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grasping　branch　or　a　protruding　root。　“I’ve　scouted　two　kilometres　ahead；　sir；”　he　reported　to　Steele；
“but　there’s　nothing；　nothing　at　all。　The　ice　forest　stretches　as　far　as　I’ve　seen。”
Gavotski’s　lips　tightened　with　disappointment。　“Maybe　we　should　have　tried　to　go　around　it
after　all。　If　it　gets　any　thicker—”
Steele　interrupted　him。　“We’ll　cross　that　bridge　when　we　come　to　it；　sergeant。　In　the　meantime；
assuming　that　the　forest　does　reach　all　the　way　to　our　destination；　if　we　maintain　our　current　bearing
and　speed　and　encounter　no　further　hostile　life…　assuming　all　that；　we　should　be　able　to　reach　the
crash　site　in…”
He　hesitated　for　a　second；　and　his　eyes　—　both　the　real　one　and　the　augmetic　—　glazed　over。
Pozhar　stared　at　his　commander　in　fascination　—　but　then　Steele’s　eyes　cleared　and　he　concluded；
“Approximately　four　hours　and　forty…seven　minutes’　time。”　And　Pozhar　wanted　to　scream。
Palinev　was　alone　again。
He　didn’t　mind　that。　He　had　become　used　to　solitude；　welcomed　it　even。　It　was　a　long　time　since
he　had　been　in　an　environment　as　quiet　as　the　ice　forest　was；　far　from　the　sounds　of　battle　or　even
from　the　thrum　of　an　engine。　He　knew　he　had　to　be　careful　not　to　let　the　quiet　fool　him。　Likewise；　he
was　sure　to　examine　every　ice　tree　that　came　into　his　view；　even　though　the　aberrant　shapes　had
long　since　lost　the　power　to　fascinate　or　even　to　repel　him；　had　begun　to　take　on　a　monotonous
quality。
Palinev　couldn’t　take　anything　for　granted；　couldn’t　drop　his　guard　for　a　second。　The　others
were　depending　on　him。　The　information　he　could　gather；　alone　and　unseen；　could　prove　vital　to
them。　But　it　came　with　a　risk　attached。　If　he　were　to　walk　into　an　ambush；　if　he　were　to　be　captured；
then　the　enemy　would　know　that　his　comrades　were　behind　him；　and　they　would　be　prepared。
One　mistake；　and　Palinev　knew　he　could　take　his　entire　squad　down　with　him。
He　had　left　them　almost　an　hour　ago。　It　was　time　to　drop　back；　he　thought；　and　report　in　to
Steele　again；　just　to　reassure　the　colonel　that　he　hadn’t　run　into　trouble；　that　the　way　ahead　was　still
safe。　Cradling　his　Guard…issue　compass　in　his　palm；　Palinev　reoriented　himself。　He　was　confident
that　he　could　retrace　his　steps　by　memory；　but　there　was　no　harm　in　a　double…check。　If　he　strayed　off
course　by　even　one　half　of　a　degree；　he　was　likely　to　miss　his　comrades　altogether。
He　was　about　to　set　off　when　a　sound　made　him　freeze。
It　had　been　almost　nothing　—　the　tiniest　of　scrapes；　perhaps　a　rustle　of　fabric　—　and　yet；　it　had
not　been　a　natural　sound。　Palinev　knew　this　because　he　had　taken　the　time　to　attune　himself　to　the
natural　sounds　of　the　forest；　such　as　they　were：　the　faintest　warbling　of　the　wind　between　the　trees；
the　occasional　pops　and　cracks　as　a　newly　frozen　shape　settled；　or　perhaps　even　grew？
As　quickly　and　as　quietly　as　he　could；　taking　only　one　careful　step；　Palinev　tucked　himself　in
behind　the　nearest　ice　tree；　and　dropped　to　his　haunches。　He　drew　his　combat　knife　from　his　boot；
recited　the　Litany　of　Stealth；　made　sure　that　his　breathing　was　as　soft　as　the　breeze；　and　waited。
As　he　had　expected；　a　figure　came　into　view。　It　was　a　man；　as　slight　of　stature　as　Palinev　was。
He　was　wearing　an　armoured　helmet　and　a　tight…fitting　flak　jacket；　also　like　Palinev’s；　except　that
where　his　was　a　bottle　green　in　colour；　the　stranger’s　was　a　bold　red　with　gold　highlights。　It　was
hardly　good　camouflage　material。
Palinev　thought　that　he　recognised　the　colours；　though　he　couldn’t　name　the　regiment　to　which
they　belonged。　Evidently；　though；　this　man　was　an　Imperial　soldier　—　or　at　least；　he　had　been　once。
He　was　holding　a　lasgun；　keeping　it　ready　as　he　crept　from　one　tree　to　another：　a　scout。　The　question
was；　for　whom　was　he　scouting？　There　were　no　visible　signs　of　Chaos　mutation　on　the　stranger；　but
that　didn’t　prove　anything。
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Palinev　waited　until　the　man　had　drawn　almost　level　with　him；　waited　for　his　questing　eyes　to
turn　away　from　him。　Then　he　slipped　out　from　behind　his　tree；　and　into　the　shade　of　another。　He
