Legion:The Horus Heresy,Book 7 Part 6/6
Legion:The Horus Heresy,Book 7 Part 6/6
Transcript
00:00:00"'Enough,' he said, "'when I co-opted your expedition for this venture.
00:00:05My word was sufficient guarantee then.'
00:00:08"'Well, it turns out it isn't any more,' said Namatjira.
00:00:13"'That's a pity,' said Alpharius.
00:00:17"'What is the nature of this information?' asked Namatjira.
00:00:22"'What does it concern?
00:00:23Where is it, and how do we secure it?
00:00:26Who has it?
00:00:27How did you learn of its existence and its location?
00:00:30What could possibly be so important, so valuable, so revelatory, so damn secret, that the fate
00:00:37of all human culture depends upon it?'
00:00:40"'You will know precisely what I choose to tell you, Namatjira,' said Alpharius.
00:00:47"'My lord commander said he needs to know more,' Dinner's Chain stated quietly but firmly.
00:00:54He took a step forwards.
00:00:57Alpharius slowly turned his head and looked at Chain.
00:01:01"'Or what, companion?
00:01:05I hope for your sake that you don't presume to threaten me?'
00:01:11Chain did not move.
00:01:14Alpharius ignored him and looked down at Namatjira.
00:01:17"'I had heard that the Lucifer Blacks were remarkably brave.
00:01:21I didn't realise they were clinically insane.'
00:01:24"'Step back, Dinner's,' said Namatjira, with a casual flick of his hand.
00:01:30"'My lord Alpharius understands the burden of command.
00:01:34He knows full well that the paramount responsibility of a man in my position is the security and
00:01:39welfare of his forces, and it is his solemn duty to disengage those forces from any undertaking
00:01:46that he deems unwise or reckless.
00:01:50Isn't that right, my lord?'
00:01:53Alpharius said nothing.
00:01:55"'I will not put my soldiers in harm's way without a very good reason,' said Namatjira.
00:02:01"'A very good reason, and a reliable source of intelligence.
00:02:06I would be derelict in my duty otherwise.'
00:02:10Alpharius gazed through the ports for a moment and contemplated the dark world below.
00:02:15"'In the course of the Nirth campaign,' he said quietly, "'my infiltration networks
00:02:22encountered the agent of a xenoform faction.
00:02:26The faction calls itself the Cabal.
00:02:30The agent claimed that the Cabal was in possession of certain information vital to the imperium
00:02:37of man.
00:02:39No evidence or provenance was offered, but the Cabal had clearly put a great deal of
00:02:44effort and ingenuity into making contact with me.
00:02:48They extended an invitation to meet with them, so that this information could be transmitted.
00:02:55Forty-two Hydra Tertius is the site chosen for that meeting.'
00:02:59"'Are you saying that this whole endeavour was inspired by the baseless tattle of some
00:03:06xenospy?' asked Namatjira.
00:03:09"'Dear me, sir, I thought you were shrewd.'
00:03:13"'I never said I believed him,' Alpharius replied.
00:03:17"'Why, there's even a chance that his story is true.
00:03:21We cannot afford to ignore it.
00:03:23If it's a lie, then we're here, in force, to locate and suppress a dangerous xenoform
00:03:30power that has the means and skills to attempt manipulation of the imperium.
00:03:36This is how I presented it to the Warmaster, and it is on this basis that he granted this
00:03:41expedition extraordinary status.
00:03:45But, Commander, we may be about to save the imperium, or go to war to exterminate an insidious
00:03:52alien menace.'
00:03:53Namatjira rose to his feet.
00:03:57"'And which do you suppose it is, sir?'
00:04:02Alpharius shook his head.
00:04:03"'I make no guesses, lord, but there is one significant fact.
00:04:09It was the agent who first warned me of the Black Cube.
00:04:14But for that warning, we would all be dead.'
00:04:17"'And this agent?' asked Namatjira.
00:04:22"'He was operating inside the Imperial Army in an extremely capable and efficient manner.
00:04:28He got remarkably close to the centre of things.'
00:04:31Alpharius looked over at Chain.
00:04:33"'He slew one of your men, companion.'
00:04:37"'Konek Henneker,' whispered Chain.
00:04:40"'That's right,' said Alpharius.
00:04:43"'That was one of the identities he adopted, at least.
00:04:47My operatives captured him on the last day of Nirth's existence.
00:04:51He's in my custody.'
00:04:53"'Well,' murmured Namatjira.
00:04:57He lit up a very careful and benevolent smile.
00:05:01"'I feel my misgivings ebbing away.
00:05:06Thank you for your disclosure.
00:05:09This will, of course, remain entirely classified.'
00:05:12"'I expect no less,' Alpharius replied.
00:05:17He turned and walked towards the hatch.
00:05:20"'I take it our conversation is done?'
00:05:23"'One last thing,' Namatjira called to him.
00:05:26"'If the story is true and this meeting takes place, I will, naturally, be there at
00:05:31your side.'
00:05:33The Lord Commander didn't wait to see how Alpharius might respond.
00:05:38He turned to the windows.
00:05:39"'Oh, look, there they go!' he cried out jauntily and pointed.
00:05:46Bright sparks like meteorites had begun to sear down out of the carriers behind them.
00:05:51Alpharius opened the hatch and left the lookout.
00:05:55"'Dinners,' Namatjira said.
00:05:57"'In the light of the Primarch's comments, please re-examine all the data we have on
00:06:03Konig Henneker.'
00:06:04"'Yes, sir.'
00:06:08Namatjira took a sip of wine and tilted his head to one side reflectively, watching the
00:06:12drop-ships fall.
00:06:14"'I believe it will be instructive to learn how the picture fills in, now that we have
00:06:20more pieces of it,' he said, "'particularly in terms of the Astartes and their manipulation
00:06:26networks.'
00:06:27"'Yes, sir,' Chain replied.
00:06:33The drop-ship lurched and fell, metal spalling from the release-claws showered backwards
00:06:38in a glittering tail behind it.
00:06:41They began to pull two Gs, three.
00:06:44The air-frame began to vibrate.
00:06:46Bronzy held out his hand, and Moo took it.
00:06:50She squeezed it.
00:06:51"'Here we go,' Bronzy said.
00:06:57Chapter 4 Orbital, Aeoleth, Continuous
00:07:05Sonica opened the cell-hatch and stepped inside.
00:07:08He put his satchel down on the steel table.
00:07:11"'What, more cheese?' asked Grammaticus snidely.
00:07:17He was sprawled on the cot, dispirited.
00:07:20"'Get up, quickly,' Sonica said.
00:07:23"'But we haven't eaten our lunch,' said Grammaticus.
00:07:27"'Shut up and get up,' Sonica told him.
00:07:31He looked back at the open hatch and the corridor beyond it.
00:07:35"'Hurry!'
00:07:36Grammaticus sat up, frowning.
00:07:38"'What's going on, Paddle?'
00:07:40"'Just follow me.'
00:07:43Sonica turned towards the cell-door and peered out cautiously.
00:07:47Grammaticus rose to his feet.
00:07:49"'Paddle, what is this?
00:07:51Has the Primarch agreed to let me drop with him and—'
00:07:54Sonica looked back, his eyes narrow.
00:07:56"'Will you shut up?
00:07:57I'm doing what you asked.
00:07:59Keep a lid on it.
00:08:01Shear is everywhere.'
00:08:04Grammaticus blinked in surprise.
00:08:06"'Oh,' he managed to say.
00:08:08"'Just follow me, and keep quiet,' said Sonica.
00:08:13He opened the satchel over his shoulder and drew out a las-pistol.
00:08:18Grammaticus looked at the weapon as if he'd never seen one before.
00:08:20"'Oh, my word,' he murmured.
00:08:23"'Paddle, Paddle, just stop for a moment and look at me.
00:08:28Look at me.
00:08:29Control word Bedlam.'
00:08:32Sonica turned and faced him.
00:08:34His eyes were vacant.
00:08:36"'What's your name?'
00:08:38Grammaticus asked.
00:08:40"'Peddo Sonica.'
00:08:42"'What are you doing right now, Peddo?'
00:08:45"'You're bidding, John.'
00:08:48"'Glory,' said Grammaticus.
00:08:50He stepped back, his hand to his mouth, staring at Sonica.
00:08:53"'I didn't think it had worked,' he said, laughing in surprise.
00:08:57"'I really didn't think it had worked.
00:09:00All those lunches, five months of casual lunchtime conversations, dropping a weighted
00:09:06tell-word in, now and then, I thought you were resistant.'
00:09:11Sonica remained blank.
00:09:12"'Peddo, I'm truly sorry to have abused you this way,' said Grammaticus solemnly.
00:09:18"'I want you to know that.
00:09:20We're friends, I'd like to think.
00:09:24You have shown me great kindness.
00:09:26I hope one day you will see the broader picture, and forgive me for doing this to you.
00:09:32Do you hear me?'
00:09:35"'Your voice!
00:09:36I can't fight it!' growled Sonica, glassy-eyed.
00:09:40"'Every day I could feel you doing this, and I couldn't fucking fight it.
00:09:48You took advantage of my disaffection.
00:09:50You're a bastard, John Grammaticus!'
00:09:55"'I know.
00:09:56I'm sorry.
00:09:58Can you get me off this barge?'
00:10:00"'I can do my best,' replied Sonica.
00:10:05"'Thank you, Peddo.
00:10:07Thank you.
00:10:09Control word, Bedlam!'
00:10:12Sonica blinked awake, and steadied himself against the cell wall.
00:10:16"'What the fuck was that?' he asked.
00:10:19I was dizzy for a moment.
00:10:22"'You were saying something,' Grammaticus cued.
00:10:26Sonica shook his head.
00:10:27"'Come on, I was saying.
00:10:30We've only got a small window.
00:10:31The fleet is deploying.'
00:10:33"'Already?
00:10:35Come on, John!'
00:10:36They hurried down through the quiet detention block to the cage shutters.
00:10:40Sonica waved his hand, and the cages withdrew.
00:10:43"'What's your plan?'
00:10:45whispered Grammaticus.
00:10:46'How do we reach the surface?'
00:10:49"'Drop pod,' Sonica replied.
00:10:52They're all primed and certified for the Legion's landing.
00:10:55They'll head for the bay on Underdeck Eight.
00:10:57I checked the deployment schedule, and they've been assigned for the second landing-wave
00:11:02in six hours' time, so it should be quiet.
00:11:05But there's something we have to do first.'
00:11:08"'What?' asked John Grammaticus.
00:11:12"'Something you'll thank me for.
00:11:15Something I need to do,' Sonica replied.
00:11:20They turned onto the vast spinal corridor, and came face to face with a maintenance servitor.
00:11:26The servitor jolted, whirring as it studied them, upper limbs raised in query.
00:11:31"'This section is monitored and private.
00:11:34Show me your authority,' the servitor's vox speaker rasped.
00:11:39Sonica shot it through the head.
00:11:41The servitor issued a thready whine and clattered sideways against the wall, smoke trailing
00:11:46from his exploded cranium.
00:11:49"'Run,' Sonica said.
00:11:52They ran until they were hoarse and out of breath, and cut away from the main spinal
00:11:55corridor into a maze of sub-halls and gloomy compartments.
00:12:00The strips of mauve lighting made it feel like twilight in an empty city.
00:12:05No alarm sounded, but the air was pregnant and still, as if it was about to explode with
00:12:11noise.
00:12:12"'Where is everyone?'
00:12:14Grammaticus asked.
00:12:16"'In the arming chambers, preparing for deployment,' Sonica replied.
00:12:20He beckoned Grammaticus towards a heavy hatch-shutter.
00:12:23"'Here,' Sonica said.
00:12:26Grammaticus put his hand to his temple.
00:12:28An expression of pain, wonder, and realisation filled his face.
00:12:34"'Oh,' he said, "'I hear her.'
00:12:38"'I know,' said Sonica.
00:12:41"'She was calling out to me all the time, wasn't she?'
00:12:45"'Yes.'"
00:12:46"'Thank you, Pero,' Grammaticus whispered.
00:12:50He looked as if he was close to tears.
00:12:54Sonica faced him and put a steadying hand on his shoulder.
00:12:57"'John, listen to me.
00:12:59This will be a shock.
00:13:01The Alpha Legion interrogated her, and damaged her in the process.'
00:13:09Grammaticus looked at Sonica.
00:13:11"'I understand.'
00:13:13"'I hope you do,' said Peto Sonica, and waved his new hand in front of the shutter's lock-reader.
00:13:21The hatch opened.
00:13:23In a corner of the small dark room beyond, something stirred and whimpered.
00:13:30Grammaticus pushed past Sonica and crossed the room, holding out his hands reassuringly.
00:13:34"'Hush!
00:13:35Hush!' he said.
00:13:36"'It's all right.
00:13:37It's me!'
00:13:39Shivering and trembling, Ruxanna looked up at him with wild eyes.
00:13:44She was pressed into the corner, her legs pulled in, and her arms wrapped around her
00:13:48body.
00:13:49Her robes were tattered.
00:13:51She looked at his face and cried out.
00:13:54"'Ruxanna!
00:13:55Ruxanna!
00:13:56It's just a beard.
