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in pain。
When he recovered； he set off once more； filled with fresh determination。 He travelled for another five hours across the
treacherous terrain of the mountains； when he heard the whine of the ship's engines once more。
Hawke watched the ponderous craft rise up from the distant citadel and angle itself towards the crimson sky。
'Oh； no；' he moaned。 'No； no； no… come back！ Come back you bastards！ Come back！'
But the crew of the ship ignored his pleading and the craft shot upwards on a burning tail plume。 Hawke dropped to his knees as
the craft vanished from sight； weeping and cursing its crew。
He was scanning the sky； desperately hoping the ship would return； when the first orbital lance strike lit up the sky with
unbearable brightness and streaked through the atmosphere to impact on the citadel。
He sat bolt upright as a massive explosion mushroomed from the citadel； scrambling backwards as a cascade of light fell from the
sky； enveloping the citadel in blinding explosions。
Hawke watched； horrified as the barrage continued for another three hours。 By the time it was complete； there was nothing left to
indicate that the citadel had existed at all。
He slumped onto his side； closing his eyes as the weight of the last few weeks crashed down upon him and he realised he was
trapped on Hydra Cordatus。 He squeezed shut his eyes and rolled onto his back as exhaustion finally claimed him。
ROUGH HANDS SHOOK him awake and he grunted in pain as he felt himself being dragged to his feet。 He tried to open his eyes； but
they were gummed with dust。 All he could make out were blurred； yellow forms and shouted questions。 Shapes either side of him
held him upright as an insistent voice nagged at him。
'What…？' he slurred。
'What is your name？' repeated the voice。
'Hawke；' he managed； 'Guardsman Hawke； serial number 25031971； who the hell are you？'
'Sergeant Vermaas of the Imperial Fists strike cruiser Justitia Fides；' said a voice in front of him。
He felt hands lifting his dog…tags from beneath his uniform jacket。
Hawke blinked his eyes and turned his head； seeing two giants in yellow power armour either side of him； a third standing before
him without his helmet。 Even in his exhausted state； Hawke recognised Space Marines and wept in relief when he saw the boxy
shape of a Thunderhawk gun…ship sitting on the plain behind them。
'Where is Captain Eshara？' demanded Vermaas。
'Who？'
'Brother…Captain Alaric Eshara； commander of the Imperial Fists Third Company。'
'Never heard of him；' said Hawke。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
Vermaas nodded to the Imperial Fists either side of him and Hawke was marched roughly towards the gunship as the Space
Marines boarded ahead of him。
'Where are you taking me？' he asked。
'We're taking you home； soldier；' said Sergeant Vermaas。
Hawke smiled and stepped aboard the Thunderhawk。
（The End）
。 … 。………【gzbysh】整理