V2 Chapter 125: A Thief From Beyond Humanity.
Duvette returned to the fleet flagship Resolute.
The Astra Militarum forces on Tanith's surface were already beginning their embarkation in successive waves. Transport after transport lifted from the ground, carrying soldiers, wounded, equipment containers, and communications arrays dismantled from the temporary camps.
On the command bridge, Admiral Villent was issuing a continuous stream of orders.
Naval officers worked around the tactical table, updating routes, formations, supply status, and escort positions without pause. The hololithic projection of Tanith hung at the far end of the bridge, several burned sectors still marked in red.
Duvette stood to one side and watched Villent direct the fleet. During the engagement, the King of War skill had produced a small new Mark, a three percent across-the-board enhancement, and he was satisfied with that. The battle had not been a major campaign-level engagement.
"Commissar."
Evan came from the direction of the communications compartment with a data-slate in hand.
"I have notified the Carpé family vessels. They will relay your message to Archmagos Cawl."
Duvette gave a nod.
"The content was confirmed?"
"Confirmed. Only that there exists an artefact of the Dark Age of Technology whose significance exceeds Entropy's Song considerably, and which may fall into the wrong hands. You are requesting the Archmagos to come in person."
"Good."
Duvette returned his attention to the bridge.
The people who currently knew about the Men of Iron STC were not many.
He knew the actual content. Juno knew that something capable of altering humanity's fate was hidden there. Heldane had very likely already secured additional intelligence. As for Delavere, he probably knew only that the object could bring him power; he almost certainly did not know what he was actually reaching for.
This could not be disclosed carelessly.
If Heldane and Juno discovered that Duvette had the ability to purify a Men of Iron STC, they might immediately cooperate to come after him. Once something like that became public, the expedition, the Inquisition, and the Mechanicus would all become unpredictable.
Which was precisely why Duvette needed to bring Cawl into this situation.
Cawl carried too many prohibited objects and too many missions that could not withstand scrutiny. A man like that would not be quick to broadcast news about the Men of Iron STC.
More importantly, Duvette knew the thing was dangerous but did not know how to actually operate, contain, or shut it down.
Bringing Cawl in was the obvious move.
He was not going to tell Cawl directly that there was a Men of Iron STC waiting there. He only needed Cawl to understand that an ancient inheritance capable of fracturing Mars itself might be more significant than Entropy's Song, and that it was in the process of falling into Heldane and Delavere's hands.
He did not believe Cawl would fail to be interested.
The old construct's pursuit of technology and knowledge had long since crossed into something resembling obsession.
While Duvette was turning this over, a new report came from the other side of the bridge.
"Final surface element has completed embarkation."
"Tanith orbital alert line holding stable."
"Escort fleet has completed course calibration."
Admiral Villent raised his head and looked at his bridge officers.
"Confirm the target heading. Notify all vessels to complete final supply checks. All ships to launch preparation."
"Yes, Admiral."
Duvette was about to turn away when something at the edge of the bridge caught his peripheral attention.
An unfamiliar figure in Inquisitorial black robes was standing there, holding a data-slate. His movements had a slightly furtive quality about them, though on closer examination they were almost too quiet, too precisely calibrated: including exactly where he was standing so as not to obstruct anyone's path.
Duvette raised an eyebrow and pointed.
"Who is that?"
Villent looked in the indicated direction, and mild displeasure crossed his face.
"He came with that Inquisitorial vessel. He carries a Lord Inquisitor's rosette and stated that he had been sent to record mission-related information and required passage with the fleet."
"You agreed to that?"
"The rosette passed basic verification." Villent said. "The authorisation is sealed, showing only that it was granted by a Lord Inquisitor. I do not particularly enjoy having a person like that on my bridge, but I had insufficient grounds to remove him."
Duvette gave a nod.
Juno's person.
Almost certainly here to observe him.
Of course.
He had known the white-haired woman would not trust him without oversight.
At that moment, the Inquisitorial scribe appeared to notice their attention. He collected his data-slate and walked toward Duvette, passing under the scrutiny of the two Salamanders.
