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logic…centres　of　this　installation；”　replied　the　magos。
Procurator　Machion…Dex　gasped　and　began　to　scramble　backwards；　desperate　to　get　away　from
the　image　of　death　looming　over　him。
9
Marduk’s　bolt　pistol　was　levelled　at　the　procurator’s　head　and　he　froze。
“No；”　begged　the　man。　“Omnissiah；　protect　your　servant。”
Marduk　smirked。
“Your　profane　god　does　not　heed　your　ay；　heathen；”　said　Marduk。　“You　have　devoted　your
entire；　pathetic；　worthless　life　to　the　worship　of　a　false　deity；　a　silent；　profane　image　of　the
unbelievers。　I　will　show　you　the　path　to　the　true　gods。　In　death；　you　will　bear　witness　to　the　glory　of
the　true　gods。　They　will　feed　upon　your　soul；　and　you　will　cry　out　in　your　torment。　Embrace　it；　little
man。　Embrace　your　damnation。”
He　shot　the　procurator　in　the　head；　and　blood　and　gore　splashed　across　the　grilled　floor。　“Glory
be　to　the　true　gods；”　declared　Marduk。
Marduk　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　deep　in　the　bowels　of　Kharion　IV。　He　stood　upon　a　grilled
gantry　within　the　hollowed　core　of　the　asteroid；　a　massive　pillar　of　machinery　rising　from　the
roughly　hewn　floor　before　him；　glittering　with　lights　and　dials。
The　magos　stood　before　the　humming　pillar；　fluid　leaking　from　the　severed　input…jacks　in　his
spine。　He　was　connected　to　the　pillar　by　the　one　mechadendrite　tentacle　that　had　been　re…grafted　to
his　body；　and　his　pallid；　dead　lips　twitched　as　he　extracted　information　from　the　heart　of　the
installation’s　data…library。
At　last；　the　flexible　tendril　was　retracted；　and　Magos　Darioq　jerked　spasmodically　as　the
connection　was　severed。
“Well？”　growled　Marduk。
“I　have　disabled　the　automated　defence　system　that　protects　the　installation；”　said　Magos
Darioq；　“and　initiated　the　self…destruct　mechanism；　so　that　our　presence　will　not　be　transmitted　to
the　god…cogitators　of　Mars。”
“Good；”　said　Marduk。　He　grabbed　the　waving　mechadendrite　tentacle　with　a　violent　motion　and
gave　it　a　solid　wrench。　It　was　ripped　from　the　magos’s　spinal　column；　writhing　in　his　hand　like　a
serpent。　Darioq　touth。
“You　have　the　information　we　need？”　asked　Marduk；　ignoring　the　mixture　of　blood；　oil　and
protein…fluid　that　dripped　from　the　thrashing　mechadendrite　onto　his　boots。
“That　is　correct；　Marduk；　First　Acolyte　of　the　Word　Bearers　Legion　of　Astartes；　genetic
descendant　of　the　traitor　Primarch　Lorgar；”　replied　the　magos。　“I　have　identified　the　location　of　the
one　in　whom　the　forbidden　knowledge　of　xenos　tech　devices　is　installed。　With　this　knowledge
obtained；　Darioq　will　be　able　to　unlock　the　xenos　tech　device。”
It　onic　essence　growing　within　the　magos　that　he　had　begun　to
refer　to　himself　in　the　third　person。　Marduk　found　this　amusing；　but　at　this　moment　he　was
concentrating　fully　on　the　words　of　the　corrupted　magos。
That　the　magos　had　not　been　able　to　unlock　the　device　himself　was　infuriating；　but　it　seemed
that　he　could　do　little　other　than　find　the　one　of　whom　it　spoke。
“Where？”　snapped　Marduk　in　impatience。
Beneath　the　surface　of　Perdus　Skylla；　tens　of　thousands　of　people　surged　down　access　tunnel　25X1；
a　never…ending　stream　of　humanity；　desperate　and　fearful。
They　were　crushed　together　like　animals　being　led　to　the　slaughter；　and　the　air；　stale　and　hot；
was　filled　with　shouts　and　curses。
Mothers　clutched　wailing　children　to　their　chests；　and　men　barked　at　each　other；　pushing　and
shoving。　Some　stumbled　and　were　trampled　underfoot；　while　others　were　pressed　against　the
rockcrete　walls；　crushed　by　the　relentlessly　driving　push　of　humanity。　Others　fainted；　overcome　by
the　heat　and　the　lack　of　oxygen。　The　crowd　was　so　tightly　packed　that；　unable　to　fall；　their　limp
bodies　were　carried　along　in　the　suffocating　press。
10
The　stink　of　sweat　and　oil　was　heavy；　the　turbines　of　the　labouring　air　recycling　units　unable　to
cope　。　The　rockcrete　ceiling；　above　which　was　half　a　kilometre　of
solid　ice；　pressed　down　oppressively。
The　access　tunnel　was　some　forty　metres　wide　and　bisected　by　barriers　and　rockcrete　pillars。
Beyond　these　barriers；　traversing　down　the　centre　of　the　corridor；　was　a　sunken　area　of　open　space
