while. The Mechanicum adepts have been tinkering so there are a few more bells and whistles to play with,’
You say that as if it's a bad thing, Titus. The Mechanicum know what they're doing. Anyway, the latest news is that we've got twelve hours to go before the drop. We're going in with the Death Guard on support duties. Princeps Turnet will brief us in a few hours, but it's basically pounding the ground and scaring the shit out of the enemy. Sound good?'
'It sounds like battle,’
'It's all the same thing for the Dies Irae when the bullets are flying,’ said Aruken.
'This reminds me of why I was so proud,’ said Loken, looking at the speartip assembling on the Vengeful Spirit's embarkation deck. 'Joining the Mournival, and just to be a part of this,’
'I am still proud,’ said Torgaddon. 'This is my Legion. That hasn't changed,’
Loken and Torgaddon, fully armoured and ready for the drop, stood at the head of a host of Astartes. More than a third of the Legion was there, thouВsands of warriors arrayed for war. Loken saw veterans alongside newly inducted novices, assault warriors with chainswords and bulky jump packs, and devastators hefting heavy bolters and lascan-nons.
Sergeant Lachost was speaking with his commuВnications squad, making sure they understood the
importance of keeping a link with the Vengeful Spirit once they were down in the Choral City.
Apothecary Vaddon was checking and re-checking his medical gear, the narthecium gauntlet with its cluster of probes and the reductor that would harvest gene-seeds from the fallen.
Iacton Qruze, who had been a captain for so long that he was as old as an Astartes could be and still count himself a warrior, was lecturing some of the more recent inductees on the past glories of the Legion that they had to live up to.
'I'd be happier with the Tenth,’ said Loken, returnВing his attention to his friend.
'And I with the Second,' replied Torgaddon, 'but we can't always have what we want.' 'Garvi!' called a familiar voice. Loken turned and saw Nero Vipus approaching them, leaving the veterans of Locasta to continue their preparations for the drop. 'Nero,' said Loken, 'good to have you with us.' Vipus clapped Loken's shoulder guard with the augmetic hand that had replaced the organic one he'd lost on Sixty-Three Nineteen. 'I wouldn't have missed this,’ he said.
'I know what you mean,’ replied Loken. It had been a long time since they had lined up on the Vengeful Spirit as brothers, ready to fight the Emperor's good fight. Nero Vipus and Loken were the oldest of friends, back from the barely rememВbered blur of training, and it was reassuring to have another familiar face alongside him.
'Have you heard the reports from Isstvan Extremis?' asked Vipus, his eyes alight.
'Some of them,’
'They say the enemy has got some kind of psychic leadership caste and that their soldiers are fanatics. My choler's up just thinking about it,’
'Don't worry,’ said Torgaddon. 'I'm sure you'll kill them all,’
'It's like Davin again,’ said Vipus, baring his teeth in a grimace of anticipation.
'It's not like Davin,’ said Loken. 'It's nothing at all like Davin,’
'What do you mean?'
'It's not a bloody swamp, for a start,’ interjected Torgaddon.
'It would be an honour if you'd go into battle with Locasta, Garvi,’ said Vipus expectantly. 'I have a space in the drop-pod,’
The honour is mine,’ replied Loken, taking his friend's hand as a sudden thought occurred to him. 'Count me in,’
He nodded to his friends and made his way through the bustling Astartes towards the solitary figure of Iacton Qruze. The Half-heard watched the preparations for war with undisguised envy and Loken felt a stab of sympathy for the venerable warВrior. Qruze was an example of just how little even the Legion's apothecaries knew of an Astartes' physВiology. His face was as battered and gnarled as ancient oak, but his body was as wolf-tough, honed by years of fighting and not yet made weary by age.
me bore you with this before, but I feel in my bones that there's something big just over the horizon that we can't see. If these people help keep us honest, then that's good enough for me. Consider it done, Captain Loken,’
'Thank you, Iacton,' said Loken. 'It means a lot to me.'
'Don't mention it boy,’ grinned Qruze. 'Now get out of here and kill for the living.'
'I will,’ promised Loken, taking Qruze's wrist in the warrior's grip.
'Speartip units to posts,’ said the booming voice of the deck officer.
'Good hunting in the Sirenhold,’ said Qruze. 'Lupercal!'
'Lupercal!' echoed Loken.
As he jogged towards Locasta's drop-pod, it almost felt as if the events of Davin were forgotten and Loken was just a warrior again, fighting a cruВsade that had to be won and an enemy that deserved to die.
It took war to make him feel like one of the Sons of Horas again.
'To victory! ' shouted Lucius.
The Emperor's Children were so certain of the perfection of their way of war that it was traditional to salute the victory before it was won. Tarvitz was not surprised that Lucius led the salute; many senior officers attended the pre-battle celebration and Lucius was keen to be noticed. The Astartes
An Astartes was functionally immortal, meaning that only in death did duty end, and the thought sent a chill down Loken's spine.
'Loken,’ acknowledged Qruze as he saw him approach.
'You're not coming down to see the sights of the Sirenhold with us?' asked Loken.
'Alas, no,’ said Qruze. 'I am to stay and await orders. I haven't even got a place in the order of batВtle for the pacification force,’
'If the Warmaster has no plans for you, Iacton, then I have something you could do for me,’ said Loken, 'if you would do me the honour?'
Qruze's eyes narrowed. 'What sort of a favour?'
'Nothing too arduous, I promise you.'
'Then ask,’
'There are some remembrancers aboard, you may have heard of them: Mersadie Oliton, Euphrati Keeler and Kyril Sindermann?'
"Yes, I know of them,’ confirmed Qruze. 'What of them?'
'They are… friends of mine and I would consider it an honour if you were to seek them out and ask after them. Check on them and make sure that they are well,’
'Why do these mortals matter to you, captain?'
'They keep me honest, Iacton,’ smiled Loken, 'and they remind me of everything we ought to be as Astartes,’
'That I can understand, Loken,’ replied Qruze. 'The Legion is changing, boy. I know you've heard
seated at the lavish banquet around him joined his salute, their cheers echoing from the alabaster walls of the banqueting hall. Captured banners, hon-oured weapons once carried by the Chosen of Fulgrim and murals of heroes despatching alien foes hung from the walls, glorious reminders of past victories.
The primarch himself was not present, thus it fell to Eidolon to take his place at the feast, exhorting his fellow Astartes to celebrate the coming victory. Lucius was equally vocal, leading his fellow warВriors in toasts from golden chalices of fine wine.
Tarvitz set down his goblet and rose from the table.
'Leaving already, Tarvitz?' sneered Eidolon.
'Yes!' chimed in Lucius. 'We've only just begun to celebrate!'
'I'm sure you will do enough celebrating for both of us, Lucius,’ said Tarvitz. 'I have matters to attend to before we make the drop,’
'Nonsense!' said Lucius. 'You need to stay with us and regale us with memories of Murder and how I helped you defeat the scourge of the megarachnids,’
The warriors cheered and called for Tarvitz to tell the story once more, but he held up his hands to quiet their demands.