　a　frak…load　of
rusting　junk；　but　the　general　clearly　believed　it　was　there；　and　not　one　man　present　would　be　leaving
Golgotha　until　it　was　retrieved。
From　a　pre…expedition　total　of　over　one　hundred；　only　twenty…six　tanks　remained　in　the　ranks　of　the
81st　Armoured　Regiment。　They　moved　slowly　and　deliberately　through　the　twisting；　junk…filled
streets　of　the　ork　camp；　halting　frequently　to　blast　apart　ramshackle　towers　and　barracks　buildings
from　which　ork　rockets　and　stubber…fire　stabbed　out。　Vox…chatter　was　terse；　betraying　the　Cadians’
anxiety。　No　one　liked　moving　through　the　narrow　lanes。　The　shaky　metal　buildings　on　either　side
looked　ready　to　topple　at　any