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you for reporting things like that。”
Wulfe knew van Droi was being deliberately vague； trying to offer him a nice safe exit from the
topic； but he had already committed himself。
“I saw the ghost of Dolphus Borscht in Lugo’s Ditch； sir。 I saw him standing on the highway as
real as you are right now。 He told me to stop the tank。 And if I hadn’t listened to him； my crew and I
would be dead right now。”
Finally； it was out。 The words hung in the air like ghosts themselves； hovering between the two
men。
“Damn it；” hissed van Droi。 “Don’t ever say that out loud。 You want other people to hear？”
“Did you know； sir？” Wulfe demanded。
“Of course； I knew； Oskar。 I’m not a total idiot。 It wasn’t hard to put it all together。 But for
Throne’s sake； you’ve got to keep it to yourself； man。 If the commissar ever finds out…”
“Someone would have to tell him first； sir。 Someone like Corporal Lenck； perhaps。”
“Lenck？” asked van Droi。 “Are you saying he knows？”
“I can’t be sure；” said Wulfe。 “Just something he said to me last time we clashed。”
Van Droi actually looked hurt for a fraction of a second； but he recovered well。 “He didn’t find
out from me； sergeant； if that’s what you’re thinking。”
Wulfe shook his head。 “I wasn’t thinking that； sir。 Not really。 But I had to ask。”
“Listen； Oskar； Lenck might be less of a problem if you hadn’t started some kind of damned
vendetta with him the moment he joined the regiment。 If you’ve got something on him； something
that I should know about； don’t keep it to your bloody self。 If you don’t； you need to accept that he’s
a Gunhead now。 We stick together。 It’s the only way any of us will get through this alive。 For the
Throne’s sake； man； he saved your life。”
“Duty； sir；” said Wulfe。 “I’d have done the same under the circumstances。”
In truth； he still wasn’t sure he would have。
“That doesn’t change the facts； Oskar。 Lenck has more than proven himself worthy of being
among us。 He might be a bit of a rogue； but he’s done a damned fine job with that crate of his； and
he manages a difficult crew。 For the sake of the mission； will you put your personal differences
aside and act like proper bloody soldiers？”
Wulfe grumbled to himself； but finally he said； “I’ll try； sir。 Since you asked。”
Van Droi looked pleased。 He straightened his jacket and said； “Unless there’s anything else…”
“Nothing； sir；” said Wulfe。
“Right。 I’d better get moving；” said van Droi。 “General deViers is having a war council； and I
expect Immrich will have fresh orders for the regiment when it’s done。 Get some rest while you can；
Oskar。 And some rations while you’re at it。 I can’t say when we’ll be leaving this unholy place； but
Throne willing it’ll be soon。”
“Yes； sir；” said Wulfe。 He saluted； and received one in return before van Droi turned smartly and
marched off towards a column of parked Chimeras。
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And get some rest yourself； thought Wulfe with genuine concern。 You really look like you need
it。
General deViers had ordered a cordon set up around his Chimera。 He didn’t want the rank…and…file
getting too close to the meeting he had called。 Kasrkin troopers from Colonel Stromm’s 98th
Regiment were positioned in a wide circle； hellguns in hand； told to keep everyone below the rank
of lieutenant out。
They were Kasrkin。 He knew they could be trusted。
Bergen stood with Killian and Rennkamp at the front of a small crowd mostly comprised of
regiment and company level officers； adjutants； executive officers and； at the very front； positioned
somewhat separate from the others； the three senior representatives of the Adeptus Mechanicus。
DeViers stood atop the back of his Chimera so that all the officers could see him。 He looked； to
Bergen； like a vulture on a branch glaring fiercely down at the three tech…priests； who observed him
impassively with lidless mechanical eyes。 If the general had thought taking an elevated position
would rob Magos Sennesdiar of some of his dominating presence； or would force him to
acknowledge his proper place as a mere accessory to the expedition’s true leader； he had been
wrong。 The hulking； red…robed figure of the magos still cast its powerful aura over the proceedings。
“How do you answer that？” deViers demanded。 He had just charged the Mechanicus with
conspiring to lead the expedition force here for purposes outside the primary mission objective。 As
one； the crowd of officers edged forward a little； eager to hear the magos’ answer。
“The accusation is false； general；” boomed the magos； “false； but understandable。 Your view of
