Simone walked the long empty corridors of the transport ship of the Ecclesiarchy. She was naked from head to foot save for a shimmery light that pulsed and shifted around her. But she felt no shame at her undress: it was ultimately unimportant. The gun metal gray hallways were as familiar as her own rooms. She knew right where she was going, right where the problem was.
The airlock was small as far as egresses from the ship went. It was only big enough to admit a person in battle armor. Nothing bigger then a Space marine could use it. But something vast was trying to get in. Simone stood before it.
The locks and seals rattled and the door itself bulged with the forces it was keeping out. Simone hurried, there was little time left. She pressed her hands on the door as if that alone could brace it. The metal of the bulkhead shivered under her thin hands. The door boomed and the metal shrieked as the force outside redoubled its efforts to break it down. No, she said, her calm beginning to strain, I won't allow it. I have people to protect. The Emperor himself does not allow this.
Light, white and icy cold began to leak around the edges of the door. It crackled and smelled like ozone. Like lightning. Simone slapped one hand over the seal of the door, trying to block the light. The ship swayed under her feet and she knew this was a losing battle. The power on the outside was going to win. It was going to break down her defenses and overtake her. The door suddenly bucked and bulged into the hallway with a huge roar of thunder. The light from outside poured in and washed over her.
Simone sat up from the cot with a shout. The thunder she had heard in her dream boomed around her. Not from the dream but from the walls. She bolted off the cot and grabbed her black Arbites replacement armor. She wasn't familiar with the straps and buckles of the armor but she still had most of it on when her door burst open and Lukas, still wrapped in bandages under his armor rushed in. "The Dark Eldar, Lady." He gasped and quickly laid his Hellgun against the wall to help her finish strapping the armor in place. "They have broken the siege. We have to fall back. I don't know where Mal…"
"I'm here." Malachi appeared in the doorway as if summoned. He glanced over the armor on his Inquisitor and nodded briefly to Lukas. " We are falling back, Lady. The Dark Eldar have Titans." He saw the look on Simone's face but went on. "There is nothing we can do here now. Not against Titans. If we fall back we can regroup."
"And the Sororitas?" Simone questioned as she gathered up the beat up leather satchel she had filled with maps and plans from the Cathedrals Librarium. "They and the remaining Arbites will be covering the corridors." His face was carefully neutral. But Simone knew the Sisters were getting very few in number. Very few indeed. Malachi checked her bolter and handed it to her. Simone looked up at him, "Have you found Delphias?" her voice held the worry she felt for the third and newest member of her retinue. Malachi shook his head, "No, Lady. I can only hope he has made it to safety and will find us at some point."
The three of them began making their way from the living quarters and towards where Malachi believed the Sister would be fortifying their stand. As they came around to the west side of the building, Lukas let out a short cry. They skidded to a halt. One of the wide and as yet unbroken windows framed the on coming aircraft perfectly. It was an Aquila orbital lander. Still some distance away, it was obviously headed straight for the building. And it wasn't alone; it was being joined by several Argus crafts as well. But really made the day brighter was the Thunderbolt that roared overhead and unleashed its weapons on the attacking Dark Eldar.
The sound of the battle intensified as the Thunderbolts joined in. "The roof." Malachi said suddenly. "They have to be going for the roof." He whirled to Simone, "We need to get you to the roof. They will be able to take you out of here from there." Simone frowned, "They need every one of us who can hold a bolter here, Malachi." She protested. She knew she wasn't a great fighter, or really even a good fighter but she was telling the truth.
