glazed over； blood spewed from his mouth； and he turned； he made to rise； but the effort was too
much for him and he toppled and fell — and Anakora saw a chainsword embedded in his back；
sputtering and sparking。
Palinev helped her out of the truck； and she stood unsteadily in what now seemed to be a rather
faint light after all。 And like the rest of the Ice Warriors； her eyes were drawn to her commander； his
face and his chest still painted with vile symbols from the ceremony — although he had tried to
scrub them off with sewer water — and his right hand held away from his body as if he considered it
unclean。
It was with that hand； Anakora realised； that he must have lifted the Chaos Space Marine’s own
weapon； his augmented muscles giving him the strength to do so。
But there was no satisfaction in Colonel Steele’s eyes at his victory。 Just a look of deep…seated
disgust。
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They remained on foot after that。 Steele didn’t want to waste time searching for another working
vehicle — and the spaceport； he said； was only just over a kilometre away。 They formed up in two
ranks and advanced at double time。 The effort of keeping pace with each other； of maintaining
formation and step； helped to spur on these soldiers； to overcome the fatigue they were all feeling。 It
helped them feel more in control； like they had imposed a little order of their own upon this chaotic
world — and even Wollkenden responded well to this。 He said nothing as he marched at Steele’s
side； although he stumbled now and again。
Palinev could tell they were approaching their goal； because the buildings grew a little taller； a
little more proud。 Eagle crests began to appear over the doorways of customs and shipping offices；
and the streets grew wider and brighter； more like those on the upper levels。
Steele brought his squad to a halt and ordered them to break step； to proceed with caution。 He
appeared to be worried — and a minute later； Palinev learned why。
There were people ahead of them。 He could hear them — they could all hear them now —
talking and laughing。 The Ice Warriors took cover in a narrow alleyway； and Steele sent Palinev
ahead to see what they were facing。
The spaceport was a magnificent； circular building of white stone； studded with dark windows。
Evidently； there had been small…arms fighting here； and the front wall was pock…marked but
unholed。 Laid out in front of that wall was a wide forecourt； in which broken fountains brimmed
with frozen black water。 Lifter tubes had been shattered； and trees — real organic trees — had
withered and died。 Once； this area would have been a welcoming first sight for visitors to Iota Hive；
maybe to Cressida itself。 Now； it gave an entirely different impression。
Palinev looked down on all of this from a gantry between two buildings。 Below him； a wide
flight of steps swept down from the street where the rest of his squad hid； to the forecourt and the
enticing open gates beyond it。
At some point； a sleek； black grav…car had come speeding this way； its driver presumably hoping
to ferry an important passenger to safety。 It had lost control； had maybe come under fire； and had
smacked into a pillar at the top of the steps； crumpling its front end。 The car was empty now；
Palinev wondered if its occupants had escaped or been dragged from the wreckage。
There were more grav…cars down on the forecourt； most of them burnt out or turned over； or
both。 There was also a dirty old bus — transport for the less privileged — leaning against a fountain；
its windows broken； its tyres slashed。
And there were heretics： cultists； Traitor Guardsmen； mutants； even a few spawn； spread out as
far as Palinev could see； almost certainly surrounding the whole building； and more of them arriving
with each moment that passed。 The encounter with the Chaos Space Marine had cost the Ice
Warriors dearly。 Their enemies had beaten them here。
Palinev slipped away from his vantage point； dispirited； and returned to the others。 Steele
listened to his report in grave silence； and Palinev knew that he was only confirming what the
colonel had expected to hear。
“We have less than an hour before the virus bombs drop；” said Steele。 “We don’t have time to
find another escape route； even if we had somewhere to look。 Our only hope； however small； lies in
that spaceport； and the sooner we make our move the fewer enemies will be standing between us
and it。”
No one could argue with that。 Still； it seemed as if a dark cloud had settled upon the squad； and
Palinev could feel its weight too。 It seemed so unfair that they had come so far to fall at this final
hurdle。 They had achieved so much； pulled off feats that had seemed impossible； and no one would
even know。
“I won’t give you the speech again；” said Gavotski。 “You all know what to do； and you know
what the odds are against us。 Just remember that； last time； we bucked those odds。 Nine of us went
into the Ice Palace； and nine of us； including Confessor Wollkenden； came out again。 If that doesn’t
prove that the Emperor is with us； then nothing does。 I know you’ll make me proud。”
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The heretics’ voices were getting louder。
It wasn’t just that Grayle was drawing closer to them。 He could hear that the crowd was growing
in size； and in confidence too。 He feared that； at any moment； someone might come rushing up the
steps from the spaceport to find him and Palinev sneaking along the street towards them。
Either that or； by chance； reinforcements might come up behind them。
He quickened his pace； reasoning that with all the noise down there； no one would hear the
