"Seat Identity: Company Master Korahael, Dark Angels. Temporarily absent; attending remotely via holographic image."
"Seat Identity: Marshal Amalrich, Black Templars."
"Seat Identity: Canoness Eleanor, Order of Our Martyred Lady."
"Seat Identity: Magos Klein, Adeptus Mechanicus."
...
The mouthful of lengthy names and titles made Zeke's head ache.
Barely managing to sort through his thoughts, he noted there were four Astartes present:
Bloodhowl of the Space Wolves, Amalrich of the Black Templars, Korahael of the Dark Angels,
And Arshal of the Raven Guard, who had remained silent in the corner.
There was one Inquisitor, one Canoness of the Sororitas, and one Magos of the Mechanicus.
Aside from them, there was a whole host of Cadian leaders.
Of course, while it looked like a lot to Zeke, it was actually far fewer than before; most had already perished in the previous rebellion.
–
Creed and his aide Kell ascended to the main seat.
Without any opening pleasantries, Creed picked up the vox in front of him.
"Gentlemen," his voice resonated through the speakers, suppressing all chatter in the hall.
"Time is short. I have summoned you all here to announce a terrifying truth."
"The Volscani traitors sent by the Despoiler, Abaddon, were merely the first step of his conspiracy. His darker plan is yet to come."
A burst of static came from the speakers as Creed continued:
"According to intelligence I have just acquired, Abaddon the Despoiler holds a terrifying weapon capable of changing the tide of war."
Aide Kell stepped forward quickly, connecting a blue data-slate to the main projection unit.
Zeke recognized it as the very one he had taken from the dead man on the crashed frigate the previous night.
Kell operated it for a moment, and a video clip began to play.
The perspective was low, the camera shaking.
A voice, weak as a thread, whispered, "They've come from the Eye of Terror... too many to stop..."
"It's a broken Blackstone... Fortress."
The voice cut off abruptly, the screen turned to static, then darkness. The video ended there.
"That is what we know now. Abaddon possesses a Blackstone Fortress."
Creed looked at the people before him.
"A Blackstone Fortress. That filth has actually brought a Blackstone Fortress. This is enough for him to wipe us all out without ever setting foot on Cadia."
Bloodhowl of the Space Wolves stood with hands on hips and spat to the side.
The saliva hit the floor with a sizzling sound of corrosion; even the spit of a genetically modified Astartes was toxic.
"Blackstone Fortresses... according to the tomes I have studied, there is more than one." Canoness Eleanor raised her hand, voicing a question.
"The Despoiler seized three Blackstone Fortresses during the Gothic War. Are you certain he has brought only one?"
"May I say a word?" Inquisitor Daverna raised her hand, her gaze still fixed on Zeke.
"As far as I know, although the Despoiler seized three Blackstone Fortresses, he only managed to take two of them away. The third was recaptured by the Navy."
"So, in the best-case scenario, the Despoiler has only one Blackstone Fortress."
After speaking, Inquisitor Daverna sat back down.
"May faith protect us." It was Marshal Amalrich of the Black Templars. He remained utterly motionless, like a statue.
"Fortunately, it is not only faith that protects us, Marshal." Creed turned to Magos Klein of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
"There is also technology. Magos Klein, could you reveal our countermeasures?"
Magos Klein stood there, choosing to stand just as Zeke did.
Several mechanical arms extended from his back. He wore deep red robes, his hood obscuring his face.
Zeke adjusted his angle, casually or not, until he finally caught a glimpse of the true face beneath the shadows from the right spot.
A metallic cranial frame, modified mechanical eyes, and countless insulated cables.
"Praise the Omnissiah. Of course, Lord Castellan Creed."
"Since the painful lessons of the Gothic War, the Adeptus Mechanicus has known of such terrible weapons as the Blackstone Fortresses."
"For the thousands of years since then, we have been researching how to defend against them. Finally, on Cadia, we have found it."
A mechanical arm at Magos Klein's side raised up, pointing to the projection area.
A new image appeared: the black stone pylons on the planet Cadia.
"These black stone pylons, which have stood for unknown millennia, possess a passive attribute that suppresses the Warp." Magos Klein spoke with a hint of fanaticism.
"At Kasr Kraf, we have developed a device capable of converting this passive attribute into an active defense, thereby resisting the attacks of a Blackstone Fortress."
"This is the reason I have summoned you all," Lord Castellan Creed said.
"Kasr Kraf has the ability to block the Blackstone Fortress."
"I hope that everyone present can gather your forces here. With Kasr Kraf as the core, we will build a defensive line to jointly resist the Despoiler."
Creed's gaze swept over every face present. The response he received was an awkward silence.
Zeke sensed something was wrong with the atmosphere; Creed's plan was likely going to fall through.
"Protecting the Sanctum of Saint Morican is the duty of our Sisterhood. To flee to Kasr Kraf and watch our precious Sanctum be defiled—that is impossible."
Canoness Eleanor was the first to refuse.
"I knew it. The holy sisters condescending to come here was already giving you face. Did you expect them to listen to you?"
Bloodhowl said impatiently.
Creed cast a hopeful look at Bloodhowl.
"Honorable Wolf Lord Bloodhowl," Creed turned and said, "Is your Great Company willing to assist us?"
Bloodhowl fell silent. His eyebrows knitted together as he leaned heavily back into his chair.
"Unwilling." Bloodhowl's answer shattered Creed's hope.
"The Wolves of Fenris never refuse a summons, Lord Castellan Creed," Bloodhowl said.
"But we are wolves. We should be galloping across the plains, fighting guerrilla warfare. Huddling inside a fortress is not our style."
Zeke could hear the grinding of teeth coming from Creed's direction.
Facing the Astartes, Castellan Creed was enduring immense pressure and frustration.
Creed turned his head, casting his gaze toward Company Master Korahael of the Dark Angels, present via hologram.
"Company Master Korahael..." he attempted to ask.
"I refuse." The Dark Angel shook his head. "We are currently still on the Sword of Defiance, and the situation here isn't good."
Korahael pointed at himself; he couldn't even get away physically, only able to attend the meeting via remote communication.
Let alone come to support Kasr Kraf.
"Could you not even spare a few men?" Castellan Creed hadn't given up yet.
"Spare a few?" Company Master Korahael's tone carried a hint of anger.
"Creed, what do you take us Dark Angels for?"
"Your expendable Cadian soldiers? Cannon fodder for you to squander?"
"I apologize, Company Master Korahael. I did not mean to offend you." Creed lowered his head.
The room fell into silence. For a moment, it seemed no one would take up the mission to defend Kasr Kraf.
"I'll do it." A hand went up.
All eyes swiveled in unison toward the sound, focusing on the young man standing at the edge of the hall.
"It seems our Lord Castellan Creed has a savior." Arshal of the Raven Guard let a faint smile flit across his lazy face.
It's that heretic. What is he trying to do? thought Inquisitor Daverna seeing Zeke raise his hand.
--
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