Salvation's Reach

TWENTY-TWO Departures

‘Ban! Ban!’ Haller yelled, firing wildly. He couldn’t even reach Daur. He could see that his friend had been hit badly. Daur wasn’t moving.

Haller also knew there was no way he was going to hold off a Sons of Sek assault on his own with just a pistol.

The enemy charged him. A piercing plasma weapon beam blew the leading officer apart. Lasfire ripped in, cutting down several of the others. The gunfire was coming from behind Haller. He ducked down. The las and plasma fire streaked over his head, punishing the Sons, driving them back down the tunnel.

Hark appeared, plasma gun in hand. The rest of the Strike Gamma detachment came up after him.

‘Emperor damn it, Haller,’ Hark said, looking in dismay at the fallen men. ‘Decide to start without us, did you?’

‘They just came at us,’ Haller replied.

‘Medic!’ Hark yelled. Dorden came forwards. He groaned sadly at the sight that greeted him, and knelt down to examine Daur and Merrt. Vahgner and Belloc were way past saving.

‘We can hear fighting up ahead,’ Haller told Hark. ‘Captain Daur was pretty sure that Strike Beta has engaged. It sounds like they’re in the thick of it.’

‘We’ll move up to support,’ said Hark. He looked at Dorden. ‘How long, doctor?’

‘Move ahead,’ said Dorden, busy. ‘I’ve got my hands full here.’

‘I’m not leaving you,’ said Hark.

‘Well, I’d also prefer it if you didn’t carry two critically injured men into a fight with you. Let me patch them up. If you can spare Haller, we’ll move them back down the tunnel as soon as they’re stable.’

Hark looked at Haller.

‘All right with you?’

Haller nodded.

‘Get them to safety,’ Hark said. He leaned closer to Haller. ‘All three of them, all right?’ he whispered.

He stepped back.

‘Well done,’ he said. ‘You’ve opened the way up for us. Strike Gamma? Ready weapons. Look lively! We’re advancing against hostiles.’

There was a clatter of weapons.

‘Forwards!’ Hark ordered. The troops began to file past. Hark looked back at Haller.

‘Get done here and get back. I’ll see you on the other side.’

‘Good luck, commissar,’ said Haller.

‘The Emperor protects.’

Haller watched as Hark’s force moved out of sight then he clambered over to Dorden.

‘Can we move them?’ he asked.

‘What’s wrong with your shoulder, Haller?’ Dorden asked.

‘It got shot. It’s nothing. Can we move them?’

‘Not yet. Maybe soon.’

‘Can you save them?’

Dorden looked at Haller. In the dim, twitching light cast by Belloc’s fallen flamer, his eyes seemed fathomless. He was exhausted. He couldn’t pretend any more

‘I don’t know, Haller. I can’t even save myself. Merrt’s chest wound is severe. His heart is damaged. Daur is… who am I kidding, Daur’s critical too. An infirmary is their best chance. An infirmary and a better medicae.’

‘You’re the best doctor w–’

Dorden shook his head.

‘Hush, Haller. I can barely walk. My hands are weak and clumsy. I am so tired and addled with pain-suppressing drugs I forget basic techniques. The ridiculous sentiment and affection of men like Gaunt and Hark has allowed me to continue serving long past my competence. I shouldn’t be here, Haller. Hark should have seconded a medic from the ship’s crew. He was humouring the last wishes of an old, dying fool.’

‘That’s not true,’ Haller replied.

‘Trust me, Haller. I forced my way into this because I wanted to matter one last time. I’m an old man and I should have known better–’

‘Stuff it. You know what you’re doing. All the while you’ve been spilling out that self-pity, you’ve been working. You know what you’re doing. Tell me what I can do. Compression or something. Let’s get them fixed and get them out. Now.’

‘We’re not going to hold them off much longer!’ Mkoll yelled, firing out of the college’s main hatchway.

‘I can see that,’ Gaunt replied, loading another clip of ammunition into his pistol.

Rawne appeared beside them, standing against the corner of the wall, firing his rifle. Las rounds whined past them or blew chrome punctures in the rusted metal.

‘This turned out so well,’ he murmured.

‘If we can break their onslaught, just for a few minutes, we can pull out,’ Gaunt said.

