Salamander

hollow that was fringed with razor-edged steel and sharpened struts that jutted like spikes.

Fire emanated from where the lifter had crushed an activation console. Sparks flicked from the trashed unit had lit flammable liquids pooling from pipes shorn during the lifter's rapid descent. It was building to a conflagration, the flames so high they licked the edges of the ragged deck plates where Tsu'gan was standing. Smoke coiled upwards in black, ever-expanding blooms.

'Here,' called Tsu'gan, when his fellow sergeant didn't see him straight away. He watched as Dak'ir made his way to the end of the corridor and the junction where Tsu'gan was crouched with fifty crewmen in torn, fire-blackened uniforms.

Dak'ir gave a forced nod of acknowledgement as he reached the other Salamander.

'What do you need, brother?' he asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

'Down there.' Tsu'gan pointed into the fiery shaft. Dak'ir crouched down with him, peering through the dense smoke. 'You see it?' Tsu'gan asked, impatiently.

'Yes.'

There was a section of the original broken deck plate hanging into the chasm. It was long enough to span the ragged hole but would need to be hoisted up and held in place in order for anyone to cross.

'The bulkheads have not been engaged in this part of the ship, yet,' said Tsu'gan, 'but it's only a matter of time. That way,' - he gestured past the chasm to the darkness on the other side; there was a faint pall of light from still active lume-lamps - 'leads to the lifter and salvation for these men.'

'You want to bridge the gap for them to cross, so they can reach it,' Dak'ir concluded for him.

Tsu'gan nodded. 'One of us has to leap across and take up the other end of the deck section. Then we both hold it in place,' he explained. 'Armsmaster Vaeder will guide his men across.'

One of the deck crew, a man with a gash across his forehead and a makeshift sling supporting his right arm that had been fashioned from part of his uniform, stepped forward and saluted.

Dak'ir acknowledged him with a nod, before turning his attention back to Tsu'gan.

The other brother-sergeant was back on his feet. He held up his hand before Dak'ir could speak.

'If your question is who will make the leap?' he asked without making eye contact. 'I will do it.'

Tsu'gan spread his arms.

'Step back,' he ordered, meaning Salamander and crewman alike. Tsu'gan leant back a little by way of gathering some momentum and then launched himself over the chasm. Fire lapped at his boots and greaves as he flew across the metal-wreathed blackness, before he landed on the opposite side with a heavy

thunk.

'

Now, Ignean,' he said, turning to face Dak'ir, 'take up the fallen deck section and lift it to me.'

'Are your men ready, Armsmaster Vaeder?' Dak'ir asked with a side glance at the crewman.

'Ready to leave this ship, my lord, aye.'

Low rumblings from deep within the vessel gave Dak'ir pause as the corridor shook and creaked ominously.

'We move now, Ignean!' snapped Tsu'gan, seeing no reason to delay. Don't coddle them, he thought. Survival first.

Dak'ir crouched down, once he was certain of his footing, and grasped the hanging deck plate by pushing his fingers through its grilled surface. The metal would normally be latticed with several overlapping layers but those had since fallen away, so only the uppermost level remained, enabling the Space Marine to get his armoured digits through the gaps. Ensuring his grip was firm Dak'ir lifted the ten metres of plate, its twisted metal beams screaming in protest as he bent them back almost straight.

Tsu'gan watched the deck plate rise, frustrated at Dak'ir's slowness. He reached down and took it as soon as he could, hoisting the metal up by the ragged edge that didn't quite meet the end of what he was crouching on.

'Secure,' he growled.

Armsmaster Vaeder had organised his men into ten groups of five. Each ''squad'' would take it in turns to cross the makeshift bridge so as not to put too much pressure on the metal or the Salamanders bearing it. Just before the first group was about to muster across, a huge plume of flame erupted from below as some incendiary in the depths ignited and exploded.

Tsu'gan felt the heat of the fire against his exposed face as he was utterly engulfed by it. Smoke billowed up in swathes, obscuring Dak'ir and the crewman from view.

'Send them now,' he bellowed, fighting against the roar of the flames. 'We can afford to wait no longer.'

After a few seconds, the first of several figures started to emerge. Tsu'gan felt the weight of their passage in his arms as he strained to keep the deck plate aloft. One slip and anyone crossing it would fall to their certain deaths. He had no desire to add that to his already troubled conscience.

A thought came unbidden into his mind at that, and he forced it down.

Vulkan's fire beats in my breast,

he intoned in his head to steady himself.

With it, I shall smite the foes of the Emperor.

Tsu'gan clung to the mantra like a lifeline, as tenuous and jeopardous as the fragile bridge he clutched between his hands.

The first of the ''squads'' made it across without incident, hugging jackets over their heads to ward off the fire and smoke now issuing through the grille plate. A second group wandered through after them, their footing wary because of the poor visibility. All the while, the

Vulkan's Wrath

quaked and trembled as if it was a bird fighting against a tempest.

Too slow, too slow, thought Tsu'gan as the third ''squad'' reached the other side, choking back smoke fumes. The ship was tearing itself in half; they had to pick up the pace and get off the deck.

Dak'ir had realised the danger, too, and was ushering the crewmen across in larger and larger groups. He shouted at Armsmaster Vaeder, urging him to take the last of his men across. Screeching and shuddering, the deck plate held just long enough for the last of the crew to reach safety, before buckling and falling into the fiery abyss below.

'Now you,' Tsu'gan bellowed, getting to his feet as Dak'ir nodded in understanding. The Ignean took two steps back and was about to launch himself when a fierce tremor gripped the deck, knocking the humans off their feet. Dak'ir got caught up in it and misstepped, stumbling as he made his jump. He fell agonisingly short. Tsu'gan leant forward and outstretched a hand when he saw what was happening. He grasped Dak'ir's flailing arm and the weight of him dragged Tsu'gan to his knees. He hit the deck with a

thunk

of metal on metal, felt it jar all the way up his spine.

'Hold on,' he growled, fire still lapping around him - the edges of his armour that were exposed to the flames were already scorched black. He grunted and heaved - it was like hauling a dead weight with all that power armour - pulling Dak'ir up so he reached the lip of the jagged deck and dragged himself up.

'Thank you, brother,' he gasped, once he was safely on the semi-stable side