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rusty　metal　hook　in　the　other。　A　suing　of　desiccated　human　heads　bobbed　around　its　waist。
Wulfe　dropped　down　into　the　turret　basket　just　in　time。　The　beast’s　axe　clanged　on　the　rim　just
as　his　head　disappeared　inside。
“By　the　Throne！”　shouted　Siegler。　He　began　scrambling　to　unhook　one　of　the　lasguns　from　the
fixings　by　his　station。　In　the　meantime；　the　ork　had　thrust　its　metal　hook　into　the　turret　basket　and
was　slashing　backwards　and　forwards；　trying　to　snag　the　crewmen　it　knew　were　inside。
Wulfe　threw　both　his　arms　around　the　ork’s　massive　wrist；　but　the　damned　thing　was　so
powerful　it　began　battering　him　off　the　turret　walls。　In　desperation；　Wulfe　let　go　with　one　hand　and
scrambled　for　his　knife。　He　grasped　the　handle；　drew　it　from　its　sheath；　and　stabbed　it　hard　into　the
ork’s　forearm。
With　a　roar　of　pain；　the　ork　withdrew　its　arm；　taking　the　knife　with　it；　but　the　reprieve　was　only
temporary。　Seconds　later；　it　thrust　its　massive　head　down　into　the　turret　and　began　snapping　at
Wulfe　with　its　razor…toothed　jaws。　The　stink　of　its　foul　breath　filled　the　compartment。
“Down；”　shouted　Siegler；　and　Wulfe　dropped　his　weight　to　the　floor　just　in　time。　Tusks　clashed
an　inch　above　his　head。　Then　the　ork　turned　to　face　the　loader；　drawn　by　his　shout。
Siegler　rammed　the　barrel　of　a　lasgun　into　the　creature’s　mouth　and　yanked　back　hard　on　the
trigger。　The　blast　blew　out　the　back　of　the　ork’s　head；　spattering　the　wall　of　the　turret　basket　and　two
of　its　occupants　with　blood　and　brain　matter。
“By　the　bloody　Eye　of　Terror；”　shouted　Beans。　The　back　of　his　head　was　drenched　in　foulsmelling
gore。
“Good　work；　Sig；”　said　Wulfe。　He　immediately　set　about　trying　to　clear　the　cupola；　but　it　wasn’t
easy。　Shifting　the　heavy　corpse　took　all　his　strength。
When　the　hatch　was　free；　he　poked　his　head　out　to　check　for　any　other　orks　waiting　to　lop　his
head　off。　There　were　none。　He　stood　and　gripped　the　handles　of　his　heavy　stubber　again。　In　the　few
seconds　it　had　taken　to　deal　with　the　hook…wielding　ork；　yet　another　Cadian　tank　had　been　reduced
to　a　flaming　black　skeleton。
Something　else　had　changed；　too。　There　were　more　Cadians　than　before。　The　reinforcements
from　the　rear　had　arrived。　Chimeras　were　pouring　laser　and　autocannon　fire　in　every　direction　but
that　of　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance；　and　the　foot　soldiers　were　tapping　in　to　some　kind　of　hidden
reserves。　They　fought　back　with　a　renewed　sense　of　purpose。　Wulfe　decided　it　must　be　the　sight；　or
perhaps　the　proximity；　of　the　holy　tank　that　had　inspired　them。　If　they　could　only　stop　it　knocking
out　their　damned　armour…
Just　as　he　was　thinking　this；　the　disfigured　Baneblade　fired　again。
This　time；　the　victim　was　Hal　Keissler　and　The　Damascine。　The　2nd　Company　leader　died
instantly；　blown　apart　with　the　rest　of　his　crew。　Wulfe　swore；　realising　that　he　could　count　the
number　of　surviving　tanks　on　the　fingers　of　two　hands。　To　the　right　he　saw　New　Champion　of
Cerbera　and　was　amazed　that　she　had　stayed　in　the　fight　for　this　long。
Perhaps　he　had　underestimated　Lenck’s　skill　as　a　commander。
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It　hardly　mattered。　If　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance　kept　picking　them　off　like　this；　none　of　it　would
mean　a　damned　thing。
“Beans；　you　never　answered　my　question。”
Having　been　denied　the　only　armoured　target　on　the　field；　Beans　was　strafing　ork　infantry　with
the　co…ax。　“What　question？”
“Do　you　think　you　can　hit　the　damned　warboss？”
“I　can　try；”　said　Beans；　“but　if　I　hit　his　ride　instead；　the　general　will　have　me　shot！”
“Do　it　anyway；”　barked　Wulfe。　“I’ll　answer　for　it；　but　you　have　to　take　the　shot。　That　damned
thing　is　getting　ready　to　fire　again；　and　we　might　just　be　the　next　target。　Siegler？　Load　her　up。　Highexplosive。
Let’s　blow　that　greenskin　bastard　into　the　next　life。”
“We’re　out　of　high…ex；　sarge；”　replied　Siegler。　“Only　armour…piercing　left；　and　not　many　of
’em。”
“Damn　it；”　spat　Wulfe。　“AP　it　is。　Load　her　up。　Aim　well；　Beans。”
“Locked　and　lit；”　shouted　Siegler。
“Do　it；”　said　Wulfe；　“and　may　the　Emperor　guide　your　shot！”
Beans　stamped　on　the　floor　trigger。
