Ciaphas Cain: Choose Your Enemies

‘Right.’ He looked a little taken aback, but rallied quickly. ‘I’ll get right on it.’ He bowed, mainly at Amberley, and started for the door. ‘It might take a while. Most of the ones in orbit have their cargoes assigned by now…’

‘Then tell them I sent you,’ Amberley said. ‘Better still…’ She tapped her comm-bead. ‘Flicker. Scrivener Proktor’s just leaving. I’ve asked him to run a little errand for me, and I’m sure he’d be grateful if you and Zemelda went along with him to smooth his path.’

‘Thank you, inquisitor. Much appreciated.’ Proktor bowed again, with the air of a man who’d just poked a buzz saw to see if it was still running and was now trying to catch a couple of fingers. ‘I’ll get back to you within the hour.’

‘It’s still going to be tight,’ I said. I turned to Amberley. ‘Could we use the webway to get to Ironfound?’

She shook her head. ‘That isn’t an option. We had to collapse the tunnel leading to it before we came through. Even if we could work out how to activate the portal, your advance party would just be trapped in a cavern in the sump.’

‘At least we won’t have to worry about the eldar invading upwards through the underhive, then,’ I said.

‘Not in the short term,’ Amberley agreed. ‘Although the eldar are one of the oldest and most sophisticated races in the galaxy. I’m pretty sure working out how to use a shovel isn’t going to be beyond them.’

Editorial Note:

Since Cain skips lightly over the ensuing events, picking them up again only after some time has passed, the following extract may prove useful to any readers wishing to fill in the gap – although, as usual, any unwilling to plough through Sulla’s purple prose are perfectly at liberty to move swiftly on, if not actually encouraged to do so.

From Like a Phoenix on the Wing: the Early Campaigns and Glorious Victories of the Valhallan 597th by General Jenit Sulla (retired), 101 M42

The news that, dire as the situation on Drechia appeared, it was only the precursor to a greater and even more potent danger which had lain in ambush completely unsuspected was received by us all with the stoicism and renewed resolve I had come to expect from the daughters and sons of Valhalla, particularly those with whom I had been privileged to serve for so long. Though a certain amount of consternation among the rank and file was only to be expected, such apprehensions were gratifyingly short-lived, thanks to the inspirational leadership of Commissar Cain, whose habitual air of calm confidence had its usual reviving effect on the morale of all he spoke to, from Colonel Kasteen herself to the lowliest of the newly inducted troopers. My position as a company commander meant that I was fortunate enough to be briefed by, and occasionally converse with, the gallant commissar to a greater extent than most, drawing renewed heart from his manifest dedication to duty, nobility of bearing,77 and unfailing concern for every member of the regiment.

The news that an inquisitor herself had requested our aid was, if anything, of even greater import, and cause for much speculation – something I must confess that even I felt constrained to indulge in on occasion. The prevailing consensus, however, possibly due to the calming influence of Commissar Cain, was that we would thereby be doing the Emperor’s work, and thus be under the protection of His divine hand throughout the trials to come which was, as can be readily appreciated, greatly comforting to us all. Of the inquisitor herself I saw nothing, since she preferred to work closely with Colonel Kasteen, Major Broklaw and Commissar Cain, all of whom it seemed were personally acquainted with her, although none of them were particularly forthcoming as to the circumstances under which this prior association had been minted. Knowing my duty, and the primacy of the need to know, I, of course, forbore to ask, although much speculation about the matter continued to be a staple of regimental gossip for some considerable time.

The news78 that we were to pull out, in the midst of so grave a local crisis, was not, of course, well received by the Drechians, who protested as vigorously as one might expect; unsurprisingly it fell to the consummate diplomatic skills of Commissar Cain79 to calm the situation. Even the planetary governor herself could hardly fail to be moved by his mastery of oratory,80 eventually resigning herself to our departure with good grace and heartfelt wishes for our success.