by Dan Abnett
'May I see?' asked a voice.
She looked up and had to peer in the deck's gloom to identify the speaker. It was Sindermann, the Primary Iterator.
'Of course.’ she said, rising to her feet and holding the picter so he could see the images as she thumbed them up one by one. He craned his head forward, curious.
You have a wonderful eye, Mistress Keeler. Oh, that one is particularly fine! The crew working so hard. I find it striking because it is so natural, candid, I suppose. So very much of our pictorial record is arch and formally posed.’
'I like to get people when they're not aware of me.’
This one is simply magnificent. You've captured Garviel perfectly there.’
"You know him personally, sir?'
'Why do you ask?'
You called him by his forename, not by any honorific or rank.’
Sindermann smiled at her. 'I think Captain Loken might be considered a friend of mine. I'd like to think so, anyway. You never can tell with an Astartes. They form relationships with mortals in a curious way, but we spend time together and discuss certain matters.’
You're his mentor?'
'His tutor. There is a great difference. I know things he does not, so I am able to expand his knowledge, but I do not presume to have influence over him. Oh, Mistress Keeler! This one is superb! The best, I should say.’
'I thought so. I was very pleased with it.’
'All of them together like that, and Garviel kneeling so humbly, and the way you've framed them against the company standard.’
That was just happenstance.’ Keeler said. They chose what they were standing beside.’
Sindermann placed his hand gently upon hers. He seemed genuinely grateful for the chance to review her work. That pict alone will become famous, I have no doubt. It will be reproduced in history texts for as long as the Imperium endures.’
'It's just a pict.’ she chided.
'It is a witness. It is a perfect example of what the remembrancers can do. I have been reviewing some of the material produced by the remembrancers thus far, the material that's been added to the expedition's collective archive. Some of it is... patchy, shall I say? Ideal ammunition for those who claim the remembrancer project is a waste of time, funds and ship space, but some is outstanding, and I would class your work amongst that.’
You're very kind.’
'I am honest, mistress. And I believe that if mankind does not properly document and witness his achievements, then only half of this undertaking has been made. Speaking of honest, come with me.’
He led her back to the main group by the window. Another figure had joined them on the observation deck, and stood talking to Van Karsten. It was the equerry, Maloghurst, and he turned as they approached.
'Kyril, do you want to tell them?'
You engineered it, equerry. The pleasure's yours.’
Maloghurst nodded. 'After some negotiation with the expedition seniors, it has been agreed that the six of you can follow the strike force to the surface and observe the venture. You will travel down with one of the ancillary support vessels.’
The remembrancers chorused their delight.
There's been a lot of debate about allowing remembrancers to become embedded in the layers of military
activity.’ Sindermann said, 'particularly concerning the issue of civilian welfare in a warzone. There is also, if I may be quite frank, some concern about what you will see. The Astartes in war is a shocking, savage sight. Many believe that such images are not for public distribution, as they might paint a negative picture of the crusade.’
.’We both believe otherwise.’ Maloghurst said. The truth can't be wrong, even if it is ugly or shocking. We need to be clear about what we are doing, and how we are doing it, and allow persons such as yourselves to respond to it. That is the honesty on which a mature culture must be based. We also need to celebrate, and how can you celebrate the courage of the Astartes if you don't see it? I believe in the strength of positive propaganda, thanks, in no small part, to Mistress Keeler here and her documenting of my own plight. There is a rallying power in images and reports of both Imperial victory and Imperial suffering. It communicates a common cause to bind and uplift our society.’
'It helps.’ Sindermann put in, 'that this is a low-key action. An unusual use of the Astartes in a policing role. It should be over in a day or so, with little collateral risk. However, I wish to emphasise that this is still dangerous. You will observe instruction at all times, and never stray from your protection detail. I am to accompany you - this was one of the stipulations made by the War-master. Listen to me and do as I say at all times.’
So we're still to be vetted and controlled, Keeler thought. Shown only what they choose to show us. Never mind, this is still a great opportunity. One that I can't believe Mersadie has missed.
