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my　staff　on　Gudrun；　he　arrived　a　week　before　the　rest　of　us　to　secure　the　location　and　make　sure　we　were　not　compromised。　His
preparations　were　thorough　and　ingenious。　No　one　entered　the　area　without　him　knowing　it；　nor　could　anyone　have　done　so。　At　the
slightest　sign　of　outside　interruption　or　official　interference；　we　would　have　ample　time　to　withdraw　and　flee。　As　a　final　precaution；　I
was　the　last　to　arrive。
THESSALON　IS　A　tough　little　world　whose　population　lives　in　a　dark　age　and　knows　nothing　of　the　Imperium　or　the　galaxy　beyond　its
skies。
The　meeting　place　was　a　rained　keep　in　the　north　of　the　second　continent；　two　thousand　kilometres　from　the　nearest　indigenous
community。　A　few　lonely　animal　herders　and　subsistence　farmers　undoubtedly　saw　the　lights　of　our　ships　in　their　heavens；　but　to　them
they　were　just　the　portents　of　the　gods　and　the　bright　eyes　of　fabulous　beasts。
MEDEA　DEPOSITED　ME　at　the　edge　of　a　conifer　forest　at　nightfall；　and　then　took　the　gun…cutter　back　to　stand　off　as　air…cover；　ready　to
redeploy　at　a　moment's　notice。　For　the　first　time　in　over　two　standard　years；　I　was　dressed　as　an　inquisitor　in　black　leather；　storm　coat
and　proudly　displayed　rosette。　I　also　wore　my　faith…harness　with　the　engraving　Puritus。　Damn　anyone　who　believed　I　wasn't　worthy　of
it。
Nayl；　in　combat　armour；　with　a　laser　carbine　cradled　over　one　arm；　appeared　out　of　the　trees　and　greeted　me。　We　shook　hands。　It　was
good　to　see　him　again。　His　men；　who　were　all　around　I　was　sure；　were　invisible　in　the　gathering　darkness。
Nayl　led　me　through　the　black　woods　into　a　break　in　the　trees　where　the　pine　tops　framed　a　perfect　oval　of　starfilled　mauve。　The　keep；
a　jumbled　pile　of　grey　stone；　stood　in　the　clearing；　with　hooded　lamps　glowing　from　the　lower　slit　windows。
Nayl　walked　me　past　and　around　the　alarm…sensors；　the　tripwires　and　the　beams　of　motion　detectors　that　webbed　the　structure。
Servitor…skulls　from　my　personal　arsenal　hovered　in　the　shadows；　alert　and　armed。
Bequin　and　Aemos　met　me　under　the　broken　entrance　arch。　Aemos　looked　pale　and　worried；　but　his　face　broke　into　a　warm　smile　as
he　sae。
'How　many？'　I　asked　her。
'Four；'　she　said。
Not　bad。　Not　great；　but　not　bad。　It　rather　depended　who　those　four　were。
'And　everything　else？'
'All　the　preparations　are　now　set。　We　can　begin　this　undertaking　at　any　time；'　Aemos　said。
'We　have　a　target？'
'We　do。　You'll　learn　how　when　we　brief　everyone。'
'Good；'　I　paused。　'Anything　else　I　should　know？'
All　three　of　them　shook　their　heads。
'Let's　do　it　then；'　I　said。

DESPITE　ALL　THE　precautions；　I　was　taking　my　life　in　my　hands。　I　was　presenting　myself；　voluntarily；　to　four　members　of　the
Inquisition。　I　was　trusting　that　my　previous　friendships　and　allegiances　with　them　would　count　for　more　man　the　accusations　Osma
had　laid　at　my　door。　These　four　were　the　only　four　who　had　responded　out　of　the　original　twenty　communiques。　Nayl　had　vetted　each
one；　but　there　was　still　a　very　real　chance　that　any　or　all　of　them　had　attended　simply　to　execute　the　declared　heretic　Gregor　Eisenhorn。
I　would　soon　know。
AS　I　STEPPED　into　the　main；　candlelit　chamber；　a　hush　killed　the　small　talk　and　six　men　turned　to　face　me。　Fischig；　imposing　in　black
body　armour；　nodded　me　a　half…smile。　Interrogator　Inshabel；　in　a　bodyglove　and　lightweight　cloak；　bowed　his　head　and　smiled
nervously。
The　other　four　stared　at　me　levelly。
I　walked　into　their　midst　solemnly。
The　first　lowered　the　hood　of　his　maroon　cape。　It　was　Titus　Endor。　'Hello；　Gregor；'　he　said。
'Well　met；　old　friend。'　Endor　had　been　one　of　the　first　two　to　contact　me　anonymously　the　previous　year；　from　the　Salies　slave…worlds。
The　other；　who　had　written　from　Thracian　Primaris；　stood　next　to　him。
'Commodus　Voke。　You　honour　me　with　your　presence。'
The　wizened　old　wretch　sneered　at　me。　'For　the　sake　of　our　history；　and　damn…his…eyes　Lyko；　and　other　matters；　I　am　here；　Eisenhorn；
though　the　Emperor　knows　I　am　very　suspicious　of　this。　I　will　hear　you　out；　and　if　I　don't　like　what　you　have　to　say；　I　will　withdraw…