00:13:57I've grown a beard!'
00:13:59She put her hands over her eyes.
00:14:02"'Ruxanna, it's all right,' Grammaticus whispered.
00:14:06He touched her gently, and she recoiled.
00:14:09"'It's all right,' he repeated.
00:14:12"'Please be quick, John,' Sonica hissed.
00:14:16Grammaticus embraced Ruxanna and rocked her.
00:14:18She buried herself against his chest and began to cry.
00:14:22"'What the fuck did they do to her, Pelo?' he asked.
00:14:27"'They let Shear have her.
00:14:30He went into her mind, looking for you and for any information on the Cabal,' Sonica
00:14:35replied.
00:14:36The process shattered her sanity.
00:14:38"'She's been like this since Nerth, five months ago.
00:14:42I've brought her food every day and tried to keep her clean and healthy, but she's little
00:14:46more than feral.'
00:14:47"'Oh, Ruxanna,' Grammaticus whispered, hugging the Uxor to him and tenderly stroking the
00:14:54lank blonde hair that had once glowed like spun gold.
00:14:59"'John, please, we haven't got much time,' Sonica urged.
00:15:04He stood in the doorway, watching the corridor outside.
00:15:08Grammaticus coaxed Ruxanna to her feet and led her across the dark chamber, keeping her
00:15:13tight against his side.
00:15:15"'I've got her,' he said.
00:15:17"'Lead the way.'"
00:15:20Under Deck Eight was an extensive space of industrial metal, thick pipework, violet lighting
00:15:27and oily shadows.
00:15:29There was a constant background murmur of engines and the barge's heavy atmosphere plants.
00:15:35Every now and then a distant sound of tools or machine shop activity echoed back to them.
00:15:42So much pipe and duct work ran along the roof space, the access ways felt low and claustrophobic.
00:15:50Sonica brought them to a long hallway that had eight massive blast hatches in its left-hand
00:15:54wall.
00:15:56Thick rotor fans turned lazily in the roof-cage.
00:16:00The identical blast hatches, each one large enough to accept a large transport vehicle,
00:16:06all stood open, waiting.
00:16:09They stopped outside the first of them, dwarfed by the hatch-frame, and looked inside.
00:16:16Four armoured drop-pods sat in an oily black launch-cradle, like bullets loaded into a
00:16:22revolver's drum.
00:16:24The chamber was lined with greasy black hydraulics.
00:16:28Feed-lines were attached to the pods, and steam wreathed up slowly from the cradle-mechanism.
00:16:33"'This will do,' said Sonica quietly.
00:16:37He nodded towards the adjacent hatches.
00:16:39"'They're all the same.
00:16:41Four in each.'
00:16:42"'Whatever you say, pedo.
00:16:44This is your plan.'"
00:16:47Sonica led them over to the far side of the hallway.
00:16:50Ruxanna remained clenched against Grammaticus's side.
00:16:55He watched as Sonica woke up a large cogitator-system built into the bulkhead.
00:17:00Sonica called up several pages of data, touch-flicking through them, moving from one menu to the
00:17:05next.
00:17:06"'What are you doing?'
00:17:08Grammaticus asked.
00:17:09"'I'm checking the navigation-systems are programmed for the venue-zone.'
00:17:13"'Yes.
00:17:14That's good.
00:17:15Set.
00:17:16Right.
00:17:17I just have to countermand the launch-notice.'
00:17:21"'What?'
00:17:23Sonica gestured at the waiting pods behind them, and then carried on moving through screens
00:17:29and data-scrolls.
00:17:30"'When one of these launches, a notification will flash up immediately on the excursion-monitor
00:17:36on the bridge.
00:17:37I'm cancelling that instruction.
00:17:40They're going to know we're gone soon enough, and it won't take them long to realise a pod's
00:17:45missing, but I'd like to postpone discovery for as long as possible.'"
00:17:49"'You can do that?'
00:17:51asked Grammaticus, impressed.
00:17:54Sonica smiled, and held up his new hand.
00:17:56"'They trust me, remember?
00:17:59They've given me the highest clearance built in.'"
00:18:02"'More fool them!'
00:18:06Grammaticus grinned.
00:18:07"'They should only take a couple of minutes,' said Sonica.
00:18:10"'Down on the right there's a locker-store.
00:18:13We're going to need three sets of foul-weather gear.
00:18:16See what you can dig out.'"
00:18:19Grammaticus nodded, and hurried to oblige as fast as Rukhsana would let him.
00:18:22They came back after five minutes, with a bundle of suits tailored to fit operatives.
00:18:28Sonica was ready.
00:18:30Together the three crossed back through the huge blast-hatch and clambered into one of
00:18:35the pods.
00:18:37Sonica waved his hand.
00:18:39The massive blast-hatch began to close.
00:18:43Red light started to flash around the chamber, and a low electrical hum filled the air, mounting
00:18:50in intensity.
00:18:54Chapter 5 Aeolith
00:18:59The first thing that hit them was the stench.
00:19:03It was vile and unexpected, like wet rot, like liquefacent decay.
00:19:09It permeated the cold, wet air.
00:19:13As soon as they had spread clear of the fumes from the howling dropships, it was all they
00:19:17could taste.
00:19:18The jokers ran forwards, fanning out across the slick, wet rocks.
00:19:23Some were gagging or complaining about the reek.
00:19:26"'Don't be babies!
00:19:28Get on with it!'
00:19:29Bronzy yelled.
00:19:31He sniffed.
00:19:32"'Fuck me, that's awful!' he said to himself.
00:19:36The banner was up.
00:19:37The company was extending in a line away from the landing zone, where the dropships
00:19:41waited, lifting spray from their idling jet wash.
00:19:46Bronzy got his bearings.
00:19:48They were in a flat-bedded valley between two lines of rock hills that were curiously
00:19:54regular, like plinths or flat-roofed towers.
00:19:58It was cold, but the dampness was worse.
00:20:03The air seemed wet.
00:20:06Less than rain, less than drizzle, just a swirling particulate moisture.
00:20:13He could feel it on his skin like cold sweat.
00:20:17The jokers were already soaked.
00:20:19Capes had gone lank, and armour gleamed with droplets.
00:20:24The sky was low and dense with squally clouds.
00:20:29The terrain was grey rock, a hard stone rendered slippery by the accumulating wetness.
00:20:35The stones seemed to have a natural propensity to split and shear in quadrilateral planes,
00:20:42forming blocks and steps that looked unnervingly like they had been cut by a stonemason, rather
00:20:48than geology.
00:20:50Bronzy realised that the rock's planar property explained why the hills looked so much like
00:20:55cubic buildings.
00:20:57He had never seen such a geometrically rigid landscape.
00:21:01It was dominated by straight verticals, hard edges, and flat surfaces.
00:21:08He felt like he was standing in the jumbled heap of some giant child's building blocks.
00:21:14To the west, more dropships were winding down out of the cloud cover.
00:21:19Chey signalled that the jokers were clear, and Bronzy sent an instruction to the pilots.
00:21:24Pitches began to slide shut, and ramps retract.
00:21:28The sound of the engines rose in pitch as the dropships prepared to lift off.
00:21:35Bronzy moved forwards through his extending ranks, mindful of planting every step carefully.
00:21:41Underfoot the flat stone felt as spongy as bone marrow.
00:21:46Cavities had filled with black water, like rock pools.
00:21:51"'Some order, please, ladies,' Bronzy barked at the jokers.
00:21:55A couple of them had already slipped over, much to their chagrin.
00:21:59"'What isn't this?'
00:22:01Bronzy roared.
00:22:02"'A fog-fingered ramble!'
00:22:05they chorused back.
00:22:06"'Could have fooled me,' he muttered.
00:22:10Men began to call out as they pushed forwards into the lower level of the cubic hills.
00:22:15They'd found things.
00:22:17Bronzy went to look, and Moo and her aides followed him, stepping from block to block
00:22:22as if they were paving stones.
00:22:25There were dead things amongst the stones.
00:22:28Drooling black matter, putrescent jelly, and bits of bone and quill lay in pool cavities
00:22:36or on flat blocks.
00:22:38Some were as large as men, some as small as rats.
00:22:43It was impossible to tell what they had been in life.
00:22:47No real structure remained, no anatomy.
00:22:51"'Local xenophorna,' Bronzy presumed.
00:22:55It was as if some great tide had rolled out and left strange marine life-forms behind
00:23:01to rot.
00:23:02That's what the stench reminded him of, beached fish decomposing on a rocky shore.
00:23:09Moo bent down to examine a few of the congealing horrors.
00:23:13"'Any thoughts?'
00:23:15Bronzy asked.
00:23:16"'The brief said this zone was an artificially generated climate,' Moo said.
00:23:22"'I suppose these are the remains of fauna-types abundant in the planet's natural climate.
00:23:28They died here as the air pressure and chemistry changed.'
00:23:33The aides had all pulled up the hoods of their foul weather-suits and buttoned collars up
00:23:37over their mouths and noses.
00:23:40Bronzy saw the anxiety and revulsion in their eyes.
00:23:44Huddled in their hoods, they looked like a scolum outing that had ended up in entirely
00:23:49the wrong place.
00:23:51The jokers advanced steadily into the hills, ignoring the litter of organic decay.
00:23:57Signals came in reporting that their supporting units were on the ground and advancing.
00:24:02No scan by eye, device, or sept could detect any contact ahead.
00:24:09So far, the humans were the only living things on that abyssal shore.
00:24:14"'Keep scanning,' Bronzy called, as he puffed and climbed up the blocks.
00:24:20A man behind him slipped over on his arse with a hard thump.
00:24:23"'I'll pretend I didn't see that, Subo,' Bronzy growled.
00:24:28"'Oh, fug,' he added.
00:24:30Reaching for a handhold, he dipped his fingers into something slimy and gristly.
00:24:36He shook the gloop off in disgust.
00:24:39The fish-gut reek was noxious.'
00:24:42"'Is it turning out to be as much fun as you hoped?'
00:24:46Moo asked him.
00:24:48"'Ha, ha!' he replied.
00:24:52They could see a good distance from the tops of the hills.
00:24:55A jumbled valley of grey blocks and glinting black pools fell away below, and stretched
00:25:01north into the shadows of a great dark wall of monolithic cliffs split by gorges.
00:25:08The scale of the Child's Building blocks had increased.
00:25:12In places they could detect the long white ropes of cascades falling down rock-faces.
00:25:18At the feet of the cliffs, vapour gathered like white smoke.'
00:25:22"'When you said precipices with waterfalls, I thought you were joking,' said Chey.
00:25:28"'So did I,' Bronzy replied glumly.
00:25:32He checked his locator against the maps from the order-packet.
00:25:35Moo did the same.
00:25:37"'The notation says they're called the Shivering Hills,' Bronzy said.
00:25:43"'How long to get up there?' she asked.
00:25:46"'A day, if we find a decent gorge or vent to follow.'
00:25:50"'Well, that's where they want us.
00:25:54So we'd better get going,' he nodded.
00:25:57"'Are you scepting anything?' he asked.
00:26:01"'No,' she replied, 'but I'm cold and uncomfortable, and that doesn't help.
00:26:07This is a difficult circumstance.'
00:26:10"'I prefer a good honest war,' said Bronzy.
00:26:14"'You know where you are when someone's shooting at you.
00:26:17This is just getting creepy.
00:26:20Waiting for something to happen, that's just going to rack up spooks.
00:26:25See what you can do to keep the men level.'
00:26:27"'Understood,' she replied.
00:26:30"'Chey,' Bronzy called.
00:26:32"'Yes, Het.
00:26:33Ten-minute halt here, then we're going to head out across the valley.
00:26:38Tell the boys to have a drink and a pinch of peck, if it makes them feel jollier.'
00:26:41"'Yes, Het.'
00:26:44Bronzy wandered along the rocks away from the main group.
00:26:48He slipped the green metal scale out of his pocket and studied it again.
00:26:53It bore a code, standard alpha form.
00:26:56The phrase, Your father cheers, your mother cries, that is the lot of the soldier, had
00:27:03been written in edescen to make it personal to him.
00:27:07He quickly substituted each letter for its numerical place in the alphabet, combined
00:27:13them as he had been taught, and ended up with two seven-digit channel codes.
00:27:20Bronzy clambered up a line of blocks to the nearest vox-officer and borrowed his field-set.
00:27:25He slipped on the headset, tapped in one of the codes, and waited.
00:27:29"'Speak and identify,' said a voice.
00:27:33"'Argolid 768,' Bronzy said.
00:27:36"'Are you deployed, Hetado?'
00:27:39"'I'm on the surface.'
00:27:41"'You are not alone.
00:27:43You were given the code so that you could remain in contact during this event.
00:27:48Check in every two hours.
00:27:50We will inform you if you are required to take any specific action.
00:27:54Consider yourself on standby.'
00:27:56"'Understood,' the signal finished.
00:28:01Bronzy erased the code from the vox-set's log and carried the device back to its owner.
00:28:09They left the drop-pod in the clutch of the scorched rock that had caught it, and moved
00:28:13west along a line of grey buttress hills in the wet murk.
00:28:18Sonica seemed to have recovered a little composure.
