nightmare as some holy curse； and turned in their frenzy on all the churches； temples and sacerdotal orders they could find。 We
learned within the first few hours that Cardinal Palatine Anderucias had been killed in the destruction of the Monument。 He was far
from the only great hierarch to perish in the orgy of carnage that followed。
THE RECAPTURE OR extermination of the remaining rogue psykers was the first and most fundamental task facing the authorities。 Ten
were known to have escaped the initial battle on the Avenue of the Victor Bellum； and these had fled into the hive； sowing carnage as
they went； hunted by the forces of the Inquisition and all the Imperial might that could be brought to bear in support。
Two of them made it only a kilometre or two from the route of the procession； hounded every step by Imperial forces from the Avenue
battle； and were neutralised by nightfall on that terrible first day。 Another went to ground in a vegetable cannery in an eastern sector
outhab； and was laid to siege。 It cost three days and the lives of eight hundred Imperial Guardsmen； sixty…two astropaths； two Space
Marines and six inquisitors to blast it out and burn it。 The cannery； and the outhab for three square kilometres around it； was flattened。
THERE WAS LITTLE or no central control for our forces。 Admiral Oetron； who had remained with the orbiting battlefleet as watch
commander； managed to move four picket ships into geo…synchronous orbit above Hive Primaris； and for a while succeeded in
providing comprehensive vox and astropathic communications for the ground forces。 But by nightfall on the first day； psychic storms
had blown up across the hive and all relayed reception was lost。
IT WAS A dark and frightening period。 Down in the burning streets； we subdivided as best we could into small units； functioning
autonomously。 Simply by dint of being with Voke； I became part of a group that made its headquarters in an arbites section house on
Blammerside Street in the mercantile district。 Desperate groups of citizens flocked to us； craving aid and mercy and sanctuary； and
much larger gangs attacked the section house time and again； driven by fear； by rage against the Imperial machine or simply because
we wouldn't let them in。
We couldn't。 We were overflowing with injured and dead； far too many for the arbites surgeons and morgue attendants to manage。
There was very little food； medical supplies or ammunition left； and we were also rationing water as the mains supply had been cut。
The power was down too； but the section house had its own generator。
All through the night； bottles and missiles and promethium bombs splintered off the shielded windows； and fists pounded on the
doors。
BY MERIT OF his seniority； Voke was in command。 Aside from myself； there was Inquisitor Roban； Inquisitor Yelena； Inquisitor
Essidari； twenty interrogators and junior servants of the Inquisition； sixty troopers from the Interior Guard； several dozen astropaths
and four White Consul Space Marines。 The arbites themselves numbered around one hundred and fifty； and the section house was also
sheltering about three hundred nobles； ecclesiarchs and dignitaries from the Great Triumph； as well as a few hundred common
citizens。
I remember standing alone in a ransacked office of the arbites commander just after midnight； looking out through shielded windows
at the burning streets and the blossoms of psyker storm that were wrenching the sky apart。 I had received no word or sign of Ravenor
since the catastrophe had begun。 I remember my hands were shaking even then。
In truth； I believe I was in shock。 From the event itself； naturally； and also from the psychic assaults I had suffered in the course of it。 I
pride myself on a sharp mind； but there was no sharpness to me then。
Numb； my brain kept returning to the idea that this outrage had been deliberate。
'There is no question；' Voke said from behind me； clearly reading my surface thoughts without my permission。 He lifted and
straightened a steel chair and sat down on it。
'Accidents happen； warplanes crash！' he cried。 'But these turned and attacked。 Their assaults were deliberate。'
I nodded。 At least one of the Lightnings had crashed into the Warmaster's entourage and another had come down amongst the files of
the Inquisition。 No one yet knew how many of my institution had been slain； but Voke had seen enough of it to know that as many as
two hundred of our fellow inquisitors had been obliterated。
I remembered the conversation that had turned around my dining table； the speculations about those powerful forces who would
oppose Honorius's bestowment。
'Is this the first act in a House war？' I said。 'The Ecclesiarchy； or perhaps great dynasties； trying to thwart Lord Commander Helican's
advancement of the Warmaster？ His elevation to Feudal Protector would not have been popular with many； powerful factions。'
'No；' he said。 'Though I'm sure that's what many will think。 What many will be supposed to think。'
Voke looked at me intently。 'Freeing the psykers was the point；' he said。 'There is no other explanation。 The Archenemy struck to