‘Have you seen how many of them there are outside?’ Rawne retorted. ‘It’s like the whole fething habitat is trying to kill us!’

‘Rawne’s right,’ said Mkoll. ‘If we’re going to break off, some of us have to stay here to cover the rest.’

‘No,’ said Gaunt.

‘Last ditch,’ Mkoll said.

‘Suicide Kings,’ said Rawne.

‘No. To both of you,’ snapped Gaunt.

‘Then this mission is going to fail,’ said Rawne.

The Sons of Sek threw themselves at the college precinct with renewed fury. They had brought up rockets, and heavier, crew-served guns. Gaunt tried to assess numbers through the smoke. Everything was about to end, and very rapidly.

‘Remember Tanith!’ a voice boomed across the concourse outside the college hatchway. Gaunt watched in disbelief as concentrated small-arms fire smacked into the Sons’ deployment from the right. Despite their superior numbers, the Sons seemed wrong-footed by the counter-assault. Half of their advance positions were suddenly exposed to the side.

‘It’s Strike Gamma!’ Varl yelled.

‘Daur?’ asked Gaunt.

‘I don’t see him,’ said Domor. ‘I see Commissar Hark. They’re coming out of the vents down there.’

‘Keep firing!’ Gaunt yelled. ‘Use this! Hit them hard while they’re reeling.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Rawne.

Gaunt scrambled back from the hatchway. He looked at Blenner and Wilder.

‘The last of the transports are loaded,’ said Wilder. ‘Everything we can carry.’

‘Get moving. Get back to the ship. We’ll follow on foot.’

Wilder nodded. He and Blenner turned.

‘Signal the Armaduke,’ Gaunt called to Blenner. ‘Begin withdrawal now.’

‘Understood,’ said Blenner.

Dalin came running through the debris field to the spot where Kolea and Fazekiel were in cover.

‘We’re ready for the next advance,’ said Kolea. He pointed. ‘Through those hatches there, into the yards on the far side, and–’

‘No, sir,’ said Dalin. He handed Kolea a slip of paper. ‘Just received by Rerval. We’ve been given the order to disengage and pull out.’

Kolea studied the piece of paper. He handed it to Fazekiel.

‘It’s authentic,’ said the commissar.

‘All right,’ said Kolea. ‘Contact all section and company leaders. The order is disengage and fall back. Systematic, just like we trained. Fall back by unit, covering fire. No unnecessary risks. No one rushing for the transports. Any charges, explosives, grenades left, use them to good effect. Bring the place down behind you if you can.’

Dalin and Fazekiel nodded.

‘Get the order spread quickly,’ said Kolea.

Baskevyl fired a couple of shots at some cult fighters dug in ahead of his position.

‘We’ve got the word, Bask,’ Kolosim yelled. ‘Pull back!’

‘Because we have to or because we’re done?’ asked Baskevyl.

‘Let’s hope it’s the latter,’ yelled Kolosim.

‘Time to go,’ said Gendler.

Meryn tipped his head back and blew out a deep breath.

‘You sure?’ asked Costin.

Gendler ignored him.

‘You sure?’ asked Meryn.

‘Word just got passed up the line,’ said Gendler. ‘We’re out of this shit-fix.’

‘Suits me,’ said Meryn. In the last half an hour, the enemy strength had depleted a little. Things weren’t as hellish as they had been right after the drop, but they were still pretty bad. A steady stream of fire was coming their way, and Kolea had ordered his company to take a particularly inaccessible storage area.

Meryn could smell sour milk and crushed mint. He had no intention of taking any storage area. E Company had sat down on their arses and dug in for the last ten minutes, claiming to be waiting for restock before following the order to assault.

‘Let’s go then,’ Meryn said. ‘E Company, out now! Fast! Head for the transports. Move your scrawny arses!’

‘Orders said something about systematic retreat and covering fire,’ said Gendler. He looked at Meryn. They both snorted with laughter.

Costin tried to join in too, faking a laugh.

‘Shut the feth up,’ said Meryn.

They began to back off, scrambling over the smouldering wreckage and heaped debris in the direction of the hangar bays and the drop site.

