slate in hand. The best, in fact. Seems your gamble paid off. These Ghost fellows have taken Voltis. Broken it wide out. Our attack units followed them in en masse. Colonel Maglin says the city will be cleansed by nightfall.
Sturm dabbed his mouth with a serviette. Send transmissions of congratulation and encouragement to Maglin and to Gaunts mob. Where are they now?
Gilbear eyed his slate and helped himself to a sausage from the dish. Seems theyve pulled out, moving back to Pavis Crossroads along the eastern side of the Bokore Valley.
Sturm set down his silver cutlery and started to type into his memo-slate. The greater half of our work here is accomplished, thanks to Gaunt, he told the intrigued Gilbear. Now we thank him. Send these orders under extreme encryption to the CO. of the Ketzok Basilisks at Pavis. Without delay, Gilbear.
Gilbear took the slate. I say he began.
Sturm fixed him with a stare. There are dangerous cultist units fleeing along the eastern side of the valley, arent there, Gilbear? Why, youve just read me the intelligence reports that confirm it.
Gilbear began to grin. So I did, sir.
Colonel Ortiz snatched the radio from his com-officer and yelled. This is Ortiz! Yes! I know, but I expressly query the last orders we received. I realise that, but I dont care! No, I-Listen to me! Oh, general! Yes, I I see. I see, sir. No, sir. Not for a moment. Of course for the glory of the Emperor. Sir. Ortiz out.
He sank back against the metal flank of his Basilisk. Make the guns ready, he told his officers. In the name of the Emperor, make them ready.
The guns had been silent for ten hours. Ortiz hoped he would never hear them blaze again. Dawn frosted the horizon with light. Down in the valley, and in the Blueblood emplacements, victory celebrations continued with abandon.
Dorentz ran over to Ortiz and shook him. Look, sir! he babbled. Look!
Men were coming up the Metis Road out of the valley towards them, tired men, weary men, filthy men, walking slowly, carrying their dead and wounded. They were a straggled column that disappeared back into the morning mist.
In the name of mercy Ortiz stammered. All around, shocked, silent Basilisk crew were leaping down from their machines and going to meet the battered men, supporting them, helping them, or simply staring in appalled disbelief.
Ortiz walked over to meet the arrival. He saw the tall figure in the long coat, now ragged, striding wearily out of the mist. Ibram Gaunt was half-carrying a young Ghost whose head was a bloody mess of bandages.
He stopped in front of Ortiz and let medics take the wounded Ghost from him.
I want Ortiz began.
Gaunts fist silenced him.
Hes here, Gilbear said with an insouciant smirk. Sturm got to his feet and straightened his jacket. Bring him in, he said.
Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt marched into the study. He stood, glowering at Sturm and his adjutant.
Gaunt! Sturm said. You opened the way for the Royal Volpone. Good show! I hear Chanthar turned a melta on himself. He paused and absently tapped at a data-slate on his desk. But then this business with whats-his-name ?
Ortega, sir, Gilbear said helpfully.
Ortiz, Gaunt corrected.
The Ketzok fellow. Striking a fellow officer. Thats a shooting offence, and you know it, Gaunt. Wont have it, not in this army. No, sir.
Gaunt breathed deeply. Despite knowing our position, and line of retreat, the artillery unit pounded the eastern flanks of the Bokore Valley for six hours straight. They call the phenomenon friendly fire, but I can tell you when youre in the target zone with nothing but twigs and dust for cover, its nothing like friendly. Host nearly three hundred men, another two hundred injured. Amongst the dead was Sergeant Cluggan, who had led the second prong of my assault and whose actions had actually won us the city.
Bad show
Sturm dabbed his mouth with a serviette. Send transmissions of congratulation and encouragement to Maglin and to Gaunts mob. Where are they now?
Gilbear eyed his slate and helped himself to a sausage from the dish. Seems theyve pulled out, moving back to Pavis Crossroads along the eastern side of the Bokore Valley.
Sturm set down his silver cutlery and started to type into his memo-slate. The greater half of our work here is accomplished, thanks to Gaunt, he told the intrigued Gilbear. Now we thank him. Send these orders under extreme encryption to the CO. of the Ketzok Basilisks at Pavis. Without delay, Gilbear.
Gilbear took the slate. I say he began.
Sturm fixed him with a stare. There are dangerous cultist units fleeing along the eastern side of the valley, arent there, Gilbear? Why, youve just read me the intelligence reports that confirm it.
Gilbear began to grin. So I did, sir.
Colonel Ortiz snatched the radio from his com-officer and yelled. This is Ortiz! Yes! I know, but I expressly query the last orders we received. I realise that, but I dont care! No, I-Listen to me! Oh, general! Yes, I I see. I see, sir. No, sir. Not for a moment. Of course for the glory of the Emperor. Sir. Ortiz out.
He sank back against the metal flank of his Basilisk. Make the guns ready, he told his officers. In the name of the Emperor, make them ready.
The guns had been silent for ten hours. Ortiz hoped he would never hear them blaze again. Dawn frosted the horizon with light. Down in the valley, and in the Blueblood emplacements, victory celebrations continued with abandon.
Dorentz ran over to Ortiz and shook him. Look, sir! he babbled. Look!
Men were coming up the Metis Road out of the valley towards them, tired men, weary men, filthy men, walking slowly, carrying their dead and wounded. They were a straggled column that disappeared back into the morning mist.
In the name of mercy Ortiz stammered. All around, shocked, silent Basilisk crew were leaping down from their machines and going to meet the battered men, supporting them, helping them, or simply staring in appalled disbelief.
Ortiz walked over to meet the arrival. He saw the tall figure in the long coat, now ragged, striding wearily out of the mist. Ibram Gaunt was half-carrying a young Ghost whose head was a bloody mess of bandages.
He stopped in front of Ortiz and let medics take the wounded Ghost from him.
I want Ortiz began.
Gaunts fist silenced him.
Hes here, Gilbear said with an insouciant smirk. Sturm got to his feet and straightened his jacket. Bring him in, he said.
Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt marched into the study. He stood, glowering at Sturm and his adjutant.
Gaunt! Sturm said. You opened the way for the Royal Volpone. Good show! I hear Chanthar turned a melta on himself. He paused and absently tapped at a data-slate on his desk. But then this business with whats-his-name ?
Ortega, sir, Gilbear said helpfully.
Ortiz, Gaunt corrected.
The Ketzok fellow. Striking a fellow officer. Thats a shooting offence, and you know it, Gaunt. Wont have it, not in this army. No, sir.
Gaunt breathed deeply. Despite knowing our position, and line of retreat, the artillery unit pounded the eastern flanks of the Bokore Valley for six hours straight. They call the phenomenon friendly fire, but I can tell you when youre in the target zone with nothing but twigs and dust for cover, its nothing like friendly. Host nearly three hundred men, another two hundred injured. Amongst the dead was Sergeant Cluggan, who had led the second prong of my assault and whose actions had actually won us the city.
Bad show
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