'Look!' cried Borodin Flora.
They all turned.
The stormbirds were launching. Like giant steel darts they shot from the deck mouth, the sunlight catching their armoured flanks. Majestically, they turned in the
darkness as they fell away, burners lighting up like blue coals as they dropped in formation towards the planet.
BRACING HIMSELF AGAINST the low, overhead handrails, Loken moved down the spinal aisle of the lead storm-bird. Luna Wolves, impassive behind their visors, their weapons locked and stowed, sat in the rear-facing cage-seats either side of him. The bird rocked and shuddered as it cut its steep path through the upper atmosphere.
He reached the cockpit section and wrenched open the hatch to enter. Two flight officers sat back to back, facing wall panel consoles, and beyond them two pilot servitors lay, hardwired into forward-facing helm positions in the cone. The cockpit was dark, apart from the coloured glow of the instrumentation and the sheen of light coming in through the forward slit-ports.
'Captain?' one of the flight officers said, turning and looking up.
What's the problem with the vox?' Loken asked. 'I've had several reports of comm faults from the men. Ghosting and chatter.’
We're getting that too, sir.’ the officer said, his hands playing over his controls, 'and I'm hearing similar reports from the other birds. We think it's atmospherics.’
'Disruption?'
Yes, sir. I've checked with the flagship, and they haven't picked up on it. It's probably an acoustic echo from the surface.’
'It seems to be getting worse.’ Loken said. He adjusted his helm and tried his link again. The static hiss was still there, but now it had shapes in it, like muffled words.
'Is that language?' he asked.
The officer shook his head. 'Can't tell, sir. It's just reading as general interference. Perhaps we're bouncing up broadcasts from one of the southern cities. Or maybe even army traffic.’
'We need clean vox.’ Loken said. 'Do something.’
The officer shrugged and adjusted several dials. 'I can try purging the signal. I can wash it through the signal buffers. Maybe that will tidy up the channels.
In Loken's ears, there was a sudden, seething rush of static, and then things became quieter suddenly.
'Better.’ he said. Then he paused. Now the hiss was gone, he could hear the voice. It was tiny, distant, impossibly quiet, but it was speaking proper words.
'.. .only name you'll hear....'
'What is that?' Loken asked. He strained to hear. The voice was so very far away, like a rustle of silk.
The flight officer craned his neck, listening to his own headphones. He made minute adjustments to his dials.
'I might be able to...' he began. A touch of his hand had suddenly cleaned the signal to audibility.
'What in the name of Terra is that?' he asked.
Loken listened. The voice, like a gust of dry, desert wind, said, 'Samus. That's the only name you'll hear. Samus. It means the end and the death. Samus. I am Samus. Samus is all around you. Samus is the man beside you. Samus will gnaw upon your bones. Look out! Samus is here.’
&nbs
p; The voice faded. The channel went dead and quiet, except for the occasional echo pop.
The flight officer took off his headset and looked at Loken. His face was wide-eyed and fearful. Loken recoiled slightly. He wasn't made to deal with fear. The concept disgusted him.
'I d-don't know what that was.’ the flight officer said.
'I do.’ said Loken. 'Our enemy is trying to scare us.’
EIGHT
One-way war
Sindermann in grass and sand
Jubal
FOLLOWING THE 'EMPEROR'S' death and the fall of their ancient, centralised government, the insurgents had fled into the mountain massifs of the southern hemisphere, and occupied a fastness in a range of peaks, called the Whisperheads in the local language. The air was thin, for the altitude was very great. Dawn was coming up, and the mountains loomed as stern, misty steeples of pale green ice that reflected sun glare.