Merrt could walk, very slowly, with Dorden supporting him and using the autorifle as a walking stick. His skin was sallow from blood loss. Each step he took was a massive effort. Daur was still unconscious; Haller was obliged to carry him. Every ten metres or so, Haller put his friend down to rest his arms.

‘Maybe we should wait for Hark’s squad to come back this way and help us,’ said Dorden.

‘What if they don’t?’ asked Haller through gritted teeth. ‘You heard that fighting. Like the West Wall at Vervunhive.’

‘You’re right, you’re right,’ said Dorden. He was behind Haller, so Haller couldn’t see how sick he was or how badly he was faltering. Already tired and wrung out, the effort of supporting Merrt was sapping the last dregs of Dorden’s strength.

Merrt was ailing too. He slumped against the passage wall, dropping his rifle. Dorden tried to help him slide down to the ground without further damaging himself. Blood welled up over the lip of his augmetic jaw.

‘Gn… gn… gn… can’t do it,’ Merrt whispered.

‘You can,’ said Dorden. ‘You can, Rhen.’

Merrt shook his head.

‘Get him up, doc!’ Haller urged.

‘He needs a moment to rest,’ Dorden replied. So do I, he added, under his breath.

Haller cursed and put Daur down again. He sat down, rubbing his arms.

‘How much further, do you think?’ he asked. They’d already passed half-a-dozen of the devices that Merrt and Haller had disarmed and marked up with red chalk.

‘Not far,’ said Dorden. He gave himself a shot in the thigh that no one could see, a huge and desperate hit of pain-killers.

‘Too far,’ Merrt whispered, sitting with his back to the wall, his eyes closed. ‘Tell me the gn… gn… gn… truth, doc. I’m done, aren’t I? I’m bleeding inside. My heart… It feels like I’m gn… gn… gn… torn up.’

‘You’re fine,’ said Dorden. He couldn’t avoid Haller’s eyes. Haller could see Dorden was lying. The old medicae no longer had the strength to fake a confident bedside manner.

‘Leave me here,’ said Merrt. ‘You’ll be gn… gn… gn… a lot faster without me.’

‘We’re not leaving you,’ said Haller.

‘No, we’re not,’ Dorden agreed. He looked at Merrt. More blood was seeping through the dressings on his chest. Slowly, painfully, Dorden got up and crossed to Haller.

‘You go on,’ he said quietly.

‘No, doc.’

‘Yes. I’ll follow on with Merrt when I’ve got my breath back. Please, Haller. Get Daur back to the ship.’

‘I’m not leaving anyone behind,’ Haller insisted, frowning.

‘Haller, Ban’s your friend. Your good friend. You’ve known him for years, since before the Ghosts. He’s got a brand-new wife waiting for him. Sweet, sweet girl. She needs you to bring Ban back to her. Decent surgery on the ship will save his life. Do you understand what I’m saying, Haller?’

‘I’ll carry you,’ said Haller. There were tears in his eyes.

‘All of us?’ Dorden smiled. ‘Daur can’t walk. Neither can Merrt. And I can’t carry Merrt. I can barely get up, Haller. Go on. Do this for me, Haller. Pick Ban up and carry him home.’

‘What about you?’ asked Haller.

‘I’ll follow you, with Merrt. As soon as we’ve both pulled ourselves together and had a little rest. All right?’

There was a noise in the tunnel behind them. Something moved, dislodging debris.

‘It’s Commissar Hark! He’s moving this way!’ Haller cried, starting up.

Merrt had opened his eyes.

‘It’s not Hark,’ he said. He reached out for the rifle that had fallen on the ground beside him. His hand was unsteady. It took him a long time to grasp it.

‘Haller,’ said Dorden. ‘You’ve got to go now.’

‘The transports are all away!’ Domor shouted to Gaunt.

Gaunt nodded.

‘Get ready to follow them out,’ he yelled back. He looked at Mkoll and Rawne. ‘We need to pour everything we’ve got left at that line there. Give Hark a chance to get his men into the college so we can exit.’

‘That’s going to be tight,’ murmured Rawne. ‘Can’t we just leave them here? I’ve really grown to dislike the commissar.’

‘That’s a lie,’ said Gaunt.

Rawne shrugged.

‘You’re right. I didn’t like him to begin with.’

