Praxa­medes watched the Navigator closely. He had spent enough time among the unaugmented humans of the command deck that he could recognise the to and fro of emotions playing out in the thoughts of Kosa. She looked at the captain and saw no flinch in his gaze. Her eyes then sought momentary alliance from Praxa­medes, but he shared no sign of support for her. The captain was right; progress was too timid for effective action.

Finally, the Navigator’s gaze dropped to her hands, held together at her waist.

‘As you bid, captain,’ she said quietly. ‘On our next jump we shall endeavour to push harder to our destination. We shall seek the faster, more turbulent channels and trust to our powers that we will survive them.’ Kosa looked up then, steel hardening once more. ‘But under protest only. My oaths are to guide this ship safely through the warp, and to offer such prayers to the Master of the Light that will do so. I wish it to be noted in the records that one cannot win a battle if one does not safely reach it.’

‘As you wish, Navigator.’ Aeschelus stood up. ‘I am captain and all responsibility falls to me eventually. This is my will and the records shall make that known.’

The Navigator nodded and departed with quick steps and a sour demeanour.

Aeschelus let out an explosive breath and it was only then that Praxa­medes saw how much of an effort of patience it had been for his captain to treat reasonably with Kosa. Since the debacle with the Despoiler-class battleship, he had been looking for a fresh challenge. Ninety-two-days-perceived had passed since withdrawing from that disastrous episode. Ninety-two days of jumping from dead system to dead system seeking an enemy that appeared to have vanished.

‘I do not understand what is happening,’ said Nem­etus, leaning back. ‘Our astropaths tell us that this sector was awash with the enemy when we broke away from the main fleet, but now it seems like they have all disappeared.’

‘The astropaths are as perturbed by the warp storms as the Navigators,’ replied Praxa­medes. ‘Who knows how long ago some of those broadcasts were sent? Many have been echoing through the rifts and peaks of the warp since the renewed invasions began.’

‘There is something else here,’ said Aeschelus. ‘A sudden cessation of noise and enemy movements. I cannot believe that they have simply turned back, so we must assume they are hiding something, gathering in force. We have been tasked with locating those threats and locate them we will. The Emperor is not short of foes – we will find one soon enough.’