The stormbirds dropped from the edge of space, out of the sky's dark blue mantle, trailing golden fire from their ablative surfaces. In the frugal habitations and villages in the foothills, the townsfolk, born into a culture of myth and superstition, saw the fiery marks in the dawn sky as an omen. Many fell to wailing and lamenting, or hurried to their village fanes
The religious faith of Sixty-Three Nineteen, strong in the capital and the major cities, was distilled here into a more potent brew. These were impoverished backwaters, where the anachronistic beliefs of the society were
heightened by a subsistence lifestyle and poor education. The Imperial army had already straggled to contain this primitive zealotry during its occupation. As the streaks of fire crossed the sky, they found themselves hard-pressed to control the mounting agitation in the villages.
The stormbirds set down, engines screaming, on a plateau of dry, white lava-rock five thousand metres below the caps of the highest peaks where the rebel fastness lay. They whirled up clouds of pumice grit from their jets as they crunched in.
The sky was white, and the peaks were white against them, and white cloud softened the air. A series of precipitous rifts and ice canyons dropped away behind the plateau, wreathed in smoke-cloud, and the lower peaks gleamed in the rising light.
Tenth Company clattered out into the sparse, chilly air, weapons ready. They came to martial order, and disembarked as smoothly as Loken could have wished.
But the vox was still disturbed. Every few minutes, 'Samus' chattered again, like a sigh upon the mountain wind.
Loken called the senior squad leaders to him as soon as he had landed: Vipus of Locasta, Jubal of Hellebore, Rassek of the Terminator squad, Talonus of Pithraes, Kairus of Walkure, and eight more.
All grouped around, showing deference to Xavyer Jubal.
Loken, who had always read men well as a commander, needed none of his honed leadership skills to realise that Jubal wasn't wearing Vipus's elevation well. As the others of the Mournival had advised him, Loken had followed his gut and appointed Nero Vipus his proxy-commander, to serve when matters of state drew Loken apart from Tenth. Vipus was popular, but Jubal, as sergeant of the first squad, felt slighted. There was no
rule that stated the sergeant of a company's first squad automatically followed in seniority. The sequencing was simply a numerical distinction, but there was a given order to things, and Jubal felt aggrieved. He had told Loken so, several times.
Loken remembered Little Horus's words. J.’ you trust Vipus, make it Vipus. Never compromise. Jubal's a big boy. He'll get over it.
'Let's do this, and quickly,' Loken told his officers. The Terminators have the lead here. Rassek?'
'My squad is ready to serve, captain,' Rassek replied curtly. Like all the men in his specialist squad, Sergeant Rassek wore the titanic armour of a Terminator, a variant only lately introduced into the arsenal of the Astartes. By dint of their primacy, and the fact that their primarch was Warmaster, the Luna Wolves had been amongst the first Legion to benefit from the issue of Terminator plate. Some entire Legions still lacked it. The armour was designed for heavy assault. Thickly plated and consequently exaggerated in its dimensions, a Terminator suit turned an Astartes warrior into a slow, cumbersome, but entirely unstoppable humanoid tank. An Astartes clad in Terminator plate gave up all his speed, dexterity, agility and range of movement. What he got in return was the ability to shrug off almost any ballistic attack.
Rassek towered over them in his armour, dwarfing them as a primarch dwarfs Astartes, or an Astartes dwarfs mortal men. Massive weapons systems were built into his shoulders, arms and gauntlets.
'Lead off to the bridges and clear the way.’ Loken said. He paused. Now was a moment for gentle diplomacy. 'Jubal, I want Hellebore to follow the Terminators in as the weight of the first strike.’
Jubal nodded, evidently pleased. The scowl of displeasure he had been wearing for weeks now lifted for a
moment. All the officers were bare-headed for this briefing, despite the fact that the air was unbreathably thin by human standards. Their enhanced pulmonary systems didn't even labour. Loken saw Nero Vipus smile, and knew he understood the significance of this instruction. Loken was offering Jubal some measure of glory, to reassure him he was not forgotten.
'Let's go to it!' Loken cried. 'Lupercal!'
'Lupercal!' the officers answered. They clamped their helms into place.
Portions of the company began to move ahead towards the natural rock bridges and causeways that linked the plateau to the higher terrain.
Army regiments, swaddled in heavy coats and rebreathers against the cold, thin air, had moved up onto the plateau to meet them from the town of Kash-eri in the lower gorge.
