Warhammer 40k - Gaunt's Ghosts 06 by Straight Silver # Dan Abnett

Author:Straight Silver # Dan Abnett
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-05-03T14:06:26+00:00

Ortern chuckled. “Your customs, sir, are rather alien. On Aexe Cardinal, a gentleman never leaves his sonso unfinished. And he never declines the offer of another man’s smokes, for when can he be sure he’ll sample such delights again?”

“I mean no offence,” said Gaunt. “Is it protocol to accept a cigar and save it for a later time?”

“Of course.”

Gaunt nodded, and took one of the proffered cigars. He knew Corbec would appreciate it.

The conversation now opened up more freely across the table.

“Ibram,” Van Voytz greeted Gaunt from the table-head with a toast of his amasec, “you joined us late.”

“My apologies, lord. I encountered transit problems on my way from Rhonforq.”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t make it,” said the bespectacled Kottmark general. “I was looking forward to meeting you.”

“Sir,” Gaunt acknowledged.

“Ibram, this is Vice General Cam Martane, commander in chief of the Kottmark Forces West, and deputy supreme commander of the Alliance.”

Lyntor-Sewq’s right hand man, then.

Martane smiled blandly at Gaunt and sipped his amasec delicately. “I have been intrigued by certain reports,” he began.

“Come now, Martane!” Van Voytz cut in, good humouredly. “This is a social event. We can leave the war room talk for the morning.”

“But of course, lord general,” said Martane deftly, sitting back in his seat. “The war consumes our every waking moment in ways I forget must seem strange to visitors.” Van Voytz’s face darkened. It was a tremendous but subtle slight. Martane was deferring to Van Voytz, but doing so in such a way that suggested the Imperials took the Aexe struggle far less seriously than the locals.

“Actually, my lord,” said Gaunt brightly, “I’d be interested to hear the vice general’s comments.”

The conversation stilled. It was a duel, no more or less, verbal but still vicious. Imperials versus Alliance. Martane’s remark had been cutting and poised, allowing Van Voytz two options: pass over it and take the put-down, or trigger a more obvious clash by marking it.

Either way, Van Voytz would lose grace. Now Gaunt had stepped up and deflected the slur as deftly as Martane had made it.

Martane chose his words carefully. “Colonel Ankre, that worthy son of Kottmark, has suggested to me in despatches that you have been… less than impressed with our military organisations.”

“Colonel Ankre and I enjoyed a robust exchange of views, sir,” said Gaunt. “I imagine that is what you are referring to. I admit I’m surprised he took them so to heart he needed to bother you with them.”

Gaunt saw Van Voytz disguise a smile. There was a word that usually followed a remark like Gaunt’s latest. The word was “touché”.

“I was not bothered by them, colonel-commissar. I was glad Redjacq took the time to instruct me. I would hate to think that our new Imperial allies are fighting against us. Administratively, I mean.”

Martane was a skilled political operator. There was another comment that seemed light and warm yet had sharp steel running through it.

“Why would you think that?” Gaunt asked, parrying directly.

“Ankre said you took issue with the workings of chain of command and field etiquette.

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