The *Conqueror* plunged into the Warp, fleeing from the system. Other main battleships of allied warbands swiftly followed, narrowly averting total annihilation. Yet, scattered remnants of over a hundred vessels remained across the void, and eighty percent of the fleet that Sorax had painstakingly assembled lay in ruins.
In the celestial engine's bridge, Grey watched the holographic display intently; the battle had moved to its second phase.
"Are we being deployed to the combat zones?" Yorn inquired.
"No," Grey replied, shaking his head. "We're being transported to the inner sanctums of this world, where Tyran leadership will direct the command."
Yorn looked puzzled. "Why aren't we fighting alongside the ground troops? Orbital bombardment, advance, fortify—can't we just hold the line within the system?"
"It's more complex than that." Grey sighed, "This world contains industrial strength accumulated over millennia. It's not simply a matter of deploying alongside the army."
Still confused, Yorn felt Grey's considerations overly cautious. The orders from Talon had clearly been to defend the world—not a single factory on it. Yet the calculations from the engine's sentient Stone reinforced Grey's strategy precisely: to focus first on joining the current battle, rather than launching an all-out planetary assault immediately.
Meanwhile, the two Honor Guards were directed to meet with the world's highest officials.
As the celestial engine drew closer to the embattled world, it veiled its skies, the Stone managing its orbit with precision to keep the half-complete planet-structure from collapsing under the world's gravity. High on the planet's structure, the sensor arrays sent sweeping signals across the world below, painting a clear image on the holographic display.
Grey observed the image with some relief; while the conflict had devastated much of the sector, the situation on the Forge World was still manageable. The entire world was ablaze with conflict—fanatical heretic infantry, traitor marines, and even Knights and Titans clashed against the Protectors, who held a decisive advantage.
The Protectors had retreated to shielded zones under the onslaught of orbital bombardment, but still possessed overwhelming numbers of infantry, Knights, Titans, and various war machines. Now that the enemy fleet was gone, the task of neutralizing the remaining forces seemed attainable.
"Victory will come swiftly. All we need is a longer deployment within the Agrippina system," Grey asserted optimistically.
"Yes," Yorn agreed, though his expression remained dark.
He recalled his past battles within the hive cities years ago, remembering a secret known to only two people across the system: heretical cultists of the Lord of Wisdom had summoned a demon in the closing days of their siege. Now, with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these cultists entrenched on the Forge World, it was likely they would attempt similar profanities.
While Yorn pondered the challenges ahead, the troops within the celestial engine began teleporting to the frontlines. Particle lances blazed across the fields, striking down enemy Knights and Titans as detected.
"It's time for our descent," Grey said, stepping away from the hologram, as his teleport shield surged with energy.
…
In the fortress courtyard where Vick awaited, a rift tore through the dimensional veil, and Grey and Yorn materialized from its shimmering surface. Their energy shields dissipated as they stabilized in the courtyard, where Protectors quickly surrounded them.
Communication had been severed during the celestial engine's arrival and deployment due to the distinct communications systems between the Tyran and Protectors' star forces. Unsure of where the high command lay, the Stone had calculated that the most secure position on the planet would be where the leadership should be located.
"They're allies," Grey signaled, hearing their tense voices and the static of transmissions. He noticed two tech-priests approaching, one of whom dispatched signals for the soldiers to stand down.
Grey and Yorn fixed their gaze on the two approaching figures, whose profiles were registered in their databanks. One was unfamiliar, but the other was Vick, known to them from previous missions.
"Praise Omnissiah." Vick's tone and movement were unhurried, as was his companion's, the tech-priest Sewin.
Grey nodded but wasted no time on pleasantries. "Where is your Dominus Sage or the Forge Overseer?"
"There are no more Dominus Sages." Sewin responded calmly. "Priests like myself are all that remain, and we are the highest authority."
"Your forces outnumber and outclass the enemy. Your void shields still protect much of the planet; did your Dominus Sages all perish?"
"After we lost orbital control, no amount of defenses could protect the Dominus Sages." Sewin replied patiently. "I only received word recently; more than twenty enemy drop pods landed around their position."
"I see," Grey thought grimly of the unfortunate Dominus.
After providing a brief situational overview, Sewin emphasized a vital request: "Refrain from orbital bombardment. The industrial legacy of the Forge World is a treasure of humanity, cultivated over countless generations. We cannot allow it to be reduced to ruins."
Grey agreed without hesitation; the industrial facilities were the world's core value. To fight heedless of their preservation would be to destroy the Imperium's lifeblood—without those factories, the world would be of no further use.
"Additional tech-priest contingents are en route to coordinate with us," Sewin said, his eyes flickering with internal communications. "Then we shall command this defense together."
"Understood." Grey nodded.
"I won't join the council," Yorn said, turning to Grey. "I'll fight on the frontlines to locate the enemy command."
Grey nodded again, recognizing Yorn's purpose; as a Vanguard, he excelled in decapitation tactics. Should he locate the enemy command, their leaders would fall swiftly.
Yet Yorn's true mission lay elsewhere. He was here to fulfill his hidden duty within this conflict.