Last　Rites　II　shuddered　as　exploding　propellant　burst　from　her　muzzle　brake。　The　shot　zipped
straight　in　towards　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance。　Wulfe　held　his　breath；　praying　that　the　ork　leader
would　disintegrate　in　a　shower　of　blood　and　bone　shards。
The　shot　curved　low　and　smacked　straight　into　the　Baneblade’s　turret　instead。
Another　massive　armoured　plate　fell　away；　revealing　more　of　the　black　and　gold　that　lay
underneath。
The　reaction　on　the　vox　was　immediate。　Wulfe　heard　General　deViers　screeching　at　the　top　of
his　voice。　“Who　fired　that　shot？　Identify　yourself　at　once。　You　are　disobeying　a　direct　order　from
your　general！”
Wulfe　was　about　to　respond　when　another　voice　cut　in。　It　was　Major　General　Bergen。
“Frak　it！”　said　Bergen。　“This　is　a　direct　order　from　10th　Division　Command。　All　tanks；　open　up
on　that　monstrosity　with　everything　you　have。　We　won’t　lose　anyone　else　to　it。　You　hear　me？　Fire　at
will。”
Wulfe　knew　that　the　general’s　orders　overrode　Bergen’s；　but　he　wasn’t　about　to　let　that　stop　him。
“Siegler；　load。　Beans；　do　what　you　do　best；　son！”
Thunderclaps　echoed　from　the　rusting　metal　walls　all　around　as　the　surviving　tanks　of　the　10th
Armoured　Division　blasted　the　bastardised　Baneblade　with　everything　they　had。　Fire　blossomed　all
over　it　and　heavy　pieces　of　armour　spun　away　in　all　directions。
“Stop！”　yelled　deViers　over　the　vox；　but　nobody　was　listening。　“I　command　you　to　stop！”
The　Adeptus　Mechanicus　also　added　their　protestations；　overriding　the　Cadian　vox…comms　to
issue　warnings　of　their　own；　but　to　no　avail。
Again　and　again；　the　tanks　fired。　More　and　more　of　the　true　shape　of　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance
was　revealed。　Then　one　shot　struck　the　raging　warboss　that　stood　atop　the　turret。　There　was　a　sudden
burst　of　bright　blue　light　and　a　loud　cracking　sound　as　the　energy　field　generated　by　the　warboss’
armour　straggled　to　absorb　the　blast。　Against　lesser　weapons　like　lascannons；　it　might　have　held
indefinitely；　but　it　simply　wasn’t　powerful　enough　to　repel　the　sheer　force　of　a　tank　round　impacting
at　full　velocity。　The　field　collapsed　and　the　beast’s　right　arm　vanished　completely　in　a　fine　red　mist。
The　warboss　staggered　and　looked　sideways　at　the　ragged；　bleeding　stump　of　flesh　with　an
expression　of　slack…jawed　disbelief。　That　was　when　a　second　round；　an　armour…piercing　shell　from
Captain　Immrich’s　Vanquisher；　Firemane；　struck　it　dead　centre　in　the　torso。　The　round　punched
straight　through　the　ork’s　power　armour；　blew　its　guts　out　its　back；　and　blasted　it　from　its　feet。
A　great　cheer　went　up　from　the　Cadian　soldiers；　and　they　rallied　for　the　third　time　that　day。
Wulfe　marvelled　at　them。　He　knew　how　tired　they　were；　but　they　were　Cadians；　all　of　them。　They
185
would　rather　die　of　exhaustion　than　give　up　the　fight。　It　was　their　planetary　heritage；　this　discipline
and　strength。
“Cease　fire；”　shouted　deViers　again。　“Cease　fire；　at　once！”
The　tankers　stopped　firing。　The　Baneblade　still　rumbled　forward；　but　without　their　commander；
the　crew　were　confused　and　lost。　The　ork　foot　soldiers　were　distracted　by　the　sound　of　the　Cadian
cheer　and　turned　to　find　that　their　warboss　had　been　slain。　Without　his　overwhelming　strength　and
dominance；　the　unity　of　the　ork　force　collapsed。　Old　factions　that　had　once　been　rivals　were
suddenly　free　to　wage　war　against　each　other　again；　and　the　entire　force　fell　into　absolute　and
immediate　disarray。　Greenskins　began　hacking　and　firing　at　other　greenskins　just　as　fiercely　as　they
were　fighting　with　the　Cadians。　It　didn’t　take　the　Guardsmen　long　to　capitalise　on　this。
The　clashing　of　heavy　blades　and　the　barking　of　large　calibre　stubbers　and　pistols　gradually　gave
way　to　the　ordered　crack　of　las　and　hellgun　volleys。
Within　the　hour；　the　sounds　of　fighting　died　off　altogether。
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CHAPTER　THIRTY…FIVE
“Get　those　men　down　from　there；”　deViers　stormed。　“Get　back　all　of　you。　Damn　your　eyes；　I’d　have
some　of　you　shot　but　for　the　fact　that　we　have　our　prize　at　last。　Gruber；　give　me　that　vox…amp　unit。
And　you　there！　Yes；　you。　Help　me　up　at　once。”
A　young　trooper　bearing