cause mayhem and allow the prisoners to escape； and to wound the section of the parade that was most able to contain their escape。'
'I won't argue with that in principle。 But was freeing the psykers the point itself； or simply a means to an end？'
'How so？'
'Was it an attempt to liberate the psykers… or was this just an act of extreme violence against the Imperium that the release of
dangerous psykers was meant to exacerbate？'
'Until we know what was behind it； we can't answer that。'
'Could the psykers themselves have done it？ Manipulated the minds of the pilots？'
He shrugged。 'We can't know that either。 Not yet。 The Warmaster might have been guilty of bravado in displaying his prisoners； but he
would have made certain security around them was seamless。 I must suspect an outside hand。'
We said nothing for a moment。 Honorius Magnus himself had barely survived the crash…blast and was undergoing emergency surgery
aboard a medical frigate at the navy…yard。 No one yet knew if Lord Commander Helican was alive。 If he was dead； or if the Warmaster
died of his injuries； then Chaos would have won a historic victory。
'I suspect an outside hand too；' I told Voke。 'Perhaps another psyker or psykers； trailing their colleagues here to stage an escape。'
He pursed his lipless mouth。 'The greatest triumph of my life； Gregor； capturing those monsters in the name of the Emperor… and
look what it becomes。'
'You can't blame yourself for this； Commodus。'
'Can I not？' He squinted at me。 'In my place； how would you feel？'
I shrugged。 'I will make amends。 I will not rest until every one of these wretches is destroyed； and order restored。 And then I will not
rest until I find who and what was behind it。'
He stared at me for a long time。
'What？' I asked； though I had a feeling I knew what was coming。
'You… you were close to the scene； as you said to me。 Closer than many； and shielded from the worst of the destruction by the bulk of
the Spatian Gate。'
'And？'
'You know what I want to ask you。'
'You thought you'd start with me。 I'm too tired； Voke。 I stopped to honour the admiral's tomb。'
He raised one eyebrow； as if he sensed I didn't really believe it myself。 But at least he did me the courtesy of not ripping into my mind
with his much more powerful psychic abilities to scour out what truth might be there。 We had reached an understanding through our
encounters over the years； and were now even when it came to owing each other our lives。
He knew me well enough not to press this。
Not now； at least。
An interrogator hurried into the room。
'Sirs；' she said。 'Inquisitor Roban wishes you to know that we have made contact with one of the heretics。'
AS FAR AS could be learned； the rogue was an alpha…plus psyker called Esarhaddon； one of the leaders of the coven。 Sowing tumult
and woe in his wake； he had fled into the hive with a group led by Lyko and Heldane in pursuit。 Heldane had managed to contact one
of Voke's astropaths with a scrambled summons for help。
Voke； Roban and I headed out into the hive streets with a kill team of sixty that included the four White Consuls。 Their squad leader
was a particularly large sergeant called Kurvel。 We travelled on foot through the debris and smoke。 Gangs of citizens jeered and pelted
missiles at us； but the sight of four terrible Space Marines kept them at bay。
Esarhaddon； Voke warned me； was a being of dreadful intellect and not to be underestimated。 When we saw the monster's choice of
bolt…hole； I understood what Voke meant。
THE NOBLE FAMILY of Lange was prominent in the aristocracy of Thracian Primaris； and kept an ample summer palace in the east
sector of Hive Primaris； near to the mercantile quarter where they had made their fortunes。
The palace rose proud of the lowhab streets around it； swathed in its own force bubble。
This had been one of the city areas we had supposed to be secure。 With their power and resources； noble houses should have been able
to protect themselves for the duration of the unrest。
But not against Esarhaddon。 He was inside； with all the resources of the palace to protect him。
We met Heldane on the western approach road to the palace。 He had a team of about twenty with him。 The street itself was littered
with bodies； most of them citizens。
'He's controlling the crowds as if they were puppets；' Heldane said curtly； with no word of greeting。 'Waves of them keep coming at
us； preventing us getting to the garden walls and the servants' annex along there。'
As I may have said； I had little time for Inquisitor Heldane。 A very tall； grim man； his face an unsightly mass of scar tissue since an
encounter with a hungry carnodon back on Gudran。 He'd been Voke's pupil when I had first met him； now he was a full inquisitor；
with mental powers； it was said； that exceeded even his old master's。 As I saw him there； I shuddered。 He had undergone extensive
surgery； not to disguise the damage to his face； but to exaggerate it。 His skull seemed to have been extended into an almost equine
shape； with a snout…like mouth full of blunt teeth； and dark； murky eyes。 Fibre…wires and fluid tubes braided his cr