in　which　wide…gauged　tracks　were　embedded。　People　pushed；　shoved　and　cried　out　as　they　were
carried　along　the　platforms　on　either　side　of　the　rail　tracks。
With　a　blast　of　solid　displaced　air；　a　high…speed　automated　carriage　sped　by；　gushing
superheated　steam　and　making　the　access　corridor　reverberate　as　it　screamed　along　the　slick；　steel
tracks。　Knocked　back　a　step　by　the　force　of　the　conveyance；　people　covered　their　eyes　and　gazed
ruefully　at　the　mirrored　sides　of　the　carriage　as　it　passed。　Only　the　wealthy　guild　masters　and　their
staff　had　the　funds　and　access　privileges　to　use　the　highspeed　conveyances。
It　was　a　two　hundred　kilometre　journey　to　Phorcys；　the　sole　starport　off　Perdus　Skylla　within
five　thousand　kilometres。　Access　tunnel　25X1　was　the　only　link　between　Antithon　Guild　and
Phorcys；　unless　one　wished　to　traverse　across　the　frozen　surface　of　the　moon。　Few　ventured　up　to
the　inhospitable　surface　of　Perdus　Skylla　other　than　outcasts；　those　unlucky　enough　not　to　be　born
into　any　of　the　great　guild…houses；　or　who　had　been　exiled　from　them　for　serious　infractions。
Twelve　other　mining　guilds　were　connected　to　Phorcys；　each　of　the　proud　guilds　situated　around
the　starport　like　the　points　of　a　compass　and　connected　by　artery　tunnels　like　the　spokes　of　a　great
wheel。
Most　of　the　people　of　Antithon　Guild　had　never　left　the　hab…blisters　deep　in　the　ice　other　than　to
commute　to　the　mining　facilities　some　five　thousand　kilometres　below。　Fewer　still　had　been　to
Phorcys；　and　few　amongst　the　tide　of　humanity　had　any　real　understanding　of　the　distance　involved。
To　them；　Antithon　Guild　and　its　environs　was　their　world　and　universe；　harsh　and　uncompromising；
but　familiar　and　safe；　and　they　had　no　need　to　know　of　anything　beyond　its　boundaries。
Or　at　least　it　had　been　safe　until　the　first　of　the　sirens　had　begun　to　wail　and　the　pict　broadcasts
had　declared　that　Perdus　Skylla　was　being　evacuated。
No　reason　for　the　evacuation　had　been　issued　from　the　guildmaster　general’s　office；　and　the
twenty…three　million　strong　population　of　the　moon　had　been　in　shock。　Shock　had　quickly
descended　into　panic　as　rumours　spread　of　an　imminent　xenos　invasion；　rumours　that　were　not　in
any　way　refuted　by　the　Administratum。
Groups　of　the　Skyllan　Interdiction　Force　pushed　through　the　crowds；　attempting　to　maintain
order。　They　wore　their　customary　white　body　armour　over　sky…blue　uniforms；　and　held　highpowered
laslocks　across　their　chests。　Snarling；　shaggy…coated　mastiffs　with　gleaming　mechanical
eye…augments　strained　at　their　leashes；　sensing　the　tension　in　their　masters。
An　armoured　Catalan…class　squad　vehicle　moved　slowly　along　one　of　the　platforms；　its　white；
high…compound　plasteel　chassis　gleaming　beneath　the　humming　strip…lights　overhead。　Its　flashing
lights　and　blaring　siren　urged　people　out　of　its　path；　but　its　progress　was　slow；　for　there　was　no　room
to　allow　the　vehicle　through。
The　winged　emblem　of　the　mercenary　force　was　resplendent　across　the　broad　grill　on　the　front
of　the　heavy　vehicle；　and　a　pair　of　armoured　soldiers　stood　in　its　dual　turret　at　the　rear；　swinging　the
massive　twin…linked　heavy　bolters　left　and　right。　Their　faces　were　all　but　obscured　by　their　white
helmets；　and　black　visors　hid　their　eyes　from　view。
For　twenty…five　generations；　Perdus　Skylla　had　employed　the　Skyllan　Interdiction；　an　outside
mercenary　agency　funded　by　the　wealthy　mining　guild　conglomerates。　They　served　as　the　military
force　protecting　the　guilds’　assets　in　lieu　of　a　Planetary　Defence　Force；　while　simultaneously　acting
as　local　law　enforcement。　Better　trained　and　equipped　than　most　Imperial　Guard　regiments；　the
hiring　of　the　Skyllan　Interdiction　Forces　had　allowed　the　mining　guilds　to　concentrate　on　their
endeavours　without　having　to　draw　away　any　of　its　skilled　workforce　to　form　a　PDF。
11
Still；　even　with　the　mercenaries　present　within　the　tunnel　to　help　restore　order；　the　flow　of
humanity　was　little　short　of　a　rout。
One　of　the　long…furred　mastiffs　let　out　a　long　growl；　eyes　locked　on　the　ceiling。　Seeing　nothing；
its　master　jerked　its　chain　hard；　sile