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deViers。 He was careful to present a contradictory impression。》
protested Xephous。
36
said the magos；
said Armadron。
said Armadron。
replied Sennesdiar。
asked Xephous。
the magos replied； interrupting
his adept。
Armadron bowed his head and issued a short burst of noise that expressed his understanding and
absolute obedience。
Sennesdiar rose from the pool； broadcasting an activation code to the cherub…slaves in their
alcoves。 They jerked forwards to tend to him as he stepped out。 Thick fluids ran down his bloodless
body； along the piston housings and cables that jutted from the pallid remnants of the flesh into
which he had been born almost four centuries earlier。 Silvery drops rolled from his slender metal
fingers to the grille floor below as he waited for the little slaves to dress him。
In his robes once more； he stepped to the door of his private chamber； turned and said；
they intoned dutifully。
added Armadron。
said Sennesdiar。 Then he swept from the room；
leaving his adepts to soak in the bubbling pool。 They left shortly after him； however； for there was
much to be done。
37
CHAPTER FIVE
“Hold them back； you dogs；” bellowed Colonel Stromm。 “Don’t let them pass the outer lines！” He
fired his hellpistol into the charging mass of orks； but； squinting through the haze and the sweat that
stung his eyes； it was difficult to see the level of damage he was causing。 With his free hand； he
grabbed his adjutant； Lieutenant Kassel； by the collar； yanking him close to shout in his ear。 “Where
the frak are my Kasrkin； Hans？ Why aren’t they shoring up those blasted gaps？”
The air danced with tracer fire as the orks pushed closer； huge pistols and stubbers blazing。 The
Cadians fired back with deadly intensity； bright las…beams licking out from their sandbagged
positions； slicing through the clouds of billowing dust thrown up by the anti…personnel mines that
were detonating under the feet of the green…skins’ front ranks。 Heavy brown bodies spun into the air
to land in bloody； mangled heaps。 Other orks trampled over them uncaring； undaunted； yelling and
hooting； and roaring bestial battle cries with unrestrained glee。
Competing with all the noise； most particularly with the deafening crack and stutter of nearby
las… and bolter…fire； Lieutenant Kassel placed his mouth at his colonel’s ear and replied； “Vonnel’s
platoon is taking heavy losses on the right flank； sir。 The Kasrkin have moved across to plug the
breach。”
Damn it； thought Stromm。 Five days。 Five days we’ve lasted out here on the open sand； and not
a single bloody sign of rescue； no vox…comms； nothing。 And there’s no end to the greenskin
bastards。 Scores of men are dead or dying。 Our perimeter is shrinking with every charge made
against us。 This looks like the last of it for The Fighting 98th。
His mind turned to his family； safe aboard the naval heavy…transport The Incandescent； which
was anchored in high orbit with the rest of the fleet。 He had a son； still just an infant； who had been
born during the Palmeros campaign。 Stromm had hoped to watch the lad grow； to see him strengthen
and develop； and； one day； become an officer like his father。 No； not like his father； better than his
father。 A son should always strive to achieve more than the man who sired him。 He had hoped to see
it； to live that long despite the odds。 But he’d known the second old deViers had brought Exolon to
Golgotha that his life expectancy had been suddenly； dramatically reduced。 Here today； before his
eyes； the truth of it was playing out。
Curse this world； he thought。 To the blasted bloody warp with it！ We should have virus…bombed
it from space。 That would have been poetic justice in that — revenge for all the people Thraka’s
asteroids have killed。 If it weren’t for Yarrick’s damned tank…
The orks were closing。 Six hundred metres。 Five…ninety。 Five…eighty。 The Cadians’ landmines
were barely slowing them。 Heavy alien bodies were being blasted high on pillars of smoke and sand；
but the enemy far outnumbered Stromm’s men。 The foe had bodies to spare。 Those that escaped the
deadly fragmentation and explosive pressure waves created by each blast just kept on coming； not
faltering for even a moment。
On Stromm’s first day； the day his drop…ship had smashed nose…first into the red sand； he and his
officers had decided that it was best to stay put； sure that Major General Rennkamp would send out
reconnaissance units to look for his missing men。 But vox…comms weren’t worth a damn out here；
and darkness fell quickly in the desert； so Stromm hadn’t wasted any time in ordering makeshift
defensives built； though progress was initially slow under lamp and torchlight。
Sand was； of course； in plentiful supply and had been put to good use。 The sandbags had
hardened like concrete； such was the effect of water on the Golgothan dust； though Stromm was
38
reluctant to spare even a fraction of their precious reserves for anything other than drinking。 Scrap
metal pulled from the wrecked ship was plentiful； too。 With these resources； his 98th Mechanised
Infantry Regiment had constructed outer and inner defensive works； reinforcing the heavy…weapons
nests with plates from the ship’s crumpled bulkheads。
The resulting fortifications were basic in the extreme； but at least they offered better protection
than the open sand。 As he fired shot after flesh…searing shot into the charging xenos horde； Stromm
was damned glad of those defences。
Torrents of fire blazed out from each of the heavy…weapon nests； chewing apart scores of
grotesque alien bodies with broad sweeps of enfilading fire。 Some of the regiment’s Chimeras and
halftracks had survived the crash and were entrenched behind walls of compacted sand and steel；
adding their considerable firepower to the desperate battle。 The Chimeras’ hull…mounted heavy
bolters chattered deep and low； ripping the enemy into bloody hunks of meat with their explosive
ammunition。 Turret…mounted multi…lasers hissed and cracked； scoring the air with blinding
brightness。 A few of the Chimeras boasted autocannon as their main armament； their long barrels
chambered for powerful thirty…millimetre rounds。 They made a harsh chugging sound as they
spewed shells out in devastating torrents。 Over…muscled brown bodies dissolved into scraps and
tatters wherever the autocannon found their mark。
The Chimeras and the weapon…nests were not alone in providing heavy support。 Thick spears of
lascannon fire blazed down from atop the crumpled hull of the drop…ship。 The ship’s cockpit had
folded like a concertina in the crash and the flight crew had been killed outright； but a handful of
navy ratings — tech…crew mostly — had survived。 They had been insistent about manning the ship’s
turrets； only a few of which still functioned。 Stromm had seen it in their faces： the fear； the panic。
When he had agreed to let them man the turrets； their relief had been all too apparent。 They were
terrified of