“He… he’s dead；” said the cultist。
Steele saw the look that passed between Blonsky and Mikhaelev； but he kept his own gaze fixed
on the prisoner。 Normally； his bionic eye would have enabled him to count the beads of sweat on the
cultist’s face and hands； his acoustic enhancers would have tuned in to the skip of the man’s
heartbeat and Steele would have been able to tell if he was lying or not。 With his eye out of action
and only the heartbeat to go on； it was harder to make that judgement。 Despite the inconvenience； he
felt oddly liberated。
“You saw him die？” Steele asked。
52
“I just thought；” said the cultist； “I mean； he must be by now。 The confessor was brought into the
hive； Iota Hive； three days ago。 I saw him being marched up the steps of the Ice Palace。 Mangellan
has him。”
“Where is it；” asked Steele； “this Ice Palace？ Can you take us there？”
The prisoner blanched at the prospect。
“Please；” he stammered； “I’ve told you all I know。 Don’t make me… I can’t go up against him；
he’s too… he’s too strong。 You can’t beat him。 It took Mangellan less than a month to drive the
Imperial Guard out of Iota Hive； hundreds of thousands of them。 Hundreds of thousands of men
dead； and you… There are only a handful of you。”
Steele had made up his mind about the cultist now； but still he glanced up at Blonsky and
Mikhaelev for a second and third opinion。
“Do you believe him？” he asked； and the troopers confirmed that they did。 “Good；” said Steele。
“I do； too。”
He drew his laspistol； and shot the young cultist through the head。
The Aquila had been gutted。 Even its seats； once luxuriously appointed for the carriage of
dignitaries； had been torn out； and the mutants had left their slobber everywhere。 Still； once the
passenger compartment had been cleaned up a little and blankets laid out； it made an adequate
shelter for nine dog…tired soldiers。
Much more than that； the ship could not offer。 Grayle had been unable to start the engines； to no
one’s surprise； and the comms were fried。 Barreski； however； had found a portable vox…caster； not
too badly damaged。 The only thing it lacked was power — and a few hours of sunlight； even
through Cressida’s grey clouds； would provide that。 He thought he could have it working by midmorning。
Steele could then contact a naval vessel； report the loss of the Termite and arrange an
airlift for after they had found Wollkenden。
For the first time in half a day； Grayle could see a way off this world； and the prospect cheered
him — almost enough for him to overlook the small fact that an army of Chaos worshippers stood
between the Ice Warriors and their goal。
He and Barreski had taken the first shift of the night watch； being in better condition than most。
Grayle sat in the Aquila’s hatchway； alert for any sign of an approaching foe； hearing only the deep
breathing of the sleeping men behind him。 Barreski was over by the embers of the campfire； laying
out a number of broken machine parts in the scant light。 It was unlikely he’d be able to salvage
anything more of use； but he wanted to be sure。
It was Grayle； then； who saw it： a movement； behind the rise on which the Ice Warriors and the
cultists had fought。 He had only glimpsed it out of the corner of his eye； couldn’t be sure that there
had been anything at all。 But Barreski had picked up on his body language； and ceased his tinkering。
They watched the dark shape of the rise for a while； but saw nothing； heard nothing。 At last；
Grayle signalled to his fellow tanker that he was going to take a closer look。
While Barreski covered him with his lasgun； Grayle crept forward； keeping low。 As he climbed
the rise； he lowered himself onto his stomach and crawled the final few metres。 He lay there for a
few minutes； overlooking the field through arched； feeling the wet
snow seeping into his greatcoat； letting his eyes adjust to every shadow in the darkness until he was
sure it was no threat。
There it was again！
It had just disappeared behind another natural contour： a grey…furred figure with an odd
shambling gait。 Quickly； Grayle weighed up his options。 If this was indeed a mutant； and it was
alone； then he and Barreski could handle it。 They had no need to wake the others — and anyway； by
the time they had done so； it might have escaped； might have gone to fetch more like itself。 But
then； what if it was not alone？ What if it had been sent to lead him into an ambush？
53
He didn’t think that was likely。 It was trying too hard not to be seen。
With a quick warning gesture to Barreski； to stay where he was； Grayle plunged down the rise
and went after the creature。
“Colonel Steele。 Colonel Steele； sir。”
Steele was sitting up before he had opened his eyes； some inbuilt danger sense putting him on
the alert。 Immediately； he checked his internal chrono； which told him that he had been asleep for
just under three hours。 He was still blind in his right eye。 Palinev was beside him； had just shaken
him awake； and around them five more Ice Warriors were beginning to stir。
Something was burning； but Steele couldn’t pinpoint the source of the smell。
“I heard a shot；” reported Palinev； and Steele could tell from his comrades’ body language that
Gavotski； Blonsky and Anakora had been woken by it too。 It irked him that he had not； that his
acoustic enhancers had apparently failed him again。
“It sounded close；” said Anakora； “maybe just outside。”
“And I don’t see any sign of Barreski or Grayle；” added Palinev。
Gavotski and Pozhar had drawn their lasguns and were making for the open； empty hatchway。
