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handing it to Burias； “and you are going to tell me where it is。”
“Wha… wha… what is it you want？” managed the man； gritting his teeth in pain； gingerly
cradling his left arm in his hand。 He stared up at Marduk； a mixture of fear and defiance in his eyes。
“A person； if you could call it that；” said Marduk。 “Someone who was posted here； at this very
facility： an adept of the weakling Machine…God。”
“What do you want with them？”
Marduk reached out towards the man； his movements slow and almost caring。 The guildmaster
recoiled from his grasp； but there was nowhere for him to run。
“You are injured； I see；” said Marduk； taking the man’s arm carefully in his hands。 “This must
hurt。”
With a slow twisting motion； Marduk turned the man’s hand over； making the shattered bones
grind against one another。 The man screamed in agony and Marduk twisted it again。 Then he
stopped。
“Do not question me again； little man。 This was punishment for doing so。 Now； tell me； where
is… What was its name？”
Marduk turned his head around； looking back towards the adjoining room and the lift。
“Darioq…Grendh’al；” he barked。 “Come。”
Like a hound coming to its master’s call； Magos Darioq entered the room； his steps slow and
mechanical。 Having been allowed to reconstruct his servo…harness； four massive robotic arms
emerged from his back； two coming around his sides； and two over his shoulders； like the stabbing
tails of an insect。 Black veins pulsed within the servo…arms as the lines between organic； mechanical
and daemonic were increasingly blurred； and one of the arms twitched awkwardly as he walked。
The guildmaster’s agonised eyes were locked on the magos； who wore a robe of black in place
of his red Mechanicus garb。 The red gloented left eye gleamed malignly from
within his deep cowl。
“What is the name of the target？” Marduk asked。
“Explorator First Class Daenae；” said Magos Darioq in his monotone voice； “originally of the
Konor Adeptus Mechanicus research world of UL01。02； assigned to cl4。8。87。i； Perdus Skylla； for
recon/salvage of the Dvorak…class interstellar freighter Flames of Perdition； which reappeared
within Segmentum Tempestus in 942。M41 and crashed onto the surface of cl4。8。87。i； Perdus Skylla；
in 944。M41 after being missing presumed lost in warp storm anomaly xi。024。396 in 432。M35。”
Marduk turned back towards the guildmaster with the hint of a smile on his face。
“How foolish of me to have forgotten its name；” he said。 The smile dropped from his face。
“Where is this Explorator Daenae？ Tell me now； or you shall be further punished。 And I promise
you； the pain you have already experienced will be but a fraction of what you will come to know
should you displease me further。”
“I don’t know who you mean；” hissed the man。
Marduk sighed。
“You are lying to me；” he said； and gave the man’s arm a further twist。 This time he did not
relent quickly； and he ground the broken bones of the guildmaster’s arm against each other with
vigour。
Behind Marduk； Burias grinned at the man’s pain。
“The explorator was assigned to this facility；” said Marduk over the guildmaster’s screams of
torment； “therefore you know where it is。 Tell me now； or your death will not be swift in coming to
you。”
54
The guildmaster’s eyes were shut tightly against the pain； and he passed out suddenly； going
limp in Marduk’s arms。 The First Acolyte threw the man’s arm down in disgust； the bones of the
forearm bent almost at right angles。
“Permission to speak； Marduk； First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of Astartes； genetic
descendent of the glorified Primarch Lorgar；” said Darioq。
“Glorified Primarch Lorgar？” asked Marduk with a grin。 “You are learning； Enslaved。
Permission to speak granted。”
“With the surgical removal of the inhibitor functions of my logic…engines； and the rearrangement
of the frontal cortex of three of my brain…units； I find…” began Darioq…Grendh’al。
“Get to the point；” interrupted Marduk。
“Summary： it is not required that the location of Explorator First Class Daenae be obtained from
the brain…unit of Guildmaster Polio；” the magos intoned。
“What gibberish does it speak？ Who is this Guildmaster Polio？” growled Kol Badar。
“Guildmaster Polio is the flesh unit whose radial and ulna bones of the left arm have been
rendered inoperative and non…functioning by Marduk； First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of
Astartes； genetic descendent of the glorified Primarch Lorgar；” replied Darioq。
Burias snorted his amusement； though Kol Badar growled and took a step towards the blackrobed
magos； electricity coursing into life around his power talons。 Marduk forestalled his advance
with a raised hand； and looked at the magos intently。
“What do you mean； Darioq…Grendh’al？ Speak simply；” he said。
“In order to garner the required information about the whereabouts of Explorator Daenae； all
that is necessary is to gain access to the cortex hub of this bastion facility。”
Marduk turned to look at Burias。 The icon bearer shrugged and Marduk turned back towards
Darioq with a sigh。
“What do you need to find the location of the explorator？” asked Marduk； speaking in a slow
and measured voice。
“In order to access the cortex hub of this bastion facility； a sub…retinal scan of the commanding
officer must be made；” said Darioq。
A hint of a smile touched Marduk’s lips； and he turned towards Burias。
“Fetch me his eyes； icon bearer。”
Burias grinned and flexed his fingers。
“As you wish； my master；” replied the icon bearer。
The heavy crawler doors slid aside with a sound like a mountain shifting； and snow and ice billowed
into the cargo hold。 The frightened refugees from Antithon Guild were huddled as best they could
against the far wall； protecting their faces from the biting wind。
“Let’s do this quickly；” shouted Solon over the wind。 At his side； Cholos gave him the thumbs
up。 Solon looked towards Sergeant Folches； who stood with his soldiers。 The soldier nodded。
“Keep her running；” shouted Solon to Cholos。 “The last thing we want out here is the engines
seizing up。”