without　breaking　the　confidence　of　this　meeting！'　he　added　sternly　with　a　raised　finger。　'I　will　not　betray　this　congress；　but　I　reserve　the
right　to　leave　and　quit　if　I　find　it　worthless。'
'That　right　is　yours；　Commodus。'
To　his　left　stood　a　tall；　confident　man　I　didn't　recognise。　He　wore　brown　leather　flak　armour　under　a　long　blue　coat　of　cavalry　twill　and
his　silver　rosette　was　fixed　on　the　left　breast。　His　domed　head　was　shaved；　but　there　was　a　violet　glint　in　his　eyes　that　told　me　he　was　a
Cadian。
'Inquisitor　Raum　Grumman；'　said　Fischig；　stepping　forward。　Grumman　took　my　proffered　hand　with　a　curt　nod。
'Inquisitor　General　Neve　acknoe　to　express　her　true　sadness　that　she　could　not　join　you
here。　She　personally　requested　me　to　take　her　place；　and　render　you　the　service　I　freely　render　her。'
'I　am　grateful　for　it；　Grumman。　But　right　from　the　start；　I　want　to　be　sure　that　you　know　what　we're　about　here。　Just　being　here　because
your　provincial　chief　requested　it　isn't　enough。'
The　Cadian　smiled。　'Actually；　it　is。　But　to　reassure　you；　I　have　reviewed　the　matter　carefully　with　Neve　herself　and　your　man　Fischig。　I
have　no　illusions　about　the　danger　of　being　here　and　siding　with　you。　Given　the　evidence；　I　would　have　been　here　anyway。'
'Good。　Excellent。　Welcome；　Grumman。'
The　identity　of　the　fourth　and　final　guest　took　me　aback。　He　was　clad　in　polished　battleware　plating　that　looked　custom…made　and
exorbitantly　expensive。　With　gauntleted　hands；　he　lifted　the　scowling　houndskull　helmet　off　his　head。　Inquisitor　Massimo　Ricci；　of　the
Helican　Ordo　Xenos。　He　was　hardly　an　old　friend；　but　I　knew　him　well。
'Ricci？'
His　handsome；　haughty　face　displayed　a　wide　smile。
'Like　Grumman；　I　am　here　to　extend　apologies　from　another。　For　numerous　reasons　that　I'm　sure　you　can　appreciate；　Lord　Rorken
cannot　answer　your　request　in　person。　It　would　be　political　suicide　for　him　to　participate　in　this　matter。　But　my　lord　has　faith　in　you
still；　Eisenhorn。　He　has　sent　me　to　act　as　his　proxy。'
Ricci　was　one　of　Lord　Rorken's　most　valued　and　admired　inquisitors。　Many　said　he　was　a　likely　successor　for　the　post　as　a　Master　of
the　Ordo　Xenos。　For　him　to　be　here　was　an　enormous　compliment；　both　from　Lord　Rorken；　who　had　seen　fit　to　send　one　of　his　most
illustrious　men；　and　from　Ricci　himself；　who　was　risking　a　high…profile　career　just　by　being　here。　Clearly　both　of　them　had　taken　my
proposal　and　cause　very　seriously。
'Gentlemen；'　I　said。　'I　am　pleased；　and　honoured；　to　see　you　all。　Let　us　discuss　this　matter；　freely　and　openly；　and　see　where　we　stand。'
THE　THESSALONIAN　NIGHT　winds　moaned　through　the　ruined　cavities　of　the　keep　as　I　briefed　them。　Inshabel　and　Nayl　had　carried
chairs　in；　and　erected　a　heavy　trestle　table。　Bequin　and　Aemos　provided　data…slates；　charts；　papers　and　other　pieces　of　evidence　as　I
called　for　them。
I　talked　for　about　two　hours；　taking　them　through　the　entire　matter　of　Quixos　as　it　was　known　to　me。　Much　of　what　I　said　had　been
laid　out　in　the　initial　communiques；　but　I　filled　in　all　the　details；　and　answered　questions　as　they　arose。　Endor　seemed　satisfied；　and
hardly　spoke。　It　was　good　to　have　a　true　friend　here；　one　who　simply　trusted　my　word　and　purpose。　Grumman　was　also　generally　noncommittal。
Voke　and　Ricci　asked　plenty　of　questions；　and　required　clarification　on　the　smallest　points。
All　three　ordos　were　represented　around　that　table：　Voke　was　Ordo　Malleus　…　though　thankfully　not　a　tight　member　of　Bezier's　inner
circle　…　Ricci　and　I　were　Ordo　Xenos；　and　Grumman　and　Endor　were　Ordo　Hereticus。　All　of　us　apart　from　Grumman　were　assigned
servants　of　the　Ordos　Inquisitorae　Helican。　Only　Titus　Endor；　who　I　knew　to　be　famously　demure；　wasn't　wearing　his　rosette　openly。
I　BELIEVE　I　spoke　eloquently　and　well。
We　broke　after　two　hours　to　stretch　our　legs；　ruminate　and　take　refreshment。　I　went　outside；　taking　in　the　cold　night　air；　listening　to　the
wind　swish　the　conifers。　Fischig　joined　me　and　brought　me　a　glass　of　wine。

'It's　bad　with　Neve；'　he　said；　just　getting　right　into　it。　He　had　travelled　back　to　Cadia　from　Cinchare　to　collect　more　data　and　to
specifically　recruit　the　inquisitor　general。
'B