"Take me to your leader," whispered Hammerhand with a smile in the ear of the sentry. Athelwist startled, dropped his las rifle and fumbled for his knife as Hammerhand grasped his wrist. "Easy there soldier," commanded Hammerhand. "Here is may badge of authority with the Inquisition. My rank is Interrogator."
"Please don’t tell the sergeant," gasped Athelwist.
The autosavants reported matter expressionlessly. "The Hulk’s systems report that there has been a significant perturbation of the Hulk’s trajectory. The controls are being used without understanding and as a result the divergence from an atmospheric entry path is becoming more marked with each passing minute. There are probably only 3 to 4 hours during which the trajectory can be repaired. We can influence the control systems from here but with the presence of others in the control room also using the Hulk’s systems it is unlikely that we could achieve sufficient control to ensure that a planned landing on the planet can be achieved."
Hawk demanded. "If the trajectory is not corrected, what then?"
"It is likely that the Hulk will strike the planet’s atmosphere at a glancing angle, losing speed due to atmospheric friction and as the resultant trajectory would if uncorrected pass close to the system’s sun, suffer significant heat and radiation damage before collecting speed from its passage through the solar atmosphere and if it survives this it will be ejected from the system in the directions of the Dark Marked Warp region at sublight speed reaching…."
"Enough, thank you," responded Hawk.
"It seems we either have to gain full control of the Hulk or evacuate."
"Evacuation may only be possible after completion of the planetary assault," responded captain Meddigo through Blou.
"Agreed," replied Hawk. "We need full control of the Hulk, despite its infestation with Orks.
"According the Hulk’s systems," intervened the autosavants, "there are 2 or 3 million of them on board. Almost all as ‘passengers’ sealed in other compartments controlled by the Mobs that have occupied the bridge and engine rooms."
"There is also evidence of other Xeno species on board."
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