Innocence Proves Nothing by Sandy Mitchell

Author:Sandy Mitchell
Language: eng
Format: MOBI, epub, pdf
Published: 2012-11-13T22:10:01.244000+00:00

The Misericord, the Warp,

Date and Time Meaningless

"His name's Tancred," Keira said. "I found his personal data-slate aboard the shuttle. Along with this." She held out the precious manuscript, and Horst took it, covertly assessing her demeanour as he did so. It appeared as businesslike as ever. Despite the concerns he'd tried so hard to suppress, it seemed she hadn't been unduly affected by her encounter with the rogue psyker after all.

"Hybris." He glanced over to where the techpriest was communing with his own data-slate. As Vex glanced up, he held out the document. "Your area of expertise, I think."

"Thank you," Vex said, taking it, and riffling through the pages before stowing it somewhere inside his robe. "It appears to be intact." A tinge of regret flickered in his voice. "This hardly seems the time or the place to peruse it, however."

"You got that right," Keira agreed. "When Tancred discovers it's missing, he'll be right behind me." She glanced at Horst with a flicker of amusement. "I made sure I left enough of a trail for him and his animals to follow."

"Good," Horst said. "We're all set here." He glanced across at Vex. "Aren't we?"

"We are," the techpriest confirmed. "All the relevant systems are interfaced, and awaiting activation."

"Good." Keira produced a gold-plated data-slate from a pouch on her belt. "Then you can take a look at this while we're waiting." An expression of distaste flickered across her face. "Most of the files appear to be nothing more than pornography, but there are a few encrypted ones, which might contain something we can use."

"I'll see what I can extract," Vex said, activating the slate. "It's unlikely that any of the ciphers are particularly sophisticated." He busied himself with the arcane rituals of his calling, leaving Horst and Keira alone.

"Are you all right?" Horst asked, feeling a little awkward at asking so bluntly.

"Fine, thank you," Keira replied, apparently just as uneasy as he was.

"Good." Horst nodded briskly. "We'll all need to stay focused if this is going to work."

"Taking on an army of mutants without backup, you mean?" Drake asked sarcastically, approaching from the tunnel entrance Keira had returned by at a rapid trot, his lasgun already in his hands. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Nothing," Keira said firmly, apparently heartened by the Guardsman's display of confident cynicism. "We're doing the Emperor's work, so He stands beside us."

"I'd rather have Him standing in front of me," Drake said, happily oblivious to the way Keira's jaw knotted at the impious jest.

"Did you get everything rigged?" Horst asked, and Drake nodded. "Good. Then you'd better take up your position." Which would get him out of the way before he distracted Keira any more than he had done already with his misplaced sense of humour. Horst knew it was a common enough way of coping with stress, particularly among soldiers preparing for combat, but if it began to undermine the cohesiveness of the team, he was going to have to intervene. Far better to keep them separated as best he could.

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