The Caledonia was a carrack-class freighter, a capable transport ship made a scant thousand years ago at the turn of the millennium. The Imperial manufactorums on Saturn had grown nostalgic, and whispers across the galaxy of the end times approach had made the more superstitious grow agitated and given cause for alarm. The ship itself was not built as a warship, and no modifications on it could make it a great one. But it was able to handle anything close to its own size if need be, and was outfitted with enough armaments and engine power to repel any pirates and wound anything brazen enough to attack a ship piloted by one of the emperor's own Rogue Traders. I was banking on its superb craftsmanship to see us through. 

We stepped out onto the reclamation deck, greeted by the towering Thunder Warrior Lucius Raj, wearing his bronzed armor. Stationary he looked like an abandoned war machine left along the road during the time of the great crusade. I suppose that was not too far off the mark. Flanking him were two of Urien's men, who asked us to accompany them to the bridge. I gave a nod and ordered them to make haste. 

"I heard there was a bit of trouble on the planet. It is fortunate you got out, though I guess I am not too surprised." Raj said, following us with easy strides. He lumbered on like a bear, deceptively slowly, though he kept pace with ease. Every three steps we took covered just one of his great strides. 

"Trouble?" Clara asked, eyeing the antiquated super soldier but still unfamiliar enough not to know if he was joking, or whether to yell at him. She was confident, however, and decided to correct him. "There are flames a thousand feet high and some of the grandest artworks in the entire imperium have been destroyed, killing tens of thousands."

"Yes, a bit of trouble as I said. The Commander's firepits of Ursh would have swallowed up this calamity." 

"Silence Raj, or I will silence you." I said, deathly calm. I did not look back at the big thunder warrior, and even if I had, I would not have been able to read his expression under the great helm. Luckily for the both of us, he followed my leave and kept his mouth shut for the remainder of the walk. 

We arrived on the bridge, the ship's engines pulsating, causing the almost organic background noise of the ship to grow louder even over the buzz of activity. Urien stood on the platform his 'throne' would normally be situated on, eschewing the practice other Rogue Traders prized. He had not gained his position from being named an heir, as most rogue traders. He had been granted a special permit by the High Lords themselves. It was one reason he only had a small number of ships in his retinue, the Caledonia being the largest. Beneath him, the operations subdeck was manned by dozens of techno-barbarians, and the hololith gave a projection of the planet and the hundreds of ships in orbit. I did not need to be told the great red indicator signaled the vicinity of the Even Chance. 

"Auld tech priest! In here!" A voice called out. Lazarus turned, spotting one of the Urien's shipmates waving him over to a chamber on the left, memory reminding me it was the navigation chamber. Lazarus's extra arms aided him in a half walk, half crawl toward the gruff looking fellow as they began to speak quickly to one another. I turned to meet with Urien, but Lazarus called me over a moment later. 

"What? I don't have time." I told Lazarus. 

There was a small whirr from the former Skitarii, as if a cogitator had just been turn on. A red light blinked in his left eye. "In four minutes, there is a sizeable chance I might be able to get you and a select few onboard the Even Chance if trader Urien can get closer." 

My eyes widened a fraction. "How close?" 

"As close as you can." Lazarus said, handing me the dataslate with the ship's beacon coordinates before bleating more binary and turning around to operate the navigational cogitator. I turned and relayed the information to Urien. I prayed to the God Emperor we made it in time.