‘Where the hell is that gunfire coming from?’ asked Bonin.

They turned to look. A second layer of weapons fire was ripping into the Sons of Sek. It was coming from an entirely different angle, meshing with the efforts of Gaunt’s force and Hark’s detachment like an interference pattern.

‘It’s Criid!’ Varl yelled. He whooped.

‘Feth me,’ said Rawne. ‘There really is an Emperor.’

Criid’s strikeforce, smaller in size than Hark’s but still packing a punch, was storming out of air shafts and tunnels on the far side of the concourse. Chiria’s flamer was roasting the Sons of Sek out of position, and Hark’s front-line shooters were making the most of the pickings. In less than five minutes of intense gunfire, the three prongs of the Imperial position had driven the Archenemy units back into a distant line.

‘They won’t hold there for long,’ said Mkoll. ‘They’ll take reinforcements and–’

‘Long enough,’ said Gaunt. ‘Let’s move. Signal Criid and Hark to get their forces in here.’

Criid’s mob was the first inside the shot-up, ruined college hall. They were dirty from their trek and many were carrying minor injuries.

‘What happened to you?’ asked Gaunt.

‘Tank mine,’ said Criid. ‘Lost a few. It wasn’t pleasant. But there was an up side. The blast cleared the path for us. Opened up those old airshafts that brought us here. We followed the sounds of a desperate last stand.’

‘Your timing, as usual, is impeccable, Criid,’ said Gaunt. ‘Get moving. Domor, show them the way out of here. Double time, Ghosts. Come on!’

Hark and his force began spilling in through the front hatches.

‘What the hell is this place?’ Hark asked, looking around.

‘You can read the report later,’ said Gaunt. ‘Move your men out that way. Follow Criid. Fast as you can, Viktor.’

The Ghosts force was exiting fast. The scouts held the front hatches, taking steady shots to discourage the Sons from making another push. Gun teams were breaking down crew-served weapons and carrying them away. At a signal from Gaunt, Domor started to wire up the satchel charges every member of Strike Beta had brought with them.

‘Burn the rest,’ Gaunt told Brostin.

Brostin smiled. ‘You’re too good to me, sir,’ he said.

Brostin turned his torch on the annexes first. Flames licked up, lighting the college halls. Paint flaked away like dried skin or dead leaves. Objects caught in the fire popped and cracked and burst. Gaunt watched the flames for a while, basking in the heat. The fire was purifying. It marked an end, a baptism, a re-entry into the war. Most of all, it seemed to mark an accomplishment that he hoped would be truly significant.

The effort of making it happen had come with a price for his Ghosts, a price he had not yet counted.

He turned to find Mabbon Etogaur watching the flames.

‘We’ve done what we can,’ he said. ‘Let’s hope it’s sufficient.’

Mabbon nodded.

‘Shipmaster Spika will have been broadcasting the prepared transmissions for the last half an hour. He will continue to do so as we leave the system. They were all prepared according to the codes and language you supplied. When the benighted anarch comes to pick over the ruins of what we leave here, and when he plays back the transmissions captured during the attack, it will appear that his facility was raided by the Blood Pact, and that his treasures were confiscated to prevent him overreaching himself.’

‘You have lit a fuse,’ said Mabbon. ‘The Gaur. The anarch. Neither one will stand for the accusations that will follow this raid.’

‘If we have gone part-way to engineering a divisive internecine war between the Sanguinary Lords, I believe we have expended worthwhile effort.’

Gaunt looked at Mabbon.

‘It’s time to leave.’

Mabbon looked puzzled.

‘Really?’ he asked.

‘Of course.’

‘I thought–’ Mabbon began.

‘What?’

‘I presumed you would leave me here. Leave me to burn. I presumed I had served my purpose.’

‘I’ll decide when your duty ends,’ said Gaunt.

Mabbon nodded.

‘Major Rawne!’ Gaunt yelled. ‘Have your Suicide Kings escort the prisoner back to the ship. Mkoll! Prepare to break off. It’s time to leave. Brostin! I think that’s quite enough.’

‘What are you doing?’ yelled Ludd. ‘We’re falling back to the lifters. The order’s been given!’

