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repeated this manoeuvre twice more； each time drawing closer to his unsuspecting prey； and moving
further around behind him。
When at last he was close； almost close enough to reach out and touch the nape of the other
scout’s neck； then Palinev pounced。 His prey heard him coming； too late； didn’t even have time to
spin around。 Palinev was on the man’s back； his left arm locked around his shoulders； his right hand
holding his knife to the man’s throat。
“A friendly warning；” he hissed。 “If you try to shout to your people； if you speak at all other than
to answer my questions； I will slit your vocal cords。” He would have done it by now if only he had
been sure； if he had seen any proof that this man was a traitor。 “Who are you？” he asked。 “Answer
me！”
“Trooper Garroway；” the other scout spat defiantly； “of the 14th Royal Validian regiment of the
Imperial Guard。 Kill me if you like。 Kill us all； but it won’t save you。 They will send a hundred
thousand more like me — a million more — and they won’t rest until this world is scoured clean of
your filth； reclaimed for the Golden Throne！”
“You’re Imperial Guard？” queried Palinev。 “What are you doing out here？ This is Chaos…held
territory。”
His prisoner relaxed a little in his grip； and this told Palinev more than words could have said。
Garroway was relieved； not afraid； to have found himself in the hands of a fellow Guardsman。 He
was telling the truth。
“There are just under four hundred of our company left；” said Garroway。 “We were helping
civilians out of Iota Hive to the north…west of here。 When it fell； we were ordered back to Alpha； but
the glaciers closed in front of us； blocking our path。 We don’t have a vox…caster any more； so we
couldn’t call for assistance。 We have no maps。 We’ve just been trying to find a way through； but the
Chaos army is behind us。 We were forced to take cover in this… this forest； whatever it is。”
Palinev let go of him。 “Palinev；” he introduced himself； “Valhallan 319th。”
Garroway turned to face him； and his eyes narrowed。 “You’re an Ice Warrior？”
“Don’t let the lack of a greatcoat fool you。 I move a lot better without it。”
“Yeah？ I can’t say I’d turn down the chance of a little protection。 When my regiment first came
to Cressida； sure it was cold； but not like this。 Maybe it’s different for you； coming from an ice
world； but we’re losing men by the hour。 But… but you’ve found us now； they sent someone for us
at last！”
“Ah；” said Palinev； “no； I’m afraid they didn’t。 We’re on a mission of our own。” He frowned。
“And if the enemy is behind you； that’s going to mean trouble for us。”
“You can guide us out of here； at least；” said Garroway。 “You found your way past the glaciers；
you can tell us how to get out… can’t you？”
“We should report back to our commanders；” said Palinev。 “I should think they’ll want to talk。”
They came together not long after that： the Valhallans in green； the Validians in red； their paths
converging in the heart of the white forest。
They had been expecting each other； of course； thanks to their respective scouts。 A few of the
troopers exchanged strained pleasantries； and Colonel Steele and the Validian commander； a freshfaced
young captain； sought each other out and moved to one side for a private conference。
The rest of the Guardsmen took this as a cue to relax； to recharge themselves as best they could。
Their surroundings； however； offered them scant comfort。 It was almost impossible for a man to sit
down without touching the deadly tree trunks or roots — and after trying for a time； holding
themselves in unnatural positions until their muscles ached； many of them gave up and stood again。
36
Few of the Validians could sit still anyway。 They stamped their feet； rubbed their arms； did all
they could to stave off the biting cold。 Mikhaelev watched them； their bright colours spread through
the forest as far as he could see； and he shook his head and sighed。 Here they were； these brave men；
doing the Emperor’s work； and their leaders couldn’t even equip them with the right clothing for the
job。
In a perfect Imperium； of course； the Validians wouldn’t have been assigned to this frozen world
at all； unused as they were to such conditions。 Somewhere； no doubt； a low…level clerk had looked at
his slate； seen how many Guardsmen were dying from hypothermia on Cressida； weighed this
against the cost of a few million armoured greatcoats and chosen to do nothing。
Mikhaelev was standing with three of his comrades； Anakora； Borscz and Pozhar。
