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“You　ever　met　a　general　that　didn’t　want　that？”
Van　Droi　grinned。　“Not　that　I　remember；　no。”
When　Wulfe　spoke　again；　he　was　suddenly　serious。　“Listen；　sir。　I　have　to　ask　you　something。　I
hope　you　won’t　take　offence。”
“Sounds　ominous。”
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“It’s　about　Palmeros。”
Van　Droi　looked　immediately　uncomfortable；　but　he　said；　“Go　on。”
“We　were　talking　about　it　in　the　officer’s　mess　back　in　Balkar。　You　remember；　sir。　The　day　we
lost　Strieber　and　Kohl…”
“The　canyon；”　said　Van　Droi；　not　meeting　Wulfe’s　gaze。　“Lugo’s　Ditch。”
“Right；”　said　Wulfe。　“Well；　sir；　things　happened　there…　Things　that　I　couldn’t　come　to　terms
with　at　the　time。　I’m　afraid　I　omitted　them　from　my　report；　sir。　I’m　not　sure　if—”
“We　don’t　need　to　do　this；　Oskar；”　van　Droi　interrupted。　“I’ve　never　pushed　you　on　what　exactly
happened　out　there。　If　you　hadn’t　omitted　certain　things；　I　would　have　done　it　for　you。　I’ve　seen
some　things　in　my　time；　let　me　tell　you；　things　that　beggared　belief。　High　Command　doesn’t　thank
you　for　reporting　things　like　that。”
Wulfe　knew　van　Droi　was　being　deliberately　vague；　trying　to　offer　him　a　nice　safe　exit　from　the
topic；　but　he　had　already　committed　himself。
“I　saw　the　ghost　of　Dolphus　Borscht　in　Lugo’s　Ditch；　sir。　I　saw　him　standing　on　the　highway　as
real　as　you　are　right　now。　He　told　me　to　stop　the　tank。　And　if　I　hadn’t　listened　to　him；　my　crew　and　I
would　be　dead　right　now。”
Finally；　it　was　out。　The　words　hung　in　the　air　like　ghosts　themselves；　hovering　between　the　two
men。
“Damn　it；”　hissed　van　Droi。　“Don’t　ever　say　that　out　loud。　You　want　other　people　to　hear？”
“Did　you　know；　sir？”　Wulfe　demanded。
“Of　course；　I　knew；　Oskar。　I’m　not　a　total　idiot。　It　wasn’t　hard　to　put　it　all　together。　But　for
Throne’s　sake；　you’ve　got　to　keep　it　to　yourself；　man。　If　the　commissar　ever　finds　out…”
“Someone　would　have　to　tell　him　first；　sir。　Someone　like　Corporal　Lenck；　perhaps。”
“Lenck？”　asked　van　Droi。　“Are　you　saying　he　knows？”
“I　can’t　be　sure；”　said　Wulfe。　“Just　something　he　said　to　me　last　time　we　clashed。”
Van　Droi　actually　looked　hurt　for　a　fraction　of　a　second；　but　he　recovered　well。　“He　didn’t　find
out　from　me；　sergeant；　if　that’s　what　you’re　thinking。”
Wulfe　shook　his　head。　“I　wasn’t　thinking　that；　sir。　Not　really。　But　I　had　to　ask。”
“Listen；　Oskar；　Lenck　might　be　less　of　a　problem　if　you　hadn’t　started　some　kind　of　damned
vendetta　with　him　the　moment　he　joined　the　regiment。　If　you’ve　got　something　on　him；　something
that　I　should　know　about；　don’t　keep　it　to　your　bloody　self。　If　you　don’t；　you　need　to　accept　that　he’s
a　Gunhead　now。　We　stick　together。　It’s　the　only　way　any　of　us　will　get　through　this　alive。　For　the
Throne’s　sake；　man；　he　saved　your　life。”
“Duty；　sir；”　said　Wulfe。　“I’d　have　done　the　same　under　the　circumstances。”
In　truth；　he　still　wasn’t　sure　he　would　have。
“That　doesn’t　change　the　facts；　Oskar。　Lenck　has　more　than　proven　himself　worthy　of　being
among　us。　He　might　be　a　bit　of　a　rogue；　but　he’s　done　a　damned　fine　job　with　that　crate　of　his；　and
he　manages　a　difficult　crew。　For　the　sake　of　the　mission；　will　you　put　your　personal　differences
aside　and　act　like　proper　bloody　soldiers？”
Wulfe　grumbled　to　himself；　but　finally　he　said；　“I’ll　try；　sir。　Since　you　asked。”
Van　Droi　looked　pleased。　He　straightened　his　jacket　and　said；　“Unless　there’s　anything　else…”
“Nothing；　sir；”　said　Wulfe。
“Right。　I’d　better　get　moving；”　said　van　Droi。　“General　deViers　is　having　a　war　council；　and　I
expect　Immrich　will　have　fresh　orders　for　the　regiment　when　it’s　done。　Get　some　rest　while　you　can；
Oskar。　And　some　rations　while　you’re　at　it。　I　can’t　say　when　we’ll　be　leaving　this　unholy　place；　but
Throne　willing　it’ll　be　soon。”
“Yes；　sir；”　said　Wulfe。　He　saluted；　and　received　one　in　return　before　van　Droi　turned　smartly　and
marched　off　towards　a　column　of　parked　Chimeras。
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And　get　some　rest　yourself；　thought　Wulfe　with　genuine　concern。　You　really　look　like　you　need
it。
General　deViers　had　ordered　a　cordon　set　up　around　his　Chimera。　He　didn’t　want　the　rank…and…file
