Judging it better to act than not, she traced the broadcast signal and relayed it through the tomb ship’s tactical arrays, bypassing Simut’s higher-level strategic protocols.

‘…suffered casualties in this conflict but further struggle-loss is unnecessary. We are sophisticated, reasoning species that can come to understand each other without warfare. There must be mutual land on which we can meet and terms to which we are both in agreement. We implore you to consider better outcomes for your people and ours.’ There was a short break and the transmission resumed, a looped message pleading for negotiation.

Ah-hotep activated a short-range, repeated scanner burst. Its emittance clouded any chance of the human signal being detected by any of the other nearby ships. The arrogance of the humans to presume they might parley with the necrons was astounding. Simut would disregard it as he had their prior transmissions, but he was no longer in total control and needing a swift victory. Ah-hotep was not sure what might yet be made of this development, but she was certain she could think of something inventive.

Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

Aeschelus reviewed the orbital data and then nodded his approval to the deck officer that had presented the dataslate. The officer saluted and returned to the augur terminals, where Praxa­medes was still working with one of the tech-priests to bring the longest-ranged sensors back to full potential.

‘I can feel the easing of the burden,’ the captain said to his second.

‘The prospect of decisive action, brother-captain?’

‘No, more than that.’ Aeschelus flexed his shoulders, his armour accentuating the motion with whining actuators. ‘It must be the proximity of the orbital palaces and their contingent of astropaths. I feel we have been offered an opportunity – that its passage has brought all of the elements together, so that we can benefit from the shielding effect that kept its inhabitants saner than those below.’

‘The coincidence of the palace’s orbit over the lifting station Nem­etus is defending is fortuitous, but it’s a passing boon. And we don’t know how fully we can trust our allies. You haven’t reviewed the crystal that Sister Aures gave you.’

‘It seemed the least priority when so much else had to be done. But join me now, and we shall see what perturbed the Sister-Chatelain.’

The two of them moved to the anterium, where Praxa­medes activated the data reader. A small hololith crackled into animation atop the terminal, showing a wedge-shaped slice of a meeting hall. A long table ran down its length, the far end truncated by the extent of the holo-recorder’s arc. At the near end sat Imperial Commander Lowensten. Aeschelus recognised the veiled noble from his meeting with the governor, and several of the other men and women sat to either side. There was a lot of talking over each other while Lowensten sat back, arms folded, his expression dour.