footsteps of two men up here。 He was still twenty metres away from his objective； the stricken gravcar；
when Palinev took his arm and brought him to a halt。
“This is as far as we can go；” said the scout； “without being seen from down there。” Grayle
nodded and dropped onto his stomach； preparing to pull himself the rest of the way on his elbows。
That was when the pitch of the crowd changed； confidence becoming fear in an instant。 And
then Grayle heard a series of staccato explosions。 Then gunfire。
He looked at Palinev in alarm。 Palinev looked back at him with a helpless shrug。 Then the scout
turned； made a dash for the side of the road and swung himself up onto a metal gantry。 He returned a
few seconds later； his cheeks flushed with excitement。
“It’s the mutants！” he reported。 “The loyalist mutants。 There are… I didn’t know there were so
many of them。 More than we ever saw。 More than the heretics killed at the chapel。 They’re
everywhere； climbing up through the manholes。 They’ve taken the heretics by surprise。”
It seemed that the Emperor was with the Ice Warriors after all。
“Can they win？” asked Grayle。
Palinev shook his head。 “There aren’t enough of them。 But they’re providing a perfect
distraction。 If we move fast enough…”
Grayle nodded； stood and raced to the grav…car。 He doubted that anyone would notice him now
— and even if they did they would probably be too busy to do much about it。 As he reached the
steps； he caught a glimpse of the melee that his comrade had described； below — but his attention
was reserved for the car itself。
The driver’s door had jammed shut in the crash。 Grayle had to brace his foot against the
bodywork； had to pull at it with all his might。 It came free at last； flying up with such force that it
almost caught him on the chin。 He leapt into the vehicle； and sent a silent appeal to its machinespirits
as he jabbed at the dashboard runes。 Fortunately； as Grayle had already noticed； the twin
engines were housed at the back of the vehicle； and were therefore relatively unscathed。
They caught on the third attempt； and the grav…car gave a protesting screech as its back end was
raised； but its front end remained stubbornly embedded in its pillar。 Grayle eased the vehicle
backwards； and winced as it slowly tore itself free； as parts of it became detached and clattered to
the ground。 For a moment； he feared that the car might have been supporting the pillar； that it might
now come crashing down across his windscreen — but； although the pillar wobbled； it held。
And the car was free now； and picking up speed； and Grayle could see in his rear…view mirror
that the rest of his squad was running to meet it。
They bundled Wollkenden into the back seat first； told him to keep his head down。 Steele and
Gavotski squeezed in to each side of him； while Anakora and Palinev joined Grayle in the front。 The
car couldn’t lift any more weight than that； so Barreski； Blonsky and Mikhaelev would have to
advance in its wake； trust that Grayle could clear a path for them and also lay down some covering
fire behind him。
“Everyone ready？” asked Grayle。 “Then hold on to something！”
And he stepped on the accelerator。
The grav…car’s top speed was not exactly remarkable； but it seemed fast enough as it hurtled
towards the steps and shot over the edge。 The Ice Warriors were flying for a moment； but they came
down with a bone…shaking jolt。 The car surfed its antigravity cushion onto the spaceport forecourt；
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where a jostling crowd tried to part before it but some stumbled across its mangled bonnet or
tumbled beneath its skirt。
A few of the heretics — those not immediately occupied by mutant attackers — saw what was
happening； saw that their targets were getting away； and started to fire。 Most of them were cut down
in a second by the three Ice Warriors following in the car’s wake。
And then they were through the spaceport gates； speeding along the main concourse； and the
sounds of battle were receding behind them。
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CHAPTER TWENTY
Time to Destruction of Cressida： 00。18。49
The fighting had spilled into the spaceport。 The grav…car smacked into a smock…wearing mutant；
tossed it into the air。 It landed on the windshield； clung there for a second； and its red eyes seemed
to be pleading with the Ice Warriors inside the vehicle： why？
Steele didn’t want to think about that； didn’t want to have to acknowledge that his life；
Wollkenden’s life； all their lives； might have been saved by such aberrations。 He blinked； and the
mutant was gone； fallen beneath the car to die。
And Grayle drove on。 He took a sharp right turn through a vandalised waiting room； crashed
through a glass door； and then they were out on the spaceport’s main ramp： a vast circular floor that
would once have been filled with spacecraft of all types。 Right now； it was almost empty。 Steele had
expected that。 He and his squad wouldn’t have been the first to try to leave Iota Hive this way。 He
could only pray that the previous evacuees had left them something they could use。
“There；” he said； “that frigate。 You think you can fly that； Grayle？”
“I don’t know； sir。 I don’t have much experience in the air。 I could try。” Grayle had already
brought them around so that they were circling the decrepit old vessel。 They saw that its engine
housings had been torn open； perhaps by an asteroid strike； perhaps by enemy fire。 Steele took a
cursory glance at the exposed machinery； then shook his head and instructed Grayle to keep going。
They could see the concave far wall now； lined with hatchways。 Some of them gaped open； and
they tantalised Ste