It was the dismissal of the source that nagged at Praxa­medes. Imperial Navy officers were not warriors of the Adeptus Astartes, but they were also brave, capable men and women. Prone to superstition? Yes, but also with an instinct for their ships and environs gathered over many years of service. The informality of the intelligence was also its strength. Navy personnel gossiped, but there was always a kernel of truth in every story.

Experience told Praxa­medes not to dismiss the rumour of The Ninth Eye as easily as his captain.

He raised a hand and signalled for the deck officer in charge of the augurs, Lerok Catriolis. The young woman stepped smartly to attention at his side.

‘I want ranging scans of the dust clouds and orbital debris, at three-minute intervals.’

‘The debris field stretches for twenty thousand miles, lieutenant. Which part do you wish to scan?’

‘All of it,’ Praxa­medes replied sharply. He moderated his tone. ‘Power down our aft arrays to minimal passive coverage. There is no enemy behind us for fifty thousand miles. Divert the power to boost the active arrays and widen the search beams.’

‘Yes, lieutenant. Are we looking for anything in particular?’ Lerok kept her eyes fixed on the Space Marine, face impassive. ‘So that we can cali­brate the surveyors more tightly, lieutenant.’

Praxa­medes fought the urge to turn his gaze to the captain, who he could see in the periphery of his vision checking the weapon banks. Praxa­medes was tasked with oversight of the ongoing mission, and it could easily be argued that taking the precaution of monitoring the nearest celestial cover was well within scope of that station.

Aeschelus might not see it quite so clearly. It was not a direct contradiction of his orders, but it did seem against the spirit of the captain’s intent. Praxa­medes did not relish the thought of testing his commander’s faith further, but his sense of duty was stronger than his fears of personal or disciplinary consequence.

‘Plasma signature, void disturbance.’ He uttered the words quietly, as though the issuing of them from his lips was a fresh conspiracy.

‘Understood, lieutenant,’ she replied with another crisp salute. Her gaze lingered on Praxa­medes a few seconds longer. ‘I shall personally oversee the array and report directly to you.’

It was an odd thing to say, so it took a few moments before Praxa­medes realised that she was offering to keep the captain and shipmaster ignorant of her new orders for the time being. Her implied consent to the conspiracy brought back Praxa­medes’ nascent guilt, but he ignored it again.

‘Thank you, Lerok. There is no need to distract the captain at this time.’

She nodded and turned away, their pact finalised.