“What do you think they are saying？” Borscz asked； inclining his head towards Steele and the
captain。
“They’ll be making plans to fight；” said Pozhar with more hope than certainty。 “According to
Trooper Palinev； the Chaos army is on the Validians’ heels。 That puts them in our path。 We’ll have
to shoot our way through them。”
Anakora shook her head。 “This is meant to be a stealth mission。 If we start a full…scale battle
here； it will lead every heretic in the area to us。 Even with the Validians’ help； we would be
hopelessly outnumbered。”
“I’m talking about a lightning strike；” said Pozhar。 “Take the Chaos scum by surprise； and be
long gone before the reinforcements arrive。 The heretics think they’re safe here； cowering behind
their walls of ice。 We can teach them different。”
Borscz grinned at that。 “We can be like our ancestors； no？ We can strike at our enemies’ very
heart； as those mighty heroes did against the invading orks。”
“We can teach them to fear us！” said Pozhar； his eyes gleaming at the prospect。
“Yeah；” said Mikhaelev dryly； “a lesson that will stay with them for all of about a day and a half
before they’re virus bombed out of existence。”
“Trooper Mikhaelev is correct；” said Anakora。 “There is no purpose in our fighting and perhaps
dying when it would not advance our cause。”
“Then what do you suggest？” asked Pozhar。 “That we turn tail and run？”
“Colonel Steele will find a way；” asserted Borscz loyally。 “He has not brought us this far to give
up on our mission just yet。”
“No；” said Mikhaelev； with a tight smile； “I should think not。”
Anakora was starting to see it too； he thought。 She was looking at the knots of red and gold
Guardsmen around them； at the hope in their faces that； having been lost for so long； they might
have been found again。
“They’ve been out of vox contact for weeks；” she said。 “They cannot know about the
withdrawal； about the… about what is to come next。 They don’t know that it’s already too late for
them； that without air transport they have no hope of reaching Alpha Hive in time to evacuate。”
“So； they’re already dead；” said Pozhar with a shrug。 “All the more reason why they should die
like soldiers； with their guns blazing。”
“Anyone want to bet the Validians do just that？” asked Mikhaelev quietly。
The other three troopers turned to look at him。
“Anakora was right；” he said。 “These men are dead anyway。 Frankly； even if that weren’t the
case； the Imperium sees them； sees us all； as expendable。 The only person on this world who really
matters is Wollkenden； and we are the only people who can save Wollkenden。 So； if it costs the
Imperium four hundred lives to preserve our ten… well； it’s just numbers； right？”
“And how； my friend； might the sacrifice of those four hundred lives help us？” asked Borscz。
37
“Think about it；” said Mikhaelev。 “We can’t go forward； can’t go back。 There is one other
option。 We can’t fight our way through the Chaos forces； but perhaps we can go around them。 If we
are to do that； though； we will need a diversion… a big one。”
Anakora looked pale； shaken。 Her gaze was pulled again to the surrounding Validians； but she
turned a caught her eye。 She seemed almost ashamed。 Pozhar； in
contrast； closed his eyes and let out a groan of dismay。 Mikhaelev guessed that he would have
swapped regiments in a second for a chance to get back into combat。
“You want to know what our leaders are talking about over there； Borscz？” he said grimly。 “I’ll
lay you another bet if you like。 I’ll bet you a day’s worth of dry rations that Steele is asking the
Validians to die for us。”
Mikhaelev was right； of course。
Anakora prayed he wouldn’t be； that Colonel Steele and the Validian captain might have found
another way between them。 But the more she thought about it； the more she knew that Mikhaelev’s
way was the only way that made sense。
The officers parted company； and Steele called his squad to him for a short briefing。 Anakora
hardly listened to his quiet words。 She knew what he was going to say； anyway。 Her eyes wandered
instead to the captain； who was chairing a similar meeting with his sergeants； fourteen or fifteen of
them。 She watched as they received the news： that their trials of the past few weeks had been for
nothing； that they wouldn’t make it home after all； that the Emperor required only one final service
from them。 They bore it stoically； of course； but Anakora detected a few wistful expressions and a
few slumped shoulders； as the sergeants moved out to spread the word to their troopers。
Logically； she knew she had