Ten minutes later, the *Storm Maiden* arrived at Baal. Standing on the bridge, Fross observed the system, noting it was marginally less desolate than the one they'd just left. The blood-red Baal and its two moons were heavily surrounded by swarms of alien creatures, yet the planet showed some signs of life—evidence that resistance might still endure.
Scouting waves from the *Storm Maiden* swept over Baal, Baalite Moon One, and Baalite Moon Two, relaying the conditions of these celestial bodies back to the bridge. The scans revealed swarms numbering in the billions, but, crucially, humanity's count wasn't zero. Nearly thirty thousand Space Marines and over ten million auxiliary human forces were stationed across the three spheres, with the forces concentrated at a giant defensive fortress on Baal, known as the Angelic Bastion, as they braced against the onslaught.
Curiously, the besieged forces on Baal faced attacks from above, below, and on all sides.
"Is there no Void Shield on Baal?" Tessa asked.
A Void Shield should have been in place, projecting from the fortress on the planet's surface, at least to ward off aerial attacks. For a world of such immense symbolic and strategic importance as Baal, it was unthinkable for it to lack this safeguard.
"There should be one, probably," Fross responded ambiguously, his understanding of Baal too limited to be certain. "But even a Void Shield can be disabled. Maybe the enemy infiltrated the fortress itself."
As he spoke, a hologram of the Angelic Bastion flickered into view—a remarkably detailed projection of the stronghold's structure. Fross and his captains gathered around it, assessing every detail. Meanwhile, the *Storm Maiden* pushed its way through the encircling swarm of bio-ships, gradually nearing Baal.
A voice broke the silence. "This…this is a fortress? I thought it was a city," marveled a first captain.
"It is, indeed—the Fortress-Monastery," Fross replied, his gaze fixed upon the image of the bastion.
Due to the loss of the Void Shield, the defenders within the fortress were subject to a relentless assault on all fronts, and the outer walls were beginning to collapse. In this frenzied assault, the human servants, or "Blood Thralls" of the Blood Angels Chapter, were being slaughtered by alien creatures in overwhelming numbers. Some Space Marines attempted rescue maneuvers, only to find themselves engulfed by the swarm. It was clear that the outer defenses were lost.
In one last act of resolve, the defenders fell back from the collapsing perimeter, converging in an orderly withdrawal toward the fortress core—a calculated retreat undoubtedly ordered by a field commander.
Some alien creatures, displaying surprising intelligence, targeted the central road within the fortress with airborne drop-pods, seeking to intercept the retreating defenders.
"We'll deploy here," Fross indicated on the holographic map, pointing at the main road. "Everyone, except the human auxiliaries, must be ready for combat."
The captains nodded in unison.
The *Weepers*, long scattered yet slowly rebuilding their numbers thanks to Tyronian support, now mustered enough strength with their seven hundred battle-ready marines to secure the critical road. Although it wasn't vital in the grand scheme, holding this passage would allow the armored units and large groups of human auxiliaries to retreat efficiently along a direct path instead of being funneled through narrow alleys where they'd face a slow, painful death.
"What of the flagship?" Tessa inquired.
"Upon reaching Baal's orbit, deploy defensive platforms immediately, then enter the Warp," Fross said, casting a wary glance at the bio-ships encircling the system. The *Storm Maiden* couldn't hope to withstand their combined firepower.
Tessa nodded, pivoting to carry out his command.
With a thrum, the teleportation mechanism began charging as the *Storm Maiden* cleared the last barrier of bio-ships and positioned itself in Baal's orbit. The ship's underside opened, releasing five defensive platforms into the void. The platforms, a prototype technology untested within the Tyronian Navy, were nonetheless indispensable for holding ground in orbit, given the Weepers' lone flagship status.
The platforms fired up immediately upon deployment, filling the surrounding space with shields and concentrated firepower to ward off nearby alien swarms. A bio-ship tried to push through the onslaught, launching biological munitions to breach the shields. One shield wavered but was swiftly bolstered as electric-blue arcs of energy pulsed between the platforms, repairing the weakened defense. The hive-mind, sensing it would need a singular, overwhelming strike to pierce the line, pulled back its forces to regroup.
Then, as the *Storm Maiden* faded into the Warp, the Weepers deployed onto the Angelic Bastion below.
…
On the ground, Blood Angels Chapter First Captain Karlaan was organizing the retreat. He dispatched a death squad—consisting solely of irredeemable "Black Rage" sufferers—straight into the swarming masses clogging the central road, their wild fury carving a path through the alien swarm, only to be consumed themselves in mere seconds.
An alien Hive Tyrant wielding a blade of bone let loose a thunderous roar in Karlaan's direction.
The Tyrant's arrival had clearly been rushed; a swarm of tens of thousands of lesser "gaunt" creatures surrounded it, along with a few dozen warrior-class aliens. Cannon fodder and elite guards, respectively, yet it seemed to lack its typical honor guard.
However, reclaiming the central road, even with the Tyrant present, was no simple task; creatures crowded both the air and ground, and if the Tyrant wasn't dispatched within a minute, more of its brood would close in, encircling Karlaan's forces completely. Karlaan resolved to order his troops onto the side paths to escape.
Just as he prepared to issue the command, a large series of rifts opened at the rear of the swarm blocking the road. From each portal strode a Space Marine in terminator armor.
"For the Blood of Sanguinius!"
The rallying cry reached Karlaan's ears as he watched the armored figures charge into the swarm. This sudden arrival was equipped with the finest weaponry available: each six-man squad of Terminators boasted three armed with assault cannons, two with melta guns, and one with a massive bolter rifle mounted with a miniature whirlwind missile launcher.
A designated honor guard, bearing the Chapter banner, charged alongside their Chapter Master into the heart of the swarm to challenge the Tyrant itself.
The banner, waving proudly amidst the storm of alien blood and fire, confirmed the identity of this new arrival in Karlaan's mind.
The Weepers had come.