Horus Rising by Dan Abnett Read Free Book Online

her.
    ‘I’ve told you, I’m not interested in your wretched, pawing approaches.’
    ‘Don’t you like men?’ he asked, tilting his reclined head on one side.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘You dress like one.’
    ‘So do you. Do you like men?’
    Karkasy made a pained expression and sat back again, fiddling with the glass on his chest. He stared up at the heroic figures painted on the roof of the mezzanine. He had no idea what they were supposed to represent. Some great act of triumph that clearly had involved a great deal of standing on the bodies of the slain with arms thrust into the sky whilst shouting.
    ‘Is this how you expected it to be?’ he asked quietly.
    ‘What?’
    ‘When you were selected,’ he said. ‘When they contacted me, I felt so…’
    ‘So what?’
    ‘So… proud, I suppose. I imagined so much. I thought I would set foot amongst the stars and become a part of mankind’s finest moment. I thought I would be uplifted, and thus produce my finest works.’
    ‘And you’re not?’ Keeler asked.
    ‘The beloved warriors we’ve been sent here to glorify couldn’t be less helpful if they tried.’
    ‘I’ve had some success,’ Keeler said. ‘I was down on the assembly deck earlier, and captured some fine images. I’ve put in a request to be allowed transit to the surface. I want to see the war-zone first-hand.’
    ‘Good luck. They’ll probably deny you. Every request for access I’ve made has been turned down.’
    ‘They’re warriors, Ig. They’ve been warriors for a long time. They resent the likes of us. We’re just passengers, along for the ride, uninvited.’
    ‘You got your shots,’ he said.
    Keeler nodded. ‘They don’t seem to mind me.’
    ‘That’s because you dress like a man,’ he smiled.
    The hatch slid open and a figure joined them in the quiet mezzanine chamber. Mersadie Oliton went directly to the table where the decanter sat, poured herself a drink, and knocked it back. Then she stood, silently, gazing out at the drifting stars beyond the barge’s vast window ports.
    ‘What’s up with her now?’ Karkasy ventured.
    ‘Sadie?’ Keeler asked, getting to her feet and setting her glass down. ‘What happened?’
    ‘Apparently, I just offended someone,’ Oliton said quickly, pouring another drink.
    ‘Offended? Who?’ Keeler asked.
    ‘Some haughty Marine bastard called Loken. Bastard!’
    ‘You got time with Loken?’ Karkasy asked, sitting up rapidly and swinging his feet to the deck. ‘Loken? Tenth Company Captain Loken?’
    ‘Yes,’ Oliton said. ‘Why?’
    ‘I’ve been trying to get near him for a month now,’ Karkasy said. ‘Of all the captains, they say, he is the most steadfast, and he’s to take Sejanus’s place, according to the rumour mill. How did you get authorisation?’
    ‘I didn’t,’ Oliton said. ‘I was finally given credentials for a brief interview with Captain Torgaddon, which I counted as no small success in itself, given the days I’ve spent petitioning to meet him, but I don’t think he was in the mood to talk to me. When I went to see him at the appointed time, his equerry turned up instead and told me Torgaddon was busy. Torgaddon had sent the equerry to take me to see Loken. “Loken’s got a good story,” he said.’
    ‘Was it a good story?’ Keeler asked.
    Mersadie nodded. ‘Best I’ve heard, but I said something he didn’t like, and he turned on me. Made me feel this small.’ She gestured with her hand, and then took another swig.
    ‘Did he smell of sweat?’ Karkasy asked.
    ‘No. No, not at all. He smelled of oils. Very sweet and clean.’
    ‘Can you get me an introduction?’ asked Ignace Karkasy.
    H E HEARD FOOTSTEPS , then a voice called his name. ‘Garvi?’
    Loken looked around from his sword drill and saw, through the bars of the cage, Nero Vipus framed in the doorway of the blade-school. Vipus was dressed in black breeches, boots and a loose vest, and his truncated arm was very evident. The missing hand had