your provincial chief requested it isn't enough。'
The Cadian smiled。 'Actually； it is。 But to reassure you； I have reviewed the matter carefully with Neve herself and your man Fischig。 I
have no illusions about the danger of being here and siding with you。 Given the evidence； I would have been here anyway。'
'Good。 Excellent。 Welcome； Grumman。'
The identity of the fourth and final guest took me aback。 He was clad in polished battleware plating that looked custom…made and
exorbitantly expensive。 With gauntleted hands； he lifted the scowling houndskull helmet off his head。 Inquisitor Massimo Ricci； of the
Helican Ordo Xenos。 He was hardly an old friend； but I knew him well。
'Ricci？'
His handsome； haughty face displayed a wide smile。
'Like Grumman； I am here to extend apologies from another。 For numerous reasons that I'm sure you can appreciate； Lord Rorken
cannot answer your request in person。 It would be political suicide for him to participate in this matter。 But my lord has faith in you
still； Eisenhorn。 He has sent me to act as his proxy。'
Ricci was one of Lord Rorken's most valued and admired inquisitors。 Many said he was a likely successor for the post as a Master of
the Ordo Xenos。 For him to be here was an enormous compliment； both from Lord Rorken； who had seen fit to send one of his most
illustrious men； and from Ricci himself； who was risking a high…profile career just by being here。 Clearly both of them had taken my
proposal and cause very seriously。
'Gentlemen；' I said。 'I am pleased； and honoured； to see you all。 Let us discuss this matter； freely and openly； and see where we stand。'
THE THESSALONIAN NIGHT winds moaned through the ruined cavities of the keep as I briefed them。 Inshabel and Nayl had carried
chairs in； and erected a heavy trestle table。 Bequin and Aemos provided data…slates； charts； papers and other pieces of evidence as I
called for them。
I talked for about two hours； taking them through the entire matter of Quixos as it was known to me。 Much of what I said had been
laid out in the initial communiques； but I filled in all the details； and answered questions as they arose。 Endor seemed satisfied； and
hardly spoke。 It was good to have a true friend here； one who simply trusted my word and purpose。 Grumman was also generally noncommittal。
Voke and Ricci asked plenty of questions； and required clarification on the smallest points。
All three ordos were represented around that table： Voke was Ordo Malleus … though thankfully not a tight member of Bezier's inner
circle … Ricci and I were Ordo Xenos； and Grumman and Endor were Ordo Hereticus。 All of us apart from Grumman were assigned
servants of the Ordos Inquisitorae Helican。 Only Titus Endor； who I knew to be famously demure； wasn't wearing his rosette openly。
I BELIEVE I spoke eloquently and well。
We broke after two hours to stretch our legs； ruminate and take refreshment。 I went outside； taking in the cold night air； listening to the
wind swish the conifers。 Fischig joined me and brought me a glass of wine。
'It's bad with Neve；' he said； just getting right into it。 He had travelled back to Cadia from Cinchare to collect more data and to
specifically recruit the inquisitor general。
'Because of me？'
He nodded。 'Because of everything。 Osma made big trouble after we sprang you from the Carnificina。 He had the combined clout of
Bezier and Orsini behind him； after all。 That made Neve's superior； Grandmaster Nunthum of the Ordos Cadia； sit up and take notice； I
can tell you。 They were after her for her job。 But they couldn't prove a thing。 Neve's very good at being slippery。 And she fought your
corner like a she…bear too； believe you me。'
'She's safe？'
'Yeah。 Thanks to a massive incursion of the Enemy eight months ago。 The Cadian Gate's on a war footing and utterly in turmoil。 Last
thing anyone's worrying about is what part Neve may have played in the Eisenhorn Conspiracy。'
'That's what they're calling it。'
I sipped the wine； expecting something rough and local。 It turned out to be a damned good Samatan red。 From my own cellars； I
guessed。
Bequin would have taken care of such things and chosen the very best to mollify our guests。
'Grumman： what do you make of him？'
'I've got plenty of time for him； Gregor；' Fischig said。 'Smart mind； knows what he's doing。 Given the scrutiny she was under； Neve
knew she couldn't get away； so she picked Grumman； and I don't think she would have if he wasn't worth his salt。
'The pair go back a long way； and Grumman's doing this out of respect for her。 But we spent a long time talking on the voyage back
here； and I think he's in it for himself now too。'
'Good。 The others？'
'Voke's full of surprises；' he snorted。 'When you said he was going to be on your list of contacts； I thought you were mad。 Not as mad
as writing to Lord Rorken； of course； but anyway… I never thought the old bastard would show； or even deign to answer you。 He's so
stiff even the rod up his arse has got a rod up its arse。 That's one bet I would have lost。 He must like you more than he lets on。'
'We have an understanding；' I said。 I'd saved Voke's life on the flagship Saint Scythus； but he'd returned that favour on the Avenue of
the Victor Bellum。 Maybe that was enough。
'He needs convincing；' said Fischig； 'but I think he's in for the long haul。'
'You do？'
'You see that creep Heldane anywhere？'
I knew what Fischig meant。 Heldane would have opposed this mission without question； and taken great delight in bringing me in；
dead or alive。 Voke had clearly come here without his old pupil knowing。 Fischig was right。 That was a good sign。
