Bathed in the light of the Mar Sara sun, the fleet of the Flame Lizards' Third Company stretched across low planetary orbit like a wall of steel.
This elite force, one of the earliest-founded units of the Flame Lizard Legion, had forged an awe-inspiring space combat force thanks to its extensive combat experience and abundant resources.
At its core was the imposing Emperor-class battleship Unyielding Sacred Flame, an eight-kilometer-long behemoth scarred from countless battles and adorned with symbols of honor.
The fleet originally included eight sleek destroyers and eight heavily armed cruisers, all working in concert with the Sacred Flame to form its main strike group.
Currently, several of these destroyers and cruisers were undergoing repairs at the front-line base drydocks.
Beyond that, the fleet still maintained over sixty vessels of various types: swift escort ships, supply vessels laden with materiel, and specialized orbital bombardment ships, forming a comprehensive, three-dimensional system of offensive and defensive capability.
This fleet was not only well-equipped; its personnel were also the crème de la crème.
Two thousand battle-hardened Astartes were stationed across the vessels, many of whom had been tempered by countless engagements large and small.
Inside the ships, highly trained crew members busied themselves at precision instruments, ensuring each warship remained at peak readiness.
Although the sudden swarm assault had caused some damage, and some of the ship hulls still bore signs of acid corrosion, overall combat strength remained intact.
Small maintenance craft equipped with mechanical arms were swarming around larger ships, repairing superficial damage to quickly restore full battle readiness.
On the tactical holomap aboard the flagship, combat readiness indicators remained steadily in the green, at over 85%, a testament to the resilience and solid foundation of this veteran unit.
At that moment, aboard the Unyielding Sacred Flame—
The massive bridge resembled a cosmic sanctum, a fusion of Gothic grandeur and Chinese elegance.
A 30-meter-high vaulted ceiling bore intricately carved dragon motifs interwoven with the Flame Lizard Legion's emblem. The surrounding columns were wrapped with bas-reliefs of auspicious clouds, glowing like bronze under the soft lighting.
The deck was paved with jet-colored alloy plates inlaid with a seven-star pattern. Every step stirred subtle ripples of energy.
Nearly a hundred Flame Lizard crew members in lightweight power armor worked at their stations.
These specially modified suits retained core protection while significantly reducing weight, allowing greater flexibility for bridge operations.
Their visors projected pale blue data streams as fingers danced across holographic interfaces, relaying commands to every corner of the ship.
Captain Gaozan stood silently behind the massive observation window. His heavy Terminator armor gleamed in shades of dark gold and green under the starlight.
He gazed at Mar Sara below. The battle-scarred planet was now divided by the terminator line, light and darkness interweaving across its surface.
Suddenly, the central holo-projector on the bridge activated automatically. Azure particles swirled like a river of stars.
Gaozan turned immediately, the servos of his armor letting out a deep hum.
The light particles coalesced into a towering figure over five and a half meters tall—
The gene-primarch of the Flame Lizard Legion, Vulkan, had appeared in holographic form.
This towering giant wore master-forged personal armor. Lava-like patterns flowed across his pauldrons and breastplate.
His thick black hair was streaked with silver, and his resolute face was lit by eyes like burning coals, capable of piercing souls.
The dragon crest on his armor seemed ready to leap to life at any moment, and even as a projection, the short-handled power hammer at his waist radiated an aura of overwhelming pressure.
"Father."
Gaozan immediately dropped to one knee, fist over chest, voice filled with reverence.
"Mm."
Vulkan's response rumbled like a voice from the planet's core.
His gaze swept across the bridge, and everyone under it instinctively straightened their backs. Then he asked:
"How fares the Third Company?"
Gaozan maintained his kneeling posture and gave a truthful report:
"Reporting, Father. Fleet readiness remains above 85%. Despite a sudden swarm attack, main vessels have been repaired. We suffered some losses in ground operations, but they remain within acceptable margins. Meanwhile, the Engineering Division has successfully constructed the new city. Over one hundred thousand refugees have been secured."
Vulkan gave a slight nod and waved his massive hand through the air, summoning several real-time data clusters.
"I hear the Goddess of War played a decisive role in turning the tide?"
"Flawless," Gaozan said with rare admiration. "Her appearance reversed the situation completely. The Blade Queen… was utterly powerless before her."
A subtle smile tugged at the corners of the Primarch's mouth before his face returned to seriousness.
"That human female, now infested… is indeed a variable." Vulkan's projection walked toward the central control console. As his hand hovered above it, a 3D stellar map of the entire planet appeared.
"Intelligence believes she's connected to a higher-dimensional entity. What is the Third Company's assessment?"
"Father," Gaozan rose and followed, "Intelligence and the Investigations Department believe this zerg queen may lead us to a greater threat behind the scenes. We will fully cooperate with all departments to plan the next operation."
Vulkan stared at the blinking markers in the star sector for a moment, then said:
"Remain vigilant. The swarm's evolution is advancing faster than predicted. That filth will not stop here."
With that, the Primarch turned. His projection flared slightly brighter.
"You have done well, my sons. But the true trial may be just beginning."
Gaozan saluted once more: "The Flame Lizards are ready to fight for you and for the Emperor at any time."
As Vulkan's image began to fade, his final words echoed throughout the bridge:
"Remember—we are not only warriors, but guardians. Protect the civilians. That is the Emperor's true will."
As the last traces of blue light vanished, the bridge returned to its rhythm of focused activity.
Gaozan stared at where the projection had stood, then turned back toward the observation window, just as the morning light of Mar Sara shone into the bridge, casting golden outlines across the deck.
This fleeting peace didn't last long before it was shattered.
