"Thank you Brother Danton. You may leave," he bowed to his battle brother and left the Great Chamber. Actaon switched on the com-net.

"I am here sir," he said

"Your orders," Chapter Commander Lentus stonily read out, "are to liberate the toxic wasteland north of your position from the corrupting Ork warband led by Warboss Grishnak. Bring this sector back under the guiding light of the emperor and he shall look kindly upon your soul. Honour your chapter." The com-net buzzed off. Actaon could feel the presence of Sangus, his long dead Primarch, stirring from his gene-seed, filling him full off contempt for the heretic Orks.

He summoned his men from their chamber's to the briefing room.

"Brother's, we have been honoured with the chance to cleanse the northern sector of the foul Orks. It will be a hard battle with many strange weapons brought to bear upon us but we will be victorious for Sangus is with us, honour your chapter. Brother's, chant your litanies of hate for we are the emperor's chosen one's, bless your weapons and go."

It was just before sunset when his men reached the wasteland. Gases could be seen rising from the crimson tinted pools of chemicals left here by the nearby hive's heavy factories. His men were waiting for his orders.

"Brother's," a silence fell over the Blood Angels camp, " we will set an ambush for these foul Orks that they will not be able to resist. We shall set up in defensive positions here. Devastators and their heavy weapons to the left and the rest of the tactical squads to the right. The assault squads will stay behind this ridge until I give you the order to charge. The rest of you will hold your fire until I give the order to fire. For the battle two assault squads, Faustus with jump-packs and Leonardius on bikes, will be used. They will advance to the Ork horde and pour the Ork Boyz with bolter fire and then turn round and lead them back to the ambush where we will cleanse the sector of them. Sangus is with you. Honour your chapter. We will attack at dawn." With that the camp became a hive of activity with marines moving all their equipment to their positions and getting good defensive positions for the battle ahead. Brother's Faustus and Leonardius approached Captain Actaon.

"Thank you Captain for giving me and my men the chance to honour the emperor in such a way," said Faustus.

"Yes Captain, my men too feel honoured by your belief in them. We shall not fail," echoed Leonardius.

"I have belief in you brothers. I feel Sangus's spirit strong in you and your men. Honour your chapter," replied Captain Actaon.

"We will, sir." they both said and then left.

Countless hours sluggishly crawled past. Litanies of hate, of battle, and of firing could be heard over the battlefield all night and finally the hour of the battle arrived. All the squads readied their weapons and prepared for battle. Captain Actaon sent the two assault squads off in their mission, seeing them get smaller and smaller into the horizon. 20 Minutes later squad Faustus reported in with only two words, "Engaging enemy." The battlefield was silent waiting for another report. Only minutes later their request was granted.

"Captain, Sergeant Leonardius reporting in. Squad Faustus wiped out, my squad has taken 1 casualty. Ork response unusually fierce. Leading them back to ambush. 1 brother succumbed to blood rage. Leonardius out."

Actaon sighed inside. The blood rage was the great enemy of the Blood Angels. Their Primarch was so blood thirsty that after his gene-seed was implanted into the marines they could go mad and attack anyone at will. He saw the bikes of Leonardius squad come over the horizon. The battle would start very soon.

"Fire on my order," he commanded. The bikes came closer and closer to the marines line then he saw the Ork horde behind them. A typical Ork formation, Gretchen in front - 'cannon-fodder' followed by the boyz then the mega-armoured Orks all mixed together with dreadnoughts, stompas, Ork artillery and Shokk attack guns. They came closer, closer and closer still. The bikes of squad Leonardius dived behind friendly lines.

"Fire!" cried out Captain Actaon.

Gun fire erupted all around him as the marines bolters lit up with fire. Missiles flew over their heads and huge gouts of flame and plasma struck into the heart of the Ork horde. But still they came, onwards toward the marines line. Much longer now and they would be on-top of them. Now was the time for the final strike.

"Assault squads charge!" Over the heads of the marines jump-packed assault troops flew over them into the front line of the ork's, tearing down Gretchen and Orks alike with glowing power fist and Chainswords. Round the flanks of the marines roared the assault and attack bikes of the rest of the assault troops.

By the end of the hour the battle was over. More than 50,000 orks lay dead in front of the Blood Angels line with comparatively few marine casualties, and only 6 brothers succumbed to the blood rage. Captain Actaon walked over the battlefield and congratulated his men and helped his apothecaries chant litanies for the departed souls of his dead brother marine's. Brother Danton approached him,

"Captain, Chapter Commander Lentus has a message for you on the comm-net,"

Actaon switched his receiver on, "Yes, sir."