‘For Throne’s sake,’ Jaume replied. ‘It’s why I was commissioned! Didn’t you even read the letter? I was commissioned to make your portrait for the dedicated chapel here!’
‘I don’t believe Ibram Gaunt is going to be commemorated anywhere in Imperial circles after this,’ said Handro Rime.
He walked towards the group across the broad, sunlit floor space. Snowflakes were tapping against the skylights far above their heads. Rime had his weapon aimed at them, a laspistol.
‘A heretical monster and his enablers. You have fallen a long way from the greatness you once achieved here, Gaunt.’
Gaunt stood up, and faced Rime.
‘And you’re the worst kind of fanatic, Rime. You’ve got this so wrong. You should be thanking me.’
Rime grinned a smile that all of his Sirkles could copy.
‘I don’t think so, you despicable traitor.’
Gaunt shook his head. ‘Whatever I say, you’ll just reply “That’s what a heretic would say”, won’t you?’
‘Of course he will,’ coughed Mabbon.
Gaunt turned. Jaume and Kolding were helping Mabbon to rise. The etogaur was clearly determined to get up and face his adversary.
‘I don’t even want to look at you,’ sneered Rime. ‘Archenemy scum.’
‘It isn’t just Gaur’s Blood Pact that wants me dead,’ Mabbon said to Gaunt, swaying against Kolding’s support. ‘The Anarch’s forces want me silenced too. They’re rather more subtle.’
He looked at Rime.
‘You’ve changed your face a thousand times, but I still know you, Syko Magir.’
‘This animal is talking nonsense!’ Rime declared.
‘Is he?’ asked Maggs.
Rime raised his weapon to shoot the etogaur. The split second he did so, Gaunt realised it was snowing.
Indoors.
The blood-scream knocked them all flat, and blew out the huge skylights of the Honorarium. Howling, the witch came for them, surrounded by a coruscating ball of warp-lightning. She was demented and raving. She was screaming vengeance for the death of her beloved brother. She came at them across the floor of the Honorarium like a typhoon, driving an arctic blizzard before her. Dry lightning tore the air.
All Wes Maggs saw was the old dam who had haunted his mind since Hinzerhaus. All Wes Maggs wanted was to be free of her phantom torment.
He opened fire, screaming, on full auto, and discharged the lasrifle’s entire energy reservoir.
His shots exploded the witch’s cocoon of warp-energy, and shredded her. She took nearly two hundred hits, and by the time her body struck the paving stones, it was pulped beyond any semblance of articulacy. The last few shots lifted her veil for a second as she fell back.
Maggs saw her face, a face he would never forget.
His weapon misfired, and began to chime repeatedly on charge out.
He killed the alert, and lowered the gun.
‘Feth me,’ he stammered. ‘Did I do that?’
Gaunt slapped Maggs on the back. ‘Yes, you did. Makes me glad I didn’t kill you.’
Maggs smiled a half-surprised smile.
‘Wake up, trooper, and help us carry the prisoner to cover,’ said Gaunt. Beyond the walls of the Honorarium, they could hear sirens wailing and gunships thundering in.
‘Oh, shit,’ said Kolding.
Gaunt turned.
Rime was back on his feet. He had a gash across his scalp, and what lay beneath looked more like augmetic artifice than flesh and blood. His face was half hanging off.
He was aiming his pistol at them.
‘You’re not going anywhere,’ he announced.
Gaunt heard footsteps running out across the echo-space of the vast temple. Troops were deploying into position around the confrontation, weapons trained.
He realised they were his.
‘Glad you could join us, Major Rawne,’ Gaunt said, his eyes never leaving Rime’s.
‘Apologies, sir. Got a little waylaid.’
‘Who’s with you?’ Gaunt called.
‘Varl, Meryn, Daur, Banda, Leyr and Cant, sir.’
‘All aimed at this lunatic as opposed to me?’
‘Oh, yes, sir.’
‘Even Cant?’
‘Locked and blocked, sir,’ Cant called out.
‘See?’ said Rawne, ‘Sometimes even he can.’
‘Well,’ Gaunt said to Rime. ‘This is a proper stand-off, isn’t it? Toss down your weapon.’
Rime smiled. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Tell your people to surrender. This facility will be overwhelmed in another five minutes.’
‘My people don’t work like that, inquisitor, especially not when the man they’re facing has been identified as an agent of the Anarch.’
‘That’s preposterous! The ravings of a heretic who’d do anything to save himself!’
Gaunt shook his head. ‘Mabbon was certain. He identified you, Syko Magir.’
‘The man is insane,’ Rime scoffed. ‘Put up your weapons. Come on, Gaunt. I know how straight-laced you are at heart.’
The bolt pistol was still in Gaunt’s hand. There was one round left in its clip.
He raised it, and aimed directly at Rime.
‘No,’ he said, ‘I have reason to believe that you are an agent of the Archenemy, and I demand that you drop your weapon, now.’
‘Or what, Gaunt?’ Rime grinned. ‘You’ll shoot me? I know you. I’ve studied your dossier. Without unequivocal proof, you’d never act against the Throne. Ever.’
Gaunt hesitated, and lowered his weapon.
Rime glanced over as Rawne stepped forward.
‘We’re done, thank you, trooper,’ Rime said. ‘Step back.’
‘My boss doesn’t trust you,’ said Rawne.
‘He’s got no actual proof,’ said Rime. ‘And he won’t act. I’ve read his dossier.’
‘Yeah,’ said Rawne, ‘but you’ve never read mine.’
Rime brought his pistol up, firing, screaming.
Rawne took him down with two kill-shots to the chest.
TWENTY-NINE
Exit Wounds
‘Take a seat, Ibram,’ said Isiah Mercure. They were meeting in a room in Section, one of the wings that hadn’t suffered smoke damage.
So, I’m Ibram now suddenly, am I?
‘Full marks for this, sir,’ Mercure said. He was busy at three things at once: a data-slate, a letter, and some reports. ‘Seriously, man, good work. We’re going to run with this. Edur tells me your regiment is prepared to lead the way with the operation? Is that right?’
‘The Tanith First is happy to serve, sir,’ Gaunt replied.
‘Well, I can tell you,’ said Mercure, flashing a quick grin as he finished and closed the data-slate report, ‘that’s good news. It’s great to get good people on your side. You think you can handle it?’
‘My regiment is mobilised, sir. We’ll be heading towards Salvation’s Reach within the week.’
‘A lot depends on this, Ibram,’ said Mercure, ‘and I won’t be there to hold your hand all the way.’
‘I understand, sir,’ said Gaunt. ‘I have just one question. The Inquisition, what has it been told?’
‘Just that the valiant Inquisitor Rime was lost in action during a Chaos uprising,’ replied Mercure.
‘I see. I’d rather not have the holy ordos on my back, on top of everything else.’
‘Understood.’
‘And I want Blenner and Criid released to my jurisdiction.’
‘Agreed.’
‘You can fix that?’
‘You have friends in high places, Ibram,’ Mercure mocked. ‘And you have friends in very low places too. How’s the etogaur?’
‘Stable. Eager to help. He’s–’
‘What?’ asked Mercure.