Dan Abnett - Know no fear. The Battle of Calth

It is a time of legend.

The galaxy is in flames. The Emperor’s glorious vision for humanity is in ruins. His favoured son, Horus, has turned from his father’s light and embraced Chaos.

His armies, the mighty and redoubtable Space Marines, are locked in a brutal civil war. Once, these ultimate warriors fought side by side as brothers, protecting the galaxy and bringing mankind back into the Emperor’s light. Now they are divided.

Some remain loyal to the Emperor, whilst others have sided with the Warmaster. Pre-eminent amongst them, the leaders of their thousands-strong Legions are the primarchs. Magnificent, superhuman beings, they are the crowning achievement of the Emperor’s genetic science. Thrust into battle against one another, victory is uncertain for either side.

Worlds are burning. At Isstvan V, Horus dealt a vicious blow and three loyal Legions were all but destroyed. War was begun, a conflict that will engulf all mankind in fire. Treachery and betrayal have usurped honour and nobility. Assassins lurk in every shadow. Armies are gathering. All must choose a side or die.

Horus musters his armada, Terra itself the object of his wrath. Seated upon the Golden Throne, the Emperor waits for his wayward son to return. But his true enemy is Chaos, a primordial force that seeks to enslave mankind to its capricious whims.

The screams of the innocent, the pleas of the righteous resound to the cruel laughter of Dark Gods. Suffering and damnation await all should the Emperor fail and the war be lost.

The age of knowledge and enlightenment has ended. The Age of Darkness has begun.

Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the XIII Legion

Tauro Nicodemus, Tetrarch of Ultramar (Saramanth), Primarch’s Champion

Eikos Lamiad, Tetrarch of Ultramar (Konor), Primarch’s Champion

Justarius, Venerable Dreadnought

Telemechrus, Contemptor Dreadnought

Marius Gage, Chapter Master, 1st Chapter

Remus Ventanus, Captain, 4th Company

Kiuz Selaton, Sergeant, 4th Company

Lyros Sydance, Captain, 4th Company

Archo, Sergeant, 4th Company

Ankrion, Sergeant, 4th Company

Barkha, Sergeant, 4th Company

Naron Vattian, Scout, 4th Company

Saur Damocles, Captain, 6th Company

Domitian, Sergeant, 6th Company

Braellen, 6th Company

Androm, 6th Company

Evexian, Captain, 7th Company

Amant, 7th Company

Lorchas, Captain, 9th Company

Aethon, Captain, 19th Company

Erikon Gaius, Captain, 21st Company

Tylos Rubio, 21st Company

Honoria, Captain, 23rd Company

Teus Sullus, Captain, 39th Company

Greavus, Sergeant, 39th Company

Kaen Atreus, Chapter Master, 6th Chapter

Klord Empion, Chapter Master, 9th Chapter

Vared, Chapter Master, 11th Chapter

Ekritus, Captain, 111th Company

Phrastorex, Captain, 112th Company

Anchise, Sergeant, 112th Company

Sharad Antoli, Chapter Master, 13th Chapter

Taerone, Captain, 135th Company

Aeonid Thiel, Sergeant, 135th Company [marked]

Evido Banzor, Chapter Master, 16th Chapter

Heutonicus, Captain, 161st Company

Jaer, Apothecary, 161st Company

Kerso, 161st Company

Bormarus, 161st Company

Zabo, 161st Company

Anteros, 161st Company

Honorius Luciel, Captain, 209th Company

Lorgar Aurelian, Primarch of the XVII Legion

Kor Phaeron, The Black Cardinal

Erebus, Dark Apostle

Argel Tal, Gal Vorbak

Essember Zote, Gal Vorbak

Foedral Fell, Commander

Morpal Cxir, Commander

Hol Beloth, Commander

Maloq Kartho, Apostle to Hol Beloth

Sorot Tchure

Ulmor Nul

The Ushmetar Kaul, ‘The Brotherhood of the Knife’

Criol Fowst, Confided Lieutenant

The Tzenvar Kaul, ‘The Recursive Family’

The Jeharwanate, ‘The Ring’

The Kaul Mandari, ‘The Gene-kin’

Vil Teth, Gene-named

Uhl Kehal Hesst, Server of Instrumentation, Mechanicum

Meer Edv Tawren, Magos of Analyticae

Magos Uldort

Arook Serotid, Master of Skitarii

Cyramica, Skitarii

Shipmaster Sazar, Macragge’s Honour

Bohan Zedoff

Representative Macragge’s Honour

Magos Pelot,

Shipmaster Ouon Sanctity of Saramanth

Hommed,

Colonel Sparzi, Neride 10th

Bowe Hellock, Sergeant, Numinus 61st

Dogent Krank, Numinus 61st

Bale Rane, Numinus 61st

Seneschal Arbute

Oll Persson

Graft, Servitor Menial

Hebet Zybes,

Katt

Neve Rane

Who are the first to die?

Most commentaries will cite Honorius Luciel (captain, 209th) and seventeen others by the hand of Sorot Tchure on the company deck of the cruiser Samothrace at mark: -00.19.45, but these are not in fact the first combat fatalities.

The fleet tender Campanile is mob-boarded and taken off the Tarmus Apogee approximately one hundred and thirty-six hours [sidereal] before count start as a preliminary to the Calth assault.

Three thousand seven hundred and nine crew members are executed, including the ship master, the Navigator, the echelon port master, two fabricators from the yards, and a detail from the Neride Regulators 10th serving as deck protection.

Proof of the loss of the Campanile, delivered to Primarch Guilliman around mark: 01:30:00 demonstrates calculation and planning on behalf of the adversary, and establishes what Primarch Guilliman refers to as a ‘preparatory phase of acquisition’, which refutes any claims that the conflict was born out of mistake or misadventure.

This represents a ‘precondition of malice’ on the part of the adversary, and strengthens Primarch Guilliman’s hand in that it removes any compunction to resist or fight back with full military force.

There is no longer any point trying to reason with his brother, because his brother is not, in fact, mistakenly trying to kill him at all.

Lorgar has been planning it all along.

Precise details of the circumstances surrounding the loss of the Campanile are lost