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finger along the deep gouges that formed the stick figure of a four…armed monster。 It certainly did
look daemonic； but Marduk was certain。
“I believe these people are held in the sway of xenos creatures；” he stated。 “A tyranid vanguard
species； perhaps。 I feel that there is some form of psychic control over these miners that draws the
hive fleet like a lure。 These deluded fools are worshipping a xenos creature； or a host of them； that
will be the death of them。”
“Worshipping xenos as gods？” asked Khalaxis； his voice expressing his disgust。 Marduk
nodded。
“A powerful foe； then；” said Burias with relish。
“Oh yes；” agreed Marduk。 “A powerful foe。”
Marduk peered at the small view…screen。 The submersible had no viewing portal； it was built to
traverse the deepest abyssal channels of the ocean floor； and at extreme depths even the most
heavily reinforced window would crumple beneath the tremendous pressure。 In its stead； the grainy；
black and white pict screen fed visual information from the sensor arrays on the exterior of the deepsea
vessel。
The interior of the submersible was cramped and hot； and the Word Bearers had needed to
commandeer four of them to fit all of the warriors accompanying Marduk。 The secondary locking
gate on the underside of the sub…docks slid aside； and the four mining craft descended into the open
water； powerful impeller motors whirring。
Burias sat at the controls of the craft； looking ludicrously large hunched over the dials and levers
that controlled the pitch； speed； depth； direction and roll of the submersible。 It was a simple control
system akin to that of a shuttle； and he had little trouble becoming familiar with it。 He grinned like a
madman as he discovered the controls of the exterior robotic arms； and in the view…screen Marduk
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could see the massive power…claw snapping； and the huge drill spinning； creating a small whirlpool
of turbulence。
“Burias； it is not a toy；” said Marduk。
The submersible struck one of the underside legs of the mining facility； and Burias looked
around at Marduk guiltily。
“Sorry；” he said； and stopped fooling around with the robotic arms to concentrate on piloting the
craft。 It wanted to turn to the left all the time； and he struggled with the controls to keep it steady。
It levelled out abruptly and swung around smoothly to port； its impeller motors whining as the
submersible powered forwards。 Burias swore。
“You seem to have got the hang of it；” said Marduk。
Burias held his hands up； removing them from the controls。
“I’m not controlling it；” he said。 “It is following an automated piloting route。”
He consulted the stream of data on a side…screen。
“It’s taking us to the downed ship。”
They could do little but watch the grainy pict screens as the submersible carried them away from
the mining facility； following its pre…determined route。
The ocean floor was jagged and uneven； and jutting spears of rock reared up before them； but
the submersible traversed the terrain carefully； rising above the smaller outcrops； and accelerating
beneath vast bridges of rock。
The undersea landscape was breathtaking； with vast cathedral…like spires of rock rising
thousands of metres up into the dark water。 Their vision slowly diminished the further they got away
from the glow of the mining facility； until they could see only what was lit by the powerful
spotlights on the prow of the submersible。
The lights of the other craft blinked； as all four of the submersibles travelled along the same line。
As they passed beneath yet another towering arched causeway； they came upon a sheer drop…off； an
undersea cliff that plunged down into blackness。 It was down this vertical wall that the submersibles
dropped； leaving trails of bubbles in their wake。
The sheer drop seemed to have no bottom。 The chasm must have been over two kilometres in
width； and it dropped away into utter darkness。
At last； something came into view； something immense。
“Gods of the ether；” swore Burias as they came upon the wreckage of the Flame of Perdition。
The Dvorak…class freighter was wedged between the walls of the chasm； its prow and stem
ground into the sheer walls of the drop…off； bridging the bottomless gap。
As the submersibles ploughed on through the clear water； impeller engines whirring； the sheer
size of the ship became apparent。 It was one thing to see battle cruisers hanging in space where there
were few reference points to give an indication of their sheer scale； but seeing this ship wedged
firmly between the two distant sides of the chasm was breathtaking。
A portion of the lower stern looked as though it had been sheared away。 It might have suffered
the damage as it struck the mouth of the chasm； or it might have occurred thousands of years before
the ship entered this sub…system； long before it had smashed through the ice crust of Perdus Skylla。
According to Darioq…Grendh’al； the ship had been lost in a warp storm anomaly for some six and a
half thousand years。 Anything could have happened to it in that time。
Warp storms were notoriously unpredictable； and time and distance became blurred within their
bounds。 The Flame of Perdition might have been drifting through the nebulous warp storms for
fifteen thousand years； twenty thousand years； thrown like a leaf on the wind through the ether。 Or；
equally as likely； it might have seemed to its crew to have been gone only a fraction of a second
before it struck the surface of the frozen moon； and plunged into the oceanic depths。
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During its time in the warp； and wherever else it may have emerged； the ship may have
encountered any number of daemonic and xenos entities； and it was highly possible that some of the
creatures remained onboard。
Apart from the shattered stern； the ship appeared to be in a remarkably complete state； and
though Marduk feared that its interior had been flooded； there was every likelihood that at least the
upper decks might still contain breathable air。
At such depth； and with its integrity compromised； what air did remain within the ship would
