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The charges detonated and everything went white.
A servitor twitched its head, owl-like. Its taut skin, stretched to near-transparency over the metal latticework of fibres and components riddling its skull, bunched in ugly dumps as it affected a frown — some vestigial impulse remaining from the machine host’s previous life as a living human.
Fleet Admiral Constantine had learned long ago to translate the foibles of his staff — even those not blessed with sentience. “Report,” he grunted.
“Assault craft #3/G9 destroyed,” the servitor droned, voice deriving ghoulishly from a speaker tube on its shoulder. “Winch assembly compromised. Troop carrier Sillandrus detached and free-floating. Contact severed. Assumption of all hands lost.”
Constantine almost spat. That was the sixth boarding point compromised within as many minutes. He lifted his peaked cap to smooth his silver hair and stared around the control deck with a sigh. Immense banks of copper-piped gauges and obsidian-panelled switch consoles blinked and hissed, dutifully ma
It was pandemonium to the untrained eye, but all conducted in hushed tones and infused with the ghostly scent of incense and myrrh.
The boarding craft, he knew, were woefully outdated. He’d seen stock footage of the assault boats of the Segmentum Obscura in action, a smooth and deadly deployment of resources that left little room for enemy defence. The resources of the Fleet Ultima were worryingly behind the times.
“Fury interceptor, report,” Constantine barked. A pale-faced ensign looked up guiltily.
“Seventy per cent operational, sir. Sixty-five per cent for the Starhawks.”
“So why’s that warp-damned thing still moving? Their engines should be crippled by now!”
“Wing Commander Keamil says there are enemy squadrons rejoining from the surface. They’re holding the bombers up, sir.”
“You tell Keamil that if that bloody ship isn’t powerless and coasting within the hour I’ll be holding him up on a charge of professional inadequacy. Clear?”
“Sir.”
“Good. Now. Infantry command.”
An officer saluted. “Sir. Heavy resistance, as anticipated. If we can land a troop carrier or two it’ll turn the tables.”
“If, commander?”
“When, sir.”
“Better. What about our special delivery?”
A cowled tech-priest stood with a perfunctory nod. “Adept Yenus encountered some... problems. It seems the machina locarus is somewhat decayed and the teleport array couldn’t adequately secure a lo—”
“Adept — I’m not remotely interested. Just tell me if it worked.”
“Partially, admiral. We believe two adepts survived the transmission and are in position.”
“They have protection?”
The perso
“Hmm.” Constantine nodded minutely — the nearest he ever came to demonstrating his satisfaction. “And what about these ‘disturbances’ I keep hearing about? Commissar Varadiel’s reports aren’t reassuring.”
The officer rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “Nothing concrete, sir. Just some missing ratings scum and a lot of rumours. Too much dreamstimm amongst the conscripts and not enough whipping, if you ask me—”
“I didn’t. I want armsmen on full alert. If there’s something going on aboard my ship I want to know abo—”
He was interrupted by a commotion from the entranceway. A knot of ensigns were restraining a tall figure with as much decorum as they could muster.
“...let me through, warp take you!” a whi
“Sir, you can’t go on the bri—”
“Don’t you dare tell me what I can’t do, you odious little creature! Do you know who I am?”
“Yes, sir, bu—”
Constantine rolled his eyes. “Let him through.”
The ensigns shrank back. Governor Severus sneered at them victoriously, framed by the colossal archway from the chapel hold beyond the command deck. He brushed himself down, making a show of his ermine-collared greatcoat, and stalked forwards. Constantine was reminded of a strutting peacock, all gaudy colours and self-assurance. He raised an irritated eyebrow.
“Ah, admiral,” the governor neighed, saluting with insincere pomposity. “I was begi
“Some of us have things to do, Severus.”
“And some of us have been kept waiting like common ratings.”
Constantine sighed, fighting a migraine. “I haven’t got time for an aristocratic tantrum,” he snapped. “What do you want? Make it quick.”
“I demand to know how the battle fares.”
“Request denied. Get off my bridge.”
Severus almost roared, stalking forwards until he was face to face with Constantine. “Admiral! This system — every planet, moon, throne-loathed lump of rock and all the space between them falls under my jurisdiction! You will keep me appraised of the situation!”
Constantine’s temper, legendarily short at the best of times, snapped.
“Fine. The situation, governor, is that on your behalf I’m wasting time and men on a conflict that serves no purpose. I might remind you that the fleet arrived here under the impression that there was an invasion underway. Take a look at the surveyors, governor. The godless bastards can’t wait to get away!
“So the situation, ‘sir’, is that I won’t risk damaging my fleet for the sake of your wounded pride, and until we can slow them down enough to get in some broadsides we’re twiddling our thumbs.”
Severus blanched in the face of Constantine’s fury, leaning away involuntarily. “This is insubordination! I demand a full-scale assault!”
The admiral barely paused for breath, stabbing his finger against the governor’s chest with a snarl. “Governor, this ship is three mille
“Now. All you need to know is that I’m going to capture that bulbous piece of orkspoor xenotech out there, kill every last grey-ski
“Now kindly remove your bloated carcass from my command deck or, governor or not, I’ll have you shot for timewasting. Is that clear?”
The chamber plunged into astonished silence.
Severus rallied magnificently, gashing open his face with an indignant sneer. “Eminently.”
“Good. Now get off my bridge.”
Severus turned and stalked away, all eyes following him. Something occurred to him and he turned with a hungry smile. “Oh, admiral,” he said, “there’s one other thing.”
Constantine grunted. “Astonish me.”
“I want my prisoner back.”
“You w...” Constantine didn’t know whether to roar with laughter or throttle the obnoxious fool. “You’re unbelievable...” he growled. “Get him off my bridge! Now!” The ensigns stepped forwards menacingly, but Severus wouldn’t budge.