00:28:21Chromaticus believed that seeing him again had settled her mind slightly.
00:28:25She insisted on staying at his side and holding on to his hand.
00:28:30The foul-weather kits were bulky and cumbersome, but they were glad of them.
00:28:35Stones dripped, and every surface shone with liquid.
00:28:39The place stank of rot and organic decay.
00:28:43Sonica had brought a locator.
00:28:45"'How far do we have to go?' he asked.
00:28:50Chromaticus took the device from him and activated it.
00:28:53He watched the display resolve and turn slowly, checking other readings.
00:28:58"'Two hours, maybe three,' said Chromaticus.
00:29:01"'We'll keep heading west.'
00:29:04Sonica looked at the chart display.
00:29:06"'You know where you're going, right?'
00:29:09"'Pretty much,' said Chromaticus.
00:29:12"'The Imperial landing forces will be concentrating on the shivering hills.'
00:29:17"'Why?'
00:29:18"'Because that's where the halting site is, and they'll assume the cabal is there.'
00:29:23"'Isn't it?' asked Sonica.
00:29:26Chromaticus laughed.
00:29:27"'Pedo, the cabal is as cautious about this meeting as the Astartes are.
00:29:33The cabal is all too aware of mankind's propensity for
00:29:36shooting first, especially when it comes to xenoforms.
00:29:40"'Until the members of the cabal are certain that the Alpha Legion hasn't
00:29:43simply come here with the sole purpose of exterminating them,
00:29:47they're not going to show themselves.
00:29:49Would you wait in the open for a stranger whose intentions were unclear?'
00:29:53"'Not really,' said Sonica.
00:29:56They scrambled down a slope of loose rocks onto a series of wide cubic blocks.
00:30:01Chromaticus helped Ruxanna all the way.
00:30:04Every now and then he reached out with his mind and
00:30:07looked into hers in an attempt to monitor her well-being.
00:30:12There was nothing there, nothing he could read,
00:30:16just a blizzard of thought noise and panic.
00:30:21"'So the cabal is staying out of the way?'
00:30:23Sonica asked.
00:30:25Chromaticus looked back at him.
00:30:27"'The halting site is just an inert structure, a series of well-founded
00:30:32platforms and deep stone pilings designed to support the mass of the cabal's
00:30:36vessel when it visits.
00:30:38Alpharius showed us the scans and there was no vessel there,
00:30:42a slight logic flaw that he didn't seem to appreciate.'
00:30:47"'So?'
00:30:49"'Alpharius should have listened to me,' Chromaticus said.
00:30:52He should have come down here with me instead of landing a full military
00:30:56expedition.
00:30:58I'm the passport, you see, pedo, the matchmaker.
00:31:01I make contact, bring them together, and
00:31:04make sure both parties are comfortable.
00:31:07Then they talk.
00:31:09That's how it was supposed to go.'
00:31:11"'But Alpharius is far too wary,' mused Sonica.
00:31:16"'Exactly.
00:31:17He doesn't like unknowns.
00:31:19If he doesn't know something, it means he can't trust it.
00:31:23He likes to be in control all the time.'
00:31:27They ascended a slope through scrolls of drifting vapor.
00:31:31"'On the other hand, the cabal is very circumspect when it comes to humans,'
00:31:36added Chromaticus.
00:31:38I'm afraid to say they have a fairly poor opinion of mankind.'
00:31:42"'Why?'
00:31:44"'Humanity is a young race, a barbaric upstart child in the eyes of the old
00:31:50kinds, but by the stars it's vigorous and massively successful.
00:31:55It is spreading out and annexing the galaxy faster than any race has ever
00:31:59done before.
00:32:01It thrives like weeds and finds purchase in even the harshest climes.
00:32:06The cabal has been forced to recognize that mankind is a serious player on
00:32:11the galactic stage and can no longer be ignored or sidelined.
00:32:16And, of course, they've seen what's coming.'
00:32:20"'This war you've talked about,' Chromaticus nodded.
00:32:25"'A civil war.
00:32:27It will tear the Imperium apart.
00:32:31The cabal doesn't especially care about that.
00:32:34What matters is that a civil war in the Imperium will unleash chaos.
00:32:39The primordial annihilator, the power they have fought to deny since the start
00:32:45of all ages, will use humanity's terrible conflict to gain final ascendancy.'
00:32:52"'They want the war prevented, then?' said Sonica.
00:32:56"'It's too late for that.
00:32:58They want the war won the right way.'
00:33:02"'Let's rest for a minute,' said Sonica.
00:33:04The Uxor looks tired.'
00:33:07Ruxanna looked especially pale.
00:33:10She was trembling from the cold.
00:33:12Chromaticus sat her down on a stone block.
00:33:15"'It's all right, Ruxanna, my love.
00:33:18Everything is going to be all right.'
00:33:22She looked up at him.
00:33:24"'Konnig?' she asked.
00:33:27"'Yes, yes, that's right, Ruxanna.
00:33:30It's Konnig.
00:33:32It's me.'
00:33:34"'Konnig?' she repeated, and then gazed out over the misty rocks.
00:33:41"'You know where the cabal's hiding?' asked Sonica.
00:33:44"'Yes,' said Chromaticus.
00:33:47"'We go to them.
00:33:48Make contact.'
00:33:50"'We go to them, make contact,
00:33:52reassure them that the Alpha Legion means to listen,
00:33:55and then I'll go back to Alpharius.'
00:33:59"'Go back?' Sonica asked, incredulous.
00:34:02"'And bring him here.'
00:34:05"'He might just execute you, John.'
00:34:08Chromaticus shrugged.
00:34:10"'I can't worry about that.
00:34:12This is too important.
00:34:14This is about deciding what the future will be about for everyone.'
00:34:21Chapter 6 Carrier Loudon Orbital
00:34:27"'Which of you men is Franco Boone?'
00:34:31Chayne asked.
00:34:33The six Chilead gene whips, standing in conversation in one of the hangar deck's
00:34:37check stations, turned to look at him.
00:34:40Alarm flashed across their faces for a second as they realized that the question
00:34:44had come from one of the Lord Commander's companions.
00:34:48Chayne had shuttled to the Loudon in full Lucifer Black armour.
00:34:53"'I am,' said Boone.
00:34:56"'We will converse,' said Chayne.
00:34:59"'Come here.'
00:35:01"'Begging your pardon, sir,' said Boone,
00:35:03''but I'm a little occupied.
00:35:05We're marshalling the second way for drop.
00:35:08Come back in a couple of hours.'
00:35:10Boone turned back to his fellow gene whips, and
00:35:13they continued to compare and check their data slates.
00:35:16"'I believe,' said Chayne,
00:35:18''that you understood my instruction to be optional, Franco Boone.
00:35:24It was not.
00:35:25We will converse.
00:35:28Come here.'
00:35:30Boone tensed.
00:35:32His men looked on in concern as Boone turned and
00:35:34walked across to the Lucifer Black.
00:35:37"'What?' Boone asked.
00:35:40He was a big man, but he had to look up into Chayne's visored face.
00:35:45"'We will converse, Franco Boone.'
00:35:49"'So you keep saying.
00:35:52What about some courtesy, sir?
00:35:55Remove your helmet so that I can see your face.'
00:35:59"'Why?' asked Chayne.
00:36:01"'Because that's what men do when they converse.'
00:36:05Chayne didn't move for a moment.
00:36:08Then he raised his hands, unlocked his helm seals, and took the helmet off.
00:36:13He tucked it under his arm.
00:36:16His face was drawn and hard, and his eyes chilled Franco Boone's soul.
00:36:23"'Thank you,' said Boone.
00:36:25"'Your name?
00:36:28You seem to know mine.'
00:36:30"'Chayne Bajelure, Companion Guard.'
00:36:34"'Well, Chayne Bajelure, Companion Guard, how can I help you this day?
00:36:41"'You can walk with me for a moment.
00:36:43You can answer my questions, and you can dispense with the verbal sport.'
00:36:50Boone shrugged.
00:36:52They began to walk along the edge of the vast deck,
00:36:54past shouting flight crew and rattling tools.
00:36:58An autoloader cart zipped past them.
00:37:02"'This is a busy day for us, Bajelure,' said Boone.
00:37:05"'Get on with it.'
00:37:07"'What can you tell me about Petosonica and Hurtado-Bronzey?'
00:37:13"'Why?'
00:37:14"'I simply require you to answer the question, Gene Whip,' replied Chayne.'
00:37:20Boone frowned.
00:37:22"'They're two of the Chilead's most respected hetmen.
00:37:26One's downstairs on 42 Hydra-Tertius.
00:37:29The other was lost on Nerth.'
00:37:32"'During the last week of operations on Nerth,' said Chayne,
00:37:36''both came under suspicion of treasonous behaviour.'
00:37:41"'They did,' Boone replied.
00:37:43I was gunning for the pair at one point, and I believe you arrested and
00:37:47questioned both of them.
00:37:49They were clean.
00:37:50We both found that.'
00:37:53"'I am reviewing the case material,' said Chayne.
00:37:57"'Why?' asked Boone.
00:37:59''One of them's five months dead, for fuck's sake.'
00:38:03"'New data has been gathered,' Chayne told him.
00:38:06It casts doubt on the stories they told us.'
00:38:10"'Look, Chayne,' Boone began.
00:38:13He paused.
00:38:15One moment, Bajelure.'
00:38:17Boone took a step aside.
00:38:19"'You, you men there,' he yelled out across the deck.
00:38:22''Pick up your kit, you idiots.
00:38:24It's blocking the service strip.
00:38:27Come on, you G-tards.
00:38:29You know the drill.
00:38:30Stay behind the queue line.'
00:38:33The men from Mannequin Company hurried to oblige.
00:38:37Boone turned back to the Lucifer.
00:38:39"'You were saying, new data?'
00:38:43"'New data,' Chayne replied.
00:38:46"'What sort of new data?' asked Boone.
00:38:49"'That's classified.
00:38:51It's beginning to appear that Het Sonica and
00:38:54Het Bronzy were not so innocent after all.'
00:38:59"'Listen to me,' Boone growled, looking the companion in the eye.
00:39:04You'd better have some fogging watertight facts before you come down here,
00:39:08dragging the reputations of two of my het men through the gutters.'
00:39:12"'Ah, the famous Chilliard loyalty,' said Chayne.
00:39:18How does it go?
00:39:19Company first, Imperium second, Geno before Gene?
00:39:26I was told to expect that you'd close ranks.'
00:39:29"'We look after our own, companion, and
00:39:32I'm not sure I like what you're implying,' Boone answered.
00:39:37Chayne nodded.
00:39:38He knew when to be forthcoming with a morsel of information.
00:39:43''There were spies at work on Nirth, Boone.
00:39:46We assumed they were Nirthine agents.
00:39:49It now appears that they were part of the Alpha Legion Astartes infiltration network.'
00:39:55"'Hert and Petto?
00:39:57Never.'
00:39:58"'Why, never?'
00:40:00"'I'd have known.
00:40:03I knew them both,' Boone exclaimed.'
00:40:07"'I have identified the spy at the heart of the business,' said Chayne.
00:40:12He was using the name Connick Hennecker and
00:40:15operating under the guise of an Imperial agent.
00:40:19Axor Rukhsana Said was running him during the Nirthine operation.
00:40:23Bronzy and Sonica were arrested after an attempt to remove her from the palace.
00:40:29Was that the chilead covering itself, I wonder?'
00:40:34Boone felt his mouth drying up.
00:40:37He breathed deeply and steered the Lucifer Black out of the path of
00:40:41a trundling servitor truck laden with ground attack missiles.
00:40:45He led Chayne into a nearby repair shop where crews were working on service parts.
00:40:51"'Get out,' he told the men.
00:40:53They withdrew, puzzled.
00:40:56Alone, Boone turned to Chayne.
00:41:00"'Of course the chilead covers itself.
00:41:03We see a weak link, we clean house.
00:41:06Said was in bed, literally, I believe, with the spy.
00:41:11Sonica and Bronzy were simply covering our arses.
00:41:15I sanctioned them.
00:41:17You can't blame the chilead for that.
00:41:19We cleared up our own dirty laundry.'
00:41:23"'I won't blame you, Boone,' Chayne replied.
00:41:28"'Tell me about Strabo.'
00:41:31"'Fucking Strabo?' Boone asked, raising his eyebrows.
00:41:36"'Why is he called that?'
00:41:38"'I don't know.
00:41:39It's a long-standing joke.
00:41:42Do you Lucifers make jokes, Chayne?'
00:41:45"'Never,' Chayne replied.
00:41:48"'Why am I not surprised?' Boone replied.
00:41:51''All right, what's Strabo got to do with anything?''
00:41:55Chayne walked away towards the shop's workbench and inspected some of the tools idly.
00:42:02"'He made a report after the extraction from Nerth.'
00:42:07"'I think he may have,' Boone said.
00:42:10''Don't be coy, Franco Boone,' Chayne said.
00:42:14''With the Lord Commander's personal authority,
00:42:18I have accessed the chilead's private record base.'
00:42:22"'That's illegal,' Boone spat.
00:42:25"'You've no right.
