Fear And Fire Part 11

'At five-bell today, the public vox network broad-cast a signal from the baron's mansion. Sherring himself has declared secession from Governor Emmel's rule and the law of the Ecclesiarchy. He claims that the lord deacon is guilty of crimes against the Imperium.

'Impossible. breathed Venik. 'He has signed his city's death warrant!'

Ca.s.sandra continued. 'Lord LaHayn ordered the mobilisation of a reprisal force immediately. We are tasked to march on Metis and censure the baron for his heresy.

Reiko frowned. 'If Verity is correct and Vaun is hid-ing out under Sherring's protection, the baron may have more than just some misguided guardsmen at his side.

'It appears that events have overtaken us. said the Canoness grimly. 'My orders are revised. Mobilise the Sisterhood. Metis will surrender to us, or we will raze it to ashes.

CHAPTER NINE.

The a.s.sault force left the highway as the gates of the Staberinde Pa.s.s loomed large through the forest. Forward scouts reported that Sherring's Household Cavalry had placed explosive charges on the sheer walls of the cutting, and Canoness Galatea was in no mood to give them cause to use such a crude tac-tic. With clipped orders, she sent her commands down the line to the Rhinos, Repressors, Exorcists and Immolators. In slow precision, the armoured vehicles proceeded to force their way through the trees. From the bra.s.s grilles of a dozen winged speaker horns came the opening cantos of the Fede Imperialis, the battle hymn of the Adepta Sororitas. Miriya crouched on the roof of the Canoness's transport, the view through her magnoculars bob-bing as the tracked tank rode over the dark earth.

They were advancing up a gentle incline, pa.s.sing through the collar of trees that surrounded Metis City in a thick ring.

At first glance, the settlement appeared to be a formidable target: Metis was built into the basalt bowl of a dead volcano, a caldera-city encircled by a natural s.h.i.+eld wall. There were few points of entry, and huge gates guarded each one, but on closer inspection, there were myriad weaknesses. In places the stone walls were thinner, thin enough that a sustained missile barrage would be able to crack them.

The Metiser soldiery, although noted for their fine uniforms and skills with ornamental cutla.s.ses, were ill-trained to face armoured a.s.saults and zealous attackers. Baron Sherring's troops were largely local fops with just a handful of Imperial Guardsmen grown fat in a comfortable posting. The Sisters of Battle did not expect to be challenged here.

The Celestian's viewpoint drifted down to the upper edge of the timberline, to where the drum-shaped defence bunkers studded the lower slopes of the city wall. Dean Venik had provided intelligence records showing that the baron's pillboxes were only manned by automated gun servitors. Miriya wondered idly why the church felt the need to keep detailed tactical data on Metis. Clearly Lord LaHayn had long suspected that Sherring might one day secede.

The gla.s.steel dome of the gunnery hatch levered upward to allow an armoured figure to present itself. Canoness Galatea turned in place, sharing watchful, comradely nods to the Sisters marchingbeside her Immolator. Pooled about her shoulders and cascading down her back was a l.u.s.trous cape made from night-black velvet and stark white fur. The Cloak of Saint Aspira was one of the Neva con-vent's most sacred artefacts, blessed in the great Eccleisarchal Palace on Terra itself. The mantle was fabricated with a strange mesh-like metal beneath the finery, a form of near-weightless armour the cre-ation of which was lost to the ages. It was said that the sanctified cape could turn away a killing shot by the Emperor's will.

The Canoness caught her awed gaze. 'I dislike the pageantry of this. she said in a low voice, fingering the cloak. 'Such a relic is too holy to be dragged into battle with so unworthy a foe.'

Miriya holstered her magnoculars. The power of an artefact is not only in its physical strength, hon-oured Sister. To see the cloak upon you gives courage to our kinswomen and sows doubt in the mind of our opposition.'

Galatea sniffed. It is beneath us. The honour of this mantle is cheapened.

'Only if we are not victorious.

The Canoness laid a hand on the twin mutli-melta cannons at the hatch. 'Interesting days, Miriya. You have brought me interesting days, yet again.