The Space Marines turned to look at him. Their ancient armour was covered in dents and scratches, and they were drenched in blood that was not their own. Holofurnace had lost his shield. Sar Af was taking shots at another depot structure while the others stripped usable ammunition from the last of the operational weapon-servitors to fall.

‘This is the next target,’ said Eadwine. ‘The assault will continue. Go to your ship.’

‘Major Kolea sent me to find your personally,’ said Ludd. ‘The order to withdraw has been given by the operation commander.’

‘We do not take orders from the Imperial Guard,’ said Sar Af.

‘So I’ve noticed,’ said Ludd. ‘But we have to jump to yours.’

‘I believe you have just described an abiding principle of the Imperium,’ said Sar Af.

‘The order is to withdraw,’ said Ludd. ‘Please follow it.’

They turned their backs on him.

‘What? That’s it? You’re just going to carry on? Are we supposed to wait for you?’

‘Leave us,’ said Eadwine, without looking around. ‘We expected this. Our commanders expected this when they sanctioned our collaboration in this effort. The Guard may leave when it wishes. We will keep going until this place is obliterated.’

‘Really? And then what?’ asked Ludd.

‘If we have survived to that point, we will endure in the debris field until such time as a vessel detects our signal.’

‘That could be years,’ said Ludd.

‘We are more patient than you,’ said Eadwine.

‘Go,’ said Sar Af.

‘I won’t,’ said Ludd. ‘I am an officer of the Commissariat, responsible for discipline and correction. We don’t want this place obliterated. That’s the whole point. We want there to be traces left behind. We want to leave clues. We want the enemy to know. If you keep going, you will undo and undermine the entire purpose of this endeavour. You will be breaking orders and the authority of the Imperium. You will be in breach of duty and your sacred trust, and–’

‘Silence,’ said Holofurnace. He looked at his brothers. The blood of his enemies trickled down the dented gold fittings of his helm.

‘The boy has a point,’ he said. ‘The logic is solid. To continue would be counter-productive.’

The other two nodded. All three turned and walked away, their massive boots crunching over the scattered debris.

Side by side, they began to trudge back towards the distant hangar bays.

Sar Af turned and looked back at Ludd.

‘Hurry up, now,’ he said.

The landers were coming in as fast as they could. The problems of space that had affected the original drop remained. Only a few at a time could set down, and most had to ditch their payloads of munitions once they had. They had all been making a restock run when the orders changed.

Baskevyl and Kolea were supervising the dust-off, getting as many lasmen into each Arvus and Falco as they could.

Kolea saw Dalin.

‘Where’s Meryn?’ he asked. ‘Where’s the rest of E Company?’

‘They’re coming,’ said Dalin.

‘From the looks of it, Meryn pulled back too fast,’ said Baskevyl, checking the tactical display on Rerval’s vox-caster. ‘He’s let enemy units get in behind him. They’re coming out of the depot under enemy fire. Not the neatest extraction I’ve ever seen.’

‘Meryn’s not the neatest soldier,’ said Kolea.

Kolea looked at the chart.

‘If we force open these hatches, his mob can get out and clear without having to come through the breach.’

‘Makes sense. Let’s go.’

‘Keep the pull-out moving, Bask,’ said Kolea. ‘I’ll do it.’

Kolea took a squad with him back to the edge of the engineering depot where the Caestus had finally come to rest. Last groups of F and H companies were making a solid and dignified withdrawal through the huge ram-wound in the depot doors.

Kolea’s squad could hear the gunfire beyond the doors. The whine of las-shot and the thump of flechette blasters. Meryn’s company had got themselves into trouble all right.

‘Come on!’ Kolea yelled. ‘This way!’

He led his unit down to the passenger hatches set in the far corner of the depot’s vast vehicular shutter. It took a few moments to locate the lock mechanism and cut through it with a plasma torch.

Kolea opened the hatch.

‘Meryn. Meryn! Fix on my signal and move this way!’ he voxed. ‘We’ve got an exit for you. Come on!’

‘Read that, Kolea. Nice work.’

Meryn’s troops quickly appeared, running across the littered floor of the depot towards the hatch. Some were turning and firing from the hip as they ran. Enemy fire chased them.

Kolea’s squad laid down a little covering fire and then pulled back as Meryn’s men started to reach the doorway.

