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thing only。 It implored me； ripping my consciousness apart。
It was strident and it was undeniable。
I pulled the trigger。
SEVEN
VOKE； AND SPECULATIONS。
ESARHADDON。
THROUGH THE VOID。
BUT I DID not die。
The boltgun； that gift from Librarian Brytnoth； which had never failed me in ten decades of use； failed to fire。
The child…thing shrieked and leapt away into the smoke and flames and struggling shapes around me。 The dead Marine toppled over。
The air frothed with psychic discharge and three figures ran past me in pursuit of the tiny abomination。 Inquisitors。 All three were
inquisitors； or interrogators at least。 One； I was sure； was Inquisitor Lyko。
I lowered my shaking hand。 Both it； and the boltgun it clutched； were cased in psionic ice； the mechanism jammed and locked out。
I turned and found Commodus Voke standing a few paces behind me。 His ancient face was contorted with internal pressure。 Crusts of
psipathetic frost glittered on his long black gown。
'Point。 It。 Aside。' His words came out as halting gasps。 'I。 Cannot。 Hold。 It。 Much。 Longer。'
Swiftly； I turned the boltgun aside and up into the air。 With a barking gasp； he convulsively relaxed and the weapon bucked and fired。
The deadly round whined away harmlessly into the sky。
Voke was sagging； the gyros in the augmetic exo…skeleton that cradled his frail body straining to manage his balance。 I gave him my
hand in support。
'Thank you； Commodus。'
'No matter；' he said； his voice a whisper。 His strength began to return and he peered up at me with his bird…bright eyes。 'Only a brave
man or a fool tangles with a plus…alpha psyker。'
'Then I am both or neither。 I was closest to the emergency。 I could not just stand by。'
WE WERE ASSAILED by extraordinary noises from the charnel ground behind us。 Gunfire； grenades； screams and the popping； surging
sounds of minds fracturing reality； compressing matter； boiling atmosphere。 I saw a robed man； an inquisitor or an astropath； rising
slowly into the sky in a pillar of green fire； burning； shredding inside out。 I saw geysers of blood like waterspouts。 Squalls of hail and
acid rain； localised to this small stretch of the Avenue； blustered across us； triggered by the ferocity of the psychic war。
Figures were rushing in to join that battle。 Many from the ordos with their expert bodyguards； and dozens of the Adeptus Astartes。
There was a vibration underfoot； and I saw that one of the towering Warhound Titans was stalking past the Spatian Gate； spitting its
turbo lasers at ground targets。 A series of withering explosions； mainly psyker…blasts； tore through the habitats and hive structures on
the eastern side of the wide … and now infamous … Avenue。
Imperial Marauders flashed low overhead。 The sky was black with smoke； all sunlight blotted out。 Wisps of ash fell on us like grey
snow。
'This is… a great crime；' Voke said to me。 'A black day in the Imperial annals。'
I had forgotten how much Commodus Voke loved understatement。
THE GREATER PART of Hive Primaris remained lawless and out of control for five days。 Panic； rioting； looting and civil unrest boiled
through the streets and hab…levels of the wounded megapolis as the arbites and the other organs of the Imperium struggled to impose
martial law and restore order。
It was a desperate task。 The indigenous population alone was vast； but it had been swelled to an unimaginable extent by pilgrims and
tourists for the Novena。 Sympathetic panic riots broke out in other hives too。 For a day or two； it seemed like the entire planet was
going to collapse in blood and fire。
Small sections of Hive Primaris had managed to insulate themselves： the elite spire levels； the noble houses； built like fortresses； the
impregnable precincts of the Inquisition； the Imperial Guard； the Astropathicus； the various bastions of the Munitorium and the Royal
Palace of the Lord Commander。 Elsewhere； especially in the common and general hab levels； it was like a war zone。
The Ecclesiarchy suffered particularly gravely。 With the Monument of the Ecclesiarch in flames； the common masses regarded the
nightmare as some holy curse； and turned in their frenzy on all the churches； temples and sacerdotal orders they could find。 We
learned within the first few hours that Cardinal Palatine Anderucias had been killed in the destruction of the Monument。 He was far
from the only great hierarch to perish in the orgy of carnage that followed。
THE RECAPTURE OR extermination of the remaining rogue psykers was the first and most fundamental task facing the authorities。 Ten
