The wide hall was like an abattoir, reeking of blood and death. The corpses of righteous Adeptus Sororitas littered the western end of the wide corridor…victims of the hideous psychic weapons of the corrupted, twisted former members of their own order, or the sonic weapons of the Chaos Marines of the apostate Emperor's Children. At the far eastern end of the hall, the bodies of their enemies seemed hardly less numerous.
Mother Elizabeth had driven Sword Mission into the Palace itself from the blood-soaked courtyard, their bolters bringing holy retribution against those who would be traitors to the Emperor and all of mankind. They had fought through summoned Daemonettes and formless, protoplasmic Warp Spawn that keened like banshees. Elizabeth could still feel the blood dried on her neck from where it had dripped from her ears. Many good sisters were lost in the entry to the palace, swarmed as they were with the daemons of the warp. Still they had pressed on, the relentless tip of the spear, driven by the holy purpose of the Emperor. They were his instrument, and they would not fail him…even if the price of victory was every last one of them.
Gaius had apparently not predicted anyone would reach the palace through the twisting streets of Constantius. There seemed to be no concerted defensive plan, no layers of interlocking fire or bunkers armed with heavy weapons. As she followed the first mission through the halls of the palace, Katherine could hardly believe their fortune. Had Gaius' arrogance betrayed him at last? Or was this an elaborate trap?
They had encountered their first concerted, organized resistance in this corridor, a long hall some twenty meters wide with a vaulted roof like a cathedral. Along side the main vault, column-lined naves were nestled, giving the defenders cover from which to pour death down the corridor. At the eastern end, four squads of corrupted Sisters of Slaanesh and three of Emperor's Children had arrayed themselves. The first squad of Lay-Sisters to enter the corridor were cut down like wheat before the scythe. Half of Elizabeth's forces managed to take up positions of their own behind cover, and now they traded fire down the hundred meter length of hall, like trenches on a stagnant battlefield. Neither could seem to generate an advantage over the other. Their weapons, armor, and training nearly equal, both sides with cover. The corridor had become a killing zone for anyone venturing from cover on either side.
Elizabeth ground her teeth in frustration as she leaned against a column and darted her head around to take stock of the situation. Canoness Katherine dashed from behind a pillar to slam herself next to her Palatine. "We cannot budge them…they are too dug in!" Elizabeth shouted over the din of bolters and shrill sonic explosions.
The Canoness nodded and activated her microbead link, "Victoria! Status report?"
The Palatine leading Shield Mission's holding action in the courtyard answered, her voice nearly drowned out by the sounds of battle. "Reinforcements are pouring in from the outer towers and the barracks. About a company strength, mixed composition Marines and heretic sisters."
"Can you hold?" Katherine asked.
The pause before Victoria's answer was telling. After a few seconds she replied, "We will hold them as long as needed, Mother Superior! We will not fail you! Do not concern yourself with our fates! Find that monster Gaius and slay him!"
"We cannot allow this stalemate to continue!" Elizabeth growled. "The longer it takes for us to penetrate, the more good sisters of Shield Mission are martyred!"
Sister Joan, the Sister Superior of Chastity Squad, crouched nearby, her nine Lay-Sisters taking cover wherever they could. At Elizabeth's words, she rallied her Sororitas, "With me, Sisters!" As she leapt from concealment she looked over her shoulder with a wink, "Let not our martyrdom be in vain, Mother Elizabeth! Ave Imperator!" Before her Palatine could countermand the order, the other nine sisters of Chastity Squad sprang from concealment and began advancing down the corridor, their weapons blazing.