‘Get through. Go on!’ Meryn yelled. His men dashed through the hatch in twos and threes. Weapon fire spattered off the shutter. Meryn stayed outside to see his men through. He yelled through the hatch to Kolea.

‘Get them up to the landing zone. I’ll get the last ones out!’

Kolea nodded and headed off.

‘Come on!’ Meryn bellowed at the stragglers. ‘This is not a good place to be!’

He fired off a few shots. Some Sons of Sek had appeared in the distance, and he could smell mint and milk again.

Gendler reached him, unfit, red-faced and out of breath.

‘Here come the last of us,’ he panted.

Meryn took a look. The last four or five. Eklan. Mkgain. Fozol. Rozzi. Costin.

Meryn wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

‘No, Didi,’ he said. ‘You know what. I think we’re all here.’

They stepped through the hatch.

‘Captain!’ Eklan yelled, the closest of them, running as fast as he could to reach the door.

‘What are you doing?’ Costin yelled. ‘Where the feth are you going?’

‘You’re right,’ said Gendler to Meryn. ‘I don’t see anyone left unaccounted for.’

Meryn and Gendler shut the hatch and slid the manual bolt across.

The last few members of E Company reached the hatch and began to hammer their fists against it.

‘What are you doing?’ Costin wailed. ‘What the feth are you doing? Open the hatch. Open it! Open the hatch, you bastards!’

On Meryn’s side of the door, the banging fists made the faintest of sounds.

Costin staggered back from the unyielding hatch. He was so scared he threw up. Eklan and the others were caught in a blind and disbelieving panic.

‘You bastards. You bastards!’ Costin screamed at the door, his fists balled at his sides.

He turned slowly. The loxatl had reached them. He heard their alien chir and chatter. He smelled their milk and mint, and threw up again. Rozzi howled in terror. Eklan fired at the xenos monsters.

The reptiles were closing in from all sides, chattering, slipping across the deck. Their dewclaws were extended.

They had no need to waste blaster shot on these kills.

Costin began a scream that he never finished.

The Sons of Sek were getting closer. Merrt could hear them approaching along the tunnel.

‘Gn… gn… gn… get behind me, doc,’ he murmured.

Dorden took a long time to reply.

‘Don’t be daft, Rhen,’ he said, his voice as thin as upper atmosphere. ‘Get up. You can walk. Get after Haller. Leave me.’

‘I can tell when you’re lying, doc,’ said Merrt. ‘Be truthful now. This gn… gn… gn… wound I’ve got here. It’s not one you come through, is it?’

Dorden looked at him. He shook his head.

‘No,’ he admitted.

‘Then I’m gn… gn… gn… gonna stay here with you, aren’t I?’ Merrt said. He reached out with a bloody hand and turned Dorden’s head to look into the old doctor’s eyes.

‘It’s all right. I know you can’t tell, but I’m smiling,’ Merrt said.

The first of the Sons had appeared. Their lamps bobbed as they came closer. There were dozens of them.

Merrt took the saline round out of the old rifle, and chambered a hard round instead. He pushed Dorden back against the wall behind him and sat up, aiming his rifle at the approaching enemy soldiers.

‘You’ve only got one shot, Rhen,’ murmured Dorden.

‘I gn… gn… gn… know,’ said Merrt. Blood dripped over his metal lip. ‘And I’ve used up the last of those gn… gn… gn… muscle injectors too. Can’t shoot for shit now.’

‘Just make sure it counts,’ said Dorden. He was clutching a loop of votive beads Zweil had given him.

Merrt took aim. The Sons brought their weapons up.

‘Hey!’ Merrt yelled, snuggling the rifle in. ‘Hey, you bastards! You know what? I used to be a gn… gn… gn… great marksman. I had a fething lanyard. Not any more, though. These days, I aim at something, I miss it every time! You understand? I’m not a very gn… gn… gn… good shot!’

Merrt fired. The round passed through the Sons of Sek fireteam without hitting a single one of them. Nor did it strike the firing pin of the massive barrel charge twenty metres behind them. It missed the pin socket by the distance of a middle finger, and punched into the side of the barrel just above the red chalk marks Haller had made when they disarmed it earlier.

The hard round punctured the metal shell of the container.

There was a spark.