Horus Rising by Dan Abnett

Author:Dan Abnett
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 184416294X
Publisher: The Black Library
Published: 2006-04-24T14:00:00+00:00

FOUR

Parting shots

The Sons of Horus

Anathame

'WHAT WAS TAKEN?' Mersadie Oliton asked.

'An anathame, so diey claim.'

'One weapon?'

'We didn't take it/ Loken said, stripping off the last of his battered armour. We took nothing. The killing was for nothing/

She shrugged. She took a sheaf of papers from her gown. They were Karkasy's latest offerings, and she had come to the arming chamber on the pretence of delivering them. In truth, she was hoping to learn what had befallen on Xenobia.

'Will you tell me?' she asked. He looked up. There was dried blood on his face and hands.

'Yes/ he said.

THE BATTLE OF Xenobia Principis lasted until dawn, and engulfed much of the city. At the first sign of commotion, unable to establish contact with either the Warmaster or the fleet, Abaddon and Aximand had

mobilised the two companies of Luna Wolves garrisoned at the Extranns. In the streets surrounding the compound area, the people of the interex got their first taste of the power of the Imperial Astartes. In the years to come, they would experience a good deal more. Abaddon was in wrathful mood, so much so that Axi-mand had to rein him back on several occasions.

It was Aximand's units that first reached the embattled Warmaster on the upper tier near the Hall of Devices, and fought a route to him through the cream of Naud's army. Abaddon's forces had struck at several of the city's control stations, and restored communications. The fleet was already moving in, in response to the apparent threat to the Warmaster and the Imperial parties on the ground. As interex warships moved to engage, landing assaults began, led by Sedirae and Targost.

With communications restored, a fullscale extraction was coordinated, drawing all Imperial personnel from the Extranus, and from fighting zones in the streets.

Horas sent one final communique to the interex. He expected no response, and received none. Far too much blood had been spilled and destruction wrought for relations to be soothed by diplomacy. Nevertheless, Horus expressed his bitter regret at the turn of events, lamented the interex for acting with such a heavy hand, and repeated once again his unequivocal denial that the Imperium had committed any of the crimes of which it stood accused.

WHEN THE SHIPS of the expedition returned to Imperial space, some weeks later, the Warmaster had a decree proclaimed. He told the Mournival that, upon reflection, he had reconsidered the importance of defining his role, and the relationship of the XVI Legion to that role. Henceforth, the Luna Wolves would be known as the Sons of Horus.

The news was well-received. In the quiet corners of the flagship archives, Kyril Sindermann was told by some of his iterators, and approved the decision, before turning back to books that he was the first person to read in a thousand years. In the bustle of the Retreat, the remembrancers - many of whom had been extracted from the Extranus by the Astartes efforts - cheered and drank to the new name. Ignace Karkasy sank a drink to the honour of the Legion, and Captain Loken in particular, and then had another one just to be sure.

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