00:42:27"'Council of Terror Edict 1141236A,
00:42:31"'Powers of Search and Inquiry,
00:42:33"'as governed by the martial process,' Chayne responded.
00:42:37"'During war operation,
00:42:39"'the authority of any Lord Commander
00:42:41"'or Commander holding a position of equivalent authority
00:42:44"'over an expedition or similar task force or equivalent mandate
00:42:49"'may be allowed, under suspicion or general threat of insurgency,
00:42:53"'to seize, audit, copy, access and otherwise examine any data files
00:42:59"'compiled and stored by any military section of a regiment under his purview.
00:43:05"'That's my right.
00:43:08"'Tell me about Strabo.'
00:43:11"'It was nothing,' said Boone miserably.
00:43:14"'Strabo was head bashore of the Clowns.
00:43:17"'They'd lost their head.
00:43:19"'Sonica was sent in as proxy to see them through.
00:43:23"'As Strabo reported it,
00:43:24"'Sonica left the Clowns on station under bashore command
00:43:28"'during the last few hours of the Nerth campaign.'
00:43:32"'Why?' asked Chayne.
00:43:34"'Isn't that rather unusual?'
00:43:38Boone shrugged.
00:43:40"'According to Strabo, Sonica just took off.
00:43:43"'Strabo and bashore Lon, who's a much more reliable source,
00:43:47"'said that Sonica had taken a spy into custody
00:43:50"'and was personally escorting him to us, Gene Whips.
00:43:54"'Then Nerth came down around our ears,
00:43:57"'and no one ever saw him again.'
00:44:00"'Thank you,' said Chayne.
00:44:02"'That's it?' asked Boone.
00:44:04"'One last request,' said Chayne.
00:44:08"'Supply me with the surface-drop coordinates of Het Bronzey.'
00:44:13"'Why?'
00:44:15"'He is not working for us, Gene Whip,' said Dennis Chayne.
00:44:20"'And he hasn't been for a long time.'
00:44:27Chapter 7 Aeolith Continuous
00:44:32They scaled a steep slope of jumbled rock littered with decomposing residue.
00:44:38Sonica saw poking ribs and split fatty blubber filled with liquid putrescence.
00:44:44The stench was intolerable.
00:44:48"'Come on, just a little further,' Grammaticus urged.
00:44:52He had become imbued with a boyish vigour.
00:44:55Sonica and Ruxanna followed on behind him,
00:44:58Sonica clasping the Axor's hand now.
00:45:01"'Down here!' Grammaticus called.
00:45:03They followed him down into a depression between leaning stone blocks.
00:45:08A cave of sorts lay before them,
00:45:10its basin flooded with black liquor between the scattered slabs.
00:45:15The cave was cold and had an odd echo.
00:45:19Grammaticus leapt from stone to stone to avoid the stagnant water,
00:45:23hopping from one raised block to another
00:45:25as if they were stepping-stones in an ornamental water-garden.
00:45:30Sonica and Ruxanna followed him.
00:45:33The cave opened out into the most enormous chapel of stone.
00:45:38Moisture dripped and trickled down out of the arch-roof.
00:45:42There was a wide stone shelf in the centre of the space, like a stage.
00:45:46The wet rock shone like glass.
00:45:50Grammaticus helped Petto and Ruxanna up onto it.
00:45:54"'This is it!' asked Sonica, looking around at the ominous shadows dubiously.
00:46:00Grammaticus nodded.
00:46:02"'What happens now?'
00:46:04"'Wait, Petto, wait!' Grammaticus replied.
00:46:08He turned in a slow circle, gazing up at the walls.
00:46:12He seemed to be listening for something.
00:46:16"'I can't feel them,' he murmured.
00:46:20"'Where are they?'
00:46:23"'I may have to flect,' he decided after a moment.
00:46:27"'You may have to what?' asked Sonica.
00:46:30"'Flect, flect!' Grammaticus said,
00:46:32as if everybody understood what the arcane term meant.
00:46:36He jumped off the stone platform and bent down beside a rock-pool.
00:46:40He skimmed the surface of the water with his fingers.
00:46:43"'Please, please,' he mumbled.
00:46:49Nothing happened.
00:46:51"'Come on!' he snapped, flicking his fingers across the water.
00:46:56It suddenly went very cold.
00:46:59Ruxanna pulled herself against Sonica.
00:47:03"'There is no need to flect, John Grammaticus.'
00:47:08Grammaticus looked up at the cave roof.
00:47:10"'You hear me?
00:47:12You're here?'
00:47:14"'We've been here all along, John.'
00:47:18"'Show yourselves,' Grammaticus called out.
00:47:21"'Oh, fog me!' Sonica breathed, holding Ruxanna close.
00:47:25She was crying and agitated.
00:47:28Shapes were beginning to appear around the platform of rock,
00:47:33alien forms cohering into place.
00:47:37Sonica swallowed hard as he saw the inhuman nature of the things
00:47:41solidifying in front of him, ghastly shapes,
00:47:45mockeries of creation, a gathering of the most disturbing xenos-forms.
00:47:51Some were pallid, multi-limbed entities.
00:47:54Others whispered their respiration through fluttering mats of gelatinous pseudopods.
00:48:01Others were stalk-things or crouching vulpine shapes or asymmetric insects.
00:48:09Some were horned or boneless or armoured in bizarre environment suits,
00:48:15a giant mollusk uncurled, glistening from its vast shell.
00:48:22Two spavened avian creatures hopped forwards and peered with bright,
00:48:27curious eyes.
00:48:29Something mechanical rose up on four club-footed limbs.
00:48:34One entity seemed to be nothing more than a beam of discoloured light,
00:48:40an imposing Eldar in pearl-white armour, somehow the most terrifying
00:48:45thing of all, with its oh-so-human shape,
00:48:49walked to the front of the congregation.
00:48:53Grammaticus opened his arms wide and bowed.
00:48:57"'Hallo, my masters,' he sighed.
00:49:02An insectoid scuttled out in front of the mighty Eldar and writhed its mouthparts.
00:49:09"'Greetings, John,' Galatro announced in perfect low gothic.
00:49:15"'My friend, hallo,' Grammaticus replied.
00:49:19"'Who have you brought with you to this place?' asked Galatro.
00:49:23"'Ruksana Saeed, who is my heart-love, and Petosanica, my friend,' said Grammaticus.
00:49:32"'I have come to arrange the meeting.
00:49:35The Alpha Legion awaits.
00:49:37"'I'm tired, sirs.
00:49:40"'This has been a long and punishing task, but it is done, and the Alpha Legion,
00:49:45though painfully cautious, is ready to hear what you have to say.'
00:49:51Slaudar, the Autarch, murmured something.
00:49:55"'The Autarch wishes to understand why you have brought monkey-things with you,'
00:50:00Galatro piped.
00:50:02"'Where are the envoys of the Astartes Alpha Legion?'
00:50:06"'I had to improvise,' Grammaticus said.
00:50:09"'The Alpha Legion is not easily manipulated.
00:50:11"'I could not allow suspicion and mistrust to debase this meeting.
00:50:16"'I did not want a misunderstanding to lead to bloodshed.
00:50:19"'Now that I have vouched for their intent, we can contact them directly, and—'
00:50:24"'Monkey!' Slaudar boomed abruptly.
00:50:29Grammaticus turned.
00:50:30Petosanica was aiming his las-pistol right at him.
00:50:35"'Peto!' Grammaticus said incredulously.
00:50:38"'Control-word! Bedlam! Bedlam!'
00:50:43Sonica laughed.
00:50:45"'You really thought that had worked, didn't you, John?' he asked.
00:50:51He tossed the locator to Ruxanna.
00:50:54"'Got it, peto,' she said.
00:50:56She activated the beacon setting.
00:51:00"'Ruxanna!' Grammaticus stammered.
00:51:03"'No!' Stained light blinked and flickered all around the cave.
00:51:08There was a chorus of rapid, harmonic chimes.
00:51:12One by one, around the edges of the chamber,
00:51:15Alpha Legion warriors appeared in the shivering light display,
00:51:19weapons already trained.
00:51:22The teleport delivery left a dry, gritty scent in the air.
00:51:27In less than four seconds,
00:51:28fifty Alpha Legionnaires were covering the cabal from every angle.
00:51:34The members of the cabal jostled and quivered and jabbered in consternation.
00:51:39Slaudar glared and reached for his weapons.
00:51:43"'Stand where you are, and make no attempt to resist,'
00:51:46Omegon ordered.
00:51:48Bolter aimed.
00:51:50He adjusted channels.
00:51:52"'We're secure.'
00:51:54Light wafted.
00:51:57Alpharius materialized, with Shear at his side.
00:52:02The Primarch walked forwards.
00:52:05"'Cabal,' he said.
00:52:08"'We meet at last.
00:52:11On my terms.'"
00:52:15CHAPTER VIII
00:52:17AOLITH
00:52:18CONTINUOUS
00:52:21"'There's a ship approaching,' said Mu.
00:52:24Bronzy called the company to halt and looked up into the saturated cloud cover.
00:52:30He couldn't see anything.
00:52:32"'There's no drop due,' he said.
00:52:34"'And we haven't been notified of air support.
00:52:37I can't see anything.'
00:52:39"'It's there,' she insisted, staring up into the sky.
00:52:43Her sept had caught its approach.
00:52:47A dot appeared out of the clouds,
00:52:49and swooped down across the block valley, trailing vapour.
00:52:54It was a Jackal gunship.'
00:52:55"'What does he want, I wonder?' asked Chey.
00:53:00The gunship made two passes over the Joker's position, and then banked in and hovered down
00:53:05to settle on the flattest patch of rock in the immediate vicinity.
00:53:10As soon as its claws bit into the ground, figures dismounted from the side-hatch and
00:53:14ran towards the waiting Geno company.
00:53:17"'Lucifer Black's,' Mu murmured uneasily.
00:53:22Bronzy felt a shudder of panic.
00:53:25"'No, no,' he whispered.
00:53:29The three companions, armed and armoured, covered the ground surefootedly and reached
00:53:34the Jokers.
00:53:36They came to a halt in a row, apparently oblivious to the surly glares of suspicion that they
00:53:41were getting from hundreds of big, genic soldiers.
00:53:44"'Hetman Bronzy,' said the lead companion.
00:53:48"'Identify Hetman Bronzy.'
00:53:51A murmur ran through the company.
00:53:54Bronzy realised that he was trembling.
00:53:56There was absolutely no way he could run or hide from this.
00:54:02He did the only thing he could.
00:54:04"'That's me!' he called, walking out of the huddled troops to face the Lucifers.
00:54:10One of them immediately stepped forwards and disarmed him.
00:54:14Bronzy didn't fight.
00:54:16"'What the fuck do you think you're doing?'
00:54:19Chey exclaimed.
00:54:20"'Hetman Bronzy,' the lead companion announced.
00:54:23"'You are detained by order of the Lord Commander.
00:54:27You will come with us.'
00:54:29The Jokers started to yell and protest, spilling forwards out of their lines in outrage.
00:54:34"'Keep your places!'
00:54:37Bronzy yelled.
00:54:38"'That's an order.
00:54:39Keep your places.
00:54:41This is just a misunderstanding.
00:54:42I will get it cleared up.'
00:54:44"'You will come with us now,' the lead companion demanded.
00:54:50"'No,' Honan Mu snapped, striding out to stand beside Bronzy.
00:54:54"'I can't allow this.
00:54:56You cannot remove my Hetman during an operation.'
00:54:59"'Your objection is noted, Axor,' said the companion.
00:55:03"'But it is overruled.
00:55:05Step back.'
00:55:07"'This is a disgrace!' Mu yelled.
00:55:10"'How dare you!'
00:55:11"'Step back, Axor,' the companion repeated.
00:55:14"'Don't provoke them, Honan,' Bronzy told her gently.
00:55:20"'I'll get this sorted out and be back as quickly as I can.'
00:55:24"'What is this about, Hetardo?' she asked, horrified.
00:55:28"'I don't know.'
00:55:30"'Bronzy, what have you done, you silly old dog?' she pleaded.
00:55:35"'Nothing,' he insisted.
00:55:37"'I've done nothing.'
00:55:39He clasped her hands in his and looked down into her eyes.
00:55:43"'I'll come back, Honan.
00:55:45Look after my Jokers for me, all right?'
00:55:49"'Hetardo!'
00:55:50He bent and kissed her cheek, and then let go of her hands and
00:55:54allowed the companions to walk him back to the gunship.
00:55:58He never looked back.
00:56:01As she watched him walk away, Honan Mu had the most profound
00:56:05feeling that she'd never see him again.
00:56:11"'That is not how it should be!' Grammaticus roared.
00:56:16"'Be quiet!' said Alpharius.
00:56:18"'No!' Grammaticus spat, turning to face the Primarch.
00:56:22"'This is exactly the sort of confrontational duress I was
00:56:26trying to avoid.
00:56:27This is no way to deal with a cabal.
00:56:29You cannot turn your guns on them and force them to—'
00:56:32"'I can do anything I want,' said Alpharius.
00:56:37"'And what I want is to be in control of this situation.
00:56:41Your cabal has persistently and covertly schemed to
00:56:45manipulate the Alpha Legion.
00:56:47That is no basis for trust.
