Chapter 40: The Plea of the Deathwatch Chaplain

Rhode hurriedly pulled back his psychic projection.

To the blue sparks of light within the Warp, the golden point he had manifested appeared as a brilliant, shining star. Consequently, distress signals were flooding toward him in an overwhelming torrent. The sheer volume of these pleas was staggering. How many worlds in the Empire were currently engulfed in war? This was likely merely the tip of the iceberg—a fitting reality for the grim darkness of the forty-first millennium. Among the dozen or so messages he had glimpsed, every single one was a cry for help; not a single one was mundane.

"How is it, Lord Rhode? Are you able to connect with other Astropaths?" the Canoness asked, her face etched with anxiety as she watched him stir.

"I am. I successfully connected and witnessed the golden radiance of the Astronomican. I could perceive the other Astropaths within as well. The moment I entered, I was bombarded by over a dozen messages, all distress signals from across the Empire. One of them even originated from the Deathwatch," Rhode replied, relaying the information he had received.

"The Empire is under constant assault by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos, as well as those wretched xenos and vile traitors," the Canoness sighed. As a Sister of Battle, she was well-versed in the state of the Imperium; some worlds lived in the peace of paradise, while others were consumed by the fires of war.

"I am concerned about the Deathwatch," interjected Captain Drees of the Polar Warriors. "The Deathwatch is an elite unit among the Space Marines, composed of veteran battle-brothers from every Chapter. If they are calling for aid, it must be a matter of grave importance."

Under normal circumstances, if any Space Marine Chapter received a distress signal from the Deathwatch, they would prioritize immediate support, as the Deathwatch only faced the most dire threats and the most formidable xenos.

"Tell me how to transmit a message," Rhode said. "I can receive them, but I seem unable to send." His immediate priority was to broadcast a distress signal to the outside world. He had to learn how to speak within the Astropathic choir rather than merely acting as a passive receiver.

"Lord Rhode, simply use your intent to convey the message you wish to send, or you may project a broadcast to the surrounding area; those within one hundred light-years will receive it," the Captain explained. "Issue it in my name—Captain Drees of the Polar Warriors' Second Company. If the Chapter or any other successor chapters of the Ultramarines receive it, they will surely respond."

Rhode nodded, casting his consciousness once more into the Warp, protected by the light of the Astronomican. He attempted to project his intent, broadcasting a signal from the agricultural world he currently occupied.

"Agricultural world Bill has suffered a Tyranid invasion. The swarm has been repelled. Captain Drees of the Polar Warriors' Second Company requests the Chapter fleet," Rhode transmitted, keeping the message concise.

***

During his time within the Astronomican’s reach, he had received dozens more distress signals. There was no help for it; his golden spark was simply too brilliant. Xenos entities would never dare enter this realm, as it was the domain of the Emperor, so the appearance of such a radiant point signaled immense power. To the desperate Astropaths, he had become a beacon of hope. Among the messages, the Deathwatch unit had sent several in rapid succession.

"Who are you? Can you answer?"
"My Lord! Are you an Inquisitor of the Imperium? I am a Chaplain of the Deathwatch."
"I beg you, if you can hear this, please come to our aid."
"We are facing a massive Tyranid swarm. Their Shadow in the Warp has compromised our local Astropaths. I am the only one left capable of transmitting a signal. This planet houses vital facilities; it must not fall."

The psychic messages from the self-proclaimed Deathwatch Chaplain kept pouring in. Rhode felt a sense of exasperation. *Damn it! I haven't even received a response to my own call for help, and now you won't stop pestering me?*

"I am acting under the authority of Captain Drees of the Polar Warriors' Second Company. We have just repelled a small-scale Tyranid incursion and are currently awaiting the Imperial Navy. I am afraid I cannot come to your aid," Rhode replied, sending a message back to the Chaplain.

"You! Are you a new Librarian of the Polar Warriors? Or perhaps a Chaplain of the Second Company?" the Chaplain asked, clearly surprised.

"My identity is Imperial classified. You do not have the clearance to inquire about me, Chaplain. I am stranded on this world due to unforeseen circumstances and am currently assisting the Polar Warriors in repelling the Tyranid threat," Rhode stated. Why bother explaining? A simple dismissal based on lack of clearance was enough.

"My apologies, my Lord. I should not have inquired about Imperial secrets. I once served with the Polar Warriors; I joined the Deathwatch over a century ago, back when Drees was still a mere recruit," the Chaplain said.

*Oh? An acquaintance, then?*

"Give me your name. I will confirm this with Captain Drees."
"My name is Magro. Drees should remember me."

***

Rhode sent a signal for the Chaplain to wait and withdrew from the link.

"Captain Drees, I have received a distress signal from the Deathwatch. The individual claims to be a former Chaplain of the Polar Warriors who joined the Deathwatch over a hundred years ago. His name is Magro."

"Magro? I remember him. I had only been serving for a few decades at the time. Chaplain Magro even conducted my ideological reinforcement training before he departed for the Deathwatch one hundred and thirty years ago," Drees said, nodding.

"It seems they are in deep trouble. Shall I inquire further?"

"Please do, Lord Rhode. He is a battle-brother, a mentor to us," Drees replied.

Rhode nodded and cast his consciousness back into the link.

"I have confirmed your identity with Captain Drees. Chaplain Magro, you served with the Polar Warriors one hundred and thirty years ago. Tell me, what is happening on your end?"

"My Lord! We are conducting a mission of critical importance. There are over fifty Tyranid hive ships in this system. This is a massive Hive World; if it falls to the Tyranids, their swarm fleet will more than double in size, directly threatening several neighboring sectors. If you can, I beg you to help us call for reinforcements."

Rhode didn't focus on anything else—only the mention of "over fifty hive ships."

*Cough, damn it! That’s over a million gold coins!*

The fact that he could receive their signal so clearly meant they were relatively close.