eldar’s face； “but they break easily enough once you get a hold of them。” Marduk shook blood； brain
matter and shards of skull across the floor。
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CHAPTER NINE
Ikorus Baranov was an optimist。 When he first heard of the plight of the worlds being evacuated in
the face of the tyranid menace； he had smiled。
Hundreds of inhabited worlds were being abandoned。 Countless millions had already perished；
either consumed to feed the insatiable hunger of the xenos hive fleet； or utterly destroyed by the
zealous policy of Exterminatus employed by the Imperium。 Any world not fully evacuated before
the tyranid ground invasion began was stricken from the Imperial records and bombarded from high
orbit。 Already a score of colonised planets had been put to the sword； every living thing—tyranid；
human； animal； vegetable—utterly consumed in purifying flame。
Baranov cared nothing for the millions of destroyed lives。 He saw the positive flip…side of every
ill turn； and while others regarded this time as one of terror and darkness； he saw it as a time to
make himself filthy rich。
His ship； the Rapture； was docked at landing zone CXVI； a privately…owned docking pad of the
Phorcys starport。 Only those wealthy few with the required access privileges were allowed entrance
onto this private dock。
Baranov had heard that the regular docks were overrun with tens of thousands of frantic guild
workers and their families； desperate to secure passage off…world。 In contrast to that mayhem；
landing zone CXVI was a veritable Utopia of peace and tranquillity。
The private lounge adjacent to the dock was opulently decorated with extravagant off…world
flora； for it had been designed to mimic a fecund； semi…tropical rainforest。 Paths of fine gravel wove
through the undergrowth； and ferns and broad…leafed plants grew up overhead； hiding the strip lights
in the high domed ceiling。 A waterfall crashed down over rocks imported from a distant feral world；
creating a mist of warm water vapour in the air； and butterflies； with wingspans as wide as a man’s
forearm is long； bobbed lazily through the air。
Baranov shook his head in amazement and envy。 Perdus Skylla was a desolate wasteland of
frozen； wind…swept plains； the crude worker class living beneath the ice； and yet there were those
with enough wealth to create an oasis of life like this in its midst。
The pursuit of wealth had dominated Ikorus Baranov’s life； and he liked to think that he had
achieved much from his humble beginnings； but it was at times like these that he was reminded that
his wealth was not so great。 This was the wealth that he desired。 He wanted to be able to build a subtropical
rainforest in the middle of an ice…locked ocean world just because he could。 Of course he
didn’t literally want to build a rainforest—he found this place with its high humidity and crawling
things quite unsettling—but he wanted the wealth to be able to do so at a whim had he desired it。
These were the people to lift him to that stage of wealth。
There were thirty…two men here； most with young； surgically enhanced women clinging to their
arms like leeches。 Some were accompanied by older women； fierce beasts that clearly dominated
their husbands or lovers； but they were few in comparison to the glittering array of nubile young
women； bedecked in fine jewels and headdresses。
Baranov smirked。 Clearly many of these high…ranking guild officials had chosen to bring their
courtesans along with them rather than their wives。 If he had not been a callous man he might have
been offended by how easily these men cast off their wives； abandoning them to their fate while
they fled for safety。 A few had brought both wife and courtesan with them； but that was rare。 The
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price that Baranov was charging for a berth on his ship was nothing short of extortionate； even for
this upper echelon of the truly elite。
“Lords and ladies；” began Baranov； his voice silken； “may I please have your attention。”
The group was gathered upon a decked clearing in the middle of the rainforest facade； seated on
cane high…backed chairs。 The hum of conversation died as the gathered social elite turned to regard
Baranov。 Baranov saw fear in their eyes； which was understandable for their world was being
abandoned in the face of an alien menace that would destroy and kill everything in its path。 But even
so； they regarded him with considerable distaste； as if he were common vermin that had somehow
infiltrated into their elite company。
Baranov suppressed a grin。 In truth he was vermin； but he was vermin that was about to get
seriously wealthy。
He gave a mock bow； waving his hand in a flourish。 He was a short man of middling build； and
he wore a long…tailed coat of regal blue with overly prominent gold buttons。 His hair was pulled
back in a ponytail that hung down his back； and his fingers were bedecked with rings。 He knew that
to these rich guilders who were born to their wealth； he looked like a rogue or a pirate； an individual
who had some wealth but not the class to know what to do with it； but he didn’t give a damn what
they thought of him。 Right now； he was their only ticket off this cursed world； and he fully intended
to milk that for all it was worth。
“Thank you for your patience； my esteemed friends；” said Baranov。 “My ship； the Rapture； is
refuelled and provisioned； and is now ready for embarkation。”
“About time；” stated one of the guilders； a scowling； porcine individual pawing at a girl who
looked little more than a child； though she was clearly his mistress。 Other men muttered and huffed