00:56:50I'll hear them out, but I will not let them use my Legion,
00:56:55or lead it into a trap.'
00:56:58"'It's not a trap!' Grammaticus wailed.
00:57:01"'Not any more, it isn't,' Omegon agreed.
00:57:06Grammaticus put his head in his hands and backed away.
00:57:09He looked up and saw Sonica and Ruxanna.
00:57:13"'You used me!' he sighed in disbelief.
00:57:19"'No more than you thought you were using me, John,'
00:57:22Sonica replied.
00:57:23"'And you did try very hard to do that.'
00:57:27"'But,' Grammaticus said, "'that is what my lord wanted,
00:57:31and this is what I delivered for him,' said Sonica.
00:57:34"'He wanted to see where you would go, given the chance.'
00:57:37"'And you too?' Grammaticus murmured, looking at Ruxanna.
00:57:44"'It was all a sham!'
00:57:47She opened the throat of her protective gear and
00:57:50revealed the pendant hanging there.
00:57:53"'Psionic Scrambler, Connick,' she said.
00:57:56"'It made my mind seem as if it were out of joint.'
00:58:00"'Oh, Ruxanna, why?' he begged.
00:58:04"'Playfully she continued to unbutton her suit,
00:58:09and pulled the seam aside to show half of her right breast.
00:58:13The Hydra brand appeared like a beauty spot on her pale skin.'
00:58:19Grammaticus looked away and sank to his knees.
00:58:23"'Who speaks for the Cabal?' Alfarius asked,
00:58:26advancing across the platform towards them.
00:58:30"'They will all speak through me,' clicked Galatro.
00:58:34"'Lord Alfarius, our agent is correct.
00:58:37This is no way to conduct business.
00:58:39The Cabal deplores your aggression.'
00:58:42"'But they want to talk to me,
00:58:45so they better get used to the situation and begin,'
00:58:49Alfarius replied.
00:58:51"'I have limited patience.
00:58:53What is so important that you'd go to such lengths to draw me here?'
00:58:58The Cabal's interpolator did not reply.
00:59:01Behind him, in low, odd tones, the Cabal members consulted one another.
00:59:08"'Stay sharp,' Peck said to Shear.
00:59:11His bolt-gun trained on the aliens.
00:59:14"'Any sign of trickery?'
00:59:16Shear nodded.
00:59:18"'There is psychic activity, but it is purely communicative.
00:59:24None of it is active.'
00:59:27"'Let me know if that changes,' said Peck.
00:59:30The buzzing, mumbling stir of alien voices ceased.
00:59:34Galatro looked up at Alfarius.
00:59:37"'The Cabal will speak, though it resents the position you have placed it in,'
00:59:42it said.
00:59:43"'It is typical of human zeal and belligerence.'
00:59:48"'Begin,' said Alfarius.
00:59:51"'The Cabal will deal directly with the Primarch of the Astartes Alpha Legion,'
00:59:56Galatro stated.
00:59:57"'You are,' said Alfarius.
01:00:00"'With the entire Primarch,' said the insectoid.
01:00:08Alfarius paused.
01:00:10"'You are,' he repeated.
01:00:14"'A show of trust is perhaps in order on your part,
01:00:17seeing that you hold us at gunpoint,' said Galatro.
01:00:21"'A token to signify that true secrets can be shared between us.'
01:00:28Alfarius glowered for a moment, and then nodded.
01:00:32Omegon, in his gleaming blue-black infiltrator armour,
01:00:36walked slowly over to stand at Alfarius's side.
01:00:39Sonica and Ruxana exchanged brief glances of confusion.
01:00:43Grammaticus looked up, fascinated.
01:00:47"'Cut off one head, and two shall grow in its place,' said Galatro.
01:00:53"'Alone amongst the genic sons of the Terran Emperor, you are the only twins.
01:01:00"'You are both the Primarch, one soul in two vessels.'
01:01:07"'The fact is not known outside our legion,' said Omegon.
01:01:13"'It is our most closely guarded secret,' said Alfarius.
01:01:18"'How did you know?' asked Omegon.
01:01:21"'The insectoid's mouthparts twitched.
01:01:25"'Through a careful study and comparison of the known Primarchs that has lasted for decades,
01:01:32"'it became clear to us that the oldest and the youngest sons were the most significant of all.
01:01:39"'Horus for what he will do, and you for what you will undo.'
01:01:46"'What will Horus do?' asked Alfarius.
01:01:51"'He will let the galaxy burn,' said Galatro.
01:01:57"'He will ignite the civil war.'
01:02:02"'You speak heresy,' Omegon growled.
01:02:05"'Exactly so,' the Interpolator replied."
01:02:09Alfarius shook his head.
01:02:12"'This is futile.
01:02:13"'Like your agent before you, you speak of a coming war and a great doom.
01:02:18"'You describe a division that could not possibly happen.
01:02:21"'Horus Lupercal is Warmaster.
01:02:24"'He is the Emperor's right hand and the most loyal of all.
01:02:29"'What he does, he does for the Emperor.'
01:02:34"'I believe you intend to sow the seeds of dissent with these wild tales,'
01:02:38"'Omegon told the Interpolator.
01:02:40"'You wish to undermine the foundations of the Imperium.'
01:02:44"'They are not wild tales,' said Galatro.
01:02:49"'They are baseless and offensive to us,' Omegon snapped.
01:02:53"'You supply no specifics.
01:02:54"'You deal in vague pronouncements.'
01:02:58"'It has been far seen,' said Galatro.
01:03:04"'Again with this,' Alfarius laughed.
01:03:08"'Some vision, some shamanic dream.
01:03:12"'A worthless prophecy, a hollow auguring.
01:03:17"'It all means nothing.
01:03:20"'You cannot know the future,
01:03:22"'and therefore you cannot show us any proof.'
01:03:26"'Yes, we can,' said Galatro.
01:03:30"'If that is what you need, we will share the acuity with you.'
01:03:36"'How exactly is that done?' asked Omegon warily.
01:03:42"'It cannot be accomplished here,' said Galatro.
01:03:45"'We must first bring our vessel to the halting site
01:03:49"'and transfer to it with you.
01:03:52"'As a matter of trust, we will allow you to escort us under guard.
01:03:57"'We need you to know, Alfarius Omegon.
01:04:02"'We need you to see.'
01:04:06"'Do it,' said Alfarius and Omegon simultaneously.
01:04:12Chapter 9 Orbital, Aeolith, Three Hours Later
01:04:21They took him to a cell in the brig-deck of the Bermayers and had him strip.
01:04:27Then they made him watch as they shredded his clothing
01:04:30and dismantled every piece of his equipment.
01:04:33After that they locked him in an iron restraint-chair.
01:04:37They did not speak once the entire time.
01:04:42After a while, when he realised that they weren't ever going to answer him,
01:04:45he stopped asking questions.
01:04:48From that point the processing continued in silence.
01:04:53The hatch opened.
01:04:55Dinners-chain entered the cell,
01:04:57accompanied by a burly officer of the brig
01:04:59and two assistants in floor-length plastec aprons.
01:05:04Chain conversed quietly with the three companions
01:05:07who had brought Bronzy in and processed him.
01:05:11He turned to the painfully restrained Hetman.
01:05:16"'Hetado, Bronzy?'
01:05:19Bronzy said nothing.
01:05:21"'You are detained on suspicion of being a covert operative
01:05:25"'of the Astartes Alpha Legion,' said Chain.
01:05:30"'The Lord Commander takes a dim view of spies
01:05:33"'and of internecine espionage.'
01:05:36"'If you are found to be working for the Astartes,
01:05:39"'it will be considered a gross act of disloyalty to your regiment,
01:05:43"'the Imperial Army, the expedition, and the Lord Commander.
01:05:49"'Do you have anything to say?'
01:05:51Bronzy flexed his throat and jaw against the iron bars trapping them.
01:05:56"'This is a mistake,' he said.
01:05:59"'This is wrong.
01:06:01"'You've got the wrong man.'
01:06:02"'You've got the wrong man!'
01:06:04Chain remained impassive.
01:06:07He walked across to the metal side-table where the debris of
01:06:10Bronzy's clothing and kit sat in boxes.
01:06:13He reached into one and produced the green metal scale.
01:06:17He held it up to make sure Bronzy could see it.
01:06:21"'I don't know what that is,' Bronzy said.
01:06:24"'You've planted it there!'
01:06:26Chain returned the scale to the box and walked back to his prisoner.
01:06:30He pointed his right index finger at the brand mark on Bronzy's right hip.
01:06:37"'And that, Hetman, did I plant that too?'
01:06:43Bronzy scowled.
01:06:45"'You are in no position to equivocate, Bronzy,' said Chain.
01:06:50"'Tell me. Tell me your secret.'
01:06:54Bronzy gritted his teeth.
01:06:56That is, slowly and deliberately, he said,
01:06:59"'My name is Hurtado Bronzy.'
01:07:04He looked at Chain and winked.
01:07:08"'There. I've said it,' he smiled.
01:07:12"'I've said it and I can never take it back.
01:07:15The secret's out.'
01:07:19"'Don't annoy me, Bronzy,' said Chain.
01:07:23"'Tell me the rest.'
01:07:25"'Ah, the rest,' said Bronzy.
01:07:29"'Well, if I must, sir.'"
01:07:37All the deep-range scopes began to sound contact alerts.
01:07:41Van Unger, master of the expedition fleet,
01:07:44got up from the leather throne in the middle of the Blomeyers' wide main bridge
01:07:49and strode across to the tracking station.
01:07:52"'What's this?' he asked.
01:07:55"'Contact echo, sir,' the tracking officer replied.
01:07:58"'An object just appeared on the scopes, inbound to 42 Hydra Tertius.'
01:08:03"'Appeared?' Van Unger repeated.
01:08:06"'I don't understand it, sir,' the tracking officer replied,
01:08:09adjusting his control panels with fast, expert hands.
01:08:13"'There are no energetic or magnetic profiles that would suggest a real space translation.
01:08:19"'The object just appeared.
01:08:21"'I speculate it was previously cloaked.'
01:08:24"'Track it and project. Full assessment,' Van Unger ordered.
01:08:29"'Yes, sir,' replied the officer.
01:08:32"'General Quarters,' Van Unger called out.
01:08:35"'Shields and batteries to stand by.'
01:08:38A klaxon started to sound.
01:08:40The bridge staff, over a hundred officers, bustled to their stations,
01:08:44their voices overlapping as they exchanged data and instructions.
01:08:48"'Trajectory projection,' the tracking officer announced.
01:08:52"'Main display,' Van Unger replied.
01:08:55"'The primary hololithic display lit up with a complex graphic diagram of the planet,
01:09:01the position of the fleet components, and the sweeping vector of the object.'
01:09:06"'That will take it directly to the venue zone,' Van Unger murmured.
01:09:11"'Have you identified vessel type or designation?'
01:09:14"'Negative, sir,' the tracking officer replied.
01:09:17"'It doesn't even read like a vessel. It's inert on all scans. It's—'
01:09:23"'Oh, terror!'
01:09:25"'What?'
01:09:26"'I'm marking it in excess of .8 superluminal.
01:09:31"'And it's big, sir. It's at least as big as we are.'
01:09:35"'Battle stations!' Van Unger cried.
01:09:38"'Raise shields!'
01:09:40The klaxon changed tone immediately.
01:09:42Van Unger activated his voxwand.
01:09:45"'My lord, Namatjira,' he said.
01:09:48"'What's going on, fleet master?' the lord commander's voice came back.
01:09:52"'An unknown craft of significant displacement is about to cut right across the fleet,
01:09:57inbound to the planet.'
01:09:59"'Mobilize the picket,' Namatjira ordered.
01:10:02"'Interdict it now.'
01:10:04"'It's moving too fast, sir,' Van Unger said.
01:10:07"'I've never seen anything like it.'
01:10:09"'Fleet master, I want you to—'
01:10:12Namatjira's voice was lost in a wash of static.
01:10:16Every screen on the bridge station suddenly milked out,
01:10:19and the main lights died.
01:10:21In the darkness that followed,
01:10:23a violent vibration shook through the mighty flagship for a few seconds.
01:10:28The lights came back on.
01:10:30One by one, the screens came back to life.
01:10:34"'An Unger! Van Unger!' Namatjira's voice blurted from the vox.
01:10:40"'What in the name of the Emperor just happened?'
01:10:43"'It went past us, sir,' replied Van Unger.
01:10:47"'Whatever it was, it just went right past us.'
01:10:54Honan Mu cried out.
01:10:56When Che turned to look, he thought she'd slipped over on the wet rock.
01:11:00Then he saw that her aids were down, too.
01:11:03He ran back over the flat-topped rocks to reach her.
01:11:06He began to feel it, too.
01:11:09Through the sept.
01:11:11All the men felt it, and they had come to a halt.
01:11:14"'What is it? What is it, Uxor?' he asked.
01:11:18She was down on her hands and knees, shivering with pain.
01:11:22"'I don't know,' she gasped, shaking her head.
01:11:26Huddled on the ground behind her, her aids were sobbing and wailing.
01:11:31Thunder rolled.
01:11:33Che and the jokers looked up at the overcast sky and the thick banks of cloud.
