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over。
111
Anakora had been in the doorway； poised to jump； when the world had spun in front of her。 The
next thing she knew； she was on her back； tangled up with her comrades； on a plasteel surface that
had been upright a moment ago。 She had bumped her head； and black spots were crowding her
vision； threatening to close in； to enshroud her in their darkness。 She would not give in to them。
She could hear las…fire； and the answering bark of a bolt pistol。 She couldn’t just lie there； letting
the others down。
Palinev was the first to extricate himself and crawl away。 Anakora watched as his blurry shape
was swallowed by a fierce white light — streetlights； she realised； shining in from outside。 The
truck was on its side； and one of its back doors — the higher one — had fallen shut。 The lower door
had been snapped from its hinges。 Its frame had crumpled a little； but there was still room to squeeze
through it。
“Are you OK？” asked Gavotski； waving a hand in front of Anakora’s eyes。
She gritted her teeth and gave a determined nod。 Gavotski followed Palinev through the bright
white square。 Anakora blinked； wishing her eyes would clear； and forced herself up onto her hands
and knees and made to follow him。
Then she heard a strangulated cry； and Gavotski was whipped away from her — and she caught
her breath at the sight of a pair of black armoured boots through the exit hole。 Gavotski had crawled
right into the Chaos Space Marine’s clutches。
She could see his boots too； half a metre off the ground； kicking furiously。 He was pinned to the
back of the truck； doubtless having the life squeezed out of him； and the desperate las…fire of the
other Ice Warriors was doing little to change that situation。 But from down here； up close； Anakora
could make out cracks in the Chaos Space Marine’s black armour。 She could see the flesh beneath
them。
She pulled her knife； thrust it into an exposed ankle； twisting it around and burying it deeper；
hoping to sever a tendon。 She couldn’t tell if she had been successful in this — but she had certainly
had some effect。 The Chaos Marine gave a howl of fury and flung Gavotski aside。 Then he gripped
the truck’s remaining door and tore it free； to expose his attacker。
It was only now that Anakora saw how damaged he was。 She couldn’t believe he was still
standing； still fighting。 But she didn’t doubt that he was still more than capable of killing her in a
second。
She scrambled away from him； until she was backed up against the partition to the driver’s cab
and was cornered there。 The Chaos Space Marine dropped to his haunches； down to her level；
blocking out the white light； and he screamed obscenities at her； and brought up his bolt pistol。 Her
head was still pounding； and she closed her eyes and yelled to her comrades； “Go！ Get out of here
while you can！”
Just as Steele had yelled at her when they had last fought this monster。
But then： she heard a mechanical scream； and her would…be executioner stiffened。 His eyes
glazed over； blood spewed from his mouth； and he turned； he made to rise； but the effort was too
much for him and he toppled and fell — and Anakora saw a chainsword embedded in his back；
sputtering and sparking。
Palinev helped her out of the truck； and she stood unsteadily in what now seemed to be a rather
faint light after all。 And like the rest of the Ice Warriors； her eyes were drawn to her commander； his
face and his chest still painted with vile symbols from the ceremony — although he had tried to
scrub them off with sewer water — and his right hand held away from his body as if he considered it
unclean。
It was with that hand； Anakora realised； that he must have lifted the Chaos Space Marine’s own
weapon； his augmented muscles giving him the strength to do so。
But there was no satisfaction in Colonel Steele’s eyes at his victory。 Just a look of deep…seated
disgust。
112
They remained on foot after that。 Steele didn’t want to waste time searching for another working
vehicle — and the spaceport； he said； was only just over a kilometre away。 They formed up in two
ranks and advanced at double time。 The effort of keeping pace with each other； of maintaining
formation and step； helped to spur on these soldiers； to overcome the fatigue they were all feeling。 It
helped them feel more in control； like they had imposed a little order of their own upon this chaotic
world — and even Wollkenden responded well to this。 He said nothing as he marched at Steele’s
side； although he stumbled now and again。
