The Rings and their master were in high spirits as the shuttle rattled through the air. After years of travel from Calixis, months of waiting in Footfall, months more of void-travel, and nothing but guarding Echo from petty scum all the while, they were finally headed for a real mission worthy of their training. As for the Navis himself, he was ready to bring the Emperor's justice to some heretics. One of the two women, Zelle, even sang softly as she double-checked her las pistol charge-packs and loaded her shotgun.

"Came we so far to for'n lands
Where liz-ards hop 'n Ambulls bite
To bring these burnin' sands
The Emperor's glor-ious light..."

Isund, the group's technical leader, stroked his white beard in a concerned gesture. "Are you certain you should accompany us, Lord Castermire?"

"We will see we will. My Warp Eye Warp Warp Warp Warp Warp may prove useful may."

"I assure you, Lord, we are more than capable... The thought of unnecessarily endangering your noble person fills me with deep dread."

"Then we'd best kill 'em quickly, eh?" the other female, Lorl, put in with a grin of silver and gold. Few of her original teeth remained from a life of fistfights. She turned her eyes up from her own forearm; she'd been admiring the row of small lines branded into her flesh. She'd soon add more to mark her upcoming kills. "By the way, Lord: do you require prisoners?"

"I do not do not. Send them send to the Throne Throne Throne Throne."

Her wicked smile widened. "Delightful, Lord."

Isund pulled at his beard again, saying nothing.

The last two men, Kip and Kimmet, whip-thin and dangerous as the swords they carried, leaned in close together and shared a kiss. Then, in harsh contrast, they slipped on their grim game-faces and prepared for murder. Zelle smiled next to them at their touching gesture.

"To war we fly
Life we revoke
Imm-ortans die
'N Smo-kers choke..."

Echo looked away from her and frowned for reasons of his own. He tried not to think about the dead behind him. Not when he went to make fresh corpses today.

Emperor protects. Omnissiah guides. Emperor protects. Omnissiah guides. Emperor protects...