Vakur's lenses stayed on the scribe for half a second.
His hand did not come up, but the fingers of the power armour had already moved close to the weapon's magnetic lock. The second Salamanders also turned his helmet slightly, the crimson lenses tracking the man with each step.
The scribe stopped at a respectful distance from Duvette and rendered a formal bow.
His etiquette was precise. Precise enough to have been transcribed from an ancient noble household manual. In appearance he suggested a noble from some distant garden world: pale skin, a measured voice, and the particular kind of controlled bearing that never quite settles into warmth.
Duvette gave a nod in return.
"Major General-Commissar Duvette Erdmann." The scribe spoke. "I have been sent by the Lord Inquisitor to record subsequent mission information for this operation."
"Your name."
"Calvin Sarlo." The man replied. "Inquisitorial scribe. Administrative attaché. Temporary mission recorder."
Duvette looked at him. "Juno sent you?"
The scribe lowered his head. "I act under the Lord Inquisitor's orders. From this point, I will place myself fully under your direction."
Duvette gave what should have been an unsurprised nod.
The next moment, he registered something.
His eyes narrowed slightly. He looked at the man in front of him.
The scribe stood quietly with the same polite expression as before. After several seconds he spoke.
"Is something the matter, Major General-Commissar?"
Duvette did not answer immediately.
He looked at the man, then at the data-slate in his hands.
"You will place yourself fully under my direction going forward?"
"Yes."
"You are certain?"
The scribe gave another precise bow.
"Quite certain, Major General-Commissar. At your disposal entirely."
Duvette let himself laugh.
He took two steps forward, closing the distance, and put a hand on the scribe's shoulder.
The body had warmth. The shoulder shifted with the faint motion of breathing. Through the fabric there was the distinct feel of normal human musculature and bone.
"I appreciate the Lord Inquisitor's confidence." Duvette said with a smile. "I will find you shortly."
The scribe stepped back with the same composed bearing.
Then he collected his data-slate and turned to leave. Vakur's lenses followed him until the black-robed figure had moved to the edge of the bridge before looking away.
Villent looked at Duvette.
"What was that?"
Duvette gave a slight shake of his head.
"Nothing significant."
Villent clearly did not believe that. "You had the look of someone who found a needle in their recaf."
"I confirmed something minor."
"It had better genuinely be minor." Villent gave a resigned laugh. "I already have Salamanders, the Inquisition, Black Shields, and you on this vessel. Any more complications and I will have to convert the bridge into a medical facility."
Duvette smiled and did not elaborate.
His three attempts to confirm whether the man would place himself under his command had been for one specific purpose.
He could not see the man's status in the System panel.
That was interesting.
If the scribe had genuinely been brought into his temporary command structure, the System should have produced some acknowledgement. Even an ordinary soldier with no combat capability at all would generate at minimum a basic information entry.
There had been nothing.
A complete blank.
Duvette thought back over the scribe's movements.
Too quiet. Too precise. Too thoroughly prepared as an identity.
Was it one of Juno's special methods?
An assassin from Heldane?
Or something else entirely?
His gaze drifted toward where the scribe had gone. The smile faded from his face by degrees.
It did not matter greatly. He would know soon enough.
On the other side of the bridge, Villent's orders continued.
"All vessels confirm heading."
"All transport columns merge into the main formation."
"Escort warships spread to outer positions."
"Prepare to depart Tanith orbit."
As the orders went through, the Resolute began a slow course adjustment. Through the bridge viewport, the forest world of Tanith was drifting from the centre of the view.
Duvette watched the planet that had just escaped its written fate, and found very little ease in the sight.
Tanith was safe for now.
But Menazoid Epsilon was waiting ahead.
Whether Cawl would come. How long Juno could hold the Marshal. How far Heldane and Delavere had already moved. And whatever the sudden arrival of this so-called scribe actually was.
More questions than answers.
Duvette raised a hand and pressed it briefly against the bridge of his nose.
He genuinely missed being a Colonel-Commissar.
At that rank, at least, the problems had not all shown up at once.