They peered around its frame； and Pozhar reported that there was nothing out there。 A second later；
he added； “No； no； wait； I can see someone； running towards us。 It looks like… It’s Barreski； and
here comes Grayle。 It looks like they’re okay。”
“Maybe they were just taking pot…shots at rats；” said Mikhaelev。
“I don’t think so；” said Blonsky。 “I think Trooper Anakora was wrong。 I don’t think that gunshot
came from outside the ship at all。”
Everyone turned to look at him； and Steele saw that he was holding the vox…caster； now a
smouldering wreck； its components fused together； the source of the burning smell。
“You think…？” began Palinev； in disbelief。
“I think；” said Blonsky； “that a single las…beam was fired at this machine — and it must have
been fired from inside this compartment。”
Barreski appeared in the hatchway to find seven pairs of eyes staring at him。 “What the hell
happened here？” he asked。 “Did someone fire a lasgun？”
“We were about to ask you the same question；” said Steele。
“You’re the one who’s supposed to be on watch；” said Pozhar。 “You and Grayle。”
“You didn’t see anyone？” asked Anakora。
Grayle had appeared at Barreski’s shoulder。 “There was something；” he reported。 “Another
mutant； I think。 I tried to follow it； but I lost it。 I don’t know how it got away； it must have moved
like lightning。”
“So； you let this mutant lure you away from the ship？” asked Steele。
Barreski shook his head firmly。 “Grayle went after the mutant。 I went as far as the top of the rise；
to keep an eye on him； but I never left sight of the lander。 There’s no way anything could have got
near this hatchway without my seeing it。”
“Are you certain about that？” asked Steele。 He indicated the remains of the vox…caster； still in
Blonsky’s hands； and Barreski’s face fell as he saw the damage for the first time。 “Because if this
was not the work of an intruder…”
“Then one of us is a traitor；” said Blonsky。
“Now steady on；” said Gavotski。 “Let’s not jump to conclusions； shall we？”
But Blonsky insisted； “The evidence speaks for itself。 One of us must have woken； found
himself unobserved and taken the opportunity to destroy the vox…caster； our best hope of being able
to complete this mission。”
54
“Why are you looking at me？” cried Pozhar。 “I saw you； you were looking at me as you said
that。 You’ve done nothing but criticise me； and question my loyalty； since we climbed into the
Termite。”
“I think you are more concerned with your personal glory；” said Blonsky； “than with serving the
Emperor。 I consider that a dangerous attitude。”
“Even if that were true；” said Gavotski； “it doesn’t make Pozhar the guilty party。”
“You’re just accusing me；” said Pozhar hotly； “because you have something to hide。 Well； how
about it； Blonsky？ I didn’t see you when that mutant attacked me。 What were you doing when
Borscz died？”
“He was fighting alongside me；” said Anakora。 “He played his part。”
“Yeah？” said Pozhar。 “So； maybe we should look at you then。 Maybe we should ask how you
managed to survive Astaroth Prime when no one else in your company did。 Oh yeah； I know all
about that； Anakora。 I remember your name。”
“Sergeant Gavotski is right；” Steele broke in。 “None of us is above suspicion。”
“Well； Grayle and I can vouch for each other；” said Barreski。
“Can you？” asked Palinev。 “I… I don’t meant to imply anything； it’s just… well； you know that
Grayle couldn’t have snuck in here； but can he say the same for you？ He must have taken his eyes
off you to search for that mutant。”
“I’ve known Barreski since basic training；” said Grayle； “and apart from anything else； the last
thing he’d do is harm one of his precious machines。 It was him who found the vox…caster in the first
place； remember？”
“Then there is our comrade Mikhaelev；” said Blonsky； “who has had nothing to say for himself
so far。 In fact； it is rare that he voices his thoughts — but when he does speak； he says more than he
thinks he does。”
Mikhaelev turned purple； and spluttered； “I have always followed orders。”
“But you have not always agreed with them； have you？ Tell me； Mikhaelev； how greatly does it
bother you that the Emperor considers your life less valuable than that of a man like Confessor
Wollkenden？”
“There’s one possibility none of you has considered；” said Steele。 “The traitor could be me。” His
quiet words brought down a heavy silence； as he had known they would。
“You all know about the augmetics in my brain；” he continued。 “My heart may not have been
corrupted by Chaos； but what if my head has been？”
Their initial shock dispelled； the Ice Warriors rushed to assure their commander that they
couldn’t believe it； that the Emperor would allow no such thing to happen。 He raised his hand to
stem their protests。
“I’m just making a point；” he said。 “We know nothing for sure — and until we do； we can gain
nothing by hurling accusations。”
“Colonel Steele is right；” said Gavotski。 “I am pleased with the way this squad has bonded so
far。 We must not jeopardise that。 We will fight again tomorrow； as comrades； and we need to be able
to trust each other。”
“Nevertheless；” said Blonsky； “I would request that the colonel search each of us for signs of
mutation — and that； for the rest of the night； we have one man standing sentry outside this ship；
and two inside。”
Pozhar pretended to be asleep。
Anakora and Mikhaelev were sitting nearby； Steele having agreed to Blonsky’s suggestion that
the guard be increased。 Pozhar didn’t want them to see that he was awake； couldn