Nemesis

Kell nodded to Tariel. “It’s time to find out.”

The infocyte activated a code-key sequence on the projector unit and a haze of

holographic pixels shimmered into false solidity in the middle of the chamber. They

formed into the shape of a tall, muscular man in nondescript robes. He had a scarred

face and a queue of close-cut hair over an otherwise bare skull, and if the image was

an accurate representation, then he was easily bigger than the Garantine. The

hologram crackled and wavered, and Iota recognised the tell-tale patterns of highlevel

encoding threading through it. This was a real-time transmission, which meant

it could only be coming from another ship in orbit, or from Terra itself.

Kell nodded to the man. “Captain-General Valdor. We are ready to be briefed, at

the Master’s discretion.”

Valdor returned the gesture. “The Master of Assassins has charged me with that

task. Given the… unique nature of this operation, it seems only right that there be

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oversight from an outside party.” The Custodian surveyed all of them with a

measuring stare; at his end of the communication, Iota imagined he was standing

among a hololithic representation of the room and everyone in it.

“You want us to kill him, don’t you?” the Garantine said without preamble,

burying his makeshift knife in the bulkhead beside his head. “Let’s not be precious

about it. We all know, even if we haven’t had the will to say it aloud.”

“Your insight does you credit, Eversor,” said Valdor, his tone making it clear his

compliment was anything but that. “Your target is the former Warmaster of the

Adeptus Astartes, Primarch of the Luna Wolves, the Archtraitor Horus Lupercal.”

“They are the Sons of Horus now,” muttered Tariel, disbelief sharp in his words.

“Throne’s sake. It’s true, then…”

The Venenum woman made a negative noise in the back of her throat. “If it

pleases my lord Custodes, I must question this.”

“Speak your mind,” said Valdor.

“Every clade has heard the rumours of the missions that have followed this

directive and failed it. My clade-cohort Tobeld was the last to be sent on this fool’s

errand, and he perished like all the others. I question if this can even be achieved.”

“Cousin Soalm has a compelling point,” offered Koyne. “This is not some

wayward warlord of which we are speaking. This is Horus, first among the

Emperor’s sons. Many call him the greatest primarch that ever lived.”

“You’re afraid,” snorted the Garantine. “What a surprise.”

“Of course I am afraid of Horus,” replied Koyne, mimicking the Eversor’s gruff

manner. “Even an animal would be afraid of the Warmaster.”

“An Execution Force like this one has never been gathered,” Kell broke in,

drawing the attention of all of them. “Not since the days of the first masters and the

pact they swore in the Emperor’s service on Mount Vengeance. We are the echo of

that day, those words, that intention. Horus Lupercal is the only target worthy of us.”

“Pretty words,” said Soalm. “But meaningless without direction.” She turned

back to the image of Valdor. “I say again; how do we hope to accomplish this after so

many of our Assassinorum kindred have been sacrificed against so invulnerable an

objective?”

“Horus has legions of loyal warriors surrounding him,” said Tariel. “Astartes,

warships, forces of the Mechanicum and Cybernetica, not to mention the common

soldiery who have come to his banner. How do we even get close enough to strike at

him?”

“He will come to you.” Valdor gave a cold, thin smile. “Perhaps you wondered at

the speed with which this Execution Force has been assembled? It has been done so

as to react to new intelligence that will place the traitor directly in your sights.”

“How?” demanded Koyne.

“It is the judgement of Lord Malcador and the Council of Terra that Horus’

assassination at this juncture will throw the traitor forces into disarray and break the

rebellion before it can advance on to the Segmentum Solar,” said Valdor. “Agents of

the Imperium operating covertly in the Taebian Sector report a strong likelihood that

Horus is planning to bring his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, to the planet Dagonet in

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order to show his flag. We believe that the Warmaster’s forces will use Dagonet as a

foothold from which to secure the turning of every planet in the Taebian Stars.”

“If you know this to be so, my lord, then why not simply send a reprisal fleet to

Dagonet instead?” asked Soalm. “Send battle cruisers and Legions of Astartes, not

six assassins.”

“Perhaps even the Emperor himself…” muttered Koyne.

Valdor gave them both a searing glare. “The Emperor’s deeds are for him alone

to decide! And the fleets and the loyal Legions have their own battles to fight!”

Iota nodded to herself. “I understand,” she said. “We are to be sent because there

is not certainty. The Imperium cannot afford to send warfleets into the darkness on a