matters is being coloured by frustration and； perhaps； by the loss of so many men。 The Mechanicus
is not offended。 We guided you to the last reported location of The Fortress of Arrogance。 It was not
there。 You asked us to aid you in finding its new location。 We are doing so。 That our path led us to
the discovery of Dar Laq is coincidence； nothing more。”
“And you expect us to take you at your word？” asked deViers。
“We were attached to the 18th Army Group to provide assistance to you。 We have done little
else。 The Fortress of Arrogance is a sanctified machine。 It was fashioned by us。 Its machine…spirit is
revered by us。 We seek its recovery as much as you do； but with one small difference。 We of the
Mechanicus do not seek any kind of glory in recovering the tank the way you men of the Imperial
Guard do。”
DeViers looked to be on the verge of being personally affronted by that remark when Rennkamp
stepped forward and addressed the magos。 “Then you won’t object if we leave this Dar Laq place at
once； magos； since further investigation of this place is irrelevant to our mission？”
The magos turned and fixed his lenses on Rennkamp； who suddenly looked a lot less confident
than when he had spoken。 “It would be most regrettable to leave Dar Laq without taking the
opportunity to conduct a study of its mysteries； major general。 There are gravity fields affecting the
upper reaches of the chamber； though no grav…generators can be detected。 There is the metal all
around us。 It is of a composition so far unknown to the Imperium。 Its potential value can barely be
estimated at this time。 These are only the most obvious examples of ight offer us。 Its
existence was rumoured for thousands of years。 Might we not conduct an analysis while the troops
are being fed and the vehicles prepared for the next stage of their deployment？”
“This is no mission of discovery； magos；” said General deViers gruffly。 “Our rations are running
low。 Our fuel is limited。 Our numbers； I’d rather not talk about。 The Mechanicus may return to this
place on its own damned time。 For now； the secrets of this place will have to remain just that。” He
raised his eyes from the magos and searched the group of officers； quickly finding the face he
sought there。 “Ah； Marrenburg。 Have your scouts found a way out yet？”
Colonel Marrenburg stepped to Bergen’s side； looked up at General deViers and said； “They
have； sir： a tunnel the exact size and gradient of that which we descended。 The air currents suggest it
153
leads back to the surface on the far side of the Ishawar range。 I have a Sentinel unit scouting it out
right now； sir。”
“Excellent； colonel。 Keep me apprised。”
There was a sudden metallic screech from one of the magos’ adepts； which was immediately
answered by a similar screech from the magos。 Sennesdiar then said to deViers； “General； my adept；
Xephous； wishes to address you。 Will you hear him？”
DeViers looked impatient； but he said； “Very well。”
The clacking； chittering form of Adept Xephous stepped forward； and； in an absolute monotone；
said； “With respect； general； are we not allowing our distrust of things alien to hasten our egress
from this place before time？ Our back is protected by the collapse of the tunnel behind us。 The orks
cannot； and in all probability would not； follow us down here。 Might we not take this chance to
effect maintenance on our vehicles； to tend to our wounded； and to recover our strength for the
battles that must surely lie on the other side of this mountain？”
The general’s expression said he saw the validity of the adept’s comments。 Bergen； too； saw the
sense in what Xephous had said。 Looking around at the other officers； he saw them nodding。
“Fine points； adept；” said deViers at last。 “Of course； I wasn’t born yesterday。 Do you suggest
this for the benefit of the operation； or to allow you and your Martian brothers a window of time in
which to conduct some limited study？”
Xephous was on the verge of answering when Magos Sennesdiar emitted a short burst of noise。
The adept bowed and stepped back。 It was Sennesdiar who spoke in his place。 “My adept makes his
point for both reasons； general。 Our enginseers will take care of vehicular maintenance。 My adepts
and I will conduct what research we can while your medicae perform their duties and your troopers
prepare for what lies ahead。 Clearly it is in both our interests not to rush headlong from this place。”
“Do you know what lies ahead； magos？ deViers asked sourly。 “Did your ritual offer any clues to
that？”
“Only that The Fortress of Arrogance awaits