Solon pulled his mask and respirator over his face； obscuring his features； and turned around
awkwardly in his bulky exposure suit。 He grabbed the sides of the ice…encased metal ladder on the
exterior of the crawler and began to climb down to the ground。
His breathing sounding heavy in his ears and he felt a momentary stab of claustrophobia。 He
hated these suits。 The pair of circular synth…glass goggle…panes obscured his peripheral vision and
the suit made all movement heavy and laboured。 Still； they kept the cold out； and without one he
wouldn’t last more than an hour in these conditions。
He climbed down the eight metres from the cargo hold to the ground and stepped onto the ice。
The wind threatened to knock him down； and he steadied himself with a hand on a massive wheel。
55
He turned around to look up at the bulk of Markham’s lifeless crawler as the others descended。 It
reared； black and imposing； like an ancient monolith； dark and dead。
With his mask in place； he had no means to communicate with the others except by hand signals；
and he pointed towards the front of the crawler。 Sergeant Folches nodded his head and signalled for
him and his men to take the lead。
“Be my guest； you bastard；” said Solon； gesturing his ascent。
The soldiers had their weapons in hand as they approached the derelict crawler。 It was clear to
Solon that its engines had not been running for some time； for there was a thick layer of snow across
the crawler； including over its engine stack。 Normally； a crawler’s engineer maintained enough heat
in the boilers that no snow would settle。 Snow was banked up high against one side of the massive
crawler； and Solon guessed that it must have been sitting dormant for at least five hours for such an
amount of snow to have settled against it。
The white…armoured Skyllan Interdiction soldiers began moving towards the front of the
crawler； their guns raised to their shoulders。 With swift hand signals； the sergeant sent two men
ahead on point； and they covered each other’s blind spots as they moved forward。 Solon and Cholos
stomped through the snow behind the soldiers。
“Doesn’t look like anyone is home；” Solon said to himself。
One of the crawler’s immense tracks had been ripped loose； and it lay twisted and broken
beneath the behemoth。 This was no accident； nothing could tear a crawler’s track loose except an
immense mining detonation； or concentrated fire by a well…armed enemy。
Solon saw one of the soldiers gesture up at the side of the crawler； and he followed the direction
of his hand。 A hole had been blasted through the side of the immense transport； roughly the size of a
man’s head； scorch marks surrounding the strike。
Solon walked closer to the side of the crawler； peering at a line of smaller marks up the side of
one of its wheels。 Splinters of barbed metal were embedded in the steel rim off the wheel。
He peered closely at one of the splinters。 It was viciously barbed； and he winced at its cruel
design。 Had it been embedded in a living body； the flesh would be torn to shreds in attempting to
pull it free。
Solon jerked as a heavy hand slapped him on the shoulder； and he looked up into the faceless
visor of one of the soldiers； who motioned for him to move on。 Solon nodded his head； and began
slogging through the snow and ice once more。
He stumbled as his foot caught on something； and fell awkwardly onto his front。 A soldier
helped him back to his feet and he looked to see what he had tripped over。
A hand； blue and frozen； was protruding from the snow。
Solon swore and staggered back； pointing frantically at the frozen hand。 The soldier nodded
grimly and motioned for him to keep moving。
Tearing his eyes from the grisly display； Solon hurried to catch up with the rest of the group。 His
breathing was coming in short； sharp gasps； sounding too loud in the enclosed space of his mask。
The group moved around the front of the crawler； and Solon saw that the reflective plasglass of
the cabin had been shattered。 Several holes had been punched through the front chassis of the
crawler； and Solon marvelled at the immense power of the blasts。 The front of the crawlers were
heavily armoured； allowing them to push through ice； rock and snow if necessary； and he had been
led to believe that even a lascannon would be unable to pierce its reinforced layers。 Whatever had
struck this crawler though had made a mockery of his teaching。
The soldiers moved warily around the side of the crawler； and Solon froze as the sergeant raised
his hand。
One of the soldiers dropped to one knee at the corner of the crawler and risked a quick glance
around it before giving the all clear and moving on。
56
They were out of the worst of the wind behind the lee side of the crawler； and Solon breathed a
sigh of relief to be out of the relentless gale。 The snow was not banked up so heavily here； and with
a flurry of hand signals； the sergeant relayed his orders。
One of the cargo bay doors was wide open； and one of the soldiers warily climbed the icy ladder
up to the cavernous opening。 As he crouched below the lip of the cargo bay； he raised his lasgun and
clicked on the powerful light under…slung below the barrel。
Rising up on the ladder； the soldier held his lasgun to his shoulder and swung the beam of his
light around within the crawler’s cargo hold。 He signalled the all clear； and climbed up into the
interior； disappearing from sight。 The other soldiers moved towards the ladder； Solon being herded
in the centre of the group。
Sergeant Folches and one of his men ascended quickly； while the other members of the squad
covered them； and then Solon was signalled to climb up。
His bulky exposure suit made the climb difficult and he was breathing hard as he reached the
top。 Sergeant Folches grabbed him under one arm and hauled him over the edge； his pistol held at
the ready in his other hand。
The sergeant held up a hand for Solon to stay put and his soldiers began advancing through the
darkened cargo hold； the focused beams of their lights swinging left and right。 They were swallowed
by the darkness as they penetrated deeper into the stri