READ NOVEL FREE Chapter 134: Chapter 132
---Victor POV, Three Days Later---
Receiving an abrupt wake-up call shortly after 4 am, the night watchman alerted me to an ongoing development that required my immediate attention. Asking for additional details, so I could determine the severity of the situation myself, instead of answering me, the officer began to play an audio recording.
"Hello?! Please, someone, anyone, answer me!!", a desperate voice cried out. "This is Guardsman Serpedal of the 9th Sarkish VII Halo Troopers. We are in dire need of extraction or reinforcements. At 1500 hours yesterday, Fort Warden became the last Imperial position on Sarkish VII after Fort Ganfu was overrun by the enemy. Our ammo is beginning to run low, and the void shields are showing signs of failure. If anyone can hear me, please respond!"
(AN: Sarkish VII is not a canon world; I generated the name. I am placing it between Cephian IV and Cirillo Prime on the unofficial Warhammer 40k map. If you have a link to an official map, please let me know because I cannot find one anywhere.)
"Supreme Commander, how should we respond?", the officer inquired, stopping the transmission.
"Give me a moment to check something out.", I stated, tapping the console on my nightstand twice. "Computer, please bring up a map of the Imperium of Man."
Acknowledging my request, the computer projected a digitized copy of the map in front of me. Focusing on the region of space around our current location, I began to search for the world in question to deploy drones there. Quickly discovering that Sarkish VII was not within fifty light-years of us, I asked the computer to please show me where it was in relation to us. Zooming the image out several times, the computer dropped a red pin on the planet and a blue pin on us.
"Approximately how far is the distance between the two points?", I asked as Amallyn began to stir.
'Thirty-five hundred light-years!? This has to be a poorly implemented enemy trap; the Imperium of Man uses Astropaths to communicate over distances greater than one light year.', I thought, almost writing the transmission off as a fabrication, 'No… while the chances are incredibly slim, this call for aid could still be genuine. If they somehow still had communication equipment from before the Imperium's founding, that could be how they are able to contact us from so far away.'
Since drones were not a viable option, I decided to use the Force instead. Taking a moment to focus and sharpen, my surroundings began to shift as Sarkish VII came into view. Noticing a fleet of two hundred World Eater vessels in orbit, I could sense the presence of millions of innocent souls trapped within the bowels of the ships. While a few desperately sought to find a way to escape, most had resigned themselves to accepting whatever horrors awaited them in the future.
'Did the fortress already fall into the enemy's hands?', I thought.
Before I could ponder that thought for long, the Force drew my attention to a rundown fortress on the planet's surface. Surrounded by an army of daemons and several World Eater warbands, the civilians inside the fortress were being kept alive by a failing Void Shield, the Legion of the Damned, Primarchs Russ and Vulkan, and several million Guardsmen. Giving all they had to holding the position, the enemy leader, a Bloodthirster, was slowly gaining ground against my uncles. Severely beaten and bloodied from prolonged combat, as their strength steadily waned, those watching began to succumb to dread and fear.
'There is still time to save them!', I thought, rolling out of bed. 'Have my commanders, Captain Agar, Captain Warcrow, and Canoness Superior Ionica, meet me on the bridge in five minutes. While I meet with them, have all our troops and vessels prepare for combat. We have only a short window of time to save the survivors; do not delay!"
"Understood, sir!", the officer acknowledged. "Should we send a response to the fortress and let them know we are en route?"
"Yes, tell them that the Second Primarch's armada has received their distress call and is moving in to render assistance.", I ordered, "Have them begin preparing for emergency evac."
"By your orders, Supreme Commander!", the officer said before closing the channel.
Having listened in on the conversation, Amallyn decided to tag along with me for the meeting. Crawling out from under the sheets, wearing only one of my old t-shirts, she stumbled over to freshly cleaned clothing and began to change. Looking over my shoulder to admire her beautifully toned butt and legs, a satisfied smile crept onto my face. Glancing back at me, as if she could feel my gaze, Amallyn asked me if something was wrong.
"I am just admiring your beautiful body.", I answered mischievously. "By the way, did you use the strawberry shampoo in the shower last night, or is that how you naturally smell? I am not complaining about it; I am just curious is all."
"Thank you, your praise fills me with happiness. I... I also find your masculine body to be attractive and stimulating.", Amallyn replied with an embarrassed look, "As for the strawberry scent, I used the shampoo in the shower last night hoping you would like it. Should I continue to use it, or pick a different scent?"
"You can pick whatever scent you like, but I personally think cherry blossom would suit you better.", I said, walking over to her. "Do you need some help getting into your jumpsuit?"
"I would appreciate it, yes.", Amallyn acknowledged, thinking about my suggestion, "Cherry blossom, huh… I can give that a try."
Stretching out her jumpsuit a bit so she could slip into it easier, I zipped the back of the suit up and helped her fasten down the armor plating. Satisfied that everything was in order, Amallyn retrieved her rifle from the wall rack and rejoined me by the bed.
