The Warmaster (Gaunt’s Ghosts Book 14) by Dan Abnett

Author:Dan Abnett [Abnett, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Games Workshop
Published: 2017-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

Seventeen: Eagles

The regiment’s psyber-eagle was roosting on a fence overlooking the billet yard, one head tucked asleep, the other wary and watching the dawn fiercely.

The sky was pink and the angles of the shadows long and hard. Zhukova wandered into the yard, greeting the sentries at the billet doors.

‘Up early,’ said Daur.

‘So are you,’ she replied with a smile.

‘If I sleep for too long, the scar gets sore,’ he replied, patting the side of his belly with a grimace. ‘A little stroll stretches it out and eases the cramp.’

‘Elodie not mind you leaving her bed now you’re only just in it?’ asked Zhukova.

‘I’ll be back directly,’ said Daur with a grin. ‘Anyway, she’s been up half the night. Criid’s little girl, Yoncy. Tona had to shave her head. Lice, you know. Poor kid’s beside herself at the loss of her pigtails. They’ve been taking it in turns to sit with her and calm her down.’

‘I thought I heard sobbing,’ said Zhukova.

‘Oh, that,’ laughed Daur. ‘That’s just all the hearts you’ve broken. The men of T Company, crying in their sleep.’

Zhukova snorted.

‘I was going for a run,’ she said.

‘Check with the scouts. They’re watching the area. After yesterday.’

She nodded, and then paused.

‘What’s this now?’ she asked.

An armoured transport, unmarked, was rolling down the track towards the yard.

‘Is that Gaunt back at last?’ she asked.

Daur shrugged.

‘No idea,’ he said.

Fazekiel, Baskevyl and Domor emerged from the billet units behind them. Each of them was in a clean number one uniform.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Daur.

‘Exciting day,’ said Bask. ‘We’re summoned to the ordos.’

‘What? Why?’ asked Zhukova.

‘Because someone,’ said Domor, looking daggers at Baskevyl, ‘was daft enough to feth around with the fething special cargo, that’s why.’

‘It’s routine,’ said Fazekiel. She finished pinning up her hair, and put her cap on, peak first. ‘The ordos took charge of the trinkets we picked up, and they want to interview everyone who came in contact with them.’

‘Trinkets, she says,’ moaned Domor.

‘Luna’s right, it’s just routine,’ said Bask. He dead-panned straight at Zhukova and Daur. ‘When we don’t come back, dear friends, remember our names.’

Zhukova and Daur laughed.

The transport drew up in the centre of the yard, and a rear hatch opened. Inquisitor Laksheema’s little aide stepped down.

‘Fazekiel? Domor? Baskevyl?’ she called out, reading off her data-slate.

‘Keep it down, you’ll wake the dead,’ Baskevyl called back.

‘Wouldn’t be the first time,’ said Onabel. She waited, sour-faced, as the trio walked over to her and climbed aboard. Baskevyl shot Daur and Zhukova a cheeky wave as the hatch closed.

‘Well,’ said Daur, ‘fun for them.’

‘They can keep that kind of fun,’ said Zhukova.

‘What is it?’ asked Felyx. ‘Is it my father?’

He was squirmed down in his bunk under a heap of blankets, just his face poking out. At the window, Dalin yawned as he looked out into the yard below.

‘No, some transport,’ he said. ‘Baskevyl heading off with Shoggy and the commissar.’

‘Ludd?’

‘No, not Ludd,’ said Dalin. He yawned again as the transport drove away. ‘Fazekiel. We should get up.’

‘Is it time to get up?’

‘It will be soon.

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