[Anthologies] Let the Galaxy Burn by Marc Gascoigne;Christian Dunn

Author:Marc Gascoigne;Christian Dunn
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Science Fiction. warhammer 40000
ISBN: 9781844163427
Publisher: BLACK LIB
Published: 2008-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

With a trembling hand, Leon Kleist placed the dataslate on the polished surface of the long table. Viktor Gaudi, pale-skinned and sharp-featured, clad in a high-collared suit of crimson velvet, reached forward, picked up the slate in one slim, elegantly-manicured hand and thumbed its screen into life.

The room was panelled with dark wood and discreetly lit; the back-lit screen cast a pale green glow over his face. Gaudi raised an eyebrow as he read the display, then passed it back to the slightly older man who stood at his left shoulder - Filip Brek, formerly a minor member of the dead Grafs inner circle and Viktor's companion on his visits to the fleshpots of Praxis, now elevated to the major role of Grafsberator, the Grafs most valued advisor.

'You have been most generous.' Gaudi said quietly. 'Exceptionally so. In memory of my beloved grandfather, I thank you.'

The honour is mine,' Kleist replied, more loudly than was necessary, in an attempt to disguise his nerves. Kravi and his boss, Graumann, stood behind him, flanking the door, overseeing the tributes from their part of the hive. Kleist was the last; he could feel their gaze burning into his back. Before ushering Kleist and the others down the long corridor to the sanctum, Kravi had checked the slate, then shown it to Graumann.

The older man had whistled appreciatively - and so he should. Kleist had liquidated over a third of his assets to ensure that this tribute was sufficiently extravagant for him to escape another beating.

The Haus Gaudi does not forget its friends.' Gaudi nodded towards the door, ending the interview. 'Aldo, stay a while.' he added as Kleist took an unsteady step backwards, then turned. Ahead of him, Kravi stepped forward to open the door. As Kleist passed, Kravi nodded and smiled a self-satisfied, predator's smile before following him into the corridor and closing the door behind them.

'You did well in there, Leon.' Kravi said as they walked along the corridor. Panelled with the same warm, dark wood as the sanctum, it was lined with niches, in which busts of long-dead Grafs stood atop stone plinths. Kravi kept pace with Kleist, one or two steps behind him, a menacing voice at his shoulder. There's just one more thing I wanted to ask you.

'Your daughter - what does she like to do?'

'The Graf's pleased with you, boy.' Graumann blinked as his eyes adjusted to the afternoon sunlight. The second of Equus Ill's twin suns was dipping towards the tops of the trees that ringed the lake. He had found Kravi standing at the battlements atop the hexagonal wall that surrounded the compound. In all the years since its construction, no one had ever tried to breach the wall, but its rock-and-plasteel bulk, metres thick, looked capable of withstanding any assault short of orbital bombardment.

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