01:11:39"'Is it a storm?' asked one.
01:11:42More thunder, deep and heavy, shook out.
01:11:45The echo it left rolled down the wide valley that the jokers were still only halfway across.
01:11:51A wind began to pick up, strong and lusty and wet cold.
01:11:57Their banners and capes flapped.
01:11:59Spray lifted off the puddles and pools in the rocks around them.
01:12:03Thunder sounded again, as if the sky was splitting.
01:12:07This time Che and his men saw lightning flare above the clouds, backlighting them.
01:12:12The pulsing discharges made it look as if the clouds were on fire inside.
01:12:18The men started to point at the sky and cry out.
01:12:21"'Holy fog!' Che mumbled.
01:12:25A city was falling out of the sky on top of them.
01:12:29At first it was a great copper dish, half as wide as the visible sky.
01:12:35Streaks of luminous white and blue pulsed out from the centre of the dish to its rim and back.
01:12:41The rim was turning like a spinning top and flashing with iridescent patterns.
01:12:47The dish passed overhead, plunging them into shadow.
01:12:51It made an infrasonic murmur that quaked their internal organs
01:12:55and made them involuntarily squeal in fear.
01:12:59There was a smell of ozone, and sizzling bolts of fork lightning
01:13:03seared down from the clouds all along the length of the valley.
01:13:07The copper dish, so vast that the very size of it was terrifying,
01:13:12swung in over the monolithic black cliffs of the shivering hills and slowly descended.
01:13:19Now they could see its upper surface, where giant copper structures resembling fans and leaves
01:13:26bloomed like a cyclopean abstract water lily from the top of the dish.
01:13:31It sank lower and lower until the spinning dish was obscured by the cliffs.
01:13:37There was a colossal boom that shook the ground under them and caused splinters of
01:13:43rock to topple over and come crashing down the face of the black cliffs.
01:13:48The dish had set down somewhere beyond the hill-line.
01:13:52They could see the golden fans and petals of its upper structure
01:13:55rising above the shivering hills like the spires and monuments of some heavenly god.
01:14:01It was a heavenly city.
01:14:03Stray lightning continued to spark and flicker in the clouds,
01:14:07but the wind dropped as quickly as it had risen.
01:14:11Che helped Mu to her feet.
01:14:14Blood was seeping from her left nostril.
01:14:17They gazed in silent awe at the gilded shapes of the new skyline.
01:14:23What is it? Che asked.
01:14:28Honan Mu had no answer for him.
01:14:31Namatjira slowly studied the orbital pictures.
01:14:38It's huge, he murmured.
01:14:41Has Enos formed a vehicle of some kind, nodded Van Unger.
01:14:45I'm afraid we can't determine any details apart from its size.
01:14:48It is resistant to our probes.
01:14:51It has landed precisely at the location Alpharius instructed me to secure, said Namatjira.
01:14:58Yes, sir, said Van Unger.
01:15:00Inside the shivering hills area at the heart of the atmospheric anomaly
01:15:04and directly upon structures that our scans identified as artificial.
01:15:10So, the Lord Commander mused, the Cabal has arrived and shown itself.
01:15:18My lord, asked Van Unger.
01:15:21Namatjira looked up from the pictures.
01:15:24Return to the bridge, Fleetmaster.
01:15:26Set the fleet to a war footing.
01:15:28Charge all main battery weapons and target that object.
01:15:33You will only commence bombardment on my instruction.
01:15:37Sir, we have significant ground troop deployments adjacent to that craft, said Van Unger.
01:15:43They would most likely be caught in any orbital bombardment we unleashed.
01:15:47I told you this, Lord Commander, before the day began.
01:15:50I told you that bombardment tactics would-
01:15:52Charge all main battery weapons and target that object,
01:15:57hissed Namatjira.
01:15:58Is that too complex an order for you?
01:16:01Should I break it down?
01:16:03Target that object.
01:16:06If that's beyond you, expect to be stripped of your mastery with immediate effect.
01:16:11I understand Admiral Kolkoa is eager to rise to fleet command.
01:16:17Van Unger glared at Namatjira, made a sullen namaste, and left the lookout.
01:16:22Namatjira sat down on one of the window couches and stroked the flank of his gene-bred pet.
01:16:31Chain entered the lookout and dismissed the companion on duty.
01:16:36Did you see? asked Namatjira.
01:16:39Chain nodded.
01:16:41The Cabal is clearly more potent than we feared.
01:16:45They're not playing by Alpharius's rules either, said the Lord Commander.
01:16:51This is not the schedule the Primarch told me to expect.
01:16:55He anticipated that our ground forces would have the area surrounded and in our control before-
01:17:02He paused.
01:17:04Sir? asked Chain.
01:17:07Unless he lied to me, said Namatjira.
01:17:14Unless he is already making contact with the Cabal and learning their precious secrets for himself.
01:17:21Namatjira rose.
01:17:22He crossed the lookout and poured a flute of wine,
01:17:25sipped it, and then dashed the glass against the window ports with a snarl of fury.
01:17:30He plays us! he growled.
01:17:32He plays us and uses us!
01:17:34Everything he promised me, the honor, the glory, the Emperor's gratitude, was that all lies too?
01:17:41Chain shrugged.
01:17:43I have not trusted the Astartes' Alpha Legion from the start, sir.
01:17:47They do not practice the codes of nobility and honor shown by the other legions Astartes.
01:17:54I believe their operation and conduct should be reported to the Council of Terror,
01:17:59pending censure or dissolution.
01:18:02It wouldn't be the first time a legion Astartes has overstepped the mark, after all.
01:18:07They must be stopped and held accountable before they become too powerful.
01:18:14Namatjira nodded thoughtfully.
01:18:16Agreed.
01:18:17And I will be the one to bring the matter directly to the Emperor's attention.
01:18:22Perhaps then I can salvage some of my reputation.
01:18:26We need to find them culpable, Dinas.
01:18:28We need firm evidence of their miscreant nature.
01:18:32I need to know precisely what they're doing,
01:18:35and what infernal compact they are making with these Xenoform bastards.
01:18:41Chain poured another drink and handed it to his master.
01:18:45Thank you, Dinas, Namatjira replied.
01:18:49He began to pace.
01:18:51We already have evidence of their espionage, sir, said Chain.
01:18:55I have detained an officer of the Geno V2 Chilliad,
01:18:59and have manifest proof that he has been working as an operative of the Alpha Legion.
01:19:05In our own damn ranks?
01:19:07The man is bronzy, sir.
01:19:09It is shocking to discover that the Alpha Legion has infiltrated at the highest operational level.
01:19:16Namatjira nodded.
01:19:18That's a start.
01:19:20Good.
01:19:21You have interrogated him?
01:19:23He is resisting us, my lord, stoically.
01:19:27But my men are very skilled and patient.
01:19:30I do not know how much longer a man,
01:19:32even a man of bronzy's considerable constitution,
01:19:36can withstand such levels of pain.
01:19:39Give me a link to the Primarch, Dinas, Namatjira said, person to person.
01:19:45Let's see what new lies he chooses to spin me,
01:19:49and see if we can't establish his location while we listen to them.
01:19:53Prepare the Lucifer Blacks for teleport assault.
01:19:57Chain saluted.
01:19:58And, Dinas?
01:20:00Yes, sir?
01:20:02Show this bronzy no mercy, said Namatjira.
01:20:07Break him, mind, body, and soul, and pluck his secrets from him.
01:20:14Yes, my lord.
01:20:15Replied Dinas Chain.
01:20:20Chapter 10 The Acuity
01:20:25Sonica had never travelled by teleport before.
01:20:29It wasn't an experience he'd care to repeat.
01:20:33It made him feel sick and disoriented,
01:20:35as if he'd been put back together the wrong way around.
01:20:39The Astartes showed no sign of being remotely discomfited.
01:20:44The teleporter rays of the Battle Barge had relocated them all,
01:20:48Imperials and Cabal aliens alike,
01:20:50from the dank cave to a wet rock platform at the halting site,
01:20:55just below the gilded lip of the Cabal's parked vessel.
01:21:00The landing at the halting site had churned up the local atmosphere.
01:21:04It was raining hard, and a vapour like steam
01:21:07was rising from the cubic blocks and the oil-black pools.
01:21:12The encircling cliffs of the shivering hills
01:21:14surrounded them in a ring forty kilometres in diameter.
01:21:18The water particles in the air had created a fabulous
01:21:22half-rainbow over the steaming bowl at the halting site.
01:21:26The Cabal's immense vessel, dazzling with gold and copper reflections,
01:21:31was too vast to comprehend.
01:21:34Sonica looked at it for a while,
01:21:36seeing it as a budding flower opening its fimbriate petals to the sky,
01:21:43or a crown of oddly twisted thorns.
01:21:47He realised at length that it was simply too big,
01:21:50too alien, too unparalleled for his mind to accommodate
01:21:55without collapsing into madness.
01:21:58He looked away.
01:21:59He'd seen enough of the extraordinary for one lifetime.
01:22:03It's, Rukhsana mumbled, it's simply—
01:22:10I know, Sonica said, and gently turned her aside
01:22:13to look at the rim of black cliffs through the rain.
01:22:17It's best not to look at it for too long.
01:22:20What have we got ourselves into, Beto? she asked.
01:22:24He smiled.
01:22:26I really don't know any more.
01:22:29We've played our parts.
01:22:31I don't believe we matter at all now.
01:22:34A great destiny is being shaped, I think.
01:22:38Can't you feel it?
01:22:40The weight of future ages hanging over us?
01:22:45She nodded, and hooked her rain-plastered hair off her face.
01:22:50Absolutely, she said.
01:22:53This is a task for stronger minds, said Sonica.
01:22:58Post-human minds.
01:23:00Not our weak brains.
01:23:02We have to trust the Astartes to do what they were created to do.
01:23:06We have to trust them to keep our species safe.
01:23:12Do you trust them, Beto? Rukhsana asked.
01:23:17We both carry their mark, Uxor, he said.
01:23:21I think it's far too late to ask that question.
01:23:24She looked around.
01:23:26A considerable way away, down the rain-swept platform,
01:23:29Grammatica sat hunched under the guard of an Astartes.
01:23:34He hates us, she said.
01:23:37Of course he does, said Sonica.
01:23:40We betrayed him.
01:23:42That was hard to do, she said.
01:23:46To use him.
01:23:48He's used everybody, every step of the way, Sonica replied.
01:23:51He'll get over it.
01:23:53It may not have gone the way he'd have liked it to,
01:23:55but we got him what he wanted.
01:23:57No, you have to understand.
01:24:01I loved him, she said, or I thought I did, and I thought he loved me.
01:24:08I didn't understand what he was, even when he told me to my face.
01:24:12I didn't understand the scale of it all.
01:24:15You were never supposed to, said Sonica.
01:24:18Pawns are never supposed to perceive the game as a whole.
01:24:21A golden ramp, like a curving tongue, had extended from the rim of the cabal vessel
01:24:27to meet the edge of the stone platform.
01:24:30The Astartes, bolters ready, had begun to steer the huddle of alien sentience up into the craft.
01:24:37Some whimpered or murmured as they were herded along.
01:24:41Slaudar, the great autark, walked with his crested head up, ignoring the trained bolters.
01:24:47Signal relayed from the battle barge, Herzog said to Alpharius.
01:24:52Content?
01:24:54Well, Commander Namatjira requests personal Vox audience.
01:24:57He worries that you have begun the meeting without him.
01:25:01Tell him I can't be reached at this time, said Alpharius.
01:25:06Tell him to maintain position and keep his forces on standby.
01:25:10He won't like it, said Herzog.
01:25:12That's his problem, Omegon replied.
01:25:16I probably shouldn't tell him that, though, should I?
01:25:19Asked Herzog.
01:25:21Tell him I appreciate his patience, and I will contact him directly, said Alpharius.
01:25:29They boarded the copper craft.
01:25:32Its internal compartments bore no relation to a ship of human design.
01:25:37Its internal compartments bore no relation to a ship of human design.
01:25:43Odd spaces opened out into curious chambers, or turned back on themselves like a maze.
01:25:50The walls glowed softly with inner radiance.
01:25:54In places the ceiling seemed to soar away forever.
01:25:58Sonica felt muddled and uncomfortable.
01:26:01The air smelled like burnt sugar and fused plastic.
01:26:05They were left alone for a while in a chamber formed from three golden petals.
01:26:11What's that noise?
01:26:13Ruxanna asked.
01:26:15I don't hear anything, said Sonica.
01:26:18It's in my sept, then, like a swarm of bees.
01:26:23First Captain Peck appeared and strode over to them.
01:26:27The Primarchus called for you, Petto, he said.
01:26:30Me?
01:26:31He needs you.
01:26:33Follow me.
01:26:33Follow me.
01:26:35Sonica glanced at Ruxanna.
01:26:38Go on, she urged.
01:26:42Peck led him through the luminous halls of the cabal vessel,
01:26:45to a chamber where Alpharius, Omegon, and Shear were waiting.
01:26:50My lord, asked Sonica.
01:26:52The cabal is about to display the acuity to us, Petto, Alpharius told him.