A communications officer in lightweight power armor turned to Gaozan with a report: "Captain, we've received a distress signal! From a neighboring star system. Source authenticated… agricultural colony named Agria."
Hearing this, the heavily armored Gaozan turned as well, striding steadily toward the central command console. Each step sent a slight tremor through the jet-black alloy floor.
"Play it."
"Yes, sir."
The comms officer slid their fingers quickly over the glowing blue interface, activating the projection matrix.
With a soft hum, a holographic screen formed three meters above the console.
Though the edges flickered with static—likely due to interference—the core image remained mostly clear.
A young woman's face appeared.
She wore a messy black ponytail and square glasses perched on a high nose. Her eyes behind the lenses were bloodshot.
Her white medical coat was stained with grime and what appeared to be blood. A colony badge hung crookedly from her collar.
"Repeat: this is Agria Colony!" Her voice was shrill from urgency, gasping for breath.
"We're under large-scale zerg assault! Requesting any possible assistance and emergency evacuation! The Terran Dominion has abandoned us! We're just a small farming colony—we don't have the means to defend ourselves! Any friendly forces receiving this transmission—for humanity's sake, please help us!"
Behind her, blurred details painted a grim picture—
Terrified civilians fled through narrow corridors. Emergency lights blinked red from the ceiling. Explosions outside cast flickering shadows on the walls.
Most alarming of all were the occasional, twisted nonhuman figures flitting past the windows—clearly swarm vanguard units.
The comms officer quickly worked to stabilize the signal, "Sir, source extremely unstable—colony's communications array may be damaged."
"Establish live communication," Gaozan ordered.
"Executing."
The officer's hands blurred over the console, activating the ship's quantum communication array.
With a faint buzz of energy, the central projection matrix began reconstructing the signal. Countless light particles wove and merged midair.
Moments later, a clear live feed appeared.
The woman on screen flinched in surprise at the sudden connection, her face briefly lit by a nearby emergency lamp.
When her gaze fell on Gaozan's imposing figure—and the Terminator armor that differed from any CMC she had ever seen—her pupils contracted sharply behind her glasses.
"Th-Thank you very much for answering our distress call."
But she quickly steadied herself and adjusted her slipping glasses. "I'm Dr. Ariel Hanson—Agria's chief medical officer and acting administrator. May I ask who you are…?"
"Captain Gaozan, Third Company of the Flame Lizards," he answered succinctly, then continued, "Report your current situation."
Sensing his direct demeanor, Dr. Hanson didn't hesitate. Her throat bobbed once before she turned and rapidly worked a nearby control panel, connecting the colony's surveillance feed to the comms link.
"The main swarm force has broken through our orbital defenses. The colony is expected to fall within six hours."
Though her voice remained professionally composed, her trembling fingertips betrayed her fear. "Over the last twelve hours, we've been evacuating civilians through all available starports, but now…"
The screen switched to colony surveillance.
Zerglings tore through barricades. Hydralisks fired bone spikes in the distance. The image shook violently as an explosion boomed nearby.
"Our defensive lines have collapsed. We've lost seventy percent of our security forces." Dr. Hanson's voice finally cracked. "Over sixty thousand civilians are still trapped in residential zones. We're requesting emergency evacuation support!"
Silence fell over the bridge as all eyes turned to the towering Terminator standing before the console.
Blue light from the projection flickered across Gaozan's scarred armor.
In that moment, even the sound of breathing was audible.
Truthfully, the decision had already been made the moment the distress call was received.
As the Emperor's Angels of Death, the duty to safeguard humanity was etched into every Astartes' genes. Gaozan's eyes swept across the star map and gave his answer:
"We will dispatch a rescue fleet immediately. ETA thirty minutes to Agria. Dr. Hanson, hold the starport routes at all costs until we arrive."
The moment she heard his reply, Dr. Hanson seemed to come alive again. Her pale, fear-stricken face lit up with hope.
Tears sparkled behind her lenses as she nodded forcefully: "On behalf of the colony, thank you! We've initiated final defense protocols. We'll hold evacuation routes at Ports 1, 3, and 7, and are broadcasting rescue alerts via all operational terminals."
"Maintain open comms," Gaozan added. "We'll update the evacuation plan in real time."
As the transmission ended, the bridge erupted into action. Each order triggered a cascade of responses:
"Flagship strike group to combat readiness. First battle platoon to accompany flagship for immediate deployment. Remaining forces maintain defense formation over Mar Sara."
"Alert New City Coordination Center. Initiate Refugee Intake Protocol Level 3."
"Medical ships prepare emergency treatment units."
"Navigator, plot optimal warp route. Begin jump pre-load sequence."
The massive hull of the Unyielding Sacred Flame began to vibrate.
At its stern, the plasma engines glowed with deep blue light—like a slumbering beast opening its eyes.
Outside the observation window, Mar Sara's blue atmosphere gave way to the vastness of space. Gaozan raised his gauntleted hand and locked his dragon-engraved helmet tightly into place.
Click. The seal locked with a mechanical snap, and tactical readouts lit up inside his visor—star maps, fleet status, real-time threat assessments—all projected directly before his eyes.
As the warp engines reached full charge, Gaozan took one last look at the blinking rescue signal on the map.
Sixty thousand lives—perhaps more—were now counting down beneath the swarm's fangs. And in the Flame Lizards' dictionary, "abandonment" did not exist.
The growl of armor servos rose like a war cry, answering every unspoken oath: No matter the odds, the Emperor's warriors would always carve a bloody path for humanity's survival.
Gaozan knew—this would be another race against death and time.
But Flame Lizards did not fear challenges.
Especially not when innocent lives hung in the balance.
(End of Chapter)
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