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breast pocket。 His voice； when he spoke； was sharp and clear； and he had a tendency to emphasise
certain words with little thrusts of his chin。 The first order of business； he told his men； was a swift
round of interviews and inspections； and no； they could not wait until the following morning。
He initiated the inspections； beginning； significantly； with the massive tank…crowded motor pool
and progressing anti…clockwise through each area in turn。 After two hours spent marching around
the base snapping out questions and comments； trying in vain to acclimatise to the thick； unpleasant
air； deViers confided to his long…suffering adjutant； Major Gruber； that he was deeply impressed。
Things had apparently been proceeding very well without him。 With its high curtain walls； towers
topped with Manticore and Hydra anti…air defences； and the broad； extended parapets boasting row
after row of Earthshaker artillery platforms； Exolon’s new Army Group HQ represented a vital
bastion of security on an otherwise hostile world。 DeViers was quietly convinced that it would hold
against even the most overwhelming ork siege。 It would have to。 In all likelihood； such an attack
was mere days away。 The Golgothan orks would have seen lights in the sky as the drop…ships had
descended。 Sooner or later； they would come to investigate。 No matter how many came； the base
could not be allowed to fall。 It was the lynchpin of deViers’ whole operation。
The plateau on which Hadron Base was being constructed measured over four kilometres in
diameter and lay almost directly on the line of the equator。 It had been selected on the basis of two
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critical factors。 Firstly； with its sheer sides and few sloping access routes； it was； even without
fortification； eminently defensible。 Secondly； and more significantly； at a distance of some six
hundred kilometres from the general’s ultimate objective； it was the closest suitable geological
feature to the last known position of The Fortress of Arrogance。
His base inspection over； deViers ordered a briefing session with his three divisional
commanders； Major Generals Rennkamp； Killian and Bergen。 It was deViers’ intention to keep the
session short； for he had also arranged a rather splendid banquet to celebrate the auspicious
beginning of his ground operation。 This beginning； he felt； was marked； not by the descent of the
first drop…ships； but by his own arrival planet…side； and he would not let the moment pass without
some kind of commemorative function。 After all； Operation Thunderstorm； as he so regularly
reminded his officers； was a righteous quest the likes of which had rarely been seen in the recent
annals of the Imperial Guard。 Why should the end of its opening phase not be celebrated in good
spirits？
That was the plan； at least； but deViers soon found his good spirits dampened。
“How many？” he hissed。 His face was red with rage； and his fists were clenched on the surface
of his desk。 “Tell me again！”
“Six； sir；” answered Major General Bergen。 “Six missing； with a seventh discovered fifty
kilometres to the northeast； spread across two…and…a…half kilometres of desert。 All hands lost。 Do
you wish to hear a list of the individual elements？”
“Of course I do；” snapped deViers。 “Seven drop…ships on the first day。 By the Eye of Terror！”
Major General Bergen’s voice didn’t waver as he read off the list； but his tone was heavy and his
face betrayed a grim mood。 “Drop…ship E44…a； the 116th Cadian Lasgunners； companies one and
two； killed on descent。 Drop…ship G22…a； the 122nd Tyrok Fusiliers； companies one to four； missing。
Drop…ship G41…b； the 88th Mobile Infantry； companies three and four； missing。 Drop…ship H17…C；
the 303rd Skellas Rifles； companies eight to ten； missing。 Drop…ship H19…a； the 98th Mechanised
Infantry； companies one to six； missing。 Drop…ship K22…C； the 71st Caedus Infantry； companies
eight to ten； missing。” Bergen paused for a split second before reading the final listing。 The missing
ship had been carrying some of his own tankers。 “Drop…ship M13…J； the 81st Armoured Regiment；
10th Company； missing。 No contact whatsoever from any of those listed。”
General deViers listened quietly to all this； staggered by the blow his forces had taken just from
landing on this damned rock。 Thousands of men gone。 It was outrageous。 The last listing was a tank
company？ By the bloody Golden Throne！ An entire tank company； lost somewhere out there in the
desert； most probably killed in the crash。 Filthy orks were probably looting the site even now。 Men