have shrunk to a tiny fraction of its previous volume； but if any man…made structure could withstand
the immense pressure as deep as this； it was a space…faring cruiser。
The submersibles ploughed inexorably towards the ship that grew ever larger in the small pict
screen。 As they drew closer； Marduk could see that the sides of the ship were scarred。 Entire
sections of its thick armour had bubbled； and other portions looked unnaturally smooth； like the skin
of a burn victim； or as if they had been splashed with corrosive； high…grade acid。
The four submersibles drew towards the immense freighter； dipping down towards one of its
gaping； water…filled hangar bays； still following an automated route。
“At least they seem to know where they are going；” said Marduk。
“Or they are leading us into a trap；” said Burias； angrily flicking switches and yanking on the
controls。
The four deep…sea craft； dwarfed to insignificance by the sheer size of the Flame of Perdition；
entered the cavernous hangar bay。 It was a surreal experience to drift through the submerged bay； to
pass by upturned shuttles that had clearly been tossed around the expansive hangar bay by the force
of the impact with the ice； or the chasm sides。 The four submersibles ghosted through the massive
open space； leaving a swirling wake of turbulence behind them that blurred the water。
They began to ascend vertically； climbing up through the flooded levels of the ship； the
automated controls carefully navigating them safely through the tangle of shattered girders and
twisted metal。
The corpse of a man dressed in naval fatigues reared up in front of the submersible； filling the
pict screen with its cadaverous rictus grin。 The flesh was almost completely rotted from its bones
and as the submersible bumped the corpse out of the way； one of its arms came loose。 A host of
wriggling eel…creatures squirmed from the cavity； thrashing madly； and then the corpse drifted out of
sight。
As they continued to ascend； passing through flooded cargo bays and freight holds； they passed
more corpses； all being slowly devoured。 They powered along a wide corridor； the tilt that the ship
had come to rest at forcing the submersible to travel at an obtuse angle。
They entered another area of the ship； and the submersibles bobbed to the surface of the water
like corks。 Automated pressurisation systems kicked into gear； slowly equalising with the outside
pressure； and once the dials began to flash green； the access hatch began to release。 It swung wide
with a slight vacuum hiss； and Marduk stepped out into knee…deep water。 The submersible had
brought itself up to a raised gantry twenty metres above what appeared to be a holding area。
Evidently； the upper portion of the ship was still structurally sound； and air had been trapped within
it。
Marduk’s helmet readouts gave him a flood of information and he saw that the air was unsafe
for an unprotected human to breathe。 Astartes warriors； with their superior； genhanced physiology；
would probably last around an hour before they expired。
Marduk saw that the submersible he had emerged from was drawn up alongside half a dozen
others。
“The explorator and her team’s vessels； presumably；” said Kol Badar； stamping through the
water to Marduk’s side。
A massive doorway yawned behind them； leading further into the Imperial freighter。 With no
other obvious way of proceeding； Marduk led the warriors through its arched expanse。
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They came upon a series of bulkheads； part of the latticework that subdivided the ship into
distinct sections； adding strength to the whole and allowing areas of the ship to be isolated from
each other in the event of hull breach。
Though there was no power within the ship—its plasma core reactors were clearly dead； or at
least dormant—the bulkheads could be accessed manually。 Kol Badar ripped one of them open with
a wrench； half…expecting to be washed away by a flood of water。 Once all the warriors had passed
the bulkhead it was sealed behind them once more； and the next bulkhead opened。 The ship beyond
was dark； but the air was breathable without danger； and Marduk felt certain that this was the way
that the explorator had taken。
He grinned within his helmet。 He could almost feel the presence of the wretched devotee of the
Machine…God。 He had but to reach out to possess her。
“She is here； somewhere；” said Marduk。 “I know it。”
“She’d better be；” growled Kol Badar。
Warily； the warriors of the Host began to move further into the wrecked hulk that was the Flame
of Perdition； weapons at the ready。
They had advanced for over three hours； though in that time that had been forced to retrace their
steps a dozen times as their way was blocked by shattered sections of the ship； or by bulkheads that
led back into the flooded lower sections。
Burias’s mood； previously buoyed by Marduk’s optimism； had slowly soured as the sheer
improbability of finding the explorator within this confusing maze was driven home。 Kol Badar was
right。 The cursed worshipper of the profane Machine…God could be anywhere within the ship； if she
were here at all。 The ship was over two kilometres in length and consisted of almost fifty deck
levels； depending on where within the ship one was located。 In addition； a myriad of air ducts； subfloor
tunnels and inter…deck stowage vaults made the Flame of Perdition a veritable labyrinth； and
despite the fact that perhaps seventy per cent of it was flooded and impassable； it would take a
Herculean effort and incredible luck to locate a single individual within its confines。
“There is no such thing as luck；” Marduk snapped angrily； picking up the vagaries of the icon
bearer’s unfocused thoughts。 This was a test of his faith； the First Acolyte reminded himself； ridding
his thoughts of any shadow of doubt。 The explorator would be delivered to him； it was the will of
the gods。 He had only to open himself up to the powers of the ether； and allow his earthly flesh to be
guided。
“Keep moving；” said Marduk。
Kol Badar and two of his Anointed warriors were leading the advance； walking in single file；
their massive shoulders sometimes scraping along the walls of t