'I could not foresee-'

'That Vaun's escape would spark a revolt?' snapped Galatea. 'Of course not. To you, the mis-sion was simply to take a criminal into your custody. How were you to understand the web of politics and subterfuge that thunders unseen over everything on Neva?' She shook her head. 'I have served the order here for years and still the secret contests of kingdom and society on this world are clouded to me. Sherring, LaHayn, Vaun... All of them are cards in some peculiar tarot.

Despite herself, Miriya bristled. We are Daughters of the Emperor, not tokens on some game board.

Galatea smiled. 'Exactly, Sister Superior. And that is why this will be an interesting day.

The column mounted a shallow rise and they were quiet for a moment, the Fede Imperialis sounding about them. At last, Miriya leaned closer to the Canoness and spoke in low, serious tones. The issue of Sister Verity. You vouched for her before Dean Venik even though you knew nothing of her venture into the librarium.

'If you have to ask me why I protected her, then perhaps your understanding of our sisterhood is unclear, Miriya. She surveyed the horizon. Venik has never been a friend to the Adepta Sororitas. He would prefer that men of the Nevan PDF or his frateris militia defend his chapels, soldiers more directly influenced by his will than the word of the G.o.d-Emperor. He is like every cleric born under Neva's sky, ambitious and narrow in view. I would not give him opportunity to oppose us.

Miriya blew out a breath. 'I will speak plainly, Canoness. This artifice, the doubletalk and power play surrounding every word and deed, it chafes at me. I have but one mission and that is to bring Tor-ris Vaun to justice - I have no wish to be come ensnared in politics. The Celestian's face wrinkled in disgust at the very thought of it.

Galatea gave a rueful smile. Then I would advise you, Sister, never to allow yourself to advance beyond your current rank. I have learned to my cost that of all the challenges to the power of His Word, it is the obfuscation of those who claim to serve Him that vexes me the most.' She looked away. The rigour of honest battle is a welcome respite.

This Sherring... If his sway over Metis is so strong, how was he ever allowed to gain such a position of authority? Surely his tendency to sedition should have been noted?' asked Miriya.

'Neva's n.o.bility have always engaged in skir-mishes and duels. Baron Sherring's avarice is no different from others of his kind.

'Except he has made a pact with a witch.

'If Sister Verity is correct, so it would seem.

From below, Miriya caught the crackling hum of an open vox channel then Sister Reiko's voice hissed in her ear bead. 'Canoness, your pardon, but I think you ought to hear this.

'What concerns you, Reiko?' Galatea looked towards the head of the formation, to where her adjutant rode in a Rhino with the banner bearers.

'A blasphemous broadcast is being sent on the general frequency. I believe it is directed at the defenders of Metis.

The Canoness gave Miriya a look. 'Let me listen.

There was a bark of static that s.h.i.+fted into the sound of a man's voice, strong with emotion. '.. .love for my citizens. And with that ideal, I cannot in good conscience continue to pledge the loyalty of my house and citizenry to a man whose abuse of the Imperial Church knows no bounds. It has been made clear to me that the self-declared Lord ViktorLaHayn is abusing his posting as lord deacon of Neva's diocese. My sources have brought me evi-dence that he and his corrupt lackeys pay fealty not to Holy Terra, but to a plan of such staggering dis-loyalty that I dare not utter it aloud. Even now, our sanctuary of Metis is threatened by LaHayn's mis-guided servants, blinded by their own shortsightedness. We do not wish open war, but that is what has been forced upon us.

For our future, for our Emperor, we must reject the twisted rule of the traitor priest. Our city must be a torch of light in this darkness. We must fight and expunge this conta-gion. We mustfightV Miriya recognised Baron Sherring's voice at once but the arch confidence he had exuded in the Lunar Cathedral was gone now, replaced with a kind of manic intensity. 'He's afraid. she thought aloud.

'Yes. agreed Galatea, 'and so he should be. She tapped the vox tab on her armour's neck ring and silenced the babbling feed from the city. 'Reiko, sound the alert. He's whipping those poor fools into battle frenzy.

