As the door closed behind him, I turned to the seer-skulls. Mizar, finally unshackled, hovered expectantly. But something was off with Kikazar. It flitted from side to side, as though desperate to relieve itself.

I beckoned it over, frowning as I saw the flashing light on its lower carapace. Data full, it indicated. I was surprised, as the machine’s memory was measured in days. I had directed it to eavesdrop on Shard, but it had somehow lost her, or she it. Yet there were days’ worth of recordings.

What had it heard?

Chapter twenty-seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I listened.

‘I don’t care if the spirit of Saint Sanguinius is available, I am still the one who will be flying the damn mission.’

Kikazar had recorded the words, so it must have been monitoring Shard even before I dispatched it, its cogitator apparently deeming her speech important. The pict quality was poor, but I watched the seer-skull descend on the pacing Shard. It was only when it drew closer that it registered the other speaker. He spoke softly, but with no less authority for that.

It was Wing Commander Prospherous.

‘There is no mission,’ he hissed, glancing over his shoulder. ‘And for Throne’s sake keep your voice down.’

‘There is something in the storm. We can’t keep ignoring it.’

‘We have orders to stay clear until the phenomenon can be assessed.’

‘You think Plient imagined it? That boy doesn’t have any imagination. I’ve met servitors with a greater gift for abstract thought. What makes you–’

‘That’s enough!’

His voice rose but a fraction, though it was sufficient to silence her, at least for a moment.

‘We don’t know what Plient saw,’ he said. ‘There is no evidence at present beyond the ravings of a traumatised mechanical.’

‘Except the bullets embedded in his craft.’

‘Orders are orders. Even were we to disobey, what action do you propose? Sending our depleted forces into that hurricane, which may or may not house ork fighters? It’s a suicide mission.’

‘The alternative is to wait for them to attack and wipe us out.’

‘Then we die either way,’ Prospherous replied. He did not seem aggrieved, unlike the pacing Shard. In fact, now her voice had lowered, he spoke as calmly as though discussing more conventional weather.

‘If we attack now, we can catch them off guard.’

‘Or fly right into a trap. Our orders are to secure Governor Dolos’ summer residence and await reinforcements.’

‘Reinforcements?’ Shard frowned. ‘When will they be sent?’

‘Not until Salus completes analysis of the storm.’