We circled back and began finishing off the crippled destroyers, then incinerated what was left of the corrupted battleship.
Adamantium wouldn't quite burn and evaporate, but I was cautious not to try to salvage sothing that would surely be imprinted with demons or psychic emanations.
Perhaps if I had a company of Grey Knights, but those walking purification engines were very rare, secretive and likely busy doing more important work.
We still had more repairs to do, and nothing to surprise the Chaos siege fleet with. But they wouldn't know that, so my own fleet would prevent them from committing to a desperate assault.
"Commodore Jorvis, you know the drill. Largest hull fragnts into the sun." I ordered at my destroyer squadron leader, and went back to my room.
Then I looked around at the lted walls and furniture, and walked out.
"I'm holess now." I muttered towards Ludvaius.
"You have 18 ships right here, and those planets in the Fringe. I'm certain we will find a place for you to sleep." the veteran Astartes said without changing tone, simply flat.
"It was a joke, big brother." I replied in a tired voice, leaning on a blackened wall. I then voxed my other guard for help.
In a minute, Captain Thrasius arrived and led to his own room, which had been the Scythes' dormitory when there were more of them. "You sleep as well, Brother Ludvaius. I will keep watch." my guardian declared and sat beside the door, then started cleaning and oiling his bolter.
I never slept better, being very tired but knowing I was safe.
Even took my armor off, which was not recomnded during a Yellow alert.
Unlike Astartes, who could keep going for a month without sleep, or sleep with an eye open, I was still human and got tired.
Much later, I woke up to find a Biologis Magos poking with a hundred sharp instrunts.
"Common sense priest! Wake up for a check-up." I growled and held my hand for a cup of caf. But Ludvaius was missing.
Tharsius didn't serve coffee, or even seed to care I was being probed in funny places.
"Incorrect, Captain. It is better to investigate a patient that is sedated or asleep. Less chance I sever an important nerve or leave you sterile because you thrash around." the Magos declared serenely.
"Fine! Sedated yes, asleep no." I muttered still groggy. The priest had so logic, but I felt violated. And I probably was.
"Is this Astartes cleared for my report, Captain?" the tech-priest continued without care, and took out a holoslate with a hundred indexes marked in yellow and green.
"I'm slowly turning into a neophyte, Thrasius. Probably the work of the Angel on Estaban. It already reaches my shoulder." I explained and held my left hand out.
The Astartes blinked and stepped closer to grab the holoslate. "It should hurt trendously. And it never starts from the wrist." he mused to himself, while scanning the data on the device.
"I have participated in the transformation of a few Space Wolves. The numbers do not lie, Astartes. It is just going very slowly. A thousand tis slower." the Biologis Magos replied a bit offended.
"Also I am a Blank, so whatever is happening has to overco my innate resistance." I added helpful. 'To Warp bullshit' I continued in my mind.
Thrasius sighed and sat down again, after handing the slate.
"It shouldn't work anyway. But miracles keep happening, as the Emperor wills. By the way, there's another fleet parked beside us. Blood Angels, led by an Inquisitor." he explained softly.
"And they called Ludvaius to report? Of course they did." I answered then turned towards my priest dic. "I will need your expertise, Magos. And sothing to subdue an Inquisitor, if he's corrupted."
A few rites of purification and logic cantrips erged from my doctor.
"...I cannot help, Captain. Only another Inquisitor can..." the tech-priest began while I walked to my power armor and removed a tiny box in the backpack.
"Will this help?" I asked jovially, holding a Rosetta made from a palm-sized coghead, but still inscribed with the capital I. It also contained the necessary !" I proclaid in a grave voice, and stabbed the tattooed man with my new spear.
He was unpowered and sedated anyway, but those Chaos spikes on his chest told the real truth. And thus, the traitor died on the very spear he had discovered.
There was no explosion or demon jumping out.
Just a fool, played with by Chaos and left to die ignominiously.
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