The battle will not be long in coming. The Canoness beckoned Miriya. 'Come below, Sister. We should take a moment to bless our ammunition before we engage them.

Verity looked up with a start as the Rhino lurched to a halt, reflexively clutching at the medicus ministorum case on her lap. As the order had begun its gathering for the advance on Metis, Reiko had come to Verity and offered her the sanctuary of the convent until the matter of Sherring's insurrection had been dealt with.

Her answer had come swiftly, without conscious thought. She believed that the baron was conspiring with Torris Vaun, even more so now that the city-lord had openly defied the church. In her heart she knew that if Vaun were anywhere, he would be behind the black stone walls of the caldera. It seemed impossible for her to be elsewhere. Verity had no choice but to see this chain of events through to its conclusion. Sister Reiko did not chal-lenge her on her choice - instead, she entered the Hospitaller's name on the roll of battle and found her a post. One more medicae in the a.s.sault force would be welcome.

Securing her gear, she pushed past the Battle Sis-ters crowded into the transport with her and pressed her face to a firing slot in the thick armoured hull. Her eyes were drawn instantly to a troop of women who moved in a tight flock, their heads bowed and hidden beneath makes.h.i.+ft hoods cut from rags of old battle cloak material, tatters of broken armour barely covering the pale nakedness of their bodies.

The Hospitaller's heart leapt into her throat; she had never seen the Sisters Repentia at such close hand before. They walked like women condemned, arms folded at their chests to hold their lethal-looking chainswords as a priest might carry a cross or totem. She saw the blink of black iron chains around their limbs and torsos, some with fan-folds of sanctified parchment drooping from their backs like diseased wings. Each of the faceless Repentia bore the marbling of countless scars across her bare flesh, some self-inflicted and others given in ritual before battle. Verity could not help but shudder as her mind connected this sight with the horrors she had witnessed during the Games of Penance.

The vicious, snake-hiss crack of neural whips gave her a start. The Repentia Mistress advanced through the midst of her charges, calling out a litany. 'If I must die. she snarled. 'I shall welcome death.

'I shall welcome death as an old friend. chorussed the Repentia, 'and wrap mine arms about it.

'Only in death does duty end. The Mistress crossed her hands and let the neural whips in her hands flick over the exposed skin of her Sisters, kin-dling the holy hate and righteous zeal within them.

The devotion of the Repentia was at once awe-inspiring and terrible. The Hospitaller could sense the burning need in them for the virtuous glory of unfettered combat. Other Sisters of Battle parted without words and without looking upon them, allowing the Mistress to guide her cadre forward. Even among the Sororitas, the respect the Repentia were shown was rooted as much in fear as it was in esteem. All Sisters in service to the Emperor aspired to the same purity of fervour, but only a few could truly surrender themselves to the terrible power of it as these women had.

One of the Repentia turned her head and from rips in her crimson hood, ice blue eyes in a pale face looked out at Verity. The Hospitaller gasped then the woman turned away again and went on with the rest of the squad.

With a rumble, the Rhino began to move again, following the Repentia towards the battle lines. On the wind, Verity heard war cries and the report of gunfire.

The Metis Household Cavalry had laid an ambush for the Order of our Martyred Lady. Just beyond the places where chokepoints had been planted with stands of tough trees to slow any armoured advance, a squad of Salamander scout mobiles was concealed beneath camouflage netting, ranged optics peeking out of the fake leaf-pattern material to spy on the Battle Sisters.

A few officers in Sherring's soldiery had raised questions when told their guns were to turn on the Adepta Sororitas. Those men had been the first casu-alties of the conflict, quietly killed and replaced with captains who better understood the nature of loyalty to the barony.

As one, the Salamanders discharged their primary armaments, a spread of punis.h.i.+ng autocannon fire rippingthrough their temporary cover to strike at the Battle Sisters' forward line. Women died in streaks of orange fire, and back behind the copse, the scout commander ordered his units to fire up their engines and start the retreat. The cavalry tanks fired again as they moved, lining the perimeter with falling steel.

