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“Aye；　sir；”　said　Metzger；　and　Last　Rites　II　added　her　own　illumination　to　the　darkness。　It　didn’t
make　much　difference。
On　the　vox；　van　Droi’s　voice　sounded　again。　“Are　we　all　in？”
Wulfe　turned　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　shrinking　square　of　red　daylight　behind　him。
Silhouetted　against　it　were　the　dark　hulls　of　the　last　machines　in　the　column。　“Looks　like　it；　sir；”　he
reported　to　van　Droi。　“I　see　the　last　of　the　Conquerors　coming　in　now。”
“Good；”　voxed　van　Droi。　“Then　I　want　all　of　you　to　move　in　to　the　sides　of　the　tunnel；　nice　and
slow。　We　don’t　need　any　accidents。　There’ll　be　a　Chimera　coming　back　through　here　in　a　couple　of
minutes；　heading　up　towards　the　entrance。”
“What　the　devil　for；　sir？”　voxed　Sergeant　Viess。　“We　can’t　send　men　back　out　there。”
Wulfe　noted　the　hesitation　in　van　Droi’s　voice；　and　the　weariness　when　he　said　at　last；　“It’s　a
demolitions　team；　sergeant。　General　deViers　has　ordered　the　entrance　sealed　behind　us。”
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CHAPTER　TWENTY…SIX
The　Cadian　column　moved　slowly　and　carefully　through　the　dark；　for　the　best　part　of　three　hours；
guided　by　Sentinel　walkers　with　searchlights　fitted。　They　discovered　a　plethora　of　side　tunnels　as
they　went；　smaller　passageways　that　branched　from　the　broad　one　they　were　following。　Each　of
these　was　given　a　cursory　inspection；　but　they　twisted　away　in　countless　directions　and　were　far　too
small　to　accommodate　the　tanks。　With　little　choice；　the　expedition　force　found　itself　committed　to　a
single　path　that　led　ever　downwards；　deeper　into　the　darkness。
DeViers　marked　the　passing　of　time　on　the　antique　pocket…chronometer　his　grandfather；　for
whom　he　had　been　named；　had　bequeathed　him　over　eighty　years　before。　It　was　an　exquisite　piece
of　Agripinaan　craftsmanship；　inlaid　with　emeralds　and　white　diamonds；　finished　in　platinum；　and
decorated　across　the　face　with　a　filigree　of　the　most　delicate　gold。　It　had　been　with　him　a　long；　long
time。　Looking　at　its　pristine　face　always　brought　feelings　of　peace　and　comfort。　He　had　been　turning
to　it　more　and　more　often　since　his　arrival　on　this　accursed　planet。
Did　they　think　he　didn’t　know　what　was　going　on；　those　damned　Mechanicus？　Did　they　think　he
was　so　easily　used？　Warp　blast　and　damn　them；　he　was　Mohamar　Antoninus　deViers；　Saviour　of
Thessaly　IX；　Protector　of　Chedon　Secundus；　decorated　with　the　Iron　Star　for　his　overwhelming
victory　at　Rystok；　awarded　the　Platinum　Skull　1st　Class　for　exemplary　leadership　at　Dionysus。　Then
there　were　Modessa　Prime；　Phaegos　II；　and　a　host　of　other　glories。　Age　hadn’t　addled　his　mind　that
much。　He　knew　all　too　well　that　they　had　an　agenda。　He　knew　they　were　guiding　him　along　the　path
that　best　suited　their　purposes；　but　what　could　he　do？　He　needed　them　to　help　find　Yarrick’s　tank。
Their　Machine…God　didn’t　speak　to　normal　men；　even　men　as　worthy　as　him。
He　hadn’t　missed　the　looks　his　senior　officers　had　been　giving　each　other；　either。　They　were
losing　confidence　in　him。　That　much　was　evident。　Even　Gerard　Bergen　seemed　ready　to　question
him　these　days。　That　stung　deViers　particularly　sharply。　Prior　to　that　mess　on　Palmeros；　he　had
started　to　consider　the　handsome　officer　something　of　a　protégé。
Well；　they’d　all　see　the　error　of　their　ways　in　the　end。　This　wasn’t　over；　not　by　a　long　shot。　The
Fortress　of　Arrogance　was　still　out　there　somewhere。　It　couldn’t　be　far。　Orks　had　taken　it；　and　it　was
his　job　to　get　it　back。　The　Imperium　depended　on　him。　Whether　the　Mechanicus　had　initiated　this
expedition　or　not；　it　was　a　Munitorum　operation　now；　and　he　was　in　charge。　Not　one　man；　not　one
ounce　of　Guard　materiel　would　leave　this　blasted　world　until　he　had　his　prize。　There　was　still
everything　to　play　for。　His　place　in　the　history　books　was　still　within　reach。　He　would　join　the　list
alongside　Yarrick；　Macaroth　and　Harazahn。　He　would　be　forever　remembered　as　one　of　the　great
men　of　his　age。
He　looked　down　at　the　chronometer’s　ticking　hands。　There　was　still　time　enough　for　that。
