was pumped back up the mountainside and let loose to repeat its journey. It would never reach the infant reborn seas. The clean light came not from Terra's tired sun but from a compact fusion reactor suspended over the centre of the valley. The mountains that once soared boundless to the sky were covered by the buildings of the Imperial Palace.

In the years after his finding, Leman Russ had spent a lot of time at the Emperor's side. Among the many things the Emperor had told Russ were His plans to restore Terra to life. By the time of the Great Crusade's end He had already brought a few of its once extensive oceans back. But much of the rich life of Old Earth's past was extinct, and records that might allow its reconstruction destroyed. Even if they won, Russ doubted Terra could be remade again into the world it was. Now, even if the Imperium survived the war it would be wounded even further. So many pretty dreams had died on the sands of Isstvan V.

Malcador waited for him in the shaded arbour where, months before, Leman Russ had interviewed Garviel Loken. Like then, a Hrafnkel board was set up on the marble.

'I hope you give a better game than your Alpha Agent, Malcador.' Russ sat down opposite the aged psyker.

'Would you like to play?' said Malcador.

'You'll cheat.'

'I thought you wanted a challenge.'

'We're all playing this game now,' said Russ gruffly. 'The outnumbered king, besieged on all sides.'

'Which side do you want?' said Malcador.

'Go on then, I'll take white,' said Russ begrudgingly. 'I need the practice.'

The white pieces ringed the single king at the centre of the board. The aim was for the king to escape the larger dark army surrounding it. Russ picked up a warrior piece and moved it.

'Where have you been hiding? I've hardly seen you since I returned from Vanaheim,' said Russ. 'You made time for Sanguinius' arrival.'

'You were keen to go out and kill things. I was busy.' Malcador moved one of his own pieces.

Russ looked at the board and grunted. 'Looks like an interesting opening, but none of them are. You shouldn't read too much into the first few moves.' He moved the next of his pieces swiftly. 'I note many of my father's pieces are not on the board at the moment. Where are the Custodes? Those ones you dredged up to guard the tower were the first I've seen for months.'

'With your father,' said Malcador.

'Ah,' said Russ, raising his eyebrows in an expression of mock understanding. 'With my father. And you will still not tell me what He is doing.'

'He is in the Imperial Dungeon.'