01:26:59As far as we can tell, it's a perception device,
01:27:02a means of temporal lensing, based on Eldar principles of far-seeing.
01:27:09Yes, lord.
01:27:11I don't really understand anything you just said.
01:27:15We're about to have the future revealed to us, said Omegon.
01:27:20Sirs, why did you send for me? asked Sonica.
01:27:24I need to determine, as accurately as I possibly can,
01:27:28the viability of what they are about to show us, said Alpharius.
01:27:32I have suggested that the witnesses should be Omegon and myself,
01:27:37Shear from the Psyker perspective, and you as an unmodified human.
01:27:43Do you consent?
01:27:45Sir, I—
01:27:46Do you consent? demanded Omegon.
01:27:49We haven't got time to waste.
01:27:52Sonica nodded.
01:27:54I will do whatever I can, my lords, he replied.
01:27:58Thank you, Petto, said Alpharius.
01:28:02We're ready, he called out.
01:28:05A wall that had seemed solid parted like smoke.
01:28:10The four men walked into the chamber beyond, side by side.
01:28:15It was dark, and lit by a ruddy glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.
01:28:23Ahead of them, a monolithic slab of silver light shivered in the darkness.
01:28:29I am Gahit.
01:28:33I am Alpharius, Primarch of the Twentieth Legion Astartes, Alpharius replied.
01:28:41Welcome.
01:28:43Let us know the others, and your other self.
01:28:48I am Omegon, Primarch of the Twentieth Legion Astartes, said Omegon.
01:28:54Welcome.
01:28:55Welcome.
01:29:00Welcome.
01:29:02Sheer bowed.
01:29:04Petto Sonica.
01:29:06Welcome.
01:29:08Hello, said Sonica.
01:29:10You're inside my head.
01:29:14I am.
01:29:15That's not entirely pleasant, said Sonica.
01:29:20Oh, get a backbone head, snapped Omegon.
01:29:24You are prepared to observe the acuity?
01:29:29Yes, said Alpharius.
01:29:31Any tricks will result in our bolters dismantling this vessel piece by piece.
01:29:37Are we understood?
01:29:40Yes.
01:29:41You are a violent species, human.
01:29:45You threaten quickly.
01:29:47The violence will come later, and will be entirely your business.
01:29:53Get on with it, said Omegon.
01:29:56We have battled to deny the Primordial Annihilator for longer than you have been evolved.
01:30:04Chaos cannot be permitted to gain control of the galaxy.
01:30:10This fact has already been established, Gahit, said Alpharius.
01:30:14The human race is virile.
01:30:17It thrives unruly and audacious.
01:30:20It is, in its ignorance, especially susceptible to the influence of chaos.
01:30:28The Primordial Annihilator has buried its fingers into mankind,
01:30:32intending to turn it into a weapon.
01:30:36Mankind will resist, said Alpharius.
01:30:41You will not know how to resist.
01:30:43The Primordial Annihilator is cunning.
01:30:46It will trigger civil war within the Imperium of Man, and bring all creation crashing down.
01:30:56See!
01:30:58The slab of silver light trembled and opened.
01:31:03They saw what was inside it.
01:31:05It felt as if they were falling from orbit onto a burning world.
01:31:11Sheer began to weep.
01:31:14This is our veridical testimony.
01:31:17This is the future, as it will happen.
01:31:21The Great War will erupt across the firmament and engulf the human race.
01:31:27The stars will go out.
01:31:30The Annihilator will rise.
01:31:33No, said Omegon bluntly.
01:31:35His eyes were wide.
01:31:37You cannot deny it, Omegon.
01:31:39It is a process already underway.
01:31:44You damn liar, Omegon roared, and looked away from the acuity's vision.
01:31:49I cannot lie.
01:31:52I do not lie.
01:31:55The human race will become the absolute masters of Teratogyny.
01:32:00They will create the greatest monster of all.
01:32:06Horus.
01:32:07Sonika's mind was numb.
01:32:09What he had witnessed made the sight of the giant copper craft seem unremarkable.
01:32:16How... how do we stop this?
01:32:19He asked with a trembling voice.
01:32:23You don't.
01:32:24But the Alpha Legion Astartes is perfectly placed to control and direct it.
01:32:31Explain, Alpharius demanded.
01:32:34The civil war brought against the Emperor by Horus Lupercal will end one of two ways.
01:32:41Either Horus will win, and Chaos will triumph, or the Emperor's forces will prevail and drive Chaos into retreat.
01:32:53The Alpha Legion has always, always been for the Emperor, Alpharius stated.
01:33:00The slab of silver light flickered.
01:33:03Regard, then, the future.
01:33:07Horus wins, and Chaos triumphs.
01:33:11A terrible prospect, but likely.
01:33:15The Cabal sees a scintilla of honor remaining in bright Lupercal.
01:33:21He will secretly hate himself for the atrocities committed in his name.
01:33:26If he wins, his fury will accelerate, along with his self-loathing.
01:33:35He will immolate the human species inside two or three generations.
01:33:41The self-destructive, redemptive urge in Horus will drive him to exterminate mankind in shame.
01:33:49Even his closest allies will war against him in a final Armageddon.
01:33:56Chaos will burn brighter than ever before, and will then be extinguished.
01:34:02Its great victory will flare and then gutter as the dying Imperium takes it to the grave.
01:34:12The races of the galaxy will be spared through the sacrifice of the human race.
01:34:19Horus will not be allowed to win, Omegon retorted.
01:34:23Consider the alternative, Omegon Primark.
01:34:27This is what we have far seen.
01:34:30The Emperor will give his life to achieve victory.
01:34:35He will fall at terror, striking Horus down.
01:34:40This will be his destiny.
01:34:44See.
01:34:46The silver light shimmered.
01:34:49They saw the magnificence of the Golden Throne,
01:34:52and the howling rictus of the wizened cadaver locked inside it.
01:34:58Oh, my lord, Sonika cried.
01:35:01If the Emperor wins, stagnation will seize the Imperium.
01:35:06It will seek to perpetuate itself over and again, across thousands of years.
01:35:11But it will decay, slowly and surely.
01:35:14And surely it will decay and gradually allow chaos to seep back in and consume it.
01:35:23Victory is defeat, asked Alpharius softly.
01:35:30If the Emperor wins, Alpharius, chaos will ultimately triumph.
01:35:36Ten, twenty thousand years of misery and rot will follow,
01:35:41until the primordial Annihilator at last achieves ascendancy.
01:35:47This is the choice, asked Omegon.
01:35:50He laughed bleakly.
01:35:52The slow, inexorable conquest of chaos.
01:35:57Or a brief period of terror and frenzy.
01:36:02Creeping damnation, or a bloody century or two,
01:36:06as the human race rips itself apart and expunges chaos from the galaxy.
01:36:12This is the choice we present to you.
01:36:16The human race is a weapon.
01:36:19It can save the galaxy, or destroy it.
01:36:24This is hardly a choice at all, Gahet, said Alpharius.
01:36:29I pity you, human.
01:36:33It is not.
01:36:34But you are pragmatic.
01:36:36That is your abiding virtue.
01:36:39You see the long view.
01:36:43You make the hard decisions.
01:36:46Alpharius, the stagnant future must be denied.
01:36:53How do we do that? asked Omegon.
01:36:55How do you propose we do that, you alien bastard?
01:36:59It is perfectly simple, Omegon.
01:37:02The Alpha Legion must side with the rebels.
01:37:06You must ensure that Horus wins.
01:37:10Never, snarled Omegon.
01:37:13It is unthinkable, Alpharius yelled.
01:37:17Then see the result.
01:37:20See it.
01:37:21See it for yourselves.
01:37:25The silvery glow shivered again.
01:37:27Shivered again.
01:37:29They flinched.
01:37:30They saw it all in the space of a moment.
01:37:34The acuity showed them everything.
01:37:37Omegon and Alpharius staggered backwards, screaming.
01:37:41Shear burbled furiously, and then fell down stone dead, his mind destroyed.
01:37:47Sonika sank to his knees and wept.
01:37:52Chapter 11.
01:37:54Forty-two Hydra.
01:37:57They came back out into luminous halls that would never seem so bright again.
01:38:03The future came with them, like a shroud.
01:38:08Alpharius and Omegon were silent and expressionless.
01:38:12Ashen, broken, Sonika carried Shear's corpse in his arms.
01:38:17The Astartes were waiting for them, their bolters still covering the furtive,
01:38:21whispering members of the cabal.
01:38:24My lord, Pech began, what did—
01:38:27Alpharius raised a hand for silence.
01:38:30He looked at his twin, and they stared into each other's eyes for a long time.
01:38:37Sonika set Shear's body down on the deck.
01:38:40Rukhsana came over to him.
01:38:42Petto, your face—she whispered.
01:38:46What was it?
01:38:48What did you see?
01:38:50Sonika shook his head.
01:38:52He couldn't speak.
01:38:54She put her arms around him.
01:38:57He saw the acuity.
01:38:59Jongrammaticus was standing behind them.
01:39:02It is a terrible thing, isn't it, Petto?
01:39:06Quite terrible, and—
01:39:08Wonderful, Sonika burst out, pulling away from Rukhsana.
01:39:18How can you call it that?
01:39:20Because in all the horror, it offers a chance, said Jongrammaticus.
01:39:25One pure, simple chance to save, to spare, and to protect.
01:39:31Sonika stared at him.
01:39:33I don't think much of the chance, John, he replied.
01:39:38Slouda stepped forward to face Alpharius.
01:39:41The Astartes followed him with their weapons, but he ignored the threat.
01:39:47Well, he asked in halting, thickly-accented, low Gothic,
01:39:52what is your response, monkey?
01:39:56Do you have the strength to make this choice,
01:39:59or are you just as weak and self-serving as the rest of your vermin species?
01:40:05Alpharius gazed at the Autarch, leverly.
01:40:08I stand for the Emperor, he replied.
01:40:12In all things, I am loyal to him, and I cannot break that bond.
01:40:17He has many great ambitions, and the noblest of intentions,
01:40:21but I know that above all else, he is determined to stand firm against the rise of chaos.
01:40:29He has always known the truth of it.
01:40:31The overthrow of the Primordial Annihilator is his greatest wish.
01:40:36So what I do, Autarch, from this moment on, I will do for the Emperor.
01:40:44Slouda nodded.
01:40:46He turned and walked away.
01:40:49Lord Namatjira continues to plague us with demands, said Herzog.
01:40:54He is becoming quite agitated.
01:40:56He insists that you report to him immediately and make full disclosure.
01:41:01Does he indeed? Alpharius replied.
01:41:05Herzog nodded.
01:41:07He's beginning to make veiled threats, too, my lord—accusations of treason or worse.
01:41:14I believe we must make some kind of response before he loses all patience
01:41:18and embarks upon a regrettable course of action.
01:41:23We will make a response, said Omegon.
01:41:26Alpharius glanced at his twin.
01:41:28If we are to prevail in the task ahead of us, said Omegon, we must be secure and committed.
01:41:34We cannot let our hand be seen too early or have our undertaking betrayed.
01:41:39Secrecy is, as always, our most potent weapon.
01:41:44Agreed, said Alpharius.
01:41:47He bowed his head and was silent and pensive for a moment.
01:41:53So? asked Omegon.
01:41:55Alpharius looked up at him.
01:42:01Do it, he said.
01:42:07Stone a response from the Primarch or any of his officers, my lord,
01:42:10announced the Master of Vox.
01:42:12His barge also refuses to acknowledge our repeated hails.
01:42:16Namatjira nodded.
01:42:18The bridge of the Bramayas had grown increasingly quiet.
01:42:22The tension was palpable.
01:42:25Repeat the message, Namatjira ordered.
01:42:29Yes, my lord, said the Master of Vox.
01:42:33The Lord Commander turned to Van Aunger.
01:42:35I am going to withdraw to my chambers, he said,
01:42:38and compose a statement of censure regarding the Astartes Alpha Legion.
01:42:44If we have not received a satisfactory reply by the time I am done,
01:42:47you will send the statement directly to Terra.
01:42:51Yes, my lord, said Van Aunger.
01:42:54At that time, I will issue one final notice of intent,
01:42:58and if it is not answered, we will begin total bombardment of the surface zone.
01:43:04Sir, I, Van Aunger protested.
01:43:06Shut up and listen, Van Aunger, Namatjira growled.
01:43:10Total bombardment of the surface zone.
01:43:14Furthermore, you will position appropriate heavy cruisers
01:43:17to challenge and cripple the battle barge.
01:43:21Van Aunger shook his head in dismay.
01:43:24They are Astartes, my lord.
01:43:26What you are proposing amounts to war against our own.
01:43:31The Lord Commander does not believe they are our own anymore, Fleet Master,
01:43:36said Dinner's Chain.
01:43:39Namatjira turned to leave the bridge,
01:43:41but a call from the tracking officer stopped him.
01:43:44Sir, the Astartes battle barge has just slipped high anchor.
01:43:48What? demanded Van Aunger, hurrying to the station.
01:43:52Show me.
01:43:53It's coming about, sir, the tracking officer gabbled.
01:43:56It's turning in towards the fleet formation.
01:44:00Those duplicitous bastards, murmured Namatjira.