were one thing； and their loss was to be lamented； of course； but life was cheap in the Imperium of
Man。 There were always more soldiers to be had。 That’s what the reserves were for。 But tanks？
Tanks were another matter entirely。 There were no replacements waiting in the wings for the war
machines that had been lost。 Each tank put out of action left a gap that nothing else could fill。 The
strength of his armoured regiment was absolutely critical given the itinerant nature of the operation。
With his mind firmly fixated on the negative； the general’s anger got the better of him。 He leapt to
his feet； throwing his chair backwards and banging his fists down on his desk。
“It’s a damned fiasco！ How could we lose seven drop…ships on the first day？ Was it orks？
Storms？ What the heck are our naval liaisons saying about this？ What about the Mechanicus？ I want
answers； damn it！” Veins bulged in his neck and his eyes looked ready to pop out of his head。
The three officers seated before him remained as still as statues while their general raged。 They
had seen it all before； and with increasing regularity of late。 They knew better than to interrupt him
before his tirade had ended。 Attempting to soothe him was just asking for trouble。 When deViers
finally did stop spewing fire and sank slowly back into his chair； it was Killian； the shortest；
stockiest and； in the general’s eyes； least likeable of the three； who spoke up。
“The tech…priests have a team out in the desert； sir。 They’re studying the drop…ship in the northeast
for the cause of the crash。 No word yet； of course； since they’re out of vox range。”
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Killian winced as soon as he said this； realising immediately that he had just poured fuel on the
fire。 Predictably； deViers pounced。
“Out of bloody vox range？” he roared； and launched into an entirely fresh diatribe。 Imperial
communications equipment； unreliable at the best of times in the general’s long years of experience；
was almost useless on Golgotha。 According to the tech…priests； there were profound levels of
electromagnetic interference from the constant storms that cloaked this world。 The Mechanicus
contingent attached to the mission had promised a solution in due course； but； for now；
communications at any range greater than a dozen kilometres simply degenerated into white noise。
Clear communication at even half that distance required the expenditure of significant amounts of
electrical power — more than was required to light the base for a whole day — and contact with the
fleet in orbit was kept to an absolute minimum by sheer necessity。 DeViers cursed and bellowed like
a madman until he had spent himself again。 It didn’t take long。
Despite external appearances； he was still an old man； and the intensity of his outbursts quickly
exhausted him。 He knew he should work harder to control his temper。 He knew； too； that it had been
getting far worse in recent months。 There was a time； he thought； when nothing fazed me。 What
changed？ Why do I respond so violently these days？ I can’t let the pressure get to me like this。
He knew that shouting at his divisional commanders was poor therapy； and achieved very little。
He would be relying on these men above all others in the days ahead。 They would help him secure
his prize； his legacy； his place among the good and the great。 No； shouting at them didn’t help
anyone。 He forced his voice back down to normal levels。 Ten minutes later； after a brief review of
the schedule for their coming deployment； he dismissed them so that they might dress for the
banquet。 As the three senior officers stood and saluted him； deViers briefly considered apologising
for his earlier explosiveness。
No； he told himself。 Let my anger stand as a message that I expect far better。 I won’t have them
thinking me weak。
Weakness in any form was something Mohamar Antoninus deViers could not abide； especially
his own。
* * *
The general stole an hour of sleep after the briefing； though it seemed to him that only seconds had
passed before his adjutant shook him gently awake so that he might wash and dress for the banquet。
Two hours later； he found himself standing at the head of a long krell…wood table in a bright； highceilinged
room； ringing his goblet with a silver fork and asking his guests for their undivided
attention。
“Officers of the 18th Army Group；” he began； beaming at them with theatrical magnanimity；
“and； of course； my other honoured guests； I thank you all for taking the time to attend。 It’s only
right that we celebrate。 Tonight； we mark the true start of our holy quest with the best that our
circumstances allow。 Look at you； the