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“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 us； general； and it is no great feat of predictive
power to say that the orks will not give it up easily。”
Bergen watched deViers closely。 He saw a look of resolve harden on his face。 The magos had
chosen his words well； hitting the general where he was weakest； telling him his prize was still
within reach。 Perhaps it is； thought Bergen。 But I still contend that the tech…priests led us here
deliberately for their own ends。
After the meeting； with the other officers dispersing to issue new orders to their troops； Bergen
took his adjutant； Katz； aside。
“I haven’t called on your special talents for quite a while； my friend。 But I think it’s about time
you got some practice in。”
Katz grinned。 “You want me to follow those tech…priests； don’t you； sir？”
Bergen patted Katz on the upper arm。
“Don’t let them see you；” he said and turned to march back to Pride of Caedus。
Katz watched him go for a moment； and then turned in time to see the three red…robed Martian
priests moving off into deep shadow at the edges of the Cadians’ lamplight。 They were moving
north along the cavern wall with a definite purpose； heading deeper into the jumble of alien
structures。
Katz hurried after them； looking forward to employing his Emperor…given gifts again after so
long。
“Don’t let them see me？” he muttered to himself。 “You’re having a laugh； boss。 No one sees
Jarryl Katz unless he means them to。”
154
CHAPTER TWENTY…SEVEN
Darkness held no fear for Lieutenant Katz； even in an alien place like this。 Shadows hid few secrets
from him。 The tiny； sophisticated mirrors implanted at the back of his eyeballs allowed him to see
perfectly well in anything but the most absolute blackness。 The three tech…priests he was following
didn’t seem to be having any trouble either； of course。 Katz guessed they could see in a variety of
spectrums。 He knew it would take all his expertise not to be spotted by them； but the thought of such
a challenge didn’t make him anxious。 It excited him。 It had been too long since he’d had a chance to
track a worthy quarry。
Katz had served as Bergen’s adjutant for over a decade； hand…picked by the man himself； and
few who looked at him would have guessed he was any more than a boot…polishing； shirt…pressing
lackey。 It suited him and the major general both to perpetuate such an illusion。 Would anyone have
believed even half the things he had seen and done？ Not a chance。 His history was far from that of a
typical Cadian soldier。
Katz had been specially selected for sniper training barely a month after he had joined the
Whiteshields。 He had been in his mid…teens； but already his sharp eyes； steady aim and cold
composure marked him as a young man of great potential。 From sniper school； he had been inducted
into a special reconnaissance commando program so classified that it didn’t appear on any
Munitorum listing； one of a number of black projects ordered by Cadian High Command and funded
directly by the planetary government。 Most of the other trainees had been drawn from the ranks of
the Kasrkin； and they were anything but kind to the precocious youngster in their midst。 Katz had
learned his lessons the hard way and； in due course； proved himself the equal of the older men；
earning their respect and； in some cases； their jealousy。 It was as part of that program that his eyes
had been augmented。 Throne； had it really been twenty…five years ago？
He almost snorted out loud at the speed with which those years had seemed to pass： all those
missions deep behind enemy lines； all those figures； human and alien both； that he had lined up in
his sights； only to watch them topple lifelessly at the next squeeze of his index finger on that little
curve of metal。
Things are much different now； he thought。 But I wouldn’t change it even if I could。 I wouldn’t
go back。 What would the major general do without me？
Katz was fiercely loyal to Gerard Bergen。 He was proud of having been chosen to guard his life；
for he judged Bergen a far better man than those around him； and it wasn’t easy to be a good man
when you were under orders from a soulless pig like Mohamar deViers。 Whatever Bergen needed；
Katz would do。 Right now； that meant following the tech…priests。
Up ahead； the robed and hooded trio screeched something to each other in that infernal machine
language of theirs； and Katz scolded himself for allowing reminiscences into his mind while he was
en mission。 Perhaps his skills had dulled with time。
With the light from the Cadian vehicles well behind them； the shortest of the tech…priests； the
one with a face like a metal crab； pulled a small； pulsing electronic device from the folds of his robe。
Katz soon got the impression that the device was guiding them somewhere。 He saw them consult it
several times and alter their course through dusty alleys lined on either side with towering hulks of
dark metal。
155
He was concentrating so hard on his quarry that he didn’t have time to wonder at his
surroundings。 The major general said it was alien； but ancient and long abandoned。 That was enough
for Katz。 Like his own past； it was best not to dwell on it。 The moment was all that mattered。
As the tech…priests shuffled on； he followed with all the stealth at his disposal； moving deeper
and deeper into the derelict underground city； getting further and further away from the Cadian
camp。 They were heading northwards； and Katz soon began to wonder when they would stop。
Surely the chamber didn’t extend much further。 They had already travelled over a kilometre in the
dark。
said Xephous。
said Sennesdiar as he led his adepts in the direction Xephous had
indicated。
insisted Xephous。
said Sennesdiar。
They stopped at the base of a great crumbling tower。 Sennesdiar looked up； and； in infra…red；
noted the ornate black cogs and carved metal beams that were visible where large curving sections
of the outer shell had fallen away。
The adept pointed at one particularly large metal plate on the ground in front of him； and
together the three tech…priests moved to lift it。 It would have taken a dozen men significant effort；
but； to the priests of the Machine Cult； it was an easy matter。 Their mechadendrites snaked forwards
from their backs； and； with a casual gesture that bordered on contempt； they flipped the heavy plate
of alien metal aside。
The noise of it crashing was all the louder for the depth of the silence that had preceded it。 The
rumble of the Cadian machines was barely detectable in this part of the chamber。
Sennesdiar crouched down； his voluminous robe spreading out around him。 he
said；
The others crouched； too。
said Sennesdiar。
Katz used the crashing of the massive metal plate to cover the noise of his footsteps as he moved
closer to the tech…priests。 It seemed to him that they had found the thing they sought。 He could see a
bundle of rags on the ground between them。 He crept closer and closer； ever mindful of the slightest
noise that might give him away。
Damn their bloody chirping and beeping； he thought。 If only I could understand what they were
saying。
He saw the largest one； the magos； unfurl the rags on the ground to reveal a skull attached to
metal vertebrae。
It’s another one； Katz said to himself。 It’s a bloody tech…priest。
He could see augmetic attachments bolted to the skull。 He could see a metal collar bone。 Magos
Sennesdiar kept uncovering more and more。 There was a structure like a rib cage； but formed of
steel spars and pistons。 One of the arms was missing； but the other was bulky and ended in
something more claw than hand。 Cables and flexible tubing trailed from the midriff like the entrails
of an eviscerated man。
156
Katz wondered how much closer he could get without risking detection。 He had to know more。
The major general was relying on him。
Slowly； carefully； he moved in； keeping to the wall on his right。
So far； so good； he thought。 They’re preoccupied。 They don’t have a clue I’m here。
said Armadron。
said Sennesdiar。
Xephous and Armadron saw to it。 With precise and careful movements； they lifted the remains
of Magos Ipharod into posit