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Viltry　rode　with　the　Line　of　Death。　He　had　been　offered　the　place　of　a　gunner　killed　on　the　road
some　days　before。　He　wasn’t　expected　to　perform　any　tasks。　He　was　simply　a　passenger。
LeGuin　took　a　turn　driving　in　the　mid…period；　to　relieve　the　weary　Emdeen。　Emdeen　climbed
into　the　commander’s　turret　seat　and　immediately　fell　asleep。　In　the　bare…metal　rocker…seat　of　the
sponson　below；　Viltry　found　slumber　harder　to　achieve。　The　noise　of　the　Pardus　tank　was　ferocious；
and　its　motion　far　more　violent　than　any　plane；　even　under　bad　turbulence。　It　was　a　vibration；　a
shaking；　not　at　all　like　the　fluid　variances　of　flight。　Loose　rocks　thrown　up　by　the　treads　clattered
against　the　heavy　hull　and　the　track　guards。　It　was　hot；　despite　the　night…chill　outside；　and　the　moist
air　reeked　of　smoke　and　oil　and　unwashed　flesh。　There　was　also　nothing　to　see。　The　night　was
moonless；　the　dark　enclosing。　The　convoy　elements　moved　with　hooded　lamps。　Within　the　tank；
there　was　merely　the　red　cabin　light　and　the　glow　of　the　thick…glassed　displays。
When　LeGuin　called　out　that　they　had　at　last　passed　over　the　top　of　the　Makanite　Ridge；　Viltry
simply　had　to　take　the　tanker’s　word　for　it。
Dawn　came　in；　grey　and　heavy。　Emdeen　resumed　his　driving；　and　LeGuin　and　Viltry　sat　in　the
turret　with　the　hatches　open。　The　air；　cold　and　damp　and　filled　with　exhaust　from　the　long　line　of
trundling　machines；　was　at　least　refreshing　after　the　stuffy　interior。
There　was　still　very　little　to　see。
The　trail　curled　down　through　bare；　grey　foothills；　snaking　through　a　boulder…strewn　landscape
that　seemed　devoid　of　natural　growth。　Mist　choked　the　valley　beyond；　stealing　away　any　distant
view。　Behind　them；　the　Makanites　were　towers　of　shadow　against　a　bleached；　starved　sky。
The　sun　rose；　but　the　mist　refused　to　clear；　and　they　bore　on　down　into　a　layer　of　haze　and　poor
visibility。
They　passed　by　three　Imperial　troop　trucks；　abandoned　by　the　side　of　the　track；　evidence　of　a
previous　column　fleeing　this　way；　and　then；　at　about　ten；　overhauled　the　tail　end　of　it。　It　was　twice
the　size　of　LeGuin’s　contingent；　and　moving　much　more　slowly。
They　fell　in　pace　with　it。　LeGuin　moved　his　machine　right　to　the　head　of　his　section　of　the
formation；　and　made　vox　contact　with　the　second　column’s　leaders。　From　the　exchanges　Viltry
could　overhear；　their　new　companions　were　travelling　under　the　same　sort　of　ad　hoc　command　as
LeGuin’s　segment。　Proper　lines　of　command　through　the　tank　and　infantry　forces　had　long　since
been　lost。　It　appeared　the　tankers　like　LeGuin—due　to　the　fact　that　they　were　now　the　defending
escort　of　thousands　of　truck…bound　troops—were　calling　the　shots　by　necessity。
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LeGuin　seemed　particularly　pleased　to　hear　that　several　tank　crews　from　his　own　regiment　were
riding　with　the　other　column。　He　exchanged　tart；　joking　vox　conversations　with　a　captain　called
Woll。
“Good　to　hear　his　voice；”　LeGuin　said　to　Viltry　as　he　settled　the　vox…horn　back　onto　its　cradle。
“I’d　heard　rumours　that　Old　Strontium　had　been　destroyed　at　the　Trinity　Gates。　The　old　rascal。”
Viltry　understood　LeGuin’s　delight。　He　too　would　have　been　happy　to　hear　from　old　friends
presumed　dead。
Not　that　it　was　going　to　happen。
The　mist　began　to　thin；　but　the　day　did　not　lighten。　They　had　reached　sparse　forest；　and　the
limits　of　what　seemed　to　be　a　metalled　roadway。　The　valley　of　the　Lida；　heading　down　all　the　way　to
the　coast。
Others　had　come　this　way　before　them。　There　were　more　abandoned　vehicles　on　or　by　the　road；
many　stripped　of　equipment。　They　passed　a　number　of　farm　stations　and　agro…complexes　that　had
been　deserted　by　their　inhabitants；　possibly　weeks　before。　The　places　had　been　comprehensively
looted　of　all　stock。　Store…barns　and　silos　were　empty；　habs　ransacked　or　burned　out。　Livestock　pens
and　the　huge　tin　rotundas　of　poultry　hatcheries　were　broken　down　and　empty。
In　some　fields；　they　sighted　rows　of　fresh　graves。
The　road　approached　the　river；　following　its　course。　More　ruined　farms　stood　along　its　banks；
