James Swallow - The Flight of the Eisenstein

'What warning is this, lord?' One of Hakur's men asked, scowling deeply.

Garro looked at Decius. 'A warning of sedition.'

Carya cleared his throat. Unlike his second-in-command, the shipmaster did not seem ill at ease being outnumbered by so many Death Guard in so close a proximity. 'Honoured battle-captain, with all due respect, this is my ship and I will have you explain what has gone on aboard her before we go any further.'

'Indeed, as is right/ nodded Garro. He looked down at his mailed hands and took a deep breath. In a solemn, metered voice, Decius's mentor relayed the events of his confrontation with Grulgor. Shock took hold as he spoke of the virus bombs, turning into a grim, loaded silence as Garro went on to convey the commander's declaration against the Emperor and the horrifying result of the melee on the gunnery decks. Decius felt his head swim with the import of these things. It was as if the floor was turning to mud beneath his boots, dragging him down into disarray and confusion.

Vought was pale as paper. 'The Life-Eater… it will not spread?'

Sendek shook his head. 'It was contained in time. The viral strain burns out very quickly'

'1 would recommend the compartment not be opened for the next six hours/ added Voyen, 'to be certain. The war load will have dissipated harmlessly into space after the atmosphere vents were opened, but dormant clades might linger in the bodies of the dead.'

'Our own men.' Hakur shook his head. 'I can barely believe it. I knew Grulgor was a braggart and a glory seeker, but this… Why would he do something so

outrageous?' The veteran looked to Garro, an almost naive imploring in his eyes. 'My lord?'

Garro wanted to explain Grulgor's actions away. Like Voyen, some secret part of him had hoped that perhaps this was all some strange dream, or a tempo­rary madness that had taken hold of his rival, but the moment he had looked Ignatius in the eye, he had known it was not so. Grulgor would never ally him­self to a cause if he thought it might have a risk of failure. The certainty, the complete assurance on the other Death Guard's face, that sealed the truth of it for Garro. Grulgor was the proof of Tarvitz's warning, the damning reality snapping hard into place like a mag­azine into the breach of a bolter.

All the small things, the little asides and the moments of doubt, the dark feeling of ominous import, the mood aboard Endurance and the Vengeful Spirit, every element that had troubled Nathaniel these past days turned in place and became a part of the same whole.

'Saul Tarvitz, my honour brother and friend, brought me a forewarning. In risk to his own life, he fled the ships of the Emperor's Children to the planet below in order to tell our kinsmen down there that a viral attack is imminent. For this, Eidolon attempted to have him killed before he could succeed.' Garro nodded again. 'I chose not to follow that command. As a result, Saul is on Isstvan III as we speak, doubtless rallying men of the Legiones Astartes to find cover before the attack begins. My faith in what he told me is ironclad, as strong to me as my bond is to you.' He extended a hand and tapped Hakur on the shoulder, then began to walk around the room. Garro met the gaze of each person there as he did so, impressing his own truth

upon them. 'Here is the horrific truth. Grulgor and Eidolon are not two errant souls pursuing some per­sonal agenda, but soldiers in a war of betrayal that is about to unfold. What they have done is not of their own volition, but under the orders of the Warmaster himself He ignored the scattering of gasps that the statement brought forth. 'Horus, with the support of Angron, Fulgrim, and though it sickens me to say it, our master Mortarion, has done this.'

Across the chamber, Carya almost collapsed into an observation chair. He was struggling to make sense of Garro's words. Vought stood beside him, her face twisted as if she were ready to be physically ill. 'Why?' asked the shipmaster. 'Terra take me if I can see the logic and truth in all this, but why would he do it? What would Horus have to gain by turning against the Emperor?'

'Everything,' muttered Decius.

Voyen's head bobbed in a rueful nod. 'There has been talk of the Warmaster at second– and third-hand in the lodges. Talk of how far away the Emperor is, and of discontent over the commands of the Council of Terra. The tone of things has been strained ever since Horus was injured at Davin, after he returned from his healing.'

'The veiy tip of treason's blade, glimpsed in hidden places,' said Sendek.

Garro pressed on. 'Horus personally chose all the units for the assault on the Choral City. He picked only the men he knew would not turn if he called them to his banner. The bombing will rid him of the only obstacle to open insurrection.'

'If this is so/ demanded Decius, 'then why are we not down there as well? Your staunch loyalty to the Emperor and Terra is hardly a secret, sir!'

Garro gave a cold smile and tapped on the thigh plate of his armour. 'If the Warsinger on Isstvan Extremis had not forced this piece of pig-iron on me, I have no doubt we would be alongside Temeter and his troops, unaware that a sword is poised at our necks, but the turn of events has played in our favour, and we must seize our opportunity.'

Tarvitz's escape will not remain undiscovered for­ever,' said Vought. 'When the Warmaster learns of what you did, Eisenstein will be under the guns of the entire fleet.'

'I have no doubt of that,' Garro agreed. 'We have a few hours, at most.'

What do you propose?' asked Sendek. 'This frigate is only one ship. We cannot hope to assist the ground forces by intercepting the bombardments or attempt­ing to engage the Warmaster.'

Garro shook his head. 'If Saul succeeds, we'll have no need to stop the bombing. If not…' He swallowed hard. 'There is nothing we can do to help those men.'

Decius saw it first. 'You plan to flee.'

'Watch your tone!' snapped Hakur.

Decius ignored the veteran. You want us to run.'

We have no choice. If we remain, we will perish, but if we can get this ship out of the system, there is a chance we can still stem the tide of this Ueachery. We must finish the mission that Saul Tarvitz began. We must carry the warning of this perfidy to Terra and the Emperor.' He looked at the dark-skinned man. 'Master Carya, can the Eisenstein make space for the Sol system, or at the very least a star close to the Imperial core?'

He shook his head slowly. 'On any other day I would say it could, but today, I cannot be certain.'

'The warp has become increasingly clouded in recent weeks, full of storms and turbulence,' Vought

broke in. 'Interstellar travel has become very difficult. If we attempted to translate now, our Navigators would be virtually sightless.'

'But you could still make the jump,' Hakur noted. 'We could still get away, even if we went into the warp blind.'

Carya snorted. The ship would be cast to the etheric currents! We could find ourselves light-years off the charts… anywhere!'

'Anywhere but here', said Garro with finality. 'I want preparations made. Baryk, Racel.' He fixed them with a hard eye, using their given names for the first time. 'Will you resist me on this?'

The two naval officers exchanged glances, and he saw that they were with him. 'No,' said the shipmaster, 'many of my men are faithful Terrans and they won't falter, but there are some who will baulk. I imagine I have men who follow Horus among my crew.'

'There's also the matter of Grulgor's other Astartes on board,' added Sendek. 'They will be asking ques­tions very soon.'

Garro looked to Hakur. 'Hakur, take what you need and secure the ship. Apply whatever force is required, understood?'

There was a moment of silence as the reality of Garro's command became clear. Then the veteran saluted. 'Aye, lord.'