'Kasheri is at compliance, sir.’ an officer told Loken, his voice muffled by his mask, his breathing pained and ragged. The enemy has withdrawn to the high fortress.'
Loken nodded, gazing up at the bright crags looming in the white light. 'We'll take it from here,' he said.
They're well armed, sir.’ the officer warned. 'Every time we've pushed to take the rock bridges, they've killed us with heavy cannon. We don't think they have much in the way of numerical weight, but they have the advantage of position. It's a slaughter ground, sir, and they have the cross-draw on us. We understand the insurgents are being led by an Invisible called Rykus or Ryker. We-'
'We'll take it from here.’ Loken repeated. 'I don't need to know the name of the enemy before I kill him.'
He turned. 'lubal. Vipus. Form up and move ahead!'
'lust like that?' the army officer asked sourly. 'Six weeks we've been here, slogging it out, the body toll like you wouldn't believe, and you-'
We're Astartes.’ Loken said. You're relieved.'
The officer shook his head with a sad laugh. He muttered something under his breath.
Loken turned back and took a step towards the man, causing him to start in alarm. No man liked to see the stern eye-slits of a Luna Wolfs impassive visor turn to regard him.
'What did you say?' Loken asked.
'I... I... nothing, sir.'
What did you say?'
'I said... "and the place is haunted", sir.'
'If you believe this place is haunted, my friend.’ Loken said, 'then you are admitting to a belief in spirits and daemons.’
'I'm not, sir! I'm really not!'
'I should think not.’ Loken said. We're not barbarians.’
'All I mean.’ said the soldier breathlessly, his face flushed and sweaty behind his breather mask, 'is that there's something about this place. These mountains. They're called the Whisperheads, and I've spoken to some of the locals in Katheri. The name's old, sir. Really old. The locals believe that a man might hear voices out here, calling to him, when there's no one around. It's an old tale.’
'Superstition. We know this world has temples and fanes. They are dark-age in their beliefs. Bringing light to that ignorance is part of why we're here.'
'So what are the voices, sir?'
'What?'
'Since we've been here, fighting our
way up the valley, we've all heard them. I've heard them. Whispers. In the night, and sometimes in the bold brightness of day when there's no one about, and on die vox too. Samus has been talking.'
Loken stared at the man. The oath of moment fixed to his shoulder plate fluttered in the mountain wind. 'Who is Samus?'
'Damned if I know.’ the officer shrugged. 'All I know for certain is the whole vox net has been loopy these past few days. Voices on the line, all saying the same thing. A threat.’
They're trying to scare us.’ Loken said.
Well, it worked then, didn't it?'
LOKEN WALKED OUT across the plateau in the biting wind, between the parked stormbirds. Samus was muttering again, his voice a dry crackle in the background of Loken's open link.
'Samus. That's the only name you'll hear. I'm Samus. Samus is all around you. Samus is the man beside you. Samus will gnaw upon your bones.’
Loken was forced to admit the enemy propaganda was good. It was unsettiing in its mystery and its whisper. It had probably been highly effective in the past against other nations and cultures on Sixty-Three Nineteen. The 'Emperor' had most likely come to global power on the basis of malignant whispers and invisible warriors.
The Astartes of the true Emperor would not be gulled and unmanned by such simple tools.
Some of the Luna Wolves around him were standing still, listening to the mutter in their helm sets.
'Ignore it.’ Loken told them. 'It's just a game. Let's move in.’
Rassek's lumbering Terminators approached the rock bridges, arches of granite and lava that linked the plateau to the fierce verticality of the peaks. These were natural spans left behind by the action of ancient glaciers.
Corpses, some of them reduced to desiccated mummies by the altitude, littered the plateau shelf and the rock bridges. The officer had not been lying. Hundreds of army troopers had been cut down in the various attempts to storm the high fortresses. The field of fire
had been so intense, their comrades had not been able even to retrieve their bodies.
'Advance!' Loken ordered.