The mag-lev train traversing the ship's midsection ruthlessly crashed through everything in its path.
Thick, greenish mutant blood stained the windshield, and all the windows were opened, with survivors mounting weapons, turning it into an armored train.
"+The Hellgun's energy is running low; do not fire at unnecessary units+" Sergeant Major Valina was almost incapacitated, and Horatio was chosen as the interim overall commander for the operation.
He earned the approval of the team members and the Sisters; even Harvey, whose rank was higher than his, remained silent and followed Horatio's arrangements.
But this also meant he bore a heavy mission: to be responsible for bringing as many people out alive as possible.
"+Our mission plan is to first shut down the Warp jump engine, then rush to the docking bay as fast as possible. We only have 15 minutes left to shut down the engine, and every action by every person is crucial to our success or failure+"
"+Our Sisters will lead the charge+" Sister Arabella said.
"+God Emperor protect+" Horatio performed an aquila salute to the Sisters.
Midway, they encountered the wreckage of a second lost Battle Sisters squad. They were shredded into pieces, literally splattered with brains and guts.
"+God Emperor, what kind of long blade would cut them up like this…?+" Louise felt an ominous premonition and said with concern.
"+May the God Emperor redeem their souls and guide them to the Golden Throne+" Sister Arabella prayed mournfully.
Under Lydos's operation, the mag-lev train gradually slowed down. The task of clearing out minor threats was handed to the Hellspawns' Hellguns and hot-line shotguns, while the precious Godwin-Diaz bolter rounds were reserved for tougher enemies.
The machine soul of the blast door was tamed by Horatio with his bionic arm, and it obediently opened.
The Order of the Sacred Rose Sisters immediately formed a line and opened fire inside.
Two Tech-Priest corrupted by plague immediately called their Servitors to charge at the uninvited guests.
The Hellspawns followed closely, and a fierce firefight erupted between the two sides at mid-range.
An infected Machine Priest saw Horatio's bionic arm and immediately picked up a massive machine gods axe, charging at him.
Horatio drew the Chainsword he had picked up and met the charge. Sword met axe, sparking with electricity and fire.
Each strike burst forth with dazzling electric light and leaping sparks.
[Is the bionic arm slowly charging?] Horatio glimpsed the lit energy indicator out of the corner of his eye.
"010100101" Horatio couldn't understand what he was saying, but with each of his binary utterances, his attacks became a few shades more ferocious.
The Machine Priest's limbs were augmented with mechanical strength; each blow was no lighter than that plague hog, and what was more troublesome was that the bionic arm on his back was both a tool and a weapon. A sudden strike dented Horatio's carapace shoulder plate, leaving him numb for a good while.
Horatio was literally fighting four hands with two fists.
[You're not the only one with a trump card!]
He raised his hand and, with the silently accumulated psychic energy, trapped the Machine Priest, then stepped forward and swung his sword.
The sword teeth tore through the Father's filthy sacred vestments, revealing the black mechanical prosthetics beneath.
This person had undergone severe modifications, showing almost no weakening. A sword strike only caused engine oil, lubricant, and a small amount of milky white liquid mixed with blood to flow from the ruptured pipelines.
[This stuff… is it the Machine Priest's bodily fluid?] Horatio unseasonably recalled the milky white liquid that remained on his iron hand fingertips after his surgery.
But there was no time to think further. Horatio reactivated his Power Fist and swung his sword with surging power.
The Machine Priest suddenly revealed an emblem on his body, and a mind-disturbing shockwave impacted them.
[That is… a mark of the Adeptus Mechanicus?] Horatio looked at the emblem, finding it somewhat familiar, but he couldn't be sure.
He then unleashed a holy light explosion identical to that of the Battle Sisters, forcing the black oiler to retreat repeatedly.
Horatio lunged forward, swinging his buzzing Chainsword at the Machine Priest's head. The Father tried to use the detectors on his body to blind him, but Horatio easily feigned him out, converting his swing into a direct thrust.
Buzz—!!
Black liquid and engine oil continuously gushed along the sword teeth, staining Horatio's carapace armor black.