01:44:05That's an attack vector, Van Aunger cried.
01:44:08Full shields, battle stations.
01:44:11The barge has opened fire, sir, a deck officer shouted.
01:44:14The cantium has taken direct hits.
01:44:16The solar wind, too.
01:44:17It's opened to the void.
01:44:20Return fire, Van Aunger ordered.
01:44:22All vessels with a viable target solution on the barge.
01:44:25Beta, fire at will.
01:44:28The carrier Loran has gone, sir.
01:44:30The tank Creedy and the Loudon both report damage.
01:44:33It's just one ship, barked Namatjira.
01:44:37It's an Astartes battle barge, you cretin, Van Aunger spat at him.
01:44:42It's plowing through the center of the fleet like a hot knife.
01:44:47The deck shook as the Blamayers began to fire its primary batteries.
01:44:53Eight direct hits recorded on the target vessel, the master of ordnance sang out.
01:44:58Yes, crowed Namatjira, clenching a fist.
01:45:02The beta is not slowing down, said the tracking officer.
01:45:05Function does not seem to have been impaired.
01:45:08A shrill siren began to sound, slicing through the battle klaxons.
01:45:13Teleport signature, a bridge officer howled.
01:45:16Full spread of teleport flares throughout the midsection.
01:45:19We're being boarded.
01:45:23Internal hatches blew open in a welter of flame and flying metal.
01:45:28Bolter rounds ripped out of the smoke, choking the hallway,
01:45:31and cut down crew personnel as they tried to flee.
01:45:34The Astartes appeared, striding relentlessly out of the fire,
01:45:38their purple armor reflecting the rippling flames.
01:45:41Their bolters roared as they switched left and right methodically,
01:45:45covering every side tunnel and passageway.
01:45:49Repulse, repulse, shouted Major General Dev,
01:45:52sword in hand, trying to rally two platoons of haught infantry.
01:45:56Open fire!
01:45:58The troopers began to blaze shots down the length of the hallway.
01:46:02Dev thought he glimpsed a purple figure staggering back,
01:46:04but bolt rounds seared out of the swirling smoke and destroyed two of the troopers beside him.
01:46:10Covered in their blood, Dev tried to pull his men back to cover.
01:46:15Keep firing, he yelled.
01:46:17He grabbed his vox.
01:46:18Repulse squads to decks eight and nine! Heavy weapons! We need heavy weapons!
01:46:25They drew back along the hall and into an assembly chamber.
01:46:28Bolt rounds chased them and cut down three more men.
01:46:31Forty Ultramar heavies were running forwards through the chamber to support them.
01:46:36Up, up, up! Dev yelled.
01:46:38Come on, hold the fucking hatchway! Keep them back!
01:46:42The deck shook with a series of loud blasts from somewhere below.
01:46:47Give me that fucking launcher! Dev screamed,
01:46:50throwing down his sword and snatching the heavy weapon out of the hands of one of the Ultramars.
01:46:54He began to pump rocket grenades out through the chamber hatch.
01:46:58Light blinked and flickered in the chamber behind them.
01:47:01Coalescing matter swirled and twisted the eddying smoke.
01:47:05Six Alpha Legion Astartes materialised, their weapons firing on full auto.
01:47:12The Major General and his men perished in seconds.
01:47:19Something's happening, said Che urgently.
01:47:22Something bad!
01:47:23Honan Mu gazed up at the sky.
01:47:26The bright flashes and sparks beyond the cloud cover were not lightning.
01:47:31It was orbital fire.
01:47:33The fleet had engaged.
01:47:36I can't raise the carrier or the flagship, the Joker's vox officer reported.
01:47:41Keep trying, she ordered.
01:47:44What is it? asked Tiffain.
01:47:46What's happening up there?
01:47:48I don't know, Mu replied.
01:47:51Everyone winced suddenly.
01:47:53Sept pain shot through the Uxor and her aides, its iridescent rim turning slowly.
01:47:59The giant copper disk rose up behind the crags of the shivering hills
01:48:03and ascended straight up into the sky.
01:48:06It vanished into the low cloud.
01:48:09Mu sat down on a flat block of stone.
01:48:12It had begun to rain, fierce and cold.
01:48:15She could already smell the minute change in the air.
01:48:19Whatever purpose the atmospheric zone had been created for was done with.
01:48:24It was no longer needed, and it was being allowed to dissipate.
01:48:29She had no idea if the process would take minutes, days or weeks,
01:48:35but the caustic atmosphere of 42 Hydra Tertius would flood back and restore climactic equilibrium.
01:48:44Hoan and Mu perceived that no one would be coming for them.
01:48:49The Jokers and all the other ground assault units would still be in the zone
01:48:54when the poison storms of 42 Hydra Tertius reclaimed it.
01:48:59Then other decomposing remains would be left, drowned and scattered across the lonely cubic rocks.
01:49:11Chapter 12 Blimeyer's Orbital
01:49:17Dinas Chain placed a firm hand on Namatjira's arm.
01:49:21Now, my lord, he insisted.
01:49:25No, Dinas, Namatjira snapped, pulling away.
01:49:28The security of the flagship can no longer be guaranteed, said Chain.
01:49:33The companions must escort you to the safety of your sanctuary launch.
01:49:38The bridge was shaking.
01:49:40Every man at every station was shouting above the wail of the sirens.
01:49:43There was a distinct smell of smoke.
01:49:47Target it again, bellowed Namatjira.
01:49:49Again!
01:49:51We cannot break its shields, Van Anger yelled back.
01:49:55We just lost the Barbustian, someone yelled.
01:49:59The Loudon is reported as on fire and drifting, called another voice.
01:50:05Namatjira walked up to Van Anger and slapped him hard across the face.
01:50:09Destroy that barge, you piece of shit!
01:50:13Van Anger recoiled, spitting blood from his lip.
01:50:17He bawled his fist to swing back.
01:50:20Chain took him by the throat.
01:50:21Van Anger gagged.
01:50:23You will not raise your hand to the Lord Commander, said Chain.
01:50:27Complete your orders!
01:50:30He let go.
01:50:31Van Anger fell to the deck, gasping.
01:50:34All weapons, he coughed.
01:50:36All weapons!
01:50:37Sustained fire!
01:50:39Everything we've got!
01:50:41Damn it!
01:50:41Before—
01:50:42Contact, the tracking officer cried.
01:50:45A second contact!
01:50:47They stared at the jumping graphics on the main display.
01:50:50A vessel was shown tracking towards the rear of the fleet mass.
01:50:54Where did it come from?
01:50:56Van Anger asked.
01:50:57It just appeared on the scope, sir.
01:50:59It was concealed behind the planet.
01:51:02That's another barge, said Van Anger in a low voice.
01:51:07That's another fucking battle barge!
01:51:12The Alpha, whispered Namatjira.
01:51:17It has opened fire, the tracking officer yelled.
01:51:20Now, my lord, said Chain.
01:51:24This time, Namatjira allowed Chain to lead him away.
01:51:31Noisy out there, Bronzy muttered through the blood oozing out of his mouth.
01:51:40Shut it, ordered the officer of the brig.
01:51:43He exchanged a worried look with his two assistants in their blood-spattered aprons.
01:51:48The thump of explosions and the crackle of gunfire was impossible to ignore.
01:51:53Bronzy began to laugh, but it turned into a wet, ragged cough.
01:51:59They're coming—they're coming for me, you see.
01:52:05I knew—I knew they would.
01:52:09Shut up, the officer snarled, and viciously tightened one of the cage screws.
01:52:15Bronzy screamed.
01:52:16He coughed out more blood.
01:52:19My name—my name is Tardo Bronzy, he wheezed.
01:52:28That's—that's all you're getting.
01:52:33The cell door slammed open.
01:52:35Two figures in black bodygloves burst in.
01:52:37Petto Sonica shot the officer of the brig twice through the heart with his las pistol,
01:52:42and then pumped several more rounds into his twitching corpse.
01:52:46Thayner decapitated one of the assistants with an expert slice of his falx,
01:52:50and then drove the long blade through the other's belly.
01:52:53He tugged the weapon out.
01:52:55The man collapsed.
01:52:58Get him out of the restraint, said Sonica.
01:53:00Thayner started to undo the heavy clasps and bolts.
01:53:04Petto?
01:53:06Hang on, Hurt.
01:53:07You're a mess.
01:53:09You—you came for me?
01:53:12A personal favour granted by the Primarch, Sonica said.
01:53:16You came for me, Bronzy repeated.
01:53:21We look after our own, said Thayner.
01:53:25They pulled him out of the cage.
01:53:27He couldn't stand, so they carried him between them,
01:53:29his meaty arms blood-soaked around their shoulders.
01:53:34Hurry, said Thayner.
01:53:36Signal the teleport, said Sonica.
01:53:39Thayner nodded.
01:53:40We're gonna get you out, Hurt, said Sonica.
01:53:43We'll get you to the barge and patch you up.
01:53:45Just hang on.
01:53:47It's good to see you, Petto, Bronzy murmured.
01:53:53And you, Hurt.
01:53:56If it's so good to see me, why do you look so fucking grim?
01:54:06Later, said Petto, Sonica.
01:54:09I'll tell you later.
01:54:14One end of the flagship's vast carrier deck was ablaze.
01:54:17Chain and a squad of six Lucifer Blacks
01:54:20ran Namek Jira through the smoke
01:54:22and across the wide deck space towards the armoured sanctuary launch.
01:54:27Prepare for immediate departure, Chain cried into his vox.
01:54:30The Lord Commander will be aboard in twenty seconds.
01:54:34I don't believe he will,
01:54:37said Alpharius.
01:54:40The Primarch had emerged from the dense smoke pouring down the carrier space.
01:54:44He stood, gladius drawn, between the companions and the launch.
01:54:49The Lucifer Blacks were armed with Laz pistols and sabres.
01:54:52Without hesitation, they rushed him, firing as they came.
01:54:56Laz rounds pinged and flashed off Alpharius's armour.
01:54:59Some left scorched and dented holes.
01:55:02He drove in to meet the charge.
01:55:05One swing of his sword broke the back of the first Lucifer.
01:55:09Alpharius wheeled and crushed another skull with his left fist.
01:55:13Blades soared at him from all sides.
01:55:15He blocked with his sword and the gauntlet of his left hand.
01:55:19A sabre shattered.
01:55:21The gladius stabbed clean through the chest of a companion and ripped free.
01:55:25Blood spattered out in a wide arc across the deck.
01:55:29Blocking another sword stroke with his gladius,
01:55:31Alpharius delivered a crushing punch with his left hand
01:55:34that sent one of the remaining Lucifers flying backwards.
01:55:37He grabbed another and broke his neck with one twist of his armoured fingers.
01:55:43Chain swung his sabre in, and it was barely blocked by the Primarch's sword.
01:55:47He altered his attack dynamic.
01:55:50Alpharius had to take a step backwards to defend against Chain's extraordinary swordsmanship.
01:55:55The Primarch parried and thrust, but Chain dodged the strike
01:55:59and ran his sabre into Alpharius's side.
01:56:01The tempered blade, as strong and sharp as any metal known to man,
01:56:05punched under the side of the power armour,
01:56:08through the segmented layering, and deep into Alpharius's torso.
01:56:13Alpharius looked down at the wedged blade.
01:56:16A tiny amount of blood oozed out.
01:56:19Hmm, he murmured.
01:56:22He stared at Chain, who knew he could not pull the sword out.
01:56:27That's all you get, said Alpharius, and split him in half.
01:56:36Alpharius sheathed his gladius and dragged the sabre out of his torso.
01:56:42He tossed it away and walked through the litter of bodies
01:56:45to where Namatjira was kneeling on the deck.
01:56:49Please, my lord Primarch, please, I beg you,
01:56:54Namatjira pleaded, his hands making a desperate namaste.
01:56:58Alpharius drew his bolt gun.
01:57:01Why, shrieked Namatjira, why are you doing this?
01:57:08For the Emperor, said Alpharius, and pulled the trigger.
01:57:16Epilogue
01:57:18Cabal
01:57:19The copper dish spun out through the darkest part of the void.
01:57:27John Grammaticus walked its silent halls for the last time.
01:57:33Where are you going? asked Slaudar.
01:57:39Away, it's over, I'm done.
01:57:45There will be other tasks.
01:57:49Not for me, said John Grammaticus.
01:57:53The Cabal is grateful for your efforts, said Slaudar.
01:57:59I bet that was hard to say, Grammaticus replied scornfully.
01:58:04He walked away from the Ortak.
01:58:07You were successful, monkey, said the Eldar Lord.
01:58:12Why do you not seem satisfied?
01:58:16Because of the measure of my success, said Grammaticus,
01:58:20I successfully signed the death notice of the human race.
01:58:24John, Slaudar called out.
01:58:27You are heading in the direction of the external hatches, John.
01:58:35John Grammaticus ignored him and kept walking.
01:58:39He felt he deserved it.
01:58:41It wouldn't be his first death, but he hoped it would be his last.
01:58:57Legion was written by Dan Abnett and read by David Timpson.
01:59:05It was produced by Heavy Entertainment for Black Library.
01:59:12This recording is copyrighted by Games Workshop Ltd.
01:59:162013.