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grey　and　brooding　sky　above　them；　felt　a　savage　chill　that　bit　gnawingly　into　his　flesh。　Worst　of　all
was　the　sight　of　Sergeant　Ferres’　burnt　and　disfigured　face。　The　fire…blackened　sockets　that　had　once
held　his　eyes　glimpsed　briefly　at　the　edge　of　Larn’s　vision　as　he　followed　the　others　down　the　ramp。
Then；　as　the　first　ranks　of　Guardsmen　reached　the　foot　of　the　ramp　and　apparent　safety；　the　frenzied
herd　instinct　of　a　few　moments　before　abruptly　abated。
Released　from　the　crushing　pressure　of　the　crowd　as　the　Guardsmen　in　front　moved　to　take
advantage　of　the　open　space　before　them；　Larn　was　relieved　to　find　himself　able　to　breathe　properly
once　more。　Then；　standing　uncertainly　with　the　others　as　they　milled　leaderless　in　the　shadow　of　the
lander；　he　turned　to　take　his　first　clear　view　of　the　planet　around　him。
This　is　it；　he　thought；　his　breath　turning　to　white　vapour　in　the　cold。　This　is　Seltura　VII　It　doesn’t
look　much　like　how　they　described　it　in　the　briefing。
Around　him；　as　endless　as　the　wheat　fields　of　his　homeworld；　was　a　bleak　and　barren　landscape
—　a　flat　treeless　vista　of　frozen　grey…black　mud；　punctuated　here　and　there　by　shell　craters　and　the
rusting　silhouettes　of　burned…out　vehicles。　To　the　east　of　him；　he　saw　a　distant　cityscape　of　rained
buildings；　as　grey；　foreboding　and　abandoned　as　every　other　aspect　of　the　landscape　around　it。　It
looks　like　a　ghost　town；　he　thought　with　a　shiver。　A　ghost　town；　hungry　for　more　ghosts。
“I　don’t　understand　it；”　he　heard　a　questioning　voice　say　as　he　realised　Leden；　Hallan　and
Vorrans　had　come　to　stand　beside　him。　“Where　are　the　trees？”　Leden　asked。　“They　said　Seltura…VII
was　covered　in　forests。　And　it’s　cold。　They　said　it　would　be　summer。”
“Never　mind　that；”　said　Hallan；　terse　at　his　side。　“We　need　into　get　to　cover。　I　heard　shots　hitting
the　hull　when　we　landed。　There　must　be　hostiles　around　here　some　—　”　He　paused；　stopping　to　look
up　with　anxious　eyes　at　the　sky　as；　overhead；　they　heard　the　whistle　of　a　shell　coming　closer。
“Incoming！”　someone　screamed　as　the　entire　company　raced　frantically　to　seek　shelter　at　the
side　of　the　lander。　Seconds　later；　an　explosion　lifted　up　dancing　clods　of　frozen　mud　thirty　metres
away　from　where　they　were　standing。
“I　think　it　was　a　mortar；”　Vorrans　said；　an　edge　of　panic　to　his　voice　as　he　huddled　with　the
others　beside　the　lander。　“It　sounded　like　a　mortar；”　he　said；　jabbering　uncontrollably　in　a　breathless
rush　of　fear。　“A　mortar；　don’t　you　think？　A　mortar。　I　think　it　was　a　mortar。　A　mortar…”
“I　wish　to　the　Emperor　that　was　all　it　was；”　Hallan　said。　Around　them；　more　shots　and
explosions　rang　out。　A　fusillade　that　seemed　to　ominously　increase　in　volume　with　every　instant；　as
the　noise　of　bullets　and　shells　striking　the　hull　on　the　other　side　of　the　lander　grew　so　loud　they　had
to　shout　to　be　heard　over　the　roar。　“Lucky　for　us　whoever’s　shooting　is　on　the　other　side　of　this
lander　but　we　can’t　stay　here　forever。　We　need　to　find　better　cover；　or　it’s　only　a　matter　of　time
before　their　artillery　finds　the　range　and　starts　to　loop　shells　over　the　lander　to　land　right　on　top　of
us。”
“Maybe　this　is　all　a　mistake？”　Vorrans　said；　his　face　alive　with　the　glimmer　of　desperate　hope。
“That’s　it；　mistaken　identity。　Maybe　it’s　our　own　side　doing　the　shooting　and　they　don’t　know　who
we　are。　We　could　make　a　white　flag　and　try　to　signal　them。”
“Shut　up；　Vors。　You’re　talking　like　an　idiot。”　Hallan　snapped。　Then；　seeing　Vorrans　look　at　him
in　shock；　he　softened　his　tone。　“Believe　me；　Vors；　there’s　nothing　mistaken　about　it。　There’s　a　ten30
metre　tall　Imperial　eagle　painted　on　each　side　of　the　hull　of　the　lander。　The　people　shooting　at　us
know　exactly　who　we　are。　That’s　why　they’re　trying　to　kill　us。　Our　only　way　out　of　this　is　to　try　and
make　for　our　own　lines。　Though　we’ll　need　to　find　out　where　they　are　first。”
“There！”　Leden　said；　his　finger　pointing　eastward。　“You　see　it　—　the　eagle　in　the　distance。
Sweet　Emperor；　we’re　saved。”
Turning　to　follow　the　direction　of　Leden’s　jabbing　finger；　Larn　saw　a　flagpole　rising　from　the
