conditions normal。 All systems running clean and smooth。 We are green for go； Captain。 Request
permission to relay the order to launch control to prepare a lander for planetary descent。”
“Permission denied；” Strell said。 “I want you to check the confirmation codes on that last
astropathic message again； Number One。 Then； report back to me。”
“Aye； sir。 Understood；” Gudarsen replied； before bustling energetically away with what seemed
to his captain a commendable eagerness to follow his instructions。
Left to his thoughts once more； while around him the crew of the command bridge went about
their duties； Strell again turned his attention to the planet looming ever larger through the viewing
portal。 As he did； he wondered if the disquiet he felt gazing at the world before him had less to do
with anything sinister in the appearance of the planet itself and more to do with his puzzlement at
the orders that had brought them to it。 His ship； Inevitable Victory； had been en route with escorts
and another thirty troopships to the Seltura system when they had received orders to break convoy
and proceed here alone。 It had been only a small detour requiring no more than a four hour jump
through the warp； but the precise nature of the mission they had come here to perform was enough
to have the Victory’s captain grinding his teeth in frustration。
A single company； thought Strell。 Why in the name of the Divine would Naval Operations
Command divert an entire starship just to drop a single company of Imperial Guardsmen on some
backwater； Emperor…forsaken world？
Aggravated by the thought； Strell cast an ill…humoured eye over the printout of the ship’s
transport manifest held in his hand until he came to the listing for the offending company。 6th
Company； the 14th Jumael Volunteers； Company Commander： Lieutenant Vinters。 There was
nothing out of the ordinary in the company’s listing on the manifest。 Nothing to explain why he and
his crew had been diverted from their duties and the protection of the convoy to ferry two hundred
men to a planet that； in galactic terms； might as well be in the middle of nowhere。
Perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye； thought Strell again。 Perhaps the manifest
listing is only a cover； and they are special troops on a secret mission。 Why else would we have
been sent here？ The only other reason could be if some mistake had been made but the Imperium
does not make mistakes。 Yes； a secret mission。 It is the only explanation that makes any sense…
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Satisfied at last that he had found the answer； Strell turned to see Gudarsen hurrying towards
him once more； holding the text of the astropathic message gripped tightly before him。
“All confirmation codes read correct； captain；” Gudarsen said。 “The specifics of our mission are
confirmed。”
“Very good。 You have my permission to relay instructions to Launch Control to prepare a lander
for launch。 Oh； and Number One？ This is strictly a ‘drop…and…depart’ mission。 Tell Liaison to have
the navigator plot a new course for Seltura III。 Once the lander has dropped its passengers planetside
and returned to the ship； I want us to underway within the hour。”
“Orders received and understood； captain；” said Gudarsen； ending with a standard phrase of
acknowledgement as he hurried away to carry out his duties。 “The Emperor protects。”
“The Emperor protects； Number One；” Strell echoed； already turning to redirect his gaze
towards the planet once more as he waited for the lander to be launched so he could watch its
descent。
Yes； he thought。 A secret mission。 That’s the only thing it could he。 If Operations Command has
decided we are to be denied information as to the nature of that mission； so be it。 It is like they used
to teach us in the scholarium。 Then； he allowed himself a small smile of nostalgia as his mind turned
to the half…remembered wisdoms of long ago days。 How did it go now； he thought。 Ah yes； it was
something like：
“Ours is not to reason why。”
“Ours is but to do and die。”
“It is better to die for the Emperor than live for yourself！” the vox…caster screamed； drowning out the
sound of trampling feet and shouted orders as the men of 6th Company ran through the troopship’s
cramped corridors towards the launch bay。 “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Imperium！ If
you want peace； prepare for war！”
The vox…caster blared on through the bowels of the troopship； on and on in a pre…recorded loop
of exhortations to duty； as Larn ran stumbling with the others under the weight of the heavy pack on
his back。 Barely three hours had passed since Sergeant Ferres had at last relented and dismissed
them from training to return to their quarters。 Three hours since； exhausted； Larn had finally been
allowed to go to sleep。 Only to be roused blearily from his slumbers two and a quarter hours later by
the wail of sirens as Sergeant Ferres had ordered the men of the platoon from their bunks and told
them to make ready for a planetary drop。
“Be vigilant and be strong！” the vox…caster shrieked ever louder； harsh echoes rebounding from
