‘And the rest?’ asked Flight Commander Nocter.

‘We can only assume they were destroyed.’ Prospherous sighed. ‘I wish that were the extent of our troubles. What worries me most is where we found them. You know the province of Whalic?’

‘No.’

‘It’s on the other side of the planet.’

Shard shook her head. ‘That’s impossible. Even flying at top speed and refuelling on the wing, none of our fighters can travel such a distance in a few hours.’

‘Tell that to the survivor, though I use that word loosely. He is currently in a medi-unit. Not sure he’ll make it. Even if he does, I suspect he can tell us little. When they found him all he could do was mutter about green lightning, and monsters stealing his soul in the dark.’

‘It’s the Green Storm,’ Nocter muttered, making the sign of the aquila. I had heard that name before. Shard pretended to laugh, throwing her head back before leaning in.

‘We need to know what is lurking in those storm clouds,’ she said. ‘Let me take a squad and–’

Prospherous cut her off. ‘No. The western storm front is not going anywhere. From now on we stay clear of it.’

‘Those clouds stretch wide enough to hide an armada. We need to investigate.’

‘We have been investigating – that’s why I have so many dead pilots,’ Pros­pherous hissed. ‘For now, we have orders to avoid that storm front. Whatever danger lies within is not intent on emerging. There is a good chance it is a natural phenomenon, as dangerous to them as to us. It might even shield our flank.’

‘Pardon my bluntness, sir, but that reeks of cowardice.’

I recognised the speaker as Flight Commander Gradeolous. I could not help note that Shard and he had positioned themselves at opposite sides of the table.

‘You have a better suggestion, Gradeolous?’

‘Yes, sir!’ Gradeolous replied, snapping off a rigid salute.

‘Please enlighten us.’

‘Send everything we have, sir – every craft that is airworthy and every pilot who can fly. We move as one and wipe them out.’

‘And our other fronts?’ Prospherous asked. ‘The Astra Militarum cannot hold out without aerial support. Those ork bombers will simply erase them. Then there are the travel corridors we are trying to keep open. If they find a way to sever our supply lines, we are lost.’

Shard sighed. ‘It would be easier if we didn’t have to babysit these inbred halfwits.’

‘You think so, Shard?’ Prospherous replied. ‘Do you think I wanted a third of my command operating a glorified escort service, just so these people can indulge their pointless ritual?’

‘Then why are we?’

‘Because we have orders and we obey them. Understood?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You are sure?’ Prospherous frowned. ‘For you are adept at seeming to obey orders to the letter whilst simultaneously violating their spirit.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘It was not a compliment. In fact–’