"Luxion, if you would please.", I said.
Thanking him, the three of us vanished from the bedroom and rematerialized several stories below. Snapping to attention, the team saluted me and began to inquire about what was going on. Opening my mouth to begin getting them up to speed, Ionica quickly cut me off when she caught sight of Amallyn next to me.
"Victor, why is Amallyn here with you? I thought she was going to return home with Eldanial and the other Eldar after we captured the Blackstone Fortress.", Ionica inquired, staring at Amallyn with annoyance.
"If you had not left so quickly, you would have been there to witness my excommunication from Biel-Tan. Under penalty of death, I am forevermore banned from setting foot on my home Craftworld.", Amallyn answered with a smug smile, "With my life's purpose taken from me, I choose to stay with Victor and see where things lead me. You will be happy to hear that the two of us are officially a couple now."
"Is… is that so? Congratulations!", Ionica said as she gritted her teeth. 'I intended to slowly express my affection for him over the duration of this expedition, but this pointy-eared bitch just ruined that plan. If I want to secure a place by his side, as his romantic partner, I need to change my approach.'
'Did I hit a nerve, Mon-Keigh? If you want a chance at joining his harem, you best be ready to discard your unfounded hatred of other races.', Amallyn thought, 'All of his wives were very accepting of me; hopefully you can be the same… though I seriously doubt it.'
Watching sparks fly between the two women, I realized Amallyn's true reasoning for coming to the meeting. Aware of Ionica's feelings for me, since we spent the night in the security room, we had not progressed far in our relationship because of her commitment and devotion to the Adepta Sororitas. It was my understanding that marriage was outright banned by the organization, so we could only ever be romantically involved with each other. I had intended to speak with Abbess Vahl about it privately, but after hearing about Ionica's promotion, I decided to see if she still sought a relationship with me now.
'Right now is not the time to discuss this matter at length. The survivors of Sarkish VII are minutes away from massacre.', I thought as I cleared my throat. "Now is not the time for this, Amallyn and Ionica. We can address this matter later."
"Very well, Victor.", Ionica said before catching herself, "I mean… Lord Stark."
"As you wish, Victor.", Amallyn relented for the time being.
Walking over to the group, the two Astartes thankfully kept their comments on the matter to themselves. While I was certain they had strong opinions on her presence here, after the smackdown I delivered to Warcrow and his subordinates, neither man dared to complain about Amallyn. Free of interruptions now, I began to explain the situation to the team.
"A few minutes ago, we began receiving a distress signal from Sarkish VII. The sole remaining Imperial foothold on the planet is maybe fifteen to twenty minutes away from being overrun by a Bloodthirster, an army of Daemons, and several World Eater warbands. In addition, there are several million civilians trapped aboard the World Eater fleet in orbit over the fortress.", I stated, "To buy the group on the ground time to evacuate, we will have to blitz the enemy ranks and push them away from the fortress. I can—
"Apologies for interrupting, but how exactly have they been keeping a Bloodthirster back? Even if their Void Shields are still working, a few blows from a Greater Daemon would bring it down.", Warcrow commented with a confused look.
"Primarchs Leman Russ and Vulkan are currently keeping it preoccupied. Unfortunately, though, both men are severely wounded and steadily losing ground against the hulking beast.", I answered, "The Legion of the Damned and the surviving Astra Militarum soldiers are keeping everything else back."
Realizing that his Primarch was there, any private reservations Warcrow had about going in vanished immediately.
"Commander Eagleson and Commander Yoma, I need you two to disable all enemy vessels, rescue the hostages, and scuttle the ships. Send them crashing into the enemy ranks on the planet's surface.", I commanded him. "As for the rest of us, while Eagleson and Yoma keep the enemy fleet busy, we will begin rapidly deploying our forces onto the battlefield. The New Genesis will open a teleportation gate within the fortress for civilians to evacuate through. Ionica, I need several of your people to assist with the evacuation and ensure no one gets left behind. Agar and Warcrow, when I step in to replace Russ and Vulkan on the battlefield, I need some of your men to drag the Primarchs onto my ship. They are very unlikely to go willingly, so be ready to subdue them."
"It will be done.", the five of them promised.
"Commander Dance, your men will relieve the Astra Militarum of their duties and point them to the evacuation point. Do not hesitate to use all the tools at your disposal to secure our defensive line.", I said. "Commander Lawson, in addition to your standard forces, I want the experimental Zaku units deployed in this fight as well. This is an excellent time to field test the mech units, and the extra firepower will help us immensely."
"Yes, sir!", both men shouted in acknowledgment.
"Lastly, Dair, I would like to field some of your mechanized units as well. Specifically the Fenrirs and the Metal Gear RAYs, if that is fine with you.", I requested over the radio.
Satisfied that everyone was on the same page now, I sent the Imperials back to their barracks to prepare while my commanders went to join their troops. Walking over to my control chair, I began making the necessary preparations for our relocation to Sarkish VII.