'Incoming fire!' Reiko's voice called from the vox. Aboard Galatea's Immolator, Miriya shook as the driver crashed the gears, splitting from the skirmish line to minimise any splash damage. The Canoness was pressed to a complex device that mingled a periscope scanner with an auspex and targeting cog-itator.

'Beyond that thicket. she grated, 'scouts on the move.' She glanced back over her shoulder at Miriya.

'Exorcists. I want that tree line burnt off. All units, pitch to attack posture and advance!'

The Battle Sister heard the prayers of acknowl-edgement from the missile-carrying units ranged behind them and she hauled herself up the short ladder and into the vehicle's empty cupola. Miriya was in time to hear the hoots and clarion chimes from the launch tubes of the Exorcist tanks behind them.

Built, like so many of the Imperium's armoured vehicles, upon the standard template construct that formed the basis of the Rhino, Exorcists were among the longest serving tactical units in existence. Almost all of them dated back to the turbulent years of the Age of Apostasy, when they travelled the bat-tle zones of the Wars of Faith as mobile shrines-c.u.m-attack units. Where most of the order's war vehicles were liveried in reds, blacks and whites, many Exorcist units had gold and silver about them in infinite detail. Their planes of ablative armour were worked with inlaid castings, and sprouting from the rear of some were towering organ pipes stained copper in the light of the Nevan sun. From these instruments came not music, but judgement and destruction. With shrieks of fire at their tails, fountains of missiles emerged from the launch tubes, describing an arc up from the launchers, then down upon the Salamanders and the intractable trees. The hardy trees were split apart or felled, clear-ing the way for Sisters and Retributors to advance. With them came the spike-mawed prows of a dozen Repressors and Immolators.

A second barrage was unnecessary. The surviving Salamanders fled in full retreat, random snaps of laser fire lancing back from men in the c.o.c.kpits who dared to test the patience of the Sisterhood. Galatea's tank circled about one of the enemy units. The scout car had been flipped on to its side by a near miss, and Miriya caught the vague noise of movement inside as they pa.s.sed. She paid little mind to it. Her Sisters on foot would deal with any survivors. The Immolator's gun turret turned easily, letting her track the fat-barrelled meltaguns back and forth across the horizon. The Salamanders were quick off the mark, and there was a chance they would get out of range before the Sororitas could find a clear shot.

'They're trying to draw us into the teeth of those emplaced weapons,' Miriya noted. 'Perhaps we might seek a place to breach the s.h.i.+eld wall else-where?'

'I do not concur. replied Galatea. 'The West Gate is on this axis. We will collapse it and progress into the city.'

A lasgun beam flew wide of the tank, striking a tree and making it a torch. Miriya cranked the meltas to track the culprit, dialling in the focal length and waiting for the right moment. 'With respect, a breach would be the swifter option. The Exorcists could-'

'My orders are cast, Sister Superior.' The Canoness's tone brooked no argument. 'You are correct, but this is a matter of show as much as it is of tactics. If Baron Sherring's hold over this city is to be broken, we must be seen to penetrate his strongest bulwark, not to enter by guile. The gate will fall, and for that the guns will need to be silenced. Press on.

'Ave Imperator. said the Celestian, and squeezed the twin firing bars on the turret. Four lines of s.h.i.+mmering energy burst from the melta cannons and came together, falling like arrows of pure heat. The microwave blasts struck the rear of the trailing Salamander and excited the molecular structure of the scout in nanoseconds. Metal warped and out-ga.s.sed, while inside men screamed as searing fumes tore their lungs. The Salamander veered sharply off course and collided with a grove of trees.

Miriya threw a look over her shoulder at the force riding up behind them. At their backs there were dirty clouds of grey smoke coiling into the air. Small blazes started in the woodlands by indirect fire were taking hold.

The hatch was twisted on its mounts, so it took the driver four attempts to kick the thing open. His limbs were trembling and he couldn't see very well, so touch and a little sight were all he really had to go on. The missile salvos had rocked the Salamander like a dinghy in a storm, and along the way he had planted his head on the metal walls a half-dozen times. He was deaf now. There was nothing but a curious squealing going on inside his skull. Just to make sure he could still speak, the driver let out a couple of curses worthy of a day in the stockade, and picked his way out past the wet paste of remains that was all that was left of his crewmates.