loudspeakers set in the metal walls and ceiling all around them。 “The Emperor is your shield and
protector！”
Now； three quarters of an hour’s worth of hurried preparations later； Larn found himself running
in full kit as he and the rest of his company were herded like sheep through the troopship’s maze of
corridors。 Here and there they passed naval crewmen who paused from their duties long enough to
cheer them on； offering half…heard words of encouragement in place of the sardonic laughter that
had greeted their earlier training exercises。 With the prospect that their erstwhile passengers might
soon be seeing combat； it seemed the normal antipathy between the Navy and the Guard had
abruptly given way to mutual respect。 With a sudden tremor in the pit of his stomach； Larn realised
he was about to go to war。
“You shall know no reward other than the Emperor’s satisfaction！” the vox…caster continued。
“You shall know no truth other than that which the servants of your Emperor tell you！”
This is it； Larn thought。 After all the training and briefings； all the preparations； the moment for
which it was all in aid of is here at last。 I am finally going to war。 As much as that thought filled his
mind； he found himself distracted as a second thought pushed itself insistently to the fore。 Three
weeks； he thought。 Three weeks； maybe four。 That is what the naval officer said in the briefing only
yesterday。 He said it would be at least three weeks before we saw any action。 Confused； Larn
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wondered what could have changed in the meantime。 If yesterday they were still three weeks from
combat； how was it today they were about to make their first drop？
“The mind of the Guardsman has no place for questions；” the vox…caster screamed unnervingly。
“Doubt is a vile cancer whose symptoms are cowardice and fear； steel yourself against it。 There is
room for but three things in the mind of the Guardsman： obedience； duty； and love of the Emperor。”
Abruptly； as though the blaring of the vox…caster was somehow the sound of his own
conscience； Larn felt a sudden shame。 He thought of his family far away on Jumael； and how every
night they would be offering a prayer for his safety as they knelt before the votive picture of the
Emperor above the fire mantle。 He thought about the tale his father had told him； about his greatgrandfather
and the lottery。 He thought about all the promises he had made his Pa about doing his
duty。 He realised； for all his talk and promises then； how close he had coming to failing them at the
very first hurdle。 It did not matter that the facts given him in yesterday’s briefing now seemed at
odds with today’s reality。 He was a Guardsman； and all that mattered was that he did his duty。
Putting his questions aside he found himself comforted by the memory of his father’s words in the
cellar； his recollection of his father’s voice serving as a kinder and more gentle counterpoint to the
vox…caster’s wail and bombast。
“Trust to the Emperor；” his father had told him with tears in his eyes。 “Trust to the Emperor； and
everything will be all right。”
Emerging from the cramp and narrowness of the corridor； the launch bay seemed huge as Larn
followed the men in front of him inside it。 Ahead he saw the imposing bulk of a lander； steam rising
from the hydraulics of the platform it rested on as tech…adepts scurried around it like mindful ants
giving succour to a fallen giant。 He saw adepts manning the massive fuel lines that ran from a
recessed spout in the far wall of the launch bay to the lander’s engines； while others anointed the
surfaces of the lander with unguents； burned incense； performed blessings； or made final
adjustments to the lander’s systems with the diverse instruments of holy calibration。 All the while
the lander hummed with power； the thrumming of its restive engines vibrating through the metal
floor of the launch bay towards where Larn and the others stood gazing at it uncertainly； like wary
travellers unsure whether to risk waking a sleeping tiger。
“Get moving； you inbreeds！” Sergeant Ferres yelled； the volume of the continuing vox…caster
broadcasts around them having been diminished enough by the open spaces of the launch bay for
them to at last hear their sergeant’s commands。 “A man might almost think you bumpkins hadn’t
seen a lander before。”
In truth； none of them had： their journey from Jumael to the orbiting troopship having been
undertaken inside local planetary shuttles of much less startling dimensions。 As Larn rushed towards
the lander with the others he found himself in awe to be approaching so enormous a vehicle。 It looks
like it could hold a couple of thousand men at least； he thought。 Not to mention tanks and artillery
besides。 For the first time he truly appreciated the extraordinary scale of the troopship he had been
travelling within for the last twenty…nine days。 Sweet Emperor； he thought in amazement； to think
they say this ship carries twenty such landers！
At the front the mouth of the lander lay open； the primary assault ramp stretching towards them
like the tongue of some improb