repeated　this　manoeuvre　twice　more；　each　time　drawing　closer　to　his　unsuspecting　prey；　and　moving
further　around　behind　him。
When　at　last　he　was　close；　almost　close　enough　to　reach　out　and　touch　the　nape　of　the　other
scout’s　neck；　then　Palinev　pounced。　His　prey　heard　him　coming；　too　late；　didn’t　even　have　time　to
spin　around。　Palinev　was　on　the　man’s　back；　his　left　arm　locked　around　his　shoulders；　his　right　hand
holding　his　knife　to　the　man’s　throat。
“A　friendly　warning；”　he　hissed。　“If　you　try　to　shout　to　your　people；　if　you　speak　at　all　other　than
to　answer　my　questions；　I　will　slit　your　vocal　cords。”　He　would　have　done　it　by　now　if　only　he　had
been　sure；　if　he　had　seen　any　proof　that　this　man　was　a　traitor。　“Who　are　you？”　he　asked。　“Answer
me！”
“Trooper　Garroway；”　the　other　scout　spat　defiantly；　“of　the　14th　Royal　Validian　regiment　of　the
Imperial　Guard。　Kill　me　if　you　like。　Kill　us　all；　but　it　won’t　save　you。　They　will　send　a　hundred
thousand　more　like　me　—　a　million　more　—　and　they　won’t　rest　until　this　world　is　scoured　clean　of
your　filth；　reclaimed　for　the　Golden　Throne！”
“You’re　Imperial　Guard？”　queried　Palinev。　“What　are　you　doing　out　here？　This　is　Chaos…held
territory。”
His　prisoner　relaxed　a　little　in　his　grip；　and　this　told　Palinev　more　than　words　could　have　said。
Garroway　was　relieved；　not　afraid；　to　have　found　himself　in　the　hands　of　a　fellow　Guardsman。　He
was　telling　the　truth。
“There　are　just　under　four　hundred　of　our　company　left；”　said　Garroway。　“We　were　helping
civilians　out　of　Iota　Hive　to　the　north…west　of　here。　When　it　fell；　we　were　ordered　back　to　Alpha；　but
the　glaciers　closed　in　front　of　us；　blocking　our　path。　We　don’t　have　a　vox…caster　any　more；　so　we
couldn’t　call　for　assistance。　We　have　no　maps。　We’ve　just　been　trying　to　find　a　way　through；　but　the
Chaos　army　is　behind　us。　We　were　forced　to　take　cover　in　this…　this　forest；　whatever　it　is。”
Palinev　let　go　of　him。　“Palinev；”　he　introduced　himself；　“Valhallan　319th。”
Garroway　turned　to　face　him；　and　his　eyes　narrowed。　“You’re　an　Ice　Warrior？”
“Don’t　let　the　lack　of　a　greatcoat　fool　you。　I　move　a　lot　better　without　it。”
“Yeah？　I　can’t　say　I’d　turn　down　the　chance　of　a　little　protection。　When　my　regiment　first　came
to　Cressida；　sure　it　was　cold；　but　not　like　this。　Maybe　it’s　different　for　you；　coming　from　an　ice
world；　but　we’re　losing　men　by　the　hour。　But…　but　you’ve　found　us　now；　they　sent　someone　for　us
at　last！”
“Ah；”　said　Palinev；　“no；　I’m　afraid　they　didn’t。　We’re　on　a　mission　of　our　own。”　He　frowned。
“And　if　the　enemy　is　behind　you；　that’s　going　to　mean　trouble　for　us。”
“You　can　guide　us　out　of　here；　at　least；”　said　Garroway。　“You　found　your　way　past　the　glaciers；
you　can　tell　us　how　to　get　out…　can’t　you？”
“We　should　report　back　to　our　commanders；”　said　Palinev。　“I　should　think　they’ll　want　to　talk。”
They　came　together　not　long　after　that：　the　Valhallans　in　green；　the　Validians　in　red；　their　paths
converging　in　the　heart　of　the　white　forest。
They　had　been　expecting　each　other；　of　course；　thanks　to　their　respective　scouts。　A　few　of　the
troopers　exchanged　strained　pleasantries；　and　Colonel　Steele　and　the　Validian　commander；　a　freshfaced
young　captain；　sought　each　other　out　and　moved　to　one　side　for　a　private　conference。
The　rest　of　the　Guardsmen　took　this　as　a　cue　to　relax；　to　recharge　themselves　as　best　they　could。
Their　surroundings；　however；　offered　them　scant　comfort。　It　was　almost　impossible　for　a　man　to　sit
down　without　touching　the　deadly　tree　trunks　or　roots　—　and　after　trying　for　a　time；　holding
themselves　in　unnatural　positions　until　their　muscles　ached；　many　of　them　gave　up　and　stood　again。
36
Few　of　the　Validians　could　sit　still　anyway。　They　stamped　their　feet；　rubbed　their　arms；　did　all
they　could　to　stave　off　the　biting　cold。　Mikhaelev　watched　them；　their　bright　colours　spread　through
the　forest　as　far　as　he　could　see；　and　he　shook　his　head　and　sighed。　Here　they　were；　these　brave　men；
doing　the　Emperor’s　work；　and　their　leaders　couldn’t　even　equip　them　with　the　right　clothing　for　th