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the hills of the Tito Basin like the scaled hide of some prehistoric reptile。 The sky was a magnolia haze； and a light breeze breathed。 It
was almost impossible now to picture this place beset by the filthy； permanent shadows of the Darknight。
Now； perhaps； I knew why Tantalid had returned。 The Ophidian war was over； and his holy mission concluded with it。
'I remember them setting out； don't you？' I asked。
A foolish question。 My savant was a data…addict； driven since the age of forty…two standard to collect and retain all manner of
information thanks to a meme…virus he had contracted。 There was no possibility of him forgetting anything。 He scratched the side of
his hooked nose where his heavy augmetic eye…pieces touched。
'How could either of us forget that？' he replied。 'The summer of 240。 Hunting the Glaw clan on Gudrun during the very Founding
itself。'
Indeed； we had played a particular role in delaying the start of the Ophidian Campaign。 The Warmaster； or lord militant as he had been
back then； had been all but set to launch his purge into Ophidian space when my investigation of the heretic Glaw family had triggered
a mass uprising later known as the Helican Schism。 To his great surprise and displeasure； the Warmaster had been abruptly forced to
redirect his readied forces in a pacification of his very own subsector。
Warmaster Honorius。 Honorius Magnus they were calling him。 I had never met him； nor had I much wish to。 A brutal man； as are so
many of his kind。 It takes a special mindset； a special brutality； to crush planets and populations。
'There is to be a great Jubilation on Thracian Primaris；' Aemos said。 'A Holy Novena congregated by the Synod the High Ecclesiarchy。
It is rumoured that the Imperial Lord Commander Helican himself will attend； specifically to bestow upon the Warmaster the rank of
Feudal Protector。'
'I'm sure he'll be very pleased。 Another heavy medallion to throw at his officers when he's annoyed。'
'You're not tempted to attend？'
I laughed。 In truth； I had thought to return to the Helican subsector capital before long。 Thracian Primaris； the most massive；
industrialised and populated world in the subsector； had wrested capital planet status from ancient Gudrun after the disgrace and
foment of the Schism； finally achieving the preeminence it felt its size and power had long deserved。 It was now the chief Imperial
planet of this region。
There was work to be done； reports to be filed and presented； and those things could best be achieved by returning to my property on
Thracian； my base of operations； near to the Palace of the Inquisition。 But I had little love for Thracian Primaris。 It was an ugly place；
and I only made my headquarters there out of convenience。 The thought of pomp and ceremony and festivals filled me with quiet
dread。
Perhaps I would go to Messina instead； or to the quiet of Gudrun； where I maintained a small； comfortable estate。
'The Inquisition is to attend in great strength。 Lord Rorken himself…'
I waved a hand in Aemos's direction。 'Does it appeal to you？'
'No。'
'Are there not better uses for our time？ Pressing matters？ Things that would be more easily achieved away from such overblown
distractions？'
'Most certainly；' he said。
'Then I think you know my mind。'
'I think I do； Gregor；' he said； rising to his feet and reaching into the pocket of his green robe。 'And therefore I'm fully prepared for the
fact that you're going to curse me when I give you this。'
He held out a small data…slate； an encrypted message…tile whose contents had been received and stored by the astropaths。
The official seal of the Inquisition was stamped across its front。
THREE
CAPITAL WORLD。
THE OCEAN HOUSE。
INTRUDERS； PAST AND PRESENT。
THRACIAN PRIMARIS； CAPITAL world of the Helican subsector； seat of government； Helican subsector； Scams sector； Segmentum
Obscurus。 You can read that description in any one of a hundred thousand guidebooks； geographies； Imperial histories； pilgrimage
primers； industrial ledgers； trade directories； star maps。 It sounds impressive； authoritarian； powerful。
It does no justice at all to the monster it describes。
I have known hellholes and death…planets that from space look serene and wondrous： the watercolours of their atmospheres； the
glittering moons and belts they wear like bangles and jewels； the natural wonders that belie the dangers they contain。
Thracian Primaris is no such dissembler。 From space； it glowers like an oozing； cataracted eye。 It is corpulent； swollen； sheened in
grey veils of atmospheric soot through which the billion billion lights of the city hives glimmer like rotting stars。 It glares balefully at
all ships that approach。
And； oh！ But they approach！ Shoals of ships； flocks of them； countless craft； drawn to this bloated cesspit by the lure of its vast
industrial wealth and mercantile vigour。
It has no moons； no natural moons anyway。 Five Ramilies…class star…forts hang above its atmosphere； their crenellated towers and
buttressed gun…stations guarding the approaches to and from the capital world。 A dedicated guild of forty thousand skilled pilots exists
simply to guide traffic in and out of the jostling； crowded high…anchor reaches。 It has a planetary defence force； a standing army of
eight million men。 It has a population of twenty…two billion； plus another billion temporary residents and visitors。 Seven…tenths of its
surface are now covered by hive structures； including great sections of the world's original oceans。 City…sprawl fdls and covers the
seas； and the waters roll in darkness far beneath。
I loathe the place。 I loathe the lightless streets； the noise； the press of bodies。 I loathe the stink of its re…circulated air。 I loathe its
airborne grease…filth adhering to my clothes and skin。
But fate and duty bring me back there； time and again。
The encrypted Inquisitorial missive had been quite clear： I； and a great number of my peers； was summoned to Thracian Primaris to
attend the Holy Novena； and wait upon the pleasure of the Lord Grandmaster Inquisitor Ubertino Orsini。 Orsini was the most senior
officer of the Inquisition in the entire Helican subsector； a status that made him equal in rank and power to any cardinal palatine。
I was not about to decline。
THE VOYAGE FROM Lethe Eleven took a month； and I brought my entire entourage back with me。 We arrived just four days shy of the
start of the Novena。 As a tiny pilot boat led my ship in to anchor through the massed ranks of orbiting starships； I saw the dark
formations of Battlefleet Scarus； suckling at a starfort as if they were its young。 This was their heroic homecoming。 There was a taste
of victory in the air。 An Imperial triumph on this scale was something to be savoured； something the Ministorum could use to boost
the morale of the common citizenry。
'YOUR ITINERARY HAS been prepared；' said Alain von Baigg； a junior interrogator who served as my secretary。 We were aboard the
gun…cutter； dropping towards the planet。
'Oh； by whom？'
He paused。 Von Baigg was a diffident and lustreless young man who I doubted would ever make the rank of inquisitor。 I'd accepted
him to my staff in the hope that service alongside Ravenor might inspire him。 It had not。
'I would have presumed that the preparation of my itinerary might have included my own choices。'
Von Baigg stammered something。 I took the data…slate he was holding。 The list of appointments was not his handiwork； I saw。 It was
an official document； processed by the Ministoram's nunciature in collaboration with the Office of the Inquisition。 My timetable for all
nine days of the Holy Novena was filled with audiences； acts of worship； feasts； presentation ceremonies； unveilings and Ministorum
rites。 All nine days； plus the days before and after。
I was here； damn it！ I had responded to the summons。 I would not allow myself to be subjected to this round of junkets too。 I took a
stylus and quickly marked the events I was prepared to attend： the formal rites； the Inquisitorial audience； the Grand Bestowment。
'That's it；' I said； tossing it back to him。 'The rest I'm skipping。' Von Baigg looked uncomfortable。 'You are expected at the Post…
Apostolic Conclave immediately on arrival。'
'Immedi