Savage Scars (Warhammer 40,000) by Andy Hoare

Author:Andy Hoare [Hoare, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2011-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

‘Lucian,’ said Sarik as the White Scar strode into Battlegroup Arcadius’s bustling command post. The staff were preparing for a session of the Damocles Gulf Crusade command council, with each councillor attending from a remote station. Large pict screens were being erected in the centre of the tented command post, each connected by snaking cables to a central field-cogitation array.

The rogue trader turned from the tacticae-station he was leaned over, and grinned when he saw his friend. With a last word to the Rakarshan trooper manning the station, Lucian crossed to the Space Marine, and the two clasped hands.

‘How goes the war?’ asked Sarik.

Lucian’s expression darkened before he replied. ‘We’ve been ordered to dig in,’ said Lucian. ‘The whole operation’s grinding to a halt.’

‘Aye,’ said Sarik. ‘It’s the same along the whole front. The tau have evacuated non-combatants and their reinforcements are flooding in. We’ve been fending off probing attacks all night.’

Lucian nodded, and leaned in conspiratorially. ‘Have you spoken to any of Gauge’s staff?’

Sarik noticed that the command post was manned by a large number of Departmento Tacticae staff, and guessed that the rogue trader was not entirely happy about the fact. ‘Indirectly. Talk plainly, friend.’

‘Well enough,’ Lucian replied quietly. ‘I think something’s up. I think the Tacticae are reassessing the strategic situation.’

‘To what end?’

‘I think they’re coming to realise that the crusade is overextended,’ Lucian said. ‘My son reports that the fleet is struggling to protect the supply trains, and if things get any worse dirt-side will be hard pressed to support orbital and ground operations together.’

‘It’s only a matter of time before Gauge receives this information, then,’ Sarik said. ‘And when he does?’

‘Hard to say,’ Lucian said. ‘If I read Gauge right, I think he’ll press for a breakout, but something will have to be done quickly. My son believes there is a substantial tau war fleet inbound, so time is at a premium.’

‘Is this to be the crux of the council session?’

Lucian grinned. ‘Possibly, but there is other business too. My son has been busy, finding prospective replacements for the vacant council seats. I aim to propose three new members, all of whom are sympathetic to our faction’s agenda.’

Something inside Sarik stirred, for he disliked being dragged into the crusade’s politics. Far better to leave such things to Chapter Masters and their peers, he believed, and leave sergeants such as himself to lead the troops. Still, he had accepted the responsibility of a seat on the command council, and could scarcely expect to avoid such things, no matter how tedious he found them.

Before Sarik could answer, one of the Tacticae staff called out, reporting that the pict screens were all in place and the council session ready to convene. Sarik and Lucian strode to the centre of the command post, the screens arrayed in a circle around them. ‘Ready?’ Lucian asked.

‘Ready,’ Sarik replied. The advisor gestured to a technician, and the screens burst to life as one.

A respectful quiet descended on the command post, and the static on the screens resolved into a dozen images of the face of the council’s convenor.

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