Something is set to motion

Heavy footsteps echoed through the unreasonably large halls of the fortress. Each ceiling was at least 10 metres high and even the smaller corridors were 4 metres wide. Everywhere, flying skulls with small rocket engines buzzed around just to light up the room with the candle they had on their smoothly polished skulls. The footsteps that could be heard echoing through the endless corridors were very heavy and steady. There was no hurry or haste in them. Rather a grim determination.

"Are you sure?" the voice of a born leader was heard over the vox speakers. Calm, matter-of-fact and with an unmistakable seriousness.

"Yes. The augurs have confirmed it. A demonic presence has gained a foothold on Terra. How will we proceed Chapter Master?"

"Our edict is clear! We will cleanse Terra!" said the warrior clad in heavy tactical cybot armour.

"But our instructions..."

"I require a Thunderhawk and two guards." Replied the heavily armoured Space Marine harshly. He was the Master of this Order and it was his responsibility to do the duty he had been ordered to do. That was the burden he had to carry. The burden that had been placed on him alone. None of his brothers could understand this.

"As you command, Grandmaster."

Imperial Ship:

"Admiral. Several flying objects are approaching our ship." Said one of the bridge officers to the new admiral, who was sitting in her predecessor's chair for the first time. It was a very different feeling. She had served as her admiral's right hand woman for 40 years, faithfully and honourably, but now it was her time. Now she was mistress of this ship. She was destined for greatness. Even the Inquisitor, who stood beside her and looked grim, would acknowledge that. A beautiful woman she was, but she was so narrow-minded. She did not realise the possibilities that this time jump had opened up.

"Are they from Terra?" she asked the fleet officer, who confirmed that they were. "Activate the shields. We will not tolerate another intruder on this ship! Engage them with the weapons!"

"Admiral?" the Inquisitor asked, raising a brow, but she only smiled and raised her hand.

"Have no fear, Inquisitor. I have no intention of repeating the follies of my predecessor. I will not interfere with the history of Terra by weakening her forces. However, I am certain that these primitive ships will realise they are being targeted by us. If necessary, I will fire a warning shot. Are you satisfied?" she smiled broadly.

"I see it was a wise choice to promote them."

"Er... Admiral... we have a new contact."

"What kind?" she asked curiously when she noticed a new scanner contact on the Augur displays. Surprisingly, it did not come from Terra, but from the outer solar system. On top of that, the object was identified as a Thunderhawk.

"How... is that possible? Where did a Thunderhawk come from?" she asked, half to herself. They had been accompanied by an Astartes cruiser before the jump, but there had been no sign of it since it appeared in real space. Could one of the Space Marines have made it? Extra firepower was never wrong, and having the Emperor's angels on your side was never wrong. And yet, something about this contact bothered her.

"How long until it reaches us?"

"At constant acceleration, 29 hours, 29 minutes and 12 seconds." Calculated the servitor at her side with gurgling noises.