dust；》 insisted Xephous。
said Sennesdiar。
They stopped at the base of a great crumbling tower。 Sennesdiar looked up； and； in infra…red；
noted the ornate black cogs and carved metal beams that were visible where large curving sections
of the outer shell had fallen away。
The adept pointed at one particularly large metal plate on the ground in front of him； and
together the three tech…priests moved to lift it。 It would have taken a dozen men significant effort；
but； to the priests of the Machine Cult； it was an easy matter。 Their mechadendrites snaked forwards
from their backs； and； with a casual gesture that bordered on contempt； they flipped the heavy plate
of alien metal aside。
The noise of it crashing was all the louder for the depth of the silence that had preceded it。 The
rumble of the Cadian machines was barely detectable in this part of the chamber。
Sennesdiar crouched down； his voluminous robe spreading out around him。 he
said；
The others crouched； too。
said Sennesdiar。
Katz used the crashing of the massive metal plate to cover the noise of his footsteps as he moved
closer to the tech…priests。 It seemed to him that they had found the thing they sought。 He could see a
bundle of rags on the ground between them。 He crept closer and closer； ever mindful of the slightest
noise that might give him away。
Damn their bloody chirping and beeping； he thought。 If only I could understand what they were
saying。
He saw the largest one； the magos； unfurl the rags on the ground to reveal a skull attached to
metal vertebrae。
It’s another one； Katz said to himself。 It’s a bloody tech…priest。
He could see augmetic attachments bolted to the skull。 He could see a metal collar bone。 Magos
Sennesdiar kept uncovering more and more。 There was a structure like a rib cage； but formed of
steel spars and pistons。 One of the arms was missing； but the other was bulky and ended in
something more claw than hand。 Cables and flexible tubing trailed from the midriff like the entrails
of an eviscerated man。
156
Katz wondered how much closer he could get without risking detection。 He had to know more。
The major general was relying on him。
Slowly； carefully； he moved in； keeping to the wall on his right。
So far； so good； he thought。 They’re preoccupied。 They don’t have a clue I’m here。
said Armadron。
said Sennesdiar。
Xephous and Armadron saw to it。 With precise and careful movements； they lifted the remains
of Magos Ipharod into position。 He was in a poor state。 With the exception of his skull and teeth； the
few biological elements left over from his human form had rotted away almost completely。 His
missing left arm and the absence of his legs spoke of violent damage prior to his seeking refuge here
in Dar Laq。 What had happened to him？ If the procedure was successful； Sennesdiar would soon
know。
said Sennesdiar；
said Xephous； reaching up to pull back his hood。 His fingers worked a
panel on the side of his metal head。 There was a brief whining noise as tiny motors lifted a square
section and rotated it away； revealing sockets sunk into the tissue of his living brain。
Sennesdiar detected no fear in his adept’s tone； but he sensed an increase in secretions from his
biological systems that suggested he was less than happy。 Giving one’s systems over to the control
of another tech…priest’s intelligence core was a dangerous and highly irregular affair。 Ipharod was
even older than Sennesdiar； and had enough authority to demand permanent control of the adept’s
body。 Officially； Sennesdiar would be unable to refuse； but he valued Xephous enough to resent the
idea。 He did not want to lose his adept quite yet。
No； he decided； Ipharod’s 1C module will reveal the information I seek； and then I will
deactivate it for eventual return to Mars。 If Ipharod wishes to live again； let it be inside another body
constructed for just that purpose。
said Armadron。 He lifted a small cylinder of metal； covered in traceries of
gold； from a hatch in Ipharod’s grinning skull。 It glowed ever so slightly in the dark； still charged
with the energy needed to maintain its integrity。
ordered Sennesdiar。
said Xephous； presenting the top of his head to his fellow adept。
said Sennesdiar。
said Xephous。
Armadron carefully plugged the intelligence core into Xephous’ brain and closed the metal
hatch。
Xephous shuddered。 Green diodes on his metal face winked out。 His head lolled slackly onto his
shoulder。
Sennesdiar and Armadron waited。 Nothing happened。
asked Sennesdiar。
said Armadron。
157
A faint； tinny voice issued from Xephous’ vocaliser。
158
CHAPTER TWENTY…EIGHT
Ipharod’s recall was absolute。 Had his rescuers thought to bring a hololithic projector； they could
have watched a perfect record of events in three dimensions as seen though his lenses。
Unfortunately； not all Martian priests were equal。 Ipharod was not impressed with Sennesdiar。 He
had come unprepared and under…equipped。 He was probably no older than four centuries； and he
was incompetent like all the new breed。
For all its flaws； its inherent ambiguities； Ipharod had no recourse but to employ spoken
language。 The first thing he shared with the other three tech…priests； however； was nothing to do
with the past。
he told them。
said Sennesdiar。
asked Armadron。
said Sennesdiar。
asked Sennesdiar。
said Ipharod。
asked Sennesdiar。
said
Ipharod。
said Sennesdiar。
There was a moment of silence while Ipharod tried in vain to rise； but Xephous’ body would not
follow his neural commands。
said Sennesdiar。
insisted Ipharod。
Sennesdiar reached forward and touched a recessed button on Xephous’ head。 The metal panel
whined open again to reveal the adept’s soft grey brain。
said Ipharod。
Sennesdiar yanked the tiny； lambent cylinder from its socket and closed the panel。 Moments
later； the diodes on Xephous’ face glimmered to life ag