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I saw two dots in the air three kilometres to the west and gunned the machine after them。 Heavy land speeders； making towards the
bulk of the nearest harvester factory。
I pushed the turbines to their limit； coming in low and fast behind the slower lift…machines。 I knew they'd seen me the moment autofire
chattered back in my direction； wildly off target。
I began to jink； the way Midas had taught me； before they got their aim in。 I thought about shooting back at them； but it took both
hands on the stick just to keep the sports speeder level。
We were passing over green crop land now； an emerald sea that raced away below in an alarming blur。 More tracer shots howled back
past me。
A big shadow passed across the sun。
'Want them splashed？' crackled from the vox。
Downjets flaring； the streamlined bulk of my gun…cutter settled in beside me； matching my speed。 It seemed huge compared to my
insignificant little speeder； one…fifty tonnes； eighty metres from beak nose to finned tail； landing gear lowered like insect legs。 I could
see Medea grinning in the cockpit。
I daren't lift my hands from the jarring stick to activate the vox。
Instead； I opened my mind directly to hers。
Only if you have to。 Try and get them to land。
'Ow！' answered the vox。 'Warn me next time you're gonna do that。'
The great bulk of the cutter suddenly surged forward； afterburners incandescent and landing gear raising； and banked away to the
right。 Its thrust wake wobbled me hard。 I watched it turn out in a wide semi…circle； low over the crops； furrowing them with its
downwash。 It looked like a vast bird of prey swooping round for the kill。
With its interplanetary thrust…tunnels； it easily outstripped the racing speeders； and came in towards them； head on。
I felt a surge of psychic…power。 My enemies had nothing but their minds with which to combat the gun…cutter。
The cutter suddenly broke left； dipped and then righted itself。 They'd got to Medea； if only for a moment。
She was angry now。 I could tell that simply from the way she flew。 With a wail of braking jets； she turned the cutter on a stall…hover as
the speeders flashed past。
The chin…turret crackled； and heavy…gauge munitions tore the second of the two speeders into a shower of flames in the air。
Hitting the throttle； I zipped in behind the hovering gun…cutter； chasing down the other speeder。
No more！ I sent to Medea。 I want them alive if possible！
The remaining speeder was close ahead now。 I could feel Lyko's mind aboard it。
He was closing on the armoured bulk of the harvester； which now dominated the landscape ahead。 It was a giant； six hundred metres
long and ninety high at the peak of its humped； beetle…back。 It was kicking a vast wake of sap…spray and smoke out behind it。 The
rattle of its threshing blades was audible above the scream of my speeder's engines。
My quarry dipped； and flew in along the spine of the huge factory machine； heading for a rear…facing docking hangar raised like a wart
on the hull's back。 Warning hails were beeping at me over the speeder's vox…set； the alarmed challenges of the harvester。
The heavy speeder braked hard and landed badly in the mouth of the docking hangar。 Turning in to follow it； I saw figures scrambling
out。 They disappeared； into the hangar； all except one man； who dropped to his knees on the approach slip and began firing back at me
with his autocan…non。
Streams of high…velocity rounds whipped past on either side。 Then a bunch of them went into my port intake with a clattering roar that
shook the speeder and threw shards of casing out in a belch of sparks。
Warning lights lit up across the control board。
I dropped ten metres； put the nose in。
And bailed。
I BROKE MY left wrist and four ribs hitting the topside of the harvester。 With hindsight； I was lucky not to have been killed outright；
lucky even to have hit the harvester's hull at all。 It was a long way down。 I managed to grab a stanchion cable as I began to slither
down； and wrapped my right arm around it。
My speeder glanced once off the approach slip； and bounced up again； tail up； beginning to tear apart。 Trailing debris； the machine
cartwheeled in； vapourised the gunman； hit Lyko's parked land speeder； and shunted it right into the hangar； which exploded a second
later in a sheet of fire and metal。
I limped along the approach slip； sidestepping chunks of burning wreckage； and climbed over the smashed； smouldering speeders into
the hangar。 Impact klaxons were rasping out； and automatic fire…fighting sprays were still squirting out dribbles of retardant foam。
At the back of the hangar； a hatch was half open； next to the cages of the service and cargo elevators。
I pushed through the hatch。 A metal staircase descended into the factory。 At the bottom； it opened out into a companionway that ran
the length of the harvester。 Stunned work…crews； most of them twists in sap…stained overalls； gazed at me。
I produced my rosette。
'Imperial Inquisition。 Where did they go？'
'Who？'
'Where did they go？' I snarled； enforcing my will without restraint。
The effect was so powerful； none of them could speak； and several passed out。 All the others pointed down the companionway
towards the head of the factory。
Another hatch； another staircase。 The noise of the internal threshers was now shudderingly loud。 I came down into the vast internal
work line； a long chamber that ran the length of the harvester。 It was a huge； deafening Place； the air thick with sap mist。 A massive
processing conveyor carried the harvested produce along from the reaping blades at the harvester's mouth； at a rate of several tonnes
every second。 Twist workers in masks and aprons worked the front part of the line with chaintools and cutting lances which were
attached to overhead power systems by thick rubber…trunked hoses。 They sorted and cut the larger sections of root and stalk before the
crop went through the great vicing rollers and stamping presses into the macerating vats further back down the factory。
With the alarms sounding and warning lights flashing； the line had come to a halt； and the workers were looking around； liquid
cellulose and sap dripping off their gauntlets； overalls and work tools。
I blundered through them； overseers shouting at me from gantry stations far above。 I could see Lyko； thirty metres away down the line；
pushing through with one last gunman and a bound； visored figure that could only be Esarhaddon。
The gunmen turned and fired at me down the length of the line vault。 Three workers crumpled； one spilling over onto the belt。 The
shots spanged sparks off the metal walkways and machinery。
As the other workers dived for cover； I dropped to my knee and reached for my boltgun。 It wasn't there。 In fact； the entire holster was
ripped open。 I wasn't sure when I lost it： during Cherubael's assault or slamming off the hull of the harvester； but it was long gone。
And my beloved power sword had been disintegrated on contact with the daemonhost。
More shots whizzed down the work…line and dented the metal facings of the belt…drivers。 I crawled into cover behind a drum of
hydrobac tool…wash。
I pulled my back…up weapon from the ankle…holster built into the side of my boot。 It was a compact； short…frame auto with a muzzle so
short it barely extended beyond the trigger guard。 The handgrip was actually longer than the barrel； and contained a slide…magazine of
twenty small…calibre rounds。
Selecting single…fire； I cracked off a couple of shots。 The aim was lousy and the power poor。 It really was meant to be a close…range
last ditch。
The gunman down the line； undeterred by my pathetic display； switched over to full auto and raked the deck area and working space
beside the stationary belt。 Workers； all pressing themselves into cover； began to scream and yell。
The shooting stopped。 I dared a look out。 There was a clunk and a whirr and the conveyor started moving again。
The gunman was following his departing master again。 Lyko was almost out of sight； pushing his captive ahead of him。
Why was Esarhaddon a captive； I wondered？ I still didn't understand the relationship between Lyko； the psyker and Cherubael。
I RAN ON。 The gunman； Lyko and his captive psyker had all disappeared through