getting　too　close　to　the　meeting　he　had　called。　Kasrkin　troopers　from　Colonel　Stromm’s　98th
Regiment　were　positioned　in　a　wide　circle；　hellguns　in　hand；　told　to　keep　everyone　below　the　rank
of　lieutenant　out。
They　were　Kasrkin。　He　knew　they　could　be　trusted。
Bergen　stood　with　Killian　and　Rennkamp　at　the　front　of　a　small　crowd　mostly　comprised　of
regiment　and　company　level　officers；　adjutants；　executive　officers　and；　at　the　very　front；　positioned
somewhat　separate　from　the　others；　the　three　senior　representatives　of　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus。
DeViers　stood　atop　the　back　of　his　Chimera　so　that　all　the　officers　could　see　him。　He　looked；　to
Bergen；　like　a　vulture　on　a　branch　glaring　fiercely　down　at　the　three　tech…priests；　who　observed　him
impassively　with　lidless　mechanical　eyes。　If　the　general　had　thought　taking　an　elevated　position
would　rob　Magos　Sennesdiar　of　some　of　his　dominating　presence；　or　would　force　him　to
acknowledge　his　proper　place　as　a　mere　accessory　to　the　expedition’s　true　leader；　he　had　been
wrong。　The　hulking；　red…robed　figure　of　the　magos　still　cast　its　powerful　aura　over　the　proceedings。
“How　do　you　answer　that？”　deViers　demanded。　He　had　just　charged　the　Mechanicus　with
conspiring　to　lead　the　expedition　force　here　for　purposes　outside　the　primary　mission　objective。　As
one；　the　crowd　of　officers　edged　forward　a　little；　eager　to　hear　the　magos’　answer。
“The　accusation　is　false；　general；”　boomed　the　magos；　“false；　but　understandable。　Your　view　of
matters　is　being　coloured　by　frustration　and；　perhaps；　by　the　loss　of　so　many　men。　The　Mechanicus
is　not　offended。　We　guided　you　to　the　last　reported　location　of　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance。　It　was　not
there。　You　asked　us　to　aid　you　in　finding　its　new　location。　We　are　doing　so。　That　our　path　led　us　to
the　discovery　of　Dar　Laq　is　coincidence；　nothing　more。”
“And　you　expect　us　to　take　you　at　your　word？”　asked　deViers。
“We　were　attached　to　the　18th　Army　Group　to　provide　assistance　to　you。　We　have　done　little
else。　The　Fortress　of　Arrogance　is　a　sanctified　machine。　It　was　fashioned　by　us。　Its　machine…spirit　is
revered　by　us。　We　seek　its　recovery　as　much　as　you　do；　but　with　one　small　difference。　We　of　the
Mechanicus　do　not　seek　any　kind　of　glory　in　recovering　the　tank　the　way　you　men　of　the　Imperial
Guard　do。”
DeViers　looked　to　be　on　the　verge　of　being　personally　affronted　by　that　remark　when　Rennkamp
stepped　forward　and　addressed　the　magos。　“Then　you　won’t　object　if　we　leave　this　Dar　Laq　place　at
once；　magos；　since　further　investigation　of　this　place　is　irrelevant　to　our　mission？”
The　magos　turned　and　fixed　his　lenses　on　Rennkamp；　who　suddenly　looked　a　lot　less　confident
than　when　he　had　spoken。　“It　would　be　most　regrettable　to　leave　Dar　Laq　without　taking　the
opportunity　to　conduct　a　study　of　its　mysteries；　major　general。　There　are　gravity　fields　affecting　the
upper　reaches　of　the　chamber；　though　no　grav…generators　can　be　detected。　There　is　the　metal　all
around　us。　It　is　of　a　composition　so　far　unknown　to　the　Imperium。　Its　potential　value　can　barely　be
estimated　at　this　time。　These　are　only　the　most　obvious　examples　of　ight　offer　us。　Its
existence　was　rumoured　for　thousands　of　years。　Might　we　not　conduct　an　analysis　while　the　troops
are　being　fed　and　the　vehicles　prepared　for　the　next　stage　of　their　deployment？”
“This　is　no　mission　of　discovery；　magos；”　said　General　deViers　gruffly。　“Our　rations　are　running
low。　Our　fuel　is　limited。　Our　numbers；　I’d　rather　not　talk　about。　The　Mechanicus　may　return　to　this
place　on　its　own　damned　time。　For　now；　the　secrets　of　this　place　will　have　to　remain　just　that。”　He
raised　his　eyes　from　the　magos　and　searched　the　group　of　officers；　quickly　finding　the　face　he
sought　there。　“Ah；　Marrenburg。　Have　your　scouts　found　a　way　out　yet？”
Colonel　Marrenburg　stepped　to　Bergen’s　side；　looked　up　at　General　deViers　and　said；　“They
have；　sir：　a　tunnel　the　exact　size　and　gradient　of　that　which　we　descended。　The　air　currents　suggest　it
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leads　back　to　the　surface　on　the　far　side　o