The blocky steaming shape of Arvus lighter hunched on the pad as if hiding from the bleak grey sky overhead. A light drizzle was falling. Not an auspicious start to a new venture thought Hammerhand as he ran from the rear ramp of his Chimera which had backed up to the lighter’s loading ramp.
The spaceport was still under sporadic sniper fire from disgruntled elements of the local population. The Tau had left in their own ships once it had become abundantly clear that they could no longer deceive the planet into submission.
Most of the locals seemed indifferent to their liberation and welcome to the Imperium. Some downright resented the damage to their interests, homes and families that had occurred. Hammerhand suspected much of the resentment may have been due to the exuberance with which Moloch and Caliban had executed their instructions. Both were now stowed within the lighter.
Off to the Hulk thought Hammerhand. Hawk had reinforced his forces within the hulk as a prelude to purging it and taking control. Hammerhand had been summoned to join him and leave Commissar Steele and Captain Pilgrim in command of the Imperial forces with the tasks of suppressing all resistance and completing the reintegration of the newly discovered world.
Hammerhand ran up the loading ramp of the Arvus. A solitary lasbolt crackled by missing him by a good distance and striking sparks from the toughened hull of the small space freighter. Hammerhand scarcely noticed as he was musing on the Hulk and his and Hawk’s predicament should it decide to depart.
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