Palinev could tell they were approaching their goal； because the buildings grew a little taller； a
little more proud。 Eagle crests began to appear over the doorways of customs and shipping offices；
and the streets grew wider and brighter； more like those on the upper levels。
Steele brought his squad to a halt and ordered them to break step； to proceed with caution。 He
appeared to be worried — and a minute later； Palinev learned why。
There were people ahead of them。 He could hear them — they could all hear them now —
talking and laughing。 The Ice Warriors took cover in a narrow alleyway； and Steele sent Palinev
ahead to see what they were facing。
The spaceport was a magnificent； circular building of white stone； studded with dark windows。
Evidently； there had been small…arms fighting here； and the front wall was pock…marked but
unholed。 Laid out in front of that wall was a wide forecourt； in which broken fountains brimmed
with frozen black water。 Lifter tubes had been shattered； and trees — real organic trees — had
withered and died。 Once； this area would have been a welcoming first sight for visitors to Iota Hive；
maybe to Cressida itself。 Now； it gave an entirely different impression。
Palinev looked down on all of this from a gantry between two buildings。 Below him； a wide
flight of steps swept down from the street where the rest of his squad hid； to the forecourt and the
enticing open gates beyond it。
At some point； a sleek； black grav…car had come speeding this way； its driver presumably hoping
to ferry an important passenger to safety。 It had lost control； had maybe come under fire； and had
smacked into a pillar at the top of the steps； crumpling its front end。 The car was empty now；
Palinev wondered if its occupants had escaped or been dragged from the wreckage。
There were more grav…cars down on the forecourt； most of them burnt out or turned over； or
both。 There was also a dirty old bus — transport for the less privileged — leaning against a fountain；
its windows broken； its tyres slashed。
And there were heretics： cultists； Traitor Guardsmen； mutants； even a few spawn； spread out as
far as Palinev could see； almost certainly surrounding the whole building； and more of them arriving
with each moment that passed。 The encounter with the Chaos Space Marine had cost the Ice
Warriors dearly。 Their enemies had beaten them here。
Palinev slipped away from his vantage point； dispirited； and returned to the others。 Steele
listened to his report in grave silence； and Palinev knew that he was only confirming what the
colonel had expected to hear。
“We have less than an hour before the virus bombs drop；” said Steele。 “We don’t have time to
find another escape route； even if we had somewhere to look。 Our only hope； however small； lies in
that spaceport； and the sooner we make our move the fewer enemies will be standing between us
and it。”
No one could argue with that。 Still； it seemed as if a dark cloud had settled upon the squad； and
Palinev could feel its weight too。 It seemed so unfair that they had come so far to fall at this final
hurdle。 They had achieved so much； pulled off feats that had seemed impossible； and no one would
even know。
“I won’t give you the speech again；” said Gavotski。 “You all know what to do； and you know
what the odds are against us。 Just remember that； last time； we bucked those odds。 Nine of us went
into the Ice Palace； and nine of us； including Confessor Wollkenden； came out again。 If that doesn’t
prove that the Emperor is with us； then nothing does。 I know you’ll make me proud。”
113
The heretics’ voices were getting louder。
It wasn’t just that Grayle was drawing closer to them。 He could hear that the crowd was growing
in size； and in confidence too。 He feared that； at any moment； someone might come rushing up the
steps from the spaceport to find him and Palinev sneaking along the street towards them。
Either that or； by chance； reinforcements might come up behind them。
He quickened his pace； reasoning that with all the noise down there； no one would hear the
footsteps of two men up here。 He was still twenty metres away from his objective； the stricken gravcar；
when Palinev took his arm and brought him to a halt。
“This is as far as we can go；” said the scout； “without being seen from down there。” Grayle
nodded and dropped onto his stomach； preparing to pull himself the rest of the way on his elbows。
That was when the pitch of the crowd changed； confidence becoming fear in an instant。 And
then Grayle heard a series of staccato explosions。 Then gunfire。
He looked at Palinev in alarm。 Palinev looked back at him with a helpless shrug。 Then the sco