were known to have escaped the initial battle on the Avenue of the Victor Bellum； and these had fled into the hive； sowing carnage as
they went； hunted by the forces of the Inquisition and all the Imperial might that could be brought to bear in support。
Two of them made it only a kilometre or two from the route of the procession； hounded every step by Imperial forces from the Avenue
battle； and were neutralised by nightfall on that terrible first day。 Another went to ground in a vegetable cannery in an eastern sector
outhab； and was laid to siege。 It cost three days and the lives of eight hundred Imperial Guardsmen； sixty…two astropaths； two Space
Marines and six inquisitors to blast it out and burn it。 The cannery； and the outhab for three square kilometres around it； was flattened。
THERE WAS LITTLE or no central control for our forces。 Admiral Oetron； who had remained with the orbiting battlefleet as watch
commander； managed to move four picket ships into geo…synchronous orbit above Hive Primaris； and for a while succeeded in
providing comprehensive vox and astropathic communications for the ground forces。 But by nightfall on the first day； psychic storms
had blown up across the hive and all relayed reception was lost。
IT WAS A dark and frightening period。 Down in the burning streets； we subdivided as best we could into small units； functioning
autonomously。 Simply by dint of being with Voke； I became part of a group that made its headquarters in an arbites section house on
Blammerside Street in the mercantile district。 Desperate groups of citizens flocked to us； craving aid and mercy and sanctuary； and
much larger gangs attacked the section house time and again； driven by fear； by rage against the Imperial machine or simply because
we wouldn't let them in。
We couldn't。 We were overflowing with injured and dead； far too many for the arbites surgeons and morgue attendants to manage。
There was very little food； medical supplies or ammunition left； and we were also rationing water as the mains supply had been cut。
The power was down too； but the section house had its own generator。
All through the night； bottles and missiles and promethium bombs splintered off the shielded windows； and fists pounded on the
doors。
BY MERIT OF his seniority； Voke was in command。 Aside from myself； there was Inquisitor Roban； Inquisitor Yelena； Inquisitor
Essidari； twenty interrogators and junior servants of the Inquisition； sixty troopers from the Interior Guard； several dozen astropaths
and four White Consul Space Marines。 The arbites themselves numbered around one hundred and fifty； and the section house was also
sheltering about three hundred nobles； ecclesiarchs and dignitaries from the Great Triumph； as well as a few hundred common
citizens。
I remember standing alone in a ransacked office of the arbites commander just after midnight； looking out through shielded windows
at the burning streets and the blossoms of psyker storm that were wrenching the sky apart。 I had received no word or sign of Ravenor
since the catastrophe had begun。 I remember my hands were shaking even then。
In truth； I believe I was in shock。 From the event itself； naturally； and also from the psychic assaults I had suffered in the course of it。 I
pride myself on a sharp mind； but there was no sharpness to me then。
Numb； my brain kept returning to the idea that this outrage had been deliberate。
'There is no question；' Voke said from behind me； clearly reading my surface thoughts without my permission。 He lifted and
straightened a steel chair and sat down on it。
'Accidents happen； warplanes crash！' he cried。 'But these turned and attacked。 Their assaults were deliberate。'
I nodded。 At least one of the Lightnings had crashed into the Warmaster's entourage and another had come down amongst the files of
the Inquisition。 No one yet knew how many of my institution had been slain； but Voke had seen enough of it to know that as many as
two hundred of our fellow inquisitors had been obliterated。
I remembered the conversation that had turned around my dining table； the speculations about those powerful forces who would
oppose Honorius's bestowment。
'Is this the first act in a House war？' I said。 'The Ecclesiarchy； or perhaps great dynasties； trying to thwart Lord Commander Helican's
advancement of the Warmaster？ His elevation to Feudal Protector would not have been popular with many； powerful factions。'
'No；' he said。 'Though I'm sure that's what many will think。 What many will be supposed to think。'
Voke looked at me intently。 'Freeing the psykers was the point；' he said。 'There is no other explanation。 The Archenemy struck to
cause mayhem and allow