- epilogue -

When getting a clear view into the chamber the staff sergeant mounted his heavy flamer
apon his arm and fiered two napalm slugs into the room. They bounced of the computer
equipment and onto the floor where they lied for a full five seconds, more than
necessary time for the remaining marines to seek protection from the awaited explosion.

A shockwave of heat blazed through the tight corridors as the slugs exploded and turned
the chamber into a inferno of napalm and fire. It did not take long until the
advanced computers and piped started melting from the heat.

When nothing controlled the temperature and flow of the cryogenic pods their
contents started to suffocate and drown in the liqud that previously had preserved
them. The marines saw with both horror and relief how the genestealers trapped in
these pods, unable to break the thick glass slowly drowned before their eyes.

Those genestealers that could amass the strength to crush the glass were too
fatigued to put up much restistance and was quickly killed by the sweep-squads
ordered in to make sure no tyranids was still alive. When the staff sergeant reported
the threat was over more marined borded the hulk and together with the survivors
every corner of the hulk was secured. Word was seant to commander Lann Koren that
the hulk was in marine control.

Without a real threat to them the marines could take their time to examine every
facility still intact and collect even more data from this enormous ship. What they
collected could really change the tide in their favour.






For the sergeant, surviving his second Space Hulk campaign a feeling of invincibility
started to amass. Yes he had seen things that many only thought existed in their
nightmares but he had fought them, and far more important, he had survived. He felt
he could take on the world and whether it was the adrenalin talking or simply the
joy of success his personal deamons seemed to withdraw and fade away. Perhaps he
would never wake up screaming again as he now had helped his fellow marines to
deal the final blow to the tyranid threat.

Commander Lann Koren contacted the admiral bridge of the hulk, as he had recieved
orders that the hulk should be navigated to the space colony of Hilthenheim.
Once there they should attach themselves to the colony grid and transfer all
collected data to the Emipric network. The newly appointed flight crew of the hulk
programmed the autopilot of the desired coordinates and the gigantic hulk slowly
started to turn taking on the route to Hilthenheim.

To show its inhabitants that a great victory was won today the Emperor himself spoke
on the Astropath to all citizens proclaiming the capture of 'Harbinger of Despair'.
He also assured that this was only the beginning and that the war with the
tyranids now had taken a turn in favor of the Empire.

But then something happened that no one had anticipated. From out of nowhere the
hulk itself recieved new orders concerning its path. All of a sudden a portal
to the timewarp opened and the hulk, with all its marines onboard slipped out of
real space and into an unknown void. Where it was heading, or whom controlled it
no one knew. All they could do was to prepare of things to come.

- THE END -
.