'Endor； well； he's safe； isn't he？' said Fischig。 'Given your history； he'd have come anyway。'
'It's good to have him here。 What about Ricci？'
Fischig's voice suddenly dropped to a hiss。 'Speaking of whom。'
He withdrew。 Clutching a goblet of wine； Ricci walked out of the archway behind us and joined me； gazing up at the staggeringly
bright star…field。
'I hope you realise how lucky you are；' Ricci said。
'Every day。'
'You took a risk contacting Lord Rorken。 He's always liked you； but given the current climate； liking you is a dangerous habit。 He was
at loggerheads with Bezier and Orsini over your case。'
'And still he sent you？'
'Let me be direct； Gregor。 I think it will help。 Lord Rorken； may his fortunes multiply in the face of the God…Emperor； sent me to
assist you in the unmasking and destruction of the heretic Quixos。 But if； along the way； I should discover anything that confirmed the
generally…believed allegations of your own heresy…'
'What？'
'I think you understand。'
'You're his hatchet man。 You'll help me… but if I cross the line in your eyes； Rorken has sanctioned you to execute me。'
He raised his glass。 'I think we know where we stand。' We did。 Now it made much more sense that Rorken had sent so senior an agent
to my side。 I said nothing。 Ricci smiled and went back inside。
WE SAT DOWN around the table again and debated some more。 I found most of the questions … especially those from Voke and Ricci …
wilfully small…minded。
At last； after another hour； Grumman voiced a pertinent query。
'Supposing we agree to this。 Agree that Eisenhom is wrongly charged and that Quixos deserves our sternest censure… how do we do
that？ Do we know where Quixos is？'
'Yes；' I said； though I didn't know the answer myself。 My people had enjoyed the best part of two years to do their work； many dozens
of agents sifting data from hundreds of worlds。
Unbidden； Bequin stepped forward and took a seat with us at the table。
'About three months ago； our research discerned a pattern in the data surrounding the near…mythical life of Quixos。 And that pattern
centred on Maginor。'
'Capital of the Niaides subsector； Viceroy sector； Ultima segmentum；' announced Voke。
'Your astronomical knowledge is humbling； sir；' Bequin said smoothly。 She handed out data…slates。
'As you can see from the file of data marked 〃alpha〃； Quixos certainly visited Maginor almost two hundred years ago； and became
involved with a cartel of trade interests and noble families known as the Mystic Path。 The Path was a network which was already
utilising prohibited and forbidden lore and technologies。 Quixos should have closed them down and burned them。 It is clear he did not。
Instead； he fed and supported them。 He nurtured them until they became a power base for his invisible empire of dark belief。 No
longer a cartel but a cult。 A cult of Quixos。'
'Why do we think he's still there？' asked Ricci。
'We think he's made his hidden fastness there； sir；' said Bequin。 'The reaches of the Mystic Path now spread throughout the segmentum
and beyond。 Maginor is its heart。 In 239。M41； Inquisitor Lugenbrau and a warrior band numbering some sixty individuals disappeared
on Maginor。 No trace of them was ever found； though Interrogator Inshabel was able to… ah… recover an incomplete verbal
transcript of a pict…recording apparently made during Lugenbrau's raid。'
I speed…read the transcript。 It was harrowing。 'You got this from Elvara Cardinal； Inshabel？' I asked。
Inshabel was at the back of the room。 He stepped forward； blushing。 'Not directly； sir。 It actually came from the inquisitorial datalibrary
on Fibos Secundus。 How is a damn good story； but it's probably wasting valuable time to repeat it just now。'
Inshabel was right； as I have already said。 It was a damn good story； and I enjoyed it when he told it to me later。 I urge you to access
it。
'We believe Lugenbrau ay not have known it；' continued Bequin。 'He and his entire band were
wiped out by Quixos's forces。'
'Lugenbrau；' murmured Voke； setting his slate down and looking off into space。 'I never met him； but he was a trusted pupil of my late
comrade； Inquisitor Pavel Uet。 When Lugenbrau went missing； Uet took it hard。 The loss shortened his life。'
Voke looked at me with his rheumy eyes。 'If I wasn't decided before； Eisenhorn； I am noust pay。'
'I agree；' said Endor； tossing his slate onto the table and looking grim。 'At the very least； the Inquisition demands vengeance for this。'
'Maginor； then？' Grumman asked。
'It's still his base of operations； sir； we are sure of that；' said Bequin。 'And until a week ago； we were all set to prepare for a strike
against Maginor。 Then we received this。' She held up a astropathic transcript。
'I will read it； if I may。' She carefully put on her half…moon glasses。 They suited her； but I knew her vanity made her hate them。 It said
a lot about the situation that she was willing to wear them in front of these men。
'It begins… 〃Gregor； my friend。 I have been kept up to date with the data concerning your quarry。 It gives me something to do； these
winter afternoons。 I agree that Maginor may be the seat of the evil； and certainly requires the attention of the Inquisition。 But； if you'll
pardon me； I suggest that Maginor be left to the Ordos Niaides。 Using pointers Aemos gave me； I have assessed the following。 My full
findings are on the data…files attached below； but in short； I think you should be looking at Farness Beta。 Quixos's fascination with the
pylons of Cadia made me think； you see。
'〃See below； that I have traced massive stonecutting orders to the limit…world of Serebos； which lies galactically south of Terra。 The