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Perhaps there was just something wrong with the Angel’s vox。
Emperor； let it be that； he pleaded。
He switched channels； contacting Colonel Marrenburg； who was overseeing the artillery
companies not far from deViers’ forward command tent。 “Marrenburg； can you get a visual on
Angel of the Apocalypse？ I can’t raise Vinnemann on the vox。”
Marrenburg sounded like a different man when he answered； and Bergen realised that his fears
were well…founded。
“It was the ork bombers； sir；” said the colonel。 “The Hydras got most of them； but Vinnemann’s
tank took too many direct hits。 We just took the last one down； but not before it managed to deliver
a final payload。 Not much left the Angel of the Apocalypse now； sir。 Throne rest the souls of all
those who crewed her。”
Bergen’s mouth went dry。 He was speechless。 He thought of Vinnemann； of the hunched little
man who had endured so much pain； so much struggle just to keep on fighting。 Few men Bergen had
ever met could be said to embody the Cadian spirit of honour and resilience so well。 His eyes began
to sting； and his throat felt tight。 He would miss Kochatkis Vinnemann。 The unrelenting colonel had
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gone beyond the call of duty long ago。 Perhaps now； his soul would be reunited with that of the wife
he had spent so long avenging。 He had more than earned his peace。
The 81st Armoured Regiment’s second…in…command would have to take over。 That was Captain
Immrich。
Bergen would promote Immrich later… if he was still alive。
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CHAPTER TWENTY…ONE
Captain Immrich was alive； and he was working damned hard to stay that way。 He was doing a fine
job of it； too； and of gaining ground as he led the tanks of the 81st Armoured Regiment against the
ork hordes that swarmed towards them from almost every direction。
Under Immrich’s command； the Imperial armour kept pushing out beyond the wall； and the
space they created behind them became filled with ever greater numbers of Chimeras； halftracks；
Thirty…Sixers full of troops； and Sentinel walkers that added the firepower of their auto…cannon to
the battle； slaughtering hundreds of greenskin filth with great sweeps of fire。
The ground was a carpet of smoking metal； big brown bodies and raw red meat。 Ork carcasses
covered every inch of sand and rock。 The Cadian tanks pulped them as they rolled forward。 There
was no way to avoid them。 The bodies were everywhere。 Treads of black iron became slick and
shiny and red。 Only the filter…masks worn by the Cadians protected them from the stench。 Without
the masks； it would have been impossible to breathe without vomiting。
Even with all his hatches locked up tight； Wulfe’s nose crinkled in disgust as the smell of so
much death permeated his turret； competing with the powerful combined stink of oil； sweat and
fyceline。
Last Rites II had knocked out three ramshackle ork machines already； and Beans was swinging
the turret around on a fourth that was approaching from front…left； when Wulfe heard Immrich’s
voice on the vox…link。 It sounded different； drained； as if something had sapped the life out of the
man。 He sounded lost。 “All units； listen up。 This is Captain Immrich。 New orders from General
deViers。 All tanks are to focus on carving and holding a corridor east。 The rest of the army group is
coming through behind us。 When they’re clear； I’ll give the word。 I want all tanks to fall in behind
them and cover the column’s rear。”
We’re running east； thought Wulfe。 Why the frak aren’t we solidifying our position here first？
The orks will close in behind us and harry our flanks if we run now。 Does the general mean to let
them cut off our route back to Balkar？
“There’s more；” said Immrich。 “I’ve just been placed in temporary command of the regiment。
Colonel Vinnemann… Colonel Vinnemann has gone to meet the Emperor。”
Wulfe reeled backwards in his seat。 It couldn’t be true。 It just couldn’t be。 Vinnemann was the
regiment。 To every man who knew him； he was as permanent as the stars。 What would the regiment
be without its guiding light； its living symbol of honour and duty？ He felt the news hit him like a
physical blow。
The sudden boom of his tank’s main gun shook him back into himself。 The turret jolted。 The
smell of burnt propellant tugged his nose。 He checked the vision blocks and saw a heap of burning
black metal straight ahead。 The main gun was still pointing directly at it。
Beans whooped with satisfaction。 “How many points do I get for a truck full of the bastards？”
“Metzger；” said Wulfe； ignoring the gunner’s celebration； “wheel us around to the north。 We’re
to hold a corridor here for the others to come through。”
“Aye； sir；” said Metzger； and the tank started to move。
“Siegler； Beans； keep that rate of fire up；” said Wulfe。 “Armour…piercing。 Focus on their armour。
Our infantry can deal with their foot soldiers。”
He hoped that were true。 So far； they’d given the orks a damned hard time getting anywhere near
the Cadian tanks。 Every vehicle that careered towards them had been lit up like fireworks at a
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Founding Festival。 The orks were still coming； though； pouring towards the breach from all along
the wall； desperate to join the fray where the fighting was at its thickest。 As the Imperial tanks
steadily thinned down the number of ork machines； the fight became one of lighter weapons：
lasguns； bolters； stubbers and the like。 Wulfe moved automatically； unlocking the hatch of his
cupola without thinking； still numbed by the news of Vinnemann’s death。 How would van Droi be
taking it？ The lieutenant had idolised his senior officer。
Shock and numbness bled off the moment Wulfe poked his head and shoulders above the rim of
the hatch。 There was no time for them。 The air was filled with the noise of gunfire； alien battle…cries
and the screams of the dying。 In his peripheral vision； Wulfe saw the guns of the vehicles on either
side of him blazing away； cutting down dozens of heavy brown bodies as they charged。 Distantly； he
noted that one of the tanks； the one to his right； was an Exterminator。 Lenck’s machine。