rubble…strewn　outskirts　of　the　city。　At　its　top　a　worn　and　ragged　flag：　an　Imperial　eagle；　fluttering　in
the　breeze。
“You’re　right；　Leden；”　Hallan　said；　the　excitement　in　his　voice　drawing　the　attention　of　the　rest
of　the　company　as　dozens　of　eyes　turned　to　look　toward　the　flag。　“It’s　our　own　lines；　all　right。　If　you
look　closely　you　can　see　the　outlines　of　camouflaged　bunkers　and　firing　emplacements。　That’s
where　we　should　be　headed。”
“But　it’s　got　to　be　seven　or　eight　hundred　metres　away　at　least；　Hals；”　Vorrans　protested。　“With
nothing　between　us　and　that　flag　but　open　ground。　We’ll　never　make　it。”
“We　don’t　have　any　choice；　Vors；”　Hallan　said。　Then；　seeing　the　eyes　of　every　other　Guardsman
in　the　company　were　on　him；　he　turned　to　them；　his　voice　raised　loud　enough　to　be　heard　among　the
din　of　gunfire。　“Listen　to　me；　all　of　you。　I　know　you’re　scared。　Zell　knows；　I　am　too。　But　if　we　stay
here　we　are　as　good　as　dead。　Our　only　chance　is　to　make　for　that　flag！”
For　a　moment　there　was　no　response　as　the　Guardsmen　cast　frightened　eyes　from　the　now
burning　lander　to　the　wide　expanse　of　open　ground　before　them。　Each　man　weighing　an　unwelcome
decision：　to　stay　and　risk　an　undetermined　death　sometime　in　the　future；　or　to　run　and　risk　an
immediate　death　in　the　present。　Then；　suddenly；　a　shell　landed　on　their　side　of　the　lander　no　more
than　five　metres　from　where　they　were　standing　and　the　decision　was　made　for　them。
They　ran。
Breathless；　terror　dogging　his　every　step；　Larn　ran　with　them。　He　ran；　as　from　behind　them　there
came　a　remorseless　tide　of　gunfire　as　the　unseen　enemy　tried　to　shoot　them　down。　He　saw　men　die
screaming　all　around　him；　red　gore　spraying　from　chests　and　arms　and　heads　as　the　bullets　struck
them。　He　saw　men　killed　by　falling　shells；　bodies　torn　apart　by　blast　and　shrapnel；　heads　and　limbs
dismembered　in　an　instant。　All　the　time　he　kept　his　eyes　glued　on　the　flag　…　his　would…be　refuge　—
in　the　distance　before　him。　His　every　breath　a　silent　prayer　in　the　hope　of　salvation。　His　every　step
one　closer　to　making　that　salvation　a　reality。
As　he　ran；　he　saw　friends　and　comrades　die。　He　saw　Hallan　fall　first；　his　right　eye　exploding
from　its　socket　to　make　way　for　the　bullet　passing　though　it；　his　mouth　open　in　a　cry　of
encouragement　to　his　fellow　Guardsmen　that　would　never　be　finished。　Then　Vorrans；　his　torso
ruptured　and　mutilated　as　a　dozen　pieces　of　shrapnel　exploded　through　his　chest。　Other　men　fell：
some　he　had　known　by　name；　others　he　had　known　only　by　sight。　All　of　them　killed　as；　just　as
breathless　and　desperate　as　he　was；　they　ran　for　the　flag。　Until　at　last；　with　most　of　his　comrades
dead　already　and　the　flag　still　a　hundred　metres　away；　Larn　realised　he　would　never　make　it。
“Here！　Over　here！　Quickly；　this　way！　Over　here！”
Suddenly；　hearing　shouting　voices　nearby　Larn　turned　to　see　a　group　of　Guardsmen　in　greyblack
camouflage　appear　as　if　from　nowhere　to　beckon　him　towards　them。　Changing　direction　to
head　for　them；　he　saw　they　had　emerged　from　a　firing　trench　and　raced　towards　it　with　enemy
bullets　chewing　up　the　ground　around　him。　Until　at　last；　reaching　the　trench；　he　leapt　inside　to
safety。
Trying　to　catch　his　breath　as　he　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　trench；　looking　about　him　Larn　saw　five
Guardsmen　standing　around　him　in　the　confines　of　the　trench：　all　clad　in　the　same　uniform　of　greyblack
patterned　greatcoats；　mufflers　and　fur…shrouded　helmets。　At　first　they　ignored　him；　their　eyes
turned　to　scan　the　killing　fields　he　had　just　escaped　from。　Then；　one　of　the　Guardsmen　turned　to
look　down　towards　him　with　a　grimace　and　finally　spoke。
31
“This　is　Vidmir　in　trench　three；　sergeant；”　the　Guardsmen　said；　pressing　a　stud　at　his　collar　as
Larn　realised　he　was　speaking　down　a　comm…link。　“We　have　one　survivor。　I　think　a　few　more　made
it　to　the　other　trenches。　But　most　of　those　poor　dumb　bastards　are　dead　out　there　in　no…man’s　land。
Over。”
“I　can　see　movement　on　the　ork　side；”　one　of　the　other　Guardsmen　said；　standing　looking　over
the　trench　parapet。　“All　th