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as dead； or if the Warmaster
died of his injuries； then Chaos would have won a historic victory。
'I suspect an outside hand too；' I told Voke。 'Perhaps another psyker or psykers； trailing their colleagues here to stage an escape。'
He pursed his lipless mouth。 'The greatest triumph of my life； Gregor； capturing those monsters in the name of the Emperor… and
look what it becomes。'
'You can't blame yourself for this； Commodus。'
'Can I not？' He squinted at me。 'In my place； how would you feel？'
I shrugged。 'I will make amends。 I will not rest until every one of these wretches is destroyed； and order restored。 And then I will not
rest until I find who and what was behind it。'
He stared at me for a long time。
'What？' I asked； though I had a feeling I knew what was coming。
'You… you were close to the scene； as you said to me。 Closer than many； and shielded from the worst of the destruction by the bulk of
the Spatian Gate。'
'And？'
'You know what I want to ask you。'
'You thought you'd start with me。 I'm too tired； Voke。 I stopped to honour the admiral's tomb。'
He raised one eyebrow； as if he sensed I didn't really believe it myself。 But at least he did me the courtesy of not ripping into my mind
with his much more powerful psychic abilities to scour out what truth might be there。 We had reached an understanding through our
encounters over the years； and were now even when it came to owing each other our lives。
He knew me well enough not to press this。
Not now； at least。
An interrogator hurried into the room。
'Sirs；' she said。 'Inquisitor Roban wishes you to know that we have made contact with one of the heretics。'
AS FAR AS could be learned； the rogue was an alpha…plus psyker called Esarhaddon； one of the leaders of the coven。 Sowing tumult
and woe in his wake； he had fled into the hive with a group led by Lyko and Heldane in pursuit。 Heldane had managed to contact one
of Voke's astropaths with a scrambled summons for help。
Voke； Roban and I headed out into the hive streets with a kill team of sixty that included the four White Consuls。 Their squad leader
was a particularly large sergeant called Kurvel。 We travelled on foot through the debris and smoke。 Gangs of citizens jeered and pelted
missiles at us； but the sight of four terrible Space Marines kept them at bay。
Esarhaddon； Voke warned me； was a being of dreadful intellect and not to be underestimated。 When we saw the monster's choice of
bolt…hole； I understood what Voke meant。
THE NOBLE FAMILY of Lange was prominent in the aristocracy of Thracian Primaris； and kept an ample summer palace in the east
sector of Hive Primaris； near to the mercantile quarter where they had made their fortunes。
The palace rose proud of the lowhab streets around it； swathed in its own force bubble。
This had been one of the city areas we had supposed to be secure。 With their power and resources； noble houses should have been able
to protect themselves for the duration of the unrest。
But not against Esarhaddon。 He was inside； with all the resources of the palace to protect him。
We met Heldane on the western approach road to the palace。 He had a team of about twenty with him。 The street itself was littered
with bodies； most of them citizens。
'He's controlling the crowds as if they were puppets；' Heldane said curtly； with no word of greeting。 'Waves of them keep coming at
us； preventing us getting to the garden walls and the servants' annex along there。'
As I may have said； I had little time for Inquisitor Heldane。 A very tall； grim man； his face an unsightly mass of scar tissue since an
encounter with a hungry carnodon back on Gudran。 He'd been Voke's pupil when I had first met him； now he was a full inquisitor；
with mental powers； it was said； that exceeded even his old master's。 As I saw him there； I shuddered。 He had undergone extensive
surgery； not to disguise the damage to his face； but to exaggerate it。 His skull seemed to have been extended into an almost equine
shape； with a snout…like mouth full of blunt teeth； and dark； murky eyes。 Fibre…wires and fluid tubes braided his cranium in place of
hair。 He wore plasteel body armour the colour of blood and carried a segmented power glaive。
'Eisenhorn；' he nodded； noticing me。 It was like having a warhorse shake its head in my direction。
'They're coming again！' The cry went up from Heldane's men。 Down the street； moving through the fire spills； figures were lurching
towards us。
Weapons！ Stand ready！ Heldane had spoken； but not with his voice。 His psychic command shook through our skulls and some of our
own troopers looked dismayed。
Missiles rained down on us； and the Interior Guardsmen raised an umbrella of riot shields。 Small arms fired at us too； and an arbites
near me fell with his knee buckled the wrong way。
Our attackers； some hundred or more； were hive citizens； blank faced and moving like marionettes。 As Heldane had reported； some
monumental psychic force was making puppets out of them。 The smoky night air ionised with the psionic backwash。
I take no pleasure in actions like the one that followed。 The beast Esarhaddon was forcing us to fight innocent civilians just to protect
ourselves。
Maybe he thought we'd shrink from the task and leave him alone。
We； however； were the Inquisition。
Kurvel led his White Consuls at the front； banging their weapons against their chest…plates and howling defiance through their helmet
speakers。 I saw a promethium bomb strike one and shatter； sply strode on。
We fired over the mob's heads； trying to break them； but they had no will of their own。 Our firing became kill…shots。 In ten minutes；
we had reluctantly added a fair number to the planet's rising death toll。
That brought us to the corner of the street； facing the high walls of the garden and the edge of the palace's iridescent force shield itself。
I could hear a low chuckling in my head。
Esarhaddon。
Where's Lyko？ I heard Voke ask Heldane psychically。
He took a team around the front to try and disable the force wall。
'You idiot！' I said； out loud； looking over at Heldane。 'This monster can control a crowd that big and you mind…speak this close to
him？'
'This monster；' Heldane replied； 'can read every mind in the city and beyond。 He knows what we're all doing。 There is no point in
secrecy。 Just effort。 Is that beyond you？'
'How long until the next attack？' Kurvel asked； reloading his weapon。
'They've become less frequent since we first arrived；' replied Heldane。 'However long it takes Esarhaddon to mind…search the
surrounding habs and recruit another puppet force。 He's having to cast his net wider each time。'
'How did he get in there？' Roban asked。
Heldane simply shook his head and shrugged。 Roban； a robust inquisitor of middle years dressed in brown and yellow layered robes；
was a good man； though I didn't know him well。 But he was an outspoken Xanthanite and the ultra…puritan Heldane had little time for
him。
Voke and Heldane fell to discussing possible assault plans with Kurvel as the soldiers around us formed a defensive position。
'This is a damned thankless task；' Roban said to me。 'I don't even know why we're here！'
'Cannon fodder；' said his youthful interrogator； Inshabel； bluntly； and it made us both laugh。
'There has to be something…' I said。 I took out my pocket scope and tried to read the energy patterns and spectrums。
'You！' I called to one of the arbites in our party； a grizzled precinct commander in full riot gear。
'Inquisitor？'
'What's your name？'
'Lucius； sir。'
'Dear God…Emperor！' I sighed again and Roban laughed once more。
'Okay； Luckless … this palace must come into your precinct's patrol area。'
'Yes； sir。'
'So street security around it is your responsibility。'
'Again； yes sir。'
'So… just as a matter of procedure； your section house will have on file the shield type and harmonics for the palace； in case of
emergencies。' In my experience； it was standard protocol for any arbites precinct to know such things about key structures within their
purview。
'It's classified； sir。'
'Of course it is；' I sighed again。 'But now would be a good time。
He got on his vox…link and after a lot of effort； managed to get a channel open to the section house。
'You're on to so