Wulfe grabbed the grips of his heavy stubber； knocked the safety off； cocked it； and hit the
thumb…triggers hard。 He barely needed to line up。
Fire blazed from the stubber’s muzzle。 The recoil shook him； a deep juddering that travelled
right through his body。 It was a satisfying feeling。 More satisfying still was the sight of a row of
massive greenskin warriors in iron plate being literally chewed apart by his hail of fire。
“Beans；” said Wulfe over the intercom； “if you don’t have any armoured targets； get on the
damned co…ax。 Put some autocannon fire on them。 We have to hold them here until the rear elements
get through！”
“I’m on it；” replied Beans。 Seconds later； the co…axial autocannon rattled to life。
More orks fell。
“Push through；” shouted General deViers over the vox。 “I want every last one of you through that
damned gap at once。 Don’t look back。”
The orks’ flankers from the south were closing fast。 DeViers had moved the vulnerable
machines ahead — fuel and water trucks； all the transports with their critical supplies — and
ordered a rearguard of Chimeras to follow； turrets turned to protect the flanks。 If any of the ork light
armour closed before his rear echelons passed the breach； the Chimeras would have to hold them
off。 It was far from ideal； but all the heavy armour was up front； holding the corridor eastward。
There was no time to reshuffle his forces。 Together； the orks behind the wall and those from the
south would try to smash his force； like glowing steel between anvil and hammer。
The general’s Chimera； Arrow of Alibris； moved at the head of the racing column； churning up
the dusty ground towards the gap that Angel of the Apocalypse had made。 Beside him； the Chimeras
of his divisional and regimental commanders matched his speed。
We will make it； he told himself。 If the tech…priests have it right； The Fortress of Arrogance isn’t
more than eighty kilometres east of here。 But how will I be able to recover it with all the damned
pressure from our rear？ How long will the Mechanicus need to send their damned beacon into space
and bring down the lifter？
Thinking of the tech…priests； he put out a verification call。 Were they still alongside him？ What
was their condition？
Tech…Magos Sennesdiar answered the call personally。 His tinny voice was disturbingly calm。
“Worry not； general。 We are still with you。 But you must ensure that our vehicles are adequately
protected。 If anything were to happen to them； your mission would end prematurely。 Given
atmospheric conditions； only we can signal the fleet for evacuation。”
It almost sounded like a threat to deViers； but that didn’t make it untrue。
“We’ve got a solid rearguard in place；” answered the general。 “The orks at our backs will not
take us； even if my men have to die to guarantee our window of escape。 And the armour ahead is
holding a road east for us as we speak。 If you can think of anything I’m forgetting； don’t hold your
tongue！”
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Actually； he doubted the old Martian priest still had a tongue。 He doubted he had a soul； either。
If only the damned Mechanicus could have been kept out of all this。 No doubt they would try to
claim some； if not all； of the glory of the imminent recovery。 He wouldn’t let that happen。 He
would…
No； Mohamar； he told himself。 It isn’t the time to think about that。
“General deViers to all divisional commanders；” he voxed。 “Status report。 Now！”
“Armour in position and holding the corridor；” replied Bergen。 “North and south parallels
secure； sir； but let’s not gamble on holding them any longer than necessary。 We’ve taken losses all
across the board。”
“Rennkamp here。 I’ve split my infantry to support Bergen’s armour on both sides of the
corridor。 I’m working with Killian to forge east。 Forward elements are pushing away from the
battle。”
“Major General Killian？” voxed deViers。
“Here； sir。 My forward elements report a clean run on the far side of the corridor。 No large ork
structures to speak of； but the terrain gets rough a few kilometres out。 The Ishawar peaks aren’t far；
sir。 If we keep heading east； we’ll soon be moving into the foothills。”
“That’s exactly where we want to go； major general；” said deViers。 “That’s where she waits。”
It took all Bergen’s efforts just to make sense of the constant vox…chatter that sounded in his ears。
The corridor was holding； but the rearguard had been engaged by the orks from the south。 Their
light armour wasn’t a serious threat； but he had seen this all before。 The orks used their fast trucks；
bikes and buggies to slow prey down while they moved the heavy stuff up for the kill。 It wouldn’t
happen like that today。 The 18th Army Group couldn’t afford to turn and fight。
DeViers was pushing everything he had left into a desperate dash； but what the devil would he
do when he got there？ Bergen wondered。 The orks would be coming right along behind them； right
on their tail。 There would be a face off； sooner or later。 It would be a straight； stand…up fight； and the
Cadians were looking at bad odds。
Immrich seemed to be holding up； at least。 Bergen had worried that the news of Vinnemann’s
death might undo him； but battle had a way of keeping a man’s priorities in order。 There would be
time for sorrow and mourning later。 Right now； the fight for survival was keeping him together。
Bergen’s driver； Meekes； called back to him that they were through the breach。 Bergen would
have known it anyway。 The sound of battle was deafening。 He moved into the Chimera’s turret to
get a look through the vision blocks。 All around him； he saw Imperial machines blasting away with
everything they had。 Dead xenos lay in dense heaps all around； but every second； hundreds more
clambered over the corpse…mountains to add their fire to the battle。 Pistol and stubber fire danced
and ricocheted off the Chimera’s hull。 There were other weapons； too。 The orks seemed to have
developed las and plasma analogues。 Could it be that they were learning from their battles with the
Guard？
“Keep your speed up；” he told Meekes。 “There’s no time to join the fight。 The sooner we’re
clear and running for the hills； the