Zanatov's Harbour

Zanatov's Harbour is a Dead World found at the farthest tip of the Orpheus Salient, being the second Imperial world on record to be devoured by Hive Fleet Dagon after Herisor.

History
The Fringe World of Zanatov's Harbour was named for the legendary Rogue Trader Corsair-Captain Zanatov. This planet was one he frequented on his trade runs coming in from the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy.

At one point, the world boasted excellent ship repair facilities, and the lack of contact with the Imperium made an excellent place for smugglers and other members of the so-called "Cold Trade" to meet up and swap goods. This all changed at the end of 812.M41.

Early reports recovered after the fact state that many people saw what they believed to be a meteor shower in the night sky. No one thought much of it, as a meteor shower is often a good omen for ship's captains. Slowly the reports began to filter in.

These were no mere meteorites that had hit the ground, but instead housed a more sinister cargo of Tyranid bio-organisms. The merchants and crew on the surface put up a decent fight, but were utterly outmatched by the lethal killing machines.

Some managed to make their way to their ships, but found that larger organisms were floating through the void, firing caustic projectiles of a biological nature. None survived the onslaught of the ravenous beasts. All that were on planet were devoured, their genetic patterns added to the primordial soup that comprises Hive Fleet Dagon's gene pool.

Ships in orbit were left abandoned. Most had had their hulls ruptured in hundreds of places by Tyranid bio-spores attaching to the hull and eating their way inside. Any ships not completely wrecked were now floating abattoirs, a sickening testament to the utter brutality of a Tyranid swarm on the warpath.

So it was that Brother-Captain Kristoff and the Templars of Blood 3rd Company made their way to this graveyard of a planet. They expected to have to use their Strike Cruiser the Blood Sword's bombardment cannons to clear the way of Tyranid vessels, and then deploy Thunderhawk Gunships, as they would not be able to get close enough to use Drop Pods.

What they actually encountered was something far worse. When the Blood Sword translated back into realspace, it found nothing but a dead planet. Every bit of biological material had been stripped bare from the planet's surface.

Setting down in their Thunderhawks, the Templars began a thorough search of the planet for any clue as to how the massive Hive Fleet had arrived in the Jericho Reach.

Realizing that he could not take a full battle company off of the front lines, Brother-Captain Kristoff left behind a small contingent of his available Space Marines to continue the investigation. Currently, there has been no communication from the Space Marines left behind that day, but the commanders of the Orpheus Salient still hold out hope that some day there will be news that can help them turn the tide of this war.