homesteads　and　land…parcel　stations；　then　a　whole　village；　empty　and　gutted。
At　noon；　they　came　up　on　a　line　of　burned…out；　exploded　vehicle　wrecks；　jumbled　along
kilometres　of　road　that　had　been　badly　holed　and　cratered。　The　action　was　at　least　three　days　old。
Tanks　with　dozer　blades；　and　the　few　remaining　Atlas　tractors；　had　to　clear　some　of　the　wrecks　aside
to　permit　progress。　It　had　been　an　air…strike；　Viltry　could　see　all　the　signs。
After　that　damage　became　more　commonplace。　The　remains　of　other　convoy　elements　littered
further　shot…up　sections　of　highway。　Unburied；　blackened　corpses　lay　in　the　roadside　ditches。　More
bodies；　swollen；　floated　face…down　in　the　pools　of　a　ruined　roadside　hydroponics　system。　All　of　the
next　three　townships　had　been　bombed　to　extinction　by　heavy　raids　rather　than　just　looted　and
forsaken。
This　was　now　an　eerie；　miserable　landscape　to　drive　through。　Thousands　of　hectares　of　fieldsystems
had　been　burned　black　by　uncontrolled　firebomb　damage。　Farms；　villages；　entire　townships
had　been　levelled。　There　were　stretches　of　forest　where　nothing　remained　but　blast…splintered　trunks
protruding　from　cindered　earth。　Craters；　many　filled　with　rainwater；　punctured　the　landscape　for
kilometres。　Smashed　hydroponic　systems　leaked　rivers　of　algae…rich　soup　down　across　the　roadway
from　ruptured　dykes。　The　column　moved　on；　hissing　water　up　into　the　air。
It　was　no　longer　mist　that　stained　the　sky；　it　was　smoke　residue　from　the　days　of　raiding　and
firedust　kicked　up　by　their　wheels　and　tracks。　Down　the　wide；　wounded　valley；　their　scopes
identified　other　communities　shelled　to　death；　wreathed　with　the　grey　vapour　of　firestorms　that　had
blazed；　unchecked；　for　days。
At　13。33；　an　alert　was　given。　Ten　kilometres　north；　bright　flashes　underlit　the　clouds；　and　they
heard　the　crump　of　munitions。　A　few　minutes　later；　a　formation　of　enemy　warplanes　was　sighted
heading　south　at　medium　altitude。　The　machines；　their　payloads　already　dropped；　ignored　the
straggling　column；　but　there　was　no　doubt　they　had　been　sighted。　The　contact　would　be　called　in。
The　Imperial　column　had　begun　crossing　a　miraculously　unscathed　bridge　over　a　Lidan
tributary；　just　after　14。00；　when　a　second　alert　came　through。
It　had　started　to　rain；　and　the　auspex　refused　to　give　a　clean　track。　An　air　of　confusion　and　panic
rose　in　the　convoy　around　them。　LeGuin　cleared　his　weapon　batteries；　and　then　got　on　the　vox。
“Say　again。　Track　reading。　Confirm　track　reading　for　hostiles。”
Just　frantic　chatter。
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“Come　on！”　LeGuin　snarled　into　the　vox。　“This　is　Line　of　Death！　Give　me　a　track　reading！　Get　it
together！”
Viltry　opened　the　top　hatch　and　craned　up　at　the　overcast　sky；　smelling　the　cold；　wet　air；
listening。　The　sound　of　agitated　voices　came　from　all　around；　throbbing　engines；　the　noise　of　turret
motors　as　weapons　traversed；　the　timpani　of　rain　pattering　off　the　armour。
And　there；　concealed　behind　it　all；　the　warble　of　vector…thrust　engines。　Viltry　glanced　anxiously
down　at　LeGuin。
“What？”　LeGuin　asked；　standing　up。
“Hear　it？”
“Where？　Wait…　yes。　It’s　ahead　of　us。”
“No；”　said　Viltry。　“That’s　an　acoustic　bounce　off　the　valley。　It’s　behind　us。”
LeGuin　instantly　began　spinning　the　Executioner’s　turret　to　face　rear。
“Get　us　off　the　bridge！”　he　yelled　at　Emdeen。
“Get　moving！”　Viltry　shouted　from　the　hatch　to　the　trucks　all　around。　“Come　on！　Clear　the　way！
Get　these　vehicles　rolling！”
Over　two…thirds　of　the　column　had　still　to　cross　the　bridge’s　ancient　pilings。
Viltry　heard　a　change　in　the　vector　note。
“Here　they　come！”　he　yelled。
Someone　back　down　the　convoy　had　at　last　got　a　decent　track　too。　From　the　end　of　the　long　line
of　vehicles　forward；　weapon　mounts　began　to　fire　at　the　sky。　Pintle…weapons；　elevated　cannons；　the
few　Hydra　platforms　still　carrying　munitions。　Small…arms　opened　up　as　well；　men　standing　up　in　the
back　of　trucks　to　unload　las…rifles　into　the　sky。　Hundreds　of　other　Guardsmen；　unarmed　or　too
scared　to　make　such　a　bold　defiance；　scrambled　out　of　their　transports　and　ran　for　cover　in　the　trees
and　amongst　the　reed　beds　of　the　tributary。
The　firing　was　intense。　The　convoy’s　elevated　s