Disclaimer: All Warhammer 40,000 concepts are property of Games Workshop. No challenge is intended.

1: Twenty Thousand Years Later

Gigaron had never seen an Astronomican so badly damaged.

"I fear it will take years to fully repair the beacon, Lord Mercantile," he said. "Even from here, I can tell it is in a defensive mood. The Empire must have misused it terribly."

Lord Mercantile Lucas Grelm, leader of House Grelm and de facto administrator of seven star systems, nodded. "According to my family histories, no higher functions have been recorded from the beacon over the past seven hundred years. We did not need them; the Empire provided House Grelm with navigators, and we were able to manage internal trade through the lower functions."

Gigaron looked at Lucas. "Lower functions?"

The Lord Mercantile was used to deference, from his populace, or contempt, from the Imperial Court. The straightforward nature of the Commonwealth magus was... different. Although he did not seem ferocious, an auburn-haired man with slim shoulders, a red gem at his throat, and a slight smile, Lucas sensed a core of steel behind the magus's regard. He had seen such steel before, but only in the immortal Astartes of the Empire. It was a good sign, that the Commonwealth should send such people to accept his fealty.

"Yes, Strike Magus. It was before the foundation of my House, some four thousand years ago. During a period of Commonwealth rule, the Astronomican was used to construct a nexus of warp corridors that now connect the seven systems of Realm Glorious. Even without Commonwealth psykers staffing the beacon, the warp nexus linked the region together with foot traffic."

"An impressive achievement." Gigaron looked back at the Astronomican. From their vantage atop the Grelm Citadel, six hundred kilometers south of the beacon, he could see most of one side of the vast structure. A storm was brewing along one flank, blue-black hammerheads of cloud crawling low along the white parapets. The upper reaches of the tower were the blue-white of a distant moon, standing altogether above the atmosphere.

But parts of that towering monolith had seen better days. Low-flung buttresses the size of cities dripped with jungle. Gaping holes were open in its upper flanks. And yet...

"And yet, I note the structure appears quite abandoned."

"You perceive correctly," said Lucas. "The corridors were the foundation of House Grelm's power, and with the resultant wealth we bought the loyalty of the Imperial Navigators. When we had the patronage of the Navigators, we did not need the corridors to hold onto power."

"But it was not your choice to abandon them, was it, Lord Mercantile?"

Lucas sighed. "And this brings us to the crux of the matter. No, the tunnels were lost to us when the Astronomican was damaged. It was a tumultuous period. The Empire had mounted a Black Crusade, seeking to break your blockade on the Eye of Terror and free the Old Gods."

"Starchild fend," muttered Gigaron.

"Apparently," agreed Lucas. "They failed, of course. I doubt the holy sector will ever return to the Chaos Imperium, not with your Star Gods on the defence. But as part of the campaign, they annexed the Realm Glorious systems. Our Astronomican would have permitted your own navigators to operate along the flank of the Crusade."

"Your predecessor surrendered rather than fight."

"We had little choice, Strike Magus. The Emperor himself directed the Loyalist Astartes to wipe us out if we resisted. Tartaros XVIII, I believe. He and his son died in battle within eyeshot of the old Imperial Capitol on Cadia, his troops thrown back and his dynasty ended, but the occupation forces remained in our cities."

"I understand. Your ancestors chose to protect your people, rather than die pointlessly. I would have made the same choice."

"Indeed. Anyway, the Grelm heir was much taken with the Imperial traditions, and offered our House's support to the Sectus Apotheosis Chaoticum."

"And the SAC thought they could use this Astronomican in their quest to awaken a new Chaos God. How far did they get before the tower overloaded?"

"Nobody knows. The original Grelm Citadel was much closer to the beacon when it went up, and a tertiary boost antenna fell on it. We lost many records. However, that is when the problems began. Nothing was alive in that tower, and when we sent scouts into the corridors, nothing returned."

"So the Imperial Navigators were your only connection to the seven systems."

"And this past year, when the Sennac Dynasty seized the Imperial throne, they withdrew their patronage of our shipping. The Navigators will no longer guide us through the Warp. House Grelm needs that Astronomican, Strike Magus. We cannot hold our house or realm together without it."

"The Commonwealth is glad to help, Lord Mercantile."

"I am glad to hear it. Something lives in those corridors even now; my best scouts went in there three months ago, and we haven't heard a thing. Whatever is wrong with the Astronomican, I am helpless to fix it."

Gigaron nodded. "Then let us begin. Rage Heart! Query the local data banks. I want a map of those corridors."

"Yes sir," said the gem at his throat. "One moment. Shall I display?"

"Please."

Magenta energy traced a complex knot of paths and infrastructure on the air before Gigaron. He looked left, right, left again, and gestured the map away. "I have reinforcements on a cruise titan in the Enjyat System, at the far end of the corridor network. We shall enter at opposite ends, and meet in the middle. That should give us a good idea of what awaits us."

"You are confident in victory, then? How many legions can you bring to bear against the chaos taint in those warp tunnels?"

Gigaron put a finger to his temple. "Interstellar transmission, set up. Sector tight beam. Brother Vitus! Is the Enjyat complex secure?"

Of course, Gar. The locals were very helpful and now I'm bored. What do you have for me?

"Have the Count analyse the map I am sending. We're going into the webway. Can you be ready in twenty minutes?"

Like I'm not ready now. Race you to the centerpoint?

"Don't do anything foolish, Brother. Deploy in 20, and go slow. There might be anything in there. Gigaron, over."

Very well, I'll keep my eyes open. Vitus, out.

"We're ready to go, Lord Mercantile." Gigaron lowered his hand. "Alert your forces that I will be going in."

Lucas nodded, and tapped commands into his wrist terminal. "How many units shall I tell them to expect?"

"Including Brother Vitus? Two. Rage Heart: Set Up!"

Lucas blinked.

Gigaron lifted off the ground. A spasm of psyker energy arced into the gem at his throat. Magenta flame washed across his clothing; shards of metal sang and circled and collapsed in around him. In the time it took to blink again, the Strike Magus was fully caparisoned. His battle robe was white and sleek, piped with blue at the cuffs and hem, pips of red on the protective jacket. The gem of his Intelligence shone red in its staff mount. Runes and diagnostics flickered in the air below his feet.

"Lord Mercantile, it has been a pleasure. I shall return."

The Strike Magus shot skyward and vanished in a streak of vapour. Lucas Grelm stared after him.

Two warriors to defeat an evil that had haunted his people for nearly a millennium?

Either this truly was the end of his house, or joining the Commonwealth was a truly inspired choice.