899.M41 – The Dorian Expanse The first lance strike carved through the darkness.
A brilliant beam of incandescent energy flashed across the void, passing less than two thousand kilometers beneath the frigate *Night’s Vigil*.
Its void shields flared brilliant blue as the blast dissipated against the ancient shield generators.
“Enemy fire!” The bridge of the *Talons of Terra* erupted into disciplined activity.
Unlike mortal crews who often gave in to panic during the first moments of battle, every officer aboard the Battle Barge had drilled for centuries.
Orders were issued calmly, servitors relayed commands across the fleet, and the machine spirits of the great warships awakened for battle.
Master of the Fleet Decimus stood over the tactical hololith.
“Enemy vessels identified.” As more augur data streamed in, crimson runes resolved into recognizable shapes.
“Eight light cruisers.” “Twelve escort vessels.” “Unknown flagship.” Captain Lucien Voss studied the display.
“Imperial hull designs.” Decimus nodded.
“Ancient Imperial hulls.” “Many date back to the Great Crusade.” Corven’s voice remained steady.
“Traitors.” “No…” Chief Librarian Kaelen stepped closer.
“They’re something else.” — Across the fleet, vox channels came alive.
> “Void shields at maximum.” > “Lance batteries charged.” > “Attack craft standing by.” > “All companies report ready.” The Hidden Talons had fought Orks, Eldar raiders, Chaos warbands, and Tyranid splinter fleets.
Every battle had taught the same lesson.
Patience won wars.
Corven watched the enemy formation carefully.
“They’re too organized.” Captain Voss nodded.
“They’re herding us.” — The unknown fleet advanced in eerie silence.
No challenge was issued.
No demands for surrender.
No battle hymn of Chaos echoed across the vox.
Only the cold precision of warships moving into firing positions.
Then…
A vox transmission cut through every Imperial frequency.
The voice was deep and distorted by age.
> “Sons of Corax…” A pause.
> “You should have remained beyond the Expanse.” The bridge became perfectly still.
Corven answered.
“You know us.” Soft laughter echoed through the speakers.
> “We have known you for ten thousand years.” The transmission ended.
— The first exchange of broadsides shook the void.
The Strike Cruiser *Shadow’s Wing* unleashed its port batteries.
Hundreds of macro shells crossed the darkness, followed moments later by brilliant lance fire.
One enemy escort exploded spectacularly.
Another lost its engines and drifted helplessly into the path of a third vessel.
The Hidden Talons had drawn first blood.
Cheers rose from the mortal bridge crews.
The Space Marines remained silent.
The battle had only begun.
— Aboard the enemy flagship…
A towering figure watched the engagement from an ancient command throne.
His black power armour bore no Chapter markings.
Only scars.
His face remained hidden behind a featureless helm.
Around him, mortal crewmen worked in complete silence.
An officer approached.
“My lord.” “We’ve lost two escorts.” The warrior gave a slight nod.
“They have not disappointed me.” “The second phase?” He looked toward the image of the *Talons of Terra*.
“Begin.” — Without warning, the enemy formation broke apart.
Instead of continuing the exchange of broadsides, the unidentified ships accelerated in different directions.
Captain Decimus frowned.
“They’re abandoning formation.” “No.” Corven watched carefully.
“They’re surrounding us.” The realization came instantly.
The enemy was not trying to destroy the Hidden Talons.
They were trying to isolate every ship.
“Signal the fleet.” “Maintain formation.” “No vessel fights alone.” Across the fleet, the order was acknowledged immediately.
The Battle Barge reduced speed.
The frigates closed ranks.
The two Strike Cruisers shifted inward, protecting the vulnerable escort ships with overlapping fields of fire.
The Hidden Talons answered discipline with discipline.
— Then came the boarding torpedoes.
Brother Cassian shouted from the auspex station.
“Multiple fast-moving contacts!” “Hull impact in thirty seconds!” Master Decimus looked up.
“Target?” “All ships.” Dozens of armored boarding torpedoes streaked through the void.
Point-defense cannons roared.
Flak bursts filled space with explosions.
Several torpedoes shattered.
Others continued.
The frigate *Black Talon* destroyed three before a fourth slammed into her port side.
The Battle Barge herself intercepted six.
Five were destroyed.
The sixth struck near Cargo Bay Twelve with a deafening explosion.
Warning runes flashed across the bridge.
“Hull breach!” “Boarders!” — Deep within the *Talons of Terra*…
Emergency bulkheads crashed into place.
Red warning lights bathed the corridor in crimson.
Smoke drifted through the fractured passageway as the boarding torpedo slowly split apart.
Its front hatch hissed open.
For several seconds…
Nothing happened.
Veteran Sergeant Darius stood with twenty Tactical Marines covering the breach.
Bolters raised.
Safety catches disengaged.
Silence.
Then a boot stepped onto the deck.
Black ceramite.
Ancient.
Scarred.
A second boot followed.
A warrior emerged from the smoke.
His armour had once been midnight blue.
Only fragments of faded paint remained beneath layers of soot and black pigment.
His left shoulder pad was bare.
The Chapter symbol had been deliberately removed.
He carried an ancient bolter across his chest.
He looked directly at the Hidden Talons.
Then he spoke.
“We finally meet.” Darius answered by firing.
Twenty-one bolters roared as one.
The corridor disappeared beneath a storm of mass-reactive shells.
When the smoke cleared…
The warrior was still standing.
His armour was scarred.
His cloak torn.
But he had not fallen.
Instead…
He laughed.
More footsteps echoed from inside the torpedo.
One.
Then another.
Then dozens.
The Hidden Talons had expected pirates.
They had expected Chaos Marines.
They had even prepared for the Alpha Legion.
What emerged from the boarding torpedo was something stranger.
Every warrior wore ancient Astartes armour.
Every Chapter badge had been removed.
Every faceplate was featureless black.
They advanced in complete silence.
Veteran Sergeant Darius drew his chainsword.
The crackling teeth screamed to life.
He smiled beneath his helmet.
“Brothers.” He keyed the company vox.
“Boarders confirmed.” “What are they?” Darius watched the black-armoured warriors advance through the smoke.
“I don’t know…” He tightened his grip on his sword.
“…but they’re about to learn they boarded the wrong ship.” With a thunderous cry of **”For the Emperor!”**, the Hidden Talons charged.
The first clash of blades echoed through the ancient corridors of the *Talons of Terra*, while outside, the fleet battle raged across the black emptiness of the Dorian Expanse.