The broken hatch let him out close to the churned dark mud and he scrambled wildly, adding more streaksof soil to the rust-brown, red and oil-black coating the busy heraldry of his cavalryman's uni-form. He had lost his stubber pistol somewhere inside the upturned tank, and after finally rolling down a little incline, he came to rest face up.

When the man wiped the blood from his eyes, he saw the circle of women about him, and cried out. They all wore death's head hoods the colour of new blood and were dressed in rags. One of them leaned down to examine him, as a child might consider an insect beneath a magnifying gla.s.s.

'Puh-please,' the driver managed to spit out. 'Emperor, please. I am no heretic!'

The woman's lips moved and he struggled to understand what she was saying to him. Finally, the hooded female s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand and pressed it flat to her bare chest so he could feel the vibration as she spoke.

He struggled in her grip as he realised she was not speaking, but singing.

'A morte perpetua, domine, libra nos. intoned Sis-ter Iona. That thou wouldst bring them only death, that thou shouldst spare none, that thou shouldst pardon none.'

He saw the glitter of the eviscerator chainsword as she raised it, and then his body lit with pain as she used it to sever the hand pressed to her torso. The driver reeled away and screamed as the rest of the Repentia brought down their blades and cut him apart.

The turret emplacements were hungry for them, and across the open killing zone before the west-ern gate autocannon tracer left purple dashes in the air, chopping at the boots of the Battle Sisters as they used a grounded Salamander for cover. Spent rounds rattled off the armoured scout, clat-tering like stones in a tin cup.

Gla.s.sy cogitator eye-lenses on iron stalks extended from the tops of the flat turrets and there were wires connecting some of them together so that the servitor-minds inside each could share tar-get data. The guns were elderly and ponderous, but still their accuracy was enough to rip apart Sisters who dared to press too far forward, too quickly. The surviving Salamanders retreated behind the lines of the guns, past trenches where heavy stub-ber cannon were being belt-fed by more of Sherring's overdressed soldiers. The occasional laser bolt showed where Imperial Guard troopers had joined the cavalry in the ill-informed defence of Metis.

Sister Reiko directed the women under her direct command to zero in on the las-fire and kill the guardsmen first. Their training was better than the second-rate locals, whose martial skills turned mostly to parade ground drills and regimented dis-plays. Precise shots on the turncoat guards also had a demoralising effect on the cavalrymen, letting them watch the abrupt and brutal death that they themselves faced if they continued to fight.

Canoness Galatea did not halt the advance. The momentum behind the Sisters of Battle was high, and foolishly Sherring's commanders had staked their tactics on using that against the women, but these were not the common soldiers from other city-states that the Household Cavalry had faced in years past. The Order of our Martyred Lady moved with the speed of pa.s.sion, divine zeal welling up in all their hearts.

'Light of the Emperor upon us,' cried Reiko. 'Cen-sure the fallen and chastise!' Her flamer shrieked as she leapt from the hatch of her Rhino, and at her side came a banner bearer showing the hallowed standard of Saint Katherine. Rolling through the broken landscape surrounding the gate, a phalanx of Immolators swept in behind Reiko's unit and a squad of Sister Retributors.

The Retributors were faceless valkyries, their hel-mets sealed against the smoke and fury of the battle.

Many of them carried the bulky slabs of heavy bolters and multi-meltas. Reiko urged them on with a sharp gesture from her flamer, writing a sweep of orange fire across the enemy lines. As one, they unleashed the force of their guns, fording the spines of steel tank traps and pouring death into the outer trench lines. Blunt-nosed bullets from the ballistic stubber rifles came off the armour of the Battle Sis-ters in clatters, falling away like hail. Reiko gave flame in return, torching men too slow to run. Some dropped to their knees and begged. Those she killed as well, her face turned away in disgust as she granted them absolution.

