Watchers in the Shadows

*011.M31*

*Strike Cruiser Whisper-ken, in far orbit about Keld'abe*

Lieutenant Edvar Locatum and Heirarch Revas stood watching the tactical hololith on the bridge of the strike cruiser Whisperkin. The hololith was full of the small winking lights that represented the fleets of the Iron Revenants, Shadow Warriors, and Sky Reavers.

He remembered the words. Morrigar, never the most inspiring or vocal of the Primarchs, spoke before the cruiser had left Skiirad. "You are my Watchers, my Ocularis. The Shadow Warriors are important, but the most important element of this mission is for you to remain unseen. No one must know that we are watching them."

Locatum turned to his Heirarch and the smaller form of the head tech-priest next to Revas, "Are we hidden?"

"Yes lord. The engine bafflers and secondary dampening shields are operating well within expected tolerances. As far as any of the other ships' sensors can tell, we are a hole in the sky." The tech-priest's buzzing voice was monotone, but couldn't hide a hint of satisfaction.

"And the psychic shielding?" Locatum's gaze shifted to Revas.

"The Heirarch operatives are using the ship's implanted psychic nodes to project a field of aversion out among the other ships. Even if the sensors locate us, the psychics will convince their officers that there is nothing here, any sensor tag is but a minor glitch."

"Good." Locatum was pleased that the technology adept Scoria had created for the experimental cruiser was working so well, at least for now. "Have we received any more information from our recon teams?"

The tactical officer looked up from his station, "No lord. All five teams deployed to Keld'abe's surface are still reporting that nothing is currently out of normal parameters."

"I wonder why our sire was so sure something would happen?" Locatum's voice was soft, only carrying to Revas' ears. The Heirarch looked at his partner and had no answer. "We are the Ocularis, Edvar. We will be our Primarch's eyes no matter what."

"Lord!" The sensorium officer’s panicked shout jerked every eye to the hololith. "The Iron Revenants..."

Across the display dozens of ships started firing. The Iron Revenant fleet unloaded broadside after broadside into Shadow Warrior ships and orbital defenses, damaging and destroying their brother legion. Locatum's fists clenched inside his armor as the surprise volleys tore through the unsuspecting planetary defenders.

Hundreds of lifepods and shuttles flew away from dying ships; some destroyed by the same barrage that killed their mothership. The vox station crackled with a confusing morass of information- Shadow Warriors calling for assistance, mortal cries of agony as the vacuum of space invaded shipboard compartments, and the harsh orders of Iron Revenant officers.

"Lord, our planetary teams are reporting the Shadow Warriors are withdrawing to their bunkers and Bral'Rang itself. Teams three and four are moving to their extraction shuttles; the others are unable to due to the confusion."

Locatum barked orders out, moving the Whisper-ken to sulk at the edge of the battlefield and preparing his remaining Astartes for possible combat or rescue operations. Information and updates came from every direction, and his enhanced brain worked overtime to interpret the data.

"The Sky Reavers are moving back, protecting a portion of the remaining Shadow Warrior fleet."

"*Titan's Gaol* and supporting ships taking up bombardment orbitals."

"Team three has broken free from Keld'abe's gravity, will rendezvous with us in ten minutes."

"Team five has ceased transmitting- reports of bombardment at their location."

Locatum and Revas joined together, using the Shard of Scoria implanted in Locatum's brain to communicate telepathically. Both Riven began to call out orders, working in a seamless manner that made them seem as one being with two bodies. The Whisper-ken's stealthed shuttles moved towards Shadow Warriors who had been thrown from their ships and lifepods containing the remnants of ships' companies. The two remaining infiltration pairs were directed to shelter in any available bunker, to continue to observe.

"Lord, the *Titan's Gaol* has just launched cyclonic torpedoes." The sensorium officer's voice was hushed, as the ultimate weapon the Imperium had was unleashed on one of its own planets. "Confirmed Life Eater virus deployed."

Locatum-Revas looked at the hololith, and together saw the truth of the matter. The Iron Revenants had condemned Keld'abe to death, and were massing for an invasion that would destroy anything that survived the Exterminatus launch. Keld'abe was doomed, felled by a brother legion without any warning or hail. The Lieutenant-Heirarch broke apart, each Marine going back to being alone in their mind.

"Continue to rescue what we can of the Shadow Warriors, without showing that we are here. Order the remaining teams to scrub their armor and equipment of anything that will trace back to the Riven and to keep sending out updates. Take us to the edge of the system..." Locatum's orders were quiet as he watched the display. Already there were a dozen Shadow Warriors rescued in the Whisper-ken's medicae rooms, and more were going to arrive shortly. Eight Riven, the four infiltration teams unable to join the Whisper-ken, would be lost. Edvar's eyes were hard as he looked at the Iron Revenants' ships on the display. "We will leave this system shortly. Morrigar must know what happened here. "

"Everyone will know what happened here."