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They do not see the falsehood of such a belief. His hand lies upon all of us, and every one of us owes him our devotion. In the depths of the warp, the Emperor's mighty soul does battle with the dark things that would break through and consume us all. On Terra, he creates wonders that will bring peace, enlightenment and the fruition of all our dreams to the galaxy. The Emperor guides us, teaches us, and exhorts us to become more than we are, but most of all, the Emperor protects,’
The Emperor protects,’ said the congregation in unison.
The faith of the Lectitio Divinitatus, the Divine Word of the Emperor, is not an easy path to follow. Where the Imperial Truth is comforting in its rigorous rejection of the unseen and the unknown, the Divine Word requires the strength to believe in that which we ca
understand the path the Emperor has laid before mankind.'
Fine words, thought Sinderma
Before Cassar could continue, Sinderma
The congregation started in confusion, looking to Cassar for an explanation, but the man was as nonplussed as they were.
'They've found you,’ yelled Sinderma
'Everyone, get out,' shouted Cassar. 'Scatter!'
Sinderma
'Come on, iterator. It's time we got out of here,’ said Cassar, dragging the venerable iterator towards one of the many access corridors that radiated from the chamber.
Seeing the worry on his face, Cassar said, 'Don't worry, Kyril, the Emperor protects,’
'I certainly hope so,’ replied Sinderma
Shots echoed from the ceiling and bright muzzle flashes strobed from the walls. Sinderma
Sinderma
'Do you know where you are going?' wheezed Sinderma
'Engineering,’ said Cassar. 'It's like a maze down there and we have friends in the engine crew. Damn, why can't they just let us be?'
'Because they are scared of you,’ said Sinderma
'AND YOU ARE certain of this?' asked Horus, Pri-march of the Sons of Horus Legion and Warmaster of the Imperium, his voice echoing around the cavernous strategium of the Vengeful Spirit.
'As certain as I can be,’ said Ing Mae Sing, the 63rd Expedition's Mistress of Astropaths. Her face was lined and drawn and her blind eyes were sunken within ravaged eye sockets. The demands of sending hundreds of telepathic communications across the galaxy weighed heavily on her skeletal frame. Astropathic acolytes gathered about her, robed in the same ghostly white as she and wordlessly whispering muttered doggerel of the ghastly images in their heads.
'How long do we have?' asked Horus.
As with all things co
'Mistress Sing,’ said Horus coldly, 'precision is exactly what I need from you, now more than ever. The direction of the Crusade will change dramatically at this news, and if you are wrong it will change for the worse,’
'My lord, I ca
Horus pounded a hand into his fist. 'Do you understand what you say? Nothing more dangerous could happen to the Crusade,’
'I merely state what I see, Warmaster,’
'If you are wrong.
The threat was not idle - no threat the Warmaster uttered ever was. There had been a time when the Warmaster's anger would never have led to such an overt threat, but the violence in Horus's tone suggested that such a time had long passed.
'If we are wrong, we suffer. It has never been any different,’
And my brother primarchs? What news from them?' asked Horus.
'We have been unable to confirm contact with the blessed Sanguinius,’ replied Ing Mae Sing, 'and Leman Russ has sent no word of his campaign against the Thousand Sons,’
Horus laughed, a harsh Cthonic bark, and said, That doesn't surprise me. The Wolf has his head and he'll not easily be distracted from teaching Magnus a lesson. And the others?'
Vulkan and Dorn are returning to Terra. The other primarchs are pursuing their current campaigns,’
That is good at least,’ said Horus, brow furrowing in thought, 'and what of the Fabricator General?'
'Forgive me, Warmaster, but we have received nothing from Mars. We shall endeavour to make contact by mechanical means, but this will take many months,’
'You have failed in this, Sing. Co-ordination with Mars is essential.'
Ing Mae Sing had telepathically broadcast a multitude of encoded messages between the Vengeful Spirit and Fabricator General Kelbor-Hal of the Mechanicum in the last few weeks. Although their substance was unknown to her, the emotions contained in them were all too clear. Whatever the Warmaster was pla
Horus spoke again, distracting her from her thoughts. The other primarchs, have they received their orders?'
They have, my lord,' said Ing Mae Sing, unable to keep the unease from her voice.
The reply from Lord Guilliman of the Ultramarines was clean and strong. They are approaching the muster at Calth and report all forces are ready to depart.'
'And Lorgar?' asked Horus.
Ing Mae Sing paused, as if unsure how to phrase her next words.
'His message had residual symbols of... pride and obedience; very strong, almost fanatical. He acknowledges your attack order and is making good speed to Calth,’
Ing Mae Sing prided herself on her immense self-control, as befitted one whose emotions had to be kept in check lest they be changed by the influence of the warp, but even she could not keep some emotion from surfacing.