impatiently。 These people were not used to having to wait for anything。
“I regret to have kept you waiting； noble lords； but I assure you that the Rapture is now ready to
receive your esteemed selves。 She is a humble craft； but I trust that you will find her suitable for
your use。”
“Get on with it； man；” snapped another man； an imposingly tall individual with a hooked nose。
“I shall forestall you no longer； my lords；” said Baranov； holding up a hand。 “However；” he
added with a rakish grin； “there is just the small matter of my compensation。”
With a snap of his fingers； four of Baranov’s crewmen stepped out of the shadows of the foliage
to join him。 Two of them guided a container forward； which hovered just above the ground； held
aloft by anti…grav technology。 They were rough sorts； and Baranov saw the noses of the lords and
ladies crinkle as they stared disdainfully at them。 He grinned again。
One of the crew； sat down at a desk facing the nobles； a data…slate and stylus in his hands。 An
immense brute with a shaved head took his place behind him； standing with his thick arms folded
across his chest。
“If you would be so kind as to make your monies ready； my associates will collect your dues；”
he said。 “Step forward if you will； and make a line behind Lord Palantus。 This will be as quick and
painless as possible； and we shall all be on our way shortly。”
The nobles shuffled into line； huffing and muttering； angry at being treated like commoners。 The
first in line； Lord Palantus； Prime Magnate of Antithon Guild； stepped forward and slid a slim handcase
onto the desk。
“Name？” said the seated crewman； tapping at the data…slate。
“Oh； for the love of the Emperor；” said Lord Palantus； outraged at having to commune with such
a lowborn cur。 The seated man looked up at him； eyebrows raised。
“Get on with it； Antithon；” muttered one of the other nobles。
“Palantus；” the lord spat； glaring down at the man before him as if he were a bug that he had just
found in his food。
“Open it；” said the seated man； indicating the hand…case with the tip of his stylus。
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“You are going to check it’s all there； Baranov？” asked the noble imperiously。 “I am a noble of
Antithon Guild； and my word is my honour。 It is all there； as agreed。”
“My dear lord； of course I trust your esteemed word；” said Baranov smoothly； “but please；
indulge my men。 They are unused to dealing with such luminaries。 Please； open it。”
The prime magnate huffed and folded his arms； looking away。 He nodded to his mistress at his
side。 She clicked the release nodules of the case with her thumbs and it opened with a hiss。
With a nod； the seated man made a mark on his data…slate。 The heavily muscled crewman
standing behind the desk sealed the case； and it was placed inside the hovering container。
“Now； my dear Lord Palantus；” said Baranov； guiding the man to the side with his hand on his
elbow； “if you would please go with my associates； they will see you safely onboard。”
The lord looked outraged that Baranov dared lay a hand on him； but allowed himself to be
guided away。
“Next；” said the seated man； tapping with his stylus。
With all paying customers aboard the Rapture； Baranov smiled and let out a slow breath。 He had
made an absolute killing today； and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face。 The engines of his ship
roared； and he gave a last look around the starport before climbing the embarkation steps。
“A good day’s work；” he said。 Keying a sequence of buttons； he sealed the hatch behind him。
Minutes later； the Rapture was cleared for take…off。 The wedged segments of the dome far
overhead peeled back like the petals of an immense flower； opening up the landing pad to the fury
of the elements outside。 Wind swirled furiously； ice and snow spiralling in mad eddies as the
Rapture’s engines roared into life； flames gushing from the powerful downward…angled thrusters。
The ship lifted； rising vertically out of the landing dock； and as the petal segments of the dome
began to close once more； the Rapture’s thrusters rotated backwards； and it screamed up towards the
heavens； leaving the doomed ice…world of Perdus Skylla behind it。
Marduk shot an Imperial soldier in the face； and the back of the man’s head exploded outwards；
spraying blood and brain matter across the wall。
“That the last of them？” he growled； kicking the corpse out of his way。
“There are a few survivors；” said Kol Badar。 “They are being executed as we speak。”
“Move in； secure the area；” ordered Marduk。
The Coryphaus barked his orders； and the warriors of the Host closed in。
For three hours they had proceeded along the access tunnel； homing in on the location
pinpointed by Magos Darioq…Grendh’al as the access lift that would take them down to the mining
facility below； to the last known whereabouts of the Adeptus Mechanicus explorator。
They had encountered little resistance en route。
One Imperial patrol of soldiers had been encountered； escorting some two thousand civilians；
and they had engaged and neutralised the foe for no losses。 Not all of the civilians had been killed in
the resultant slaughter； for it would have been a waste of ammunition to gun them down。 Almost
three hundred had been killed； caught in the middle of the firefight or hacked down in close combat；
but the remainder had been allowed to flee； running wildly back the way they had come； though
there was evidence to suggest that most of them had been subsequently taken by the dark eldar。
Of the eldar themselves； the Word Bearers had seen no sign since their first； frantic encounter。
On several occasions； the whine of their jetbike