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Rorken smiled and took my hand。 'So you rate poetic beauty over content？'
'Beauty is truth； and tram beauty。'
He raised an eyebrow。 'What is that？'
'A pre…Imperial fragment I once read。 Anonymous。 As to your first question； I would read Sathescine over Catuldynas for pleasure；
and insist that my neophytes read Catuldynas repeatedly until they can quote it as well as I'
Rorken nodded。 He was a compact man； his head shaved but for a short goatee； and he wore crimson robes over black clothes and
gloves。 It was impossible to guess his age； but he must have been at least three hundred years old； for he had held his high office for a
century and a half。 Thanks to augmentation and juvenatus processes； he looked like a man in his late forties。
'Can I offer you refreshment？' he asked。
'Thank you； no； sir。 The nunciature has organised a busy schedule for me through the Novena； so I would be grateful if we could deal
with things directly。'
'The Ministorum's nuncios have set busy schedules for us all。 The Lord Commander has charged them with arranging as much pomp
as possible for this celebration。 And the Gregor Eisenhorn I know won't be sticking to their appointments if he can help it。'
I made no reply。 That was a telling remark。
I became wary。 Rorken and I had a good working relationship； and I felt he had trusted me ever since the affair with the Necroteuch
ninety…eight years before。 Since then he had been pleased to lead me； guide me； and oversee my cases personally。 But one did not
become anything like friends with the Master of the Ordo Xenos Helican。
'Have a seat。 You can spare me a little time； I think。'
We sat on high…backed chairs either side of a low table； and he gave me chilled water imported from the chalybeate springs of
Gidmos。
'A restorative tonic。 I understand the Beldame tested you hard on Lethe Eleven。'
I slid a data…slate out of my cloak。
'A preliminary draft of my full report；' I said； handing it to him。 He took it and put it； unread； on the table。
'Do you know why I have asked to see you？'
I paused； and took a calculated gamble。
'Because of the stories that I am unsound。'
He cocked his head in interest。 'You've heard them？'
'They've been brought to my attention。 Recently。'
'Your reaction？'
'In all honesty？ Puzzlement。 I don't know the matter of the stories themselves。 I feel someone must have a grudge。'
'Against you？'
'Against me personally。'
He sipped his water。 'Before we go any further； I must ask you… Is there any reason； any reason at all； that you think this story has
arisen？'
'As I said； a grudge is the—'
'No；' he said quietly。 'You know what I'm asking you。'
'I've done nothing；' I said。
'I'll take your word for that。 If at a later time I discover you're lying； or even hiding something from me； I will… be displeased。'
'I have done nothing；' I repeated。
He steepled his hands and looked out across the sea of candles。 'Here is the way of it。 An inquisitor … who； it does not matter … reported
to me in confidence a disturbing encounter。 A daemonhost made a show of sparing a man's life； because it thought he was you。'
I was fascinated and horrified at the thought。
'I am not able to confirm it； but the daemonhost has been identified as Cherubael。'
Now my blood ran cold。 Cherubael。
'You've had no contact with that entity since 56…Izar？'
I shook my head。 'No； sir。 And that was almost a century ago。'
'But you've been looking for it ever since？'
'I've made no secret of that； sir。 Cherubael is the agency of an invisible enemy； one whose machinations involved even a member of
our Office。'
'Molitor。'
'Yes； Konrad Molitor。 I have spent a great deal of time and effort trying to uncover the truth about Cherubael and its unseen master；
but it has been fruitless。 Ten decades； and only the barest few hints。'
'The matter of Cherubael's involvement in the Necroteuch affair was passed to the Ordo Malleus； as you know。 They too have failed to
turn up a trace of it。'
'Where was this alleged encounter？'
He paused。 'Vogel Passionata。'
'And it thought it was sparing me？'
'The implication was the daemonhost had better things in mind for you。 There was a strong suggestion of… a compact between you
and it。'
'Nonsense！'
'I hope so—'
'Really； nonsense； sir！'
'I hope so； Eisenhorn。 Grandmaster Orsini has no time for radical elements in the Inquisition。 Even if he wasn't so hardline； I'd not
stand for it。 Ordo Xenos Helican has no place for those who consort with Chaos。'
'I understand。'
'Make sure you do。' Rorken's face was dark and stern now。 'Your search for this entity continues？'
'Even now I have agents in the field hunting for it。'
'With any signs of success？'
I thought of the Glossia…coded message I had received the night before。 'No；' I said； my first and only lie in the conversation。
'The inquisitor in question urged me to take the matter to the Ordo Malleus。 I'll not throw one of my best men to the mercy of Bezier's
dogs。 I kept the matter internal to our ordo。'
'Then why the stories？'
'That's what troubled me too。 Word has got out anyway。 I thought it prudent to advise you that the Ordo Malleus might be scrutinising
you。'
A second warning in twelve hours。
'I'd like to suggest you leave Thracian and get on with other work until the matter blows over；' he said。 'But your presence is required
for the Apotropaic Congress。'
PIECES NOW FELL into place。 The sheer scale of the triumph celebrations； the magnitude of the Novena； were appropriate enough； but
the number of senior inquisitors summoned to attend was heavy handed to say the least。 Military and Ecclesiarch luminaries may be
ordered around to swell such events； but inquisitors are a different breed； more aloof； more… independent。 It is unusual for us to be
called together in any great gathering； particularly by such incontestable orders。 I had presumed Orsini was throwing his weight
around to impress the Lord Commander Helican。
But that was not the case。 There was to be an Apotropaic Congress。 That is why we had been called here。
Apotropaic studies are conducted all the time by the Inquisition； and usually involve one or perhaps as many as three inquisitors。 On a