“Caffeine；　sir？”　asked　Gruber　from　the　other　side　of　the　Chimera’s　passenger　compartment。　“It’s
hot。”
“No　thank　you；　Gruber。　I’m　wound　up　enough　already。”
Gruber　looked　at　the　chronometer　in　the　general’s　hand　and　let　out　a　snort　of　laughter。　“Good
one；　sir。　Wound　up。　I　get　it。”
DeViers　smiled　weakly。　He　hadn’t　meant　to　make　a　joke　at　all；　but　fine。　Let　his　adjutant　think
what　he　would。　Laughing　in　the　face　of　such　desperation　made　him　seem　strong　in　the　eyes　of
others。　Let　them　think　him　unfazed　by　the　frustrating　turns　the　expedition　had　taken。
What　lies　ahead；　he　wondered？　What　obstacle　will　test　me　next？
148
He　was　about　to　find　out。
“Vox　is　flashing；　sir；”　said　Gruber；　indicating　a　blinking　green　light　on　the　wall…mounted　unit
above　the　general’s　left　shoulder。　“Let　me　get　that　for　you。”
Even　though　deViers　was　closest　to　the　device；　he　let　Gruber　take　care　of　the　call。　It　was　the
man’s　job；　and　it　didn’t　do　to　have　the　other　officers　think　they　could　bother　their　general　directly
with　every　little　detail。　He　had　enough　on　his　mind。　Over　the　years；　Gruber　had　learned　to　screen　the
general’s　incoming　vox…calls　with　great　intuition。
Absently；　deViers　half…listened　as　Gruber　spoke　into　the　vox…caster’s　mouthpiece。　Then　the
adjutant　turned　and　said；　“It’s　Colonel　Marrenburg；　sir。　He　says　his　scouts　have　found　the　end　of　the
tunnel。”
DeViers　felt　his　pulse　quicken。
“I’ll　speak　to　him；”　he　said；　and　accepted　the　mouthpiece　from　Gruber；　who　immediately
returned　to　his　seat　and　his　flask　of　hot　caffeine。
“General　deViers；　here。　Go　ahead；　colonel。”
“Yes；　sir；”　said　Marrenburg。　“I’ve　just　had　it　confirmed。　About　three　hundred　metres　ahead；　the
main　tunnel　levels　out。　It　straightens　there；　too。　I’m　told　it　ends　another　two　hundred　metres　after
that。”
“I　see；　colonel。　And　just　how　does　it　end。”
“Well；　sir；　I’m　not　sure　how　to　say—”
“Let’s　not　play　guessing　games；　man。　I　don’t　have　the　patience。”
Marrenburg’s　voice　was　suddenly　brusque　as　he　answered。　“My　apologies；　general。　From　what　I
understand；　it　opens　onto　some　kind　of　city；　sir。　An　underground　city。”
Of　course　it　does；　thought　deViers　sarcastically。　Let’s　see　how　the　magos　explains　this　one。
When　Gerard　Bergen’s　Chimera；　Pride　of　Caedus；　emerged　from　the　end　of　the　tunnel　and　into　the
huge　open　space　under　the　mountain；　half　of　the　force’s　vehicles　were　already　there；　the　crews
gaping；　staring　wide…eyed　at　what　lay　before　them。　The　other　half　were　still　moving　down　through
the　last　stretches　of　the　main　tunnel。　The　rearguard　would　enter　within　the　hour。
Bergen　stood　in　his　cupola；　turning　his　head　from　left　to　right；　taking　it　all　in。　The　air　around　him
was　thick　with　exhaust　fumes；　but　they　were　less　dense　than　they　had　been　in　the　confines　of　the
tunnel。　There　was　more　space　for　them　to　dissipate　here。　The　air　pressure　had　changed。　He　could
feel　it　on　his　skin。　It　was　cooler　here；　too。
With　the　vehicles　spreading　out　in　an　ever…widening　perimeter；　there　was　plenty　of　light；　though
not　nearly　enough　to　illuminate　the　cavern’s　ceiling　or　the　far　walls。　Bergen　still　couldn’t　begin　to
estimate　the　size　of　the　excavation。　What　he　did　see；　however；　stole　his　breath　away。
A　city　of　smooth；　dark　metal　stretched　out　from　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　into　the　blackness
beyond。　It　was　a　dead　city；　a　city　without　movement　or　sound　or　energy　of　its　own；　but　a　city
nonetheless。
“So　this　is　Dar　Laq；”　Bergen　muttered　to　himself。
The　buildings　framed　in　the　headlights　of　the　Cadian　vehicles　shone　back　at　him。　Every　single
surface；　every　corner；　every　wall；　was　made　of　a　shimmering；　iridescent　metal　the　likes　of　which
Bergen　had　never　seen　before。　As　his　eyes　moved　from　one　structure　to　the　next；　the　colours　seemed
to　shift　and　change　like　sunlight　on　the　surface　of　an　oily　pool。　It　was　beautiful　in　its　own　way。　It
reminded　him　of　a　shell　he　had　once　found　on　the　south…western　shores　of　the　Caducades　Sea。　He
had　been　practically　an　infant　back　then。　The　memory　had　been　lost　in　the　recesses　of　his　mind　until
this　very　moment。　Suddenly　it　was　as　sharp　as　a　high…resolution　pictograph。
Troopers　were　spilling　out　of　trucks　and　halft