Repressors in the front rank nosed into the tank traps and shoved them aside with steady progress. The rusted metal caltrops left gouges in the roadway as they tumbled, rolling into muddy gullies like jacks discarded by a giant child. The Exorcists con-tinued a steady fusillade at the gates, setting the broad metal doors ringing with every solid impact. The Immolators were the edge of the spearhead, fire bolts and microwave energy lances blanketing the ferrocrete until it began to warp and boil.

Miriya heard the clanking of her tank's rear hatch and felt the vehicle rock as the Canoness leapt up on to the dorsal surface. Galatea held in her hand a war-worn volume of The Rebuke, one of the many books of sanctified combat doctrine adhered to by the Sisters of Battle. The woman held it high, so that every Sororitas on the field would be able to look up and catch sight of the s.h.i.+mmer-ink illuminations on the open pages. 'We are the reproach of Holy Terra, cut from burning steel. she roared. 'Show these wastrels theedge that never dulls. The flame's eternal kiss!'

The war cry was old, but it still touched the Celes-tian as if it were new to her ears, sparking a vicious elation inside her. Her blood singing in her veins, Miriya placed the tank guns on deserving foes and disintegrated them.

The autocannon fire from the turrets hummed through the air as the tanks came into their range, sh.e.l.ls punching fists of black earth into slurry.

The city-lord's residence was based on an ancient royal house from the distant past of Terra. Wide and low, the front of Baron Sherring's home presented a dozen tall windows of armoured gla.s.steel to the ornamental grounds beyond and the shadow of the caldera wall. The baron himself continued as he had for the last few hours, orbiting between the win-dows and the collection of monitor tubes inset by the bookshelves of his chambers. The door banged open to admit Vaun, who had ignored Sherring's insistence that he don a cavalry uniform and instead remained cloaked in a tunic and trousers of deep midnight blue.

'My lord baron, still pacing? You will wear a trench in that expensive carpet'

Sherring flushed red with anger and almost threw the monocular in his hand at the psyker. The baron's bodyguards tensed, unwilling to draw weapons against Vaun without a direct command from their employer.

Vaun gave a rude wink to the three figures that fol-lowed him into the chambers. Sherring knew the young lad with the unruly ginger hair - Ignis, he was called - but the rat-like woman and the hooded man, these other two were just more nameless hooligans from the corsair's gang of thugs.

The engagement is not progressing well,' snapped the baron. Your estimates of the Sororitas numbers in Noroc was low. You told me they would not com-mit so much of their order's forces!'

Vaun gave an off-hand nod. 'Yes. The Order of our Martyred Lady has been most devout in its deployment. I understand they sent almost every-thing they have in this region. The women of the Ermina Mantle have remained to defend Noroc in their stead, so Canoness Galatea might come here and chastise you.' A smirk threatened to rise on his face.

'Do you find this amusing?' spat Sherring. 'We are embarking on a battle for the very soul of this planet, against an enemy that you and your cadre are all victims of. He swept his hand over Ignis and the other two. 'Emperor's blood, there is no more serious a matter!'

Vaun gave a contrite bow. 'Forgive me, baron. I meant no disrespect. It pleases me that I have been able to light the path to bring you to this most important decision.'

Sherring's train of thought faltered for a moment. 'The Sisterhood is more dangerous than I expected. They advance without fear...'

'Yes. agreed Vaun. 'Zeal is a powerful weapon, isn't it?'

'If only I could show them what lies LaHayn makes them fight for-'

'That would be a mistake. snapped the psyker. 'As much as it pains us to take the lives of these dedicated servants of the G.o.d-Emperor, their misguided faith has blinded them to the truths that we have uncovered.

They would never accept your word on the lord deacon's perfidy. He nodded to himself. 'Take heart in the fact that they will go to the Golden Throne with honour, for their only error is to believe too blindly in the church.

This course I have taken...' Sherring's words were leaden with effort. 'I pray that the Ecclesiarchy will see the merit of it, or else we will all be d.a.m.ned as traitors.

'I am convinced of it, baron. The Ordo Hereticus will call you a hero for the stand you dare to take today.