Seeing one Father killed, the other corrupted Father immediately commanded his Servitors to charge at Horatio, but they were instantly cut down by the Battle Sisters' bolter volley.
The room was cleared. Several Hellspawns from the fleet engineering department stepped forward to operate the control consoles, attempting to cancel the Warp jump.
[What is this?]
Horatio found a small pendant hanging from the metal neck of the slain Father, which seemed to contain a liquid, like darkened mercury.
[Could these guys collectively be responsible for this incident?] Horatio wondered.
If so, things were terrifying. Not only was there a threat from within the Abyss Port planet, but the external combined threat was equally severe.
In the official GW lore, the Gothic fleet was precisely due to this internal and external distress that it became as weak as a sick lion in 999.M41.
Since it was a black oiler, Horatio safely took the trinket.
"+Enemy incoming! Take cover!+" Louise shouted. Large red dots suddenly appeared on the augur, a sign of the Chaos Space Marines' arrival.
BANG!
Everyone immediately sought cover. A bolter round shattered the Hellspawn who was risking his life to rush forward and shut down the transformer, which was the final step to cutting off the Warp jump.
Just one step away.
"+Ah! Ah! De Dant sacrificed, what do we do!+" David Beatty, beneath the corpse, was splattered with blood. This young nobleman, on his first battlefield, was in a panic.
Henry Harvey peered out, almost getting a headshot.
"+God Emperor, we're finished+" He leaned against the cover in despair, muttering to himself.
He saw seven Plague Marines.
"+There are seven incoming Plague Marines, hold steady+" Horatio also saw them. He returned fire while thinking of a countermeasure.
Although the path to the docking bay was clear, they couldn't outrun bolter rounds and the Space Marine's accuracy. As soon as they left cover, they would be shredded by bolter fire.
And there wasn't much time left before this ship performed its Warp jump.
Horatio looked at the jump engine. The Warp field generator was already operating, and the psychic radiation alarm readings were rising rapidly.
They wouldn't even make it into the Warp. The moment the jump engine fully activated, all of them would turn into twisted, hideous Warp monsters.
Buzz—!!!
[What is that sound? The jump engine?] Horatio heard a massive jump wave sound, but it seemed to be coming from the outer right side.
[There must be a way. If this is the end, then I want to see my final outcome.]
'+Activate: Precognition Shard+'
'+Energy: 3/7+'
'+Psychic Power: 6/7+'
'+Corruption: 5/7+'
'+Soulfire: 22/80+'
"+Everyone, tie your high-explosive grenades into a circle and throw them to me+" Sergeant Major Valina, with one arm bandaged, leaned against cover, looking up at the ceiling, giving orders.
"+It's not over yet, Sergeant Major+" Louise guessed Valina's intention and shouted.
"+Death is my mission, not yours. If I can take a few Chaos Space Marines with me, that would be fantastic, hahahaha+" Valina laughed morbidly, tying the grenades to her arm.
"+Sisters, prepare for our last stand. Saint Arabella, redeem our souls+" Arabella, who shared a name with the Holy Sister, chanted prayers while gesturing with her fingers.
A faint halo appeared above the Battle Sisters's head, and blurred light wings emerged behind her.
For those who saw the halo, their wavering and hesitation instantly vanished.
"+If I am destined to die here today, I only ask not to shame the glory of Ravensberg+" Even David Beatty silently drew his family heirloom power short sword from his waist.
"+Everyone!+" Horatio's voice suddenly became invigorated.
"Maximize the source of the positioning signal! Hurry!"
The others didn't know why Horatio suddenly said that, but they still complied.
"+Consider it telling everyone that we are fighting to the death here+" Harvey was the first to comply.
Bang!
Suddenly, there was another violent tremor, but this time, a sharp metallic tearing sound triggered the emergency noise reduction of the Aom Shield Helmet.
"+This is… a boarding action! Everyone immediately retreat into cover! Hurry!+" Louise, as a ship assault specialist, was all too familiar with this sound. To prevent her comrades from being harmed by the imminent splinters of hull steel, she immediately gave orders.
"+They're here, the Angels are here+" Horatio calmly curved his lips.