larger scale； they are named Councils； and require a quorum of at least eleven inquisitors。 Larger than that； they become a Congress。
Such assemblies are extremely rare。 I knew for a fact that my late master Hapshant had served on the last such Congress held in the
subsector。 That was two hundred and seventy…nine years in the past。
The purpose of these studies； even at their smallest level； is the acute examination and assessment of unusually valuable captives。
Once in the custody of the Inquisition； a rogue psyker； a charismatic heretic； an alien warlord… whatever… undergoes a sometimes
lengthy formal examination quite separate from the dissection of his or her actual crimes。 They are often already condemned and only
waiting for sentence to be carried out。 At that stage； the Inquisition wishes to expand its own learning； to understand more precisely
the nature of the enemies of mankind。 The subjects are dissected； usually intellectually； sometimes psychically and occasionally
literally； in order to discover their strengths； weaknesses； beliefs and drives。 Vital truths have in this way been discovered by
Apotropaic councils； truths that have armoured the servants of the Imperium for later clashes。 To illustrate； the Imperial Guard's
famous victory over the Ezzel meta…breed was only successful thanks to methods of detecting their presence discovered by the
examination of an Ezzel scoutform by the Apotropaic Council of Adiemus Ultima in 883。M40。
The size of the inquiry depends on the number or magnitude of the subject。
'Thirty…three heretic psykers of level alpha or above were captured by the Warmaster at Dolsene； during the final major engagement of
the Ophidian Suppression；' Rorken told me； showing me a data…slate。 The security clearance on the slate was so high that even I was
impressed。 'Trained； somehow； to control and master the warp…spawned filth they channel； they formed the backbone of the Enemy's
high command defence； the beating heart of the adversary。'
'How were they taken？ Alive； I mean？' It was astonishing。 Untrained psykers are terrifying enough； their minds always carrying the
horrendous potential to open up a gate into the immaterium； to let its daemons flood through into our universe。 But these… these
fiends； they had somehow learnt … or been trained … to focus their warp…spawned talents； to contain the daemons within themselves and
use their damnable strenguh。 My mind reeled at the threat they had posed； and posed still； though they were our prisoners。
Rorken gestured to the slate in my hands。 'You'll find a summary of the incident there； appended to the main list。 In brief； it was
luck… luck； and the amazing courage of the Adeptus Astartes； working in conjunction with Inquisitors Heldane； Lyko and Voke。'
'Voke… Commodus Voke。'
'I forgot； you're old friends； aren't you？ He was involved with the Glaw affair on Gudran； just before the Schism。'
'Old friends is probably pushing it。 We worked together。 We generated a mutual respect。 I've seen him infrequently since then。 I'm
amazed the old dog is still alive。'
'Alive； despite the prognoses of several generations of medicae experts。 And still powerful。 To achieve this； in his twilight years…'
I nodded。 Even a speed…reading of the incident suggested an act of near mythical valour。 Voke's service to the Emperor was； as ever；
above and beyond any reasonable expectation of duty。
'I know Heldane too。 He was Voke's pupil。 So he's finally made it to inquisitor rank too？'
'For sixty years now… Eisenhorn； you lead a solitary life； don't you？'
'If you mean I don't keep up with the comings and goings of elections and the businesses of other inquisitors； sir； yes。 I do。 I focus on
my work； and the needs of my staff。'
He smiled； as if indulging me。 In truth； my attitude was not uncommon。 As I have said； we of the Inquisition are an aloof； independent
kind； and have little interest in the affairs of our colleagues。 I saw another difference between myself and Rorken。 Whatever my
seniority； I was still an agent of the field； a worker； an achiever； who might be gone into the distant gulfs of the Halo Stars for months
or even years at a time。 His rank tied him to his palace； and wrapped him in the intrigues and mechanisms of the Imperial ruling
classes in general and the Inquisition in particular。
I remembered Commodus Voke as a poisonous old viper； but a determined ally。 During the affair of the Necroteuch； believing himself
to be on his deathbed； he had implored me to stand reference for his pupil Heldane。 I had promised him that； though when Voke then
proceeded to stay alive； I had never followed it through。 He had been around to see that Heldane got his rosette。
Heldane… I had never liked him at all。
I'd never met Lyko； the third member of the glorious trio； but I knew him by reputation as an inquisitor whose star was very much in
the ascendant。 Their spectacular achievement on Dolsene would further all their careers magnificently。
I read through the list of inquisitors summoned to form the Council； a list which included my name。 There were sixty in all。 Titus
Endor was amongst them。 So was Osma； and so was Bezier。 Some names； like Schongard； Hand and Reiker； leapt out as men I had
little wish to be in the same room with。 Others … Endor； naturally； and Shilo； Defay and Cuvier … were individuals it would be a
pleasure to see again。
Some names I'd barely heard of； or never heard of at all； others were famous or infamous inquisitors who I knew only by reputation。 It
bly； drawn from all over the sector。
'My inclusion on this list？' I began。
'Is no surprise。 You are a senior and respected member of our office。'
'Thank you； sir。 But I e personally？'
'He was going to；' Rorken told me； 'but you had already been nominated。'
'By whom？'
'Inquisitor Osma；' he replied。
FIVE
THE TRIUMPH。
AT THE SPATIAN GATE。
THE LINE BREAKS。
FOR ALL MY condemnations of the overzealous pageantry of the Novena； I will admit that the Great Triumph of the first day filled me
with a sense of pride and exhilaration。
Across Hive Primaris； the largest and most powerful hi