Chapter 1
Sir Achilles Venator, Lord General of the Urban Tigers
Fort Helios stood near the heart of Ivy City. An imposing structure, the fort's main tower stood almost eighty metres tall. A mighty ceramite wall encircled the compound, housing a yard large enough for an entire small regiment. The place was bustling with movement. Guardsmen performed drills. Officers shouted orders. Enginseers tended to the tanks. It was a place of purpose, a place of strength.
Striding through the centre of it all was one man. Sir Achilles Venator, the Lord General of the Urban Tigers. Men parted ranks to let him pass. No one needed to herald his arrival, he did it himself. He was furious.
"Who even let them in here?" he raged at no one and everyone. "I haven't time for this fool; I'm fighting a war, damnit!"
The tower's front door hissed open moments before he passed through it, followed by his retinue of stormtrooper bodyguards. Achilles' wide shoulders almost took up the whole narrow corridor. He made for the elevator, his grand cloak swirling behind him.
The 'fool' in question was Ivy City's mayor, Lord Augustus Maximus had not been thrilled when Achilles had moved into Fort Helios several months ago. The lord had insisted that the Tiger's relocate to a more 'suitable' location. He and Achilles had argued non-stop.
The Lord General stormed into the elevator, almost smashing its control buttons in his rage. The long ride to the top of the tower gave him a moment to regather his thoughts. He knew how the impending conversation was likely to go, they had been in the same quarrel for the past few months.
Lord Maximus would demand the Tigers vacate Fort Helios. He didn't appreciate their presence within his city. He was convinced that they were the cause of the recent spike in criminal activity. There were even rumours of a Chaos cult being formed. Achilles would argue that his men were the only thing keeping the city stable, and that the mayor's lack of strength in these times was causing the unrest in the civilian population.
The Urban Tigers were fighting a losing battle. When the Tau had landed on this planet a year ago, the Tigers had been dispatched to reinforce the planets meagre Planetary Defence Force. Within weeks of landing, Achilles had smashed the planet's various Ork clans and established a bulwark to hold the Tau at bay, but it was too little too late. Everyday the Tau flew in reinforcements while the Tigers had to hold out their onslaught.
Defeat was inevitable until a recent turn of events put the fight in their favour. A secretive alliance had been made with the Eldar. They offered the Tigers aid, so long as they protect their hallowed catacombs that their encampments sat on. The alliance was one forged in shadow, not something Achilles was proud of, but he was not one to let his pride stand over his sense. A pact with the Eldar was necessary, but the fewer people who knew about it, the better. The last thing he needed was to be declared a heretic by the Imperium.
The elevator slowed to a halt and its doors hissed open. Achilles had restrained his anger at the bottom of the tower, and he exited the elevator recomposed. His anger almost broke loose when he saw the two men standing guard on either side of his office's door.
They weren't his men. They were the Lord's bodyguards. They were green in comparison to his own bodyguards, and virtually all that remained of the planet's PDF force. The fight with the Orks had been taxing on the weak. Achilles approached the door with his men in tow. One of the boys held up his hand, signalling for them to halt.
Achilles ignored him.
"Excuse me," the boy squeaked as Achilles strode past him. "Only the Lord General may ente-oof," he managed to say before one of Achilles' bodyguards shouldered his way past him, disarming him along the way. Another bodyguard disarmed the second guard.
Achilles slammed open his office's double doors in a dramatic fashion, announcing his arrival. His office was a large square room at the top of the tower. It gave a commanding view of the yard and surrounding city. Various trophy cases lined the walls. In the corner of the room was Achilles' battle gear mounted on a mannequin. At the centre of the desk was a massive and ornate wooden desk, littered with various papers and devices. Behind the desk was a high-backed leather chair. In that chair sat Augustus Maximus, his arms folded. Achilles temper flared again, but he kept himself in check.
Lord Augustus Maximus was a weedy, middle-aged man. His head was already balding and his hair greying. He seemed to never have smiled when he was younger, and as a result a permanent frown was etched upon his face. He was almost the complete opposite of Achilles.
The Lord General stood a head taller than most men. A fat cigar was burning in his mouth more often than not. Legend amongst the Tigers was that the General's moustache only looked so massive because of all the ash in it. The General kept his hair trimmed neatly back, but his wild eyebrows and stubble gave him a somewhat unkempt look. Beneath all that were kind brown eyes and a warm smile, whenever the General wasn't in an irritable mood. Those moods were rare lately.
His huge frame was made huger by the mantle he often wore. A symbol of his office and regiment, his cloak was made of the pelt of a savage tiger from a deathworld in a nearby system. The cloak was fastened to his carapace shoulder guards by the front paws of the beast. The pelt ended about halfway down Achilles' back, but a black cape ran down to his ankles to finish the mantle.
The mayor barely acknowledged the General's arrival.
"My Lord, a pleasure," Achilles began with the faintest of smiles, before letting his face drop. "Now get out of my chair."
"Achilles," Augustus began. "You're no doubt sur.." He was cut off by Achilles fists thudding down on his desk. Its contents jumped several centimetres, as did the mayor.
"I know why you're here," Achilles said through gritted teeth. "Now get out of my chair!" The mayor stood hastily. Achilles tried not to smile. He was in control, yet again. "You're here to tell me to leave your city. I'm here to tell you I won't."
"No good has happened since your arrival," the mayor whined.
"My arrival? Look out that window," Achilles pointed at the window behind the seat. Ivy city stretched out before it, a huge mass of high-rises. "See your city before you? Now look to the horizon.
"That's not a lightning storm over there, my lord. It's a war. The only thing my arrival has done, apart from quelling the Ork infestation that you never could, is stop you from being taken away in chains at the hoof of some Tau warlord.
"This raise in criminal activity is born of your inadequacy as a leader," Achilles continued. He walked over to his wargear in the corner of the room. He hefted a massive, two-handed thunder hammer and showed it to the mayor. "My men respect me, because I am a symbol of strength. Do you know how I received this hammer?" The mayor shook his head meekly. "This used to belong to an Imperial Fist. He gave it to me back when I was a Colonel, after I saved his life. He told me to use it as a symbol of honour and strength, that I may lead my men without any insubordination.
"Your subjects buck at your rule because they know you are weak, and they are scared. They know that the Tau are coming, whether you like it or not." He dropped the thunder hammer to the floor, sending a dull thud around the room. The mayor flinched. He lifted his arms.
"I need to be here. Fort Helios is the only fort within a ten-kilometre radius, and offers us a base between our eastern front and our fight with the Tau, and our western front where we're holding back Orks.
"And you need me here for when your people finally revolt against you. You need me here to remind the people that the Emperor still watches over them."
Achilles stopped his lecture when he heard Augustus laughing darkly. His temper flared and was restrained yet again.
How dare he, Achilles thought.
"Faithful words," Augustus spat. "Coming from a heretic."
Achilles' heart leapt into his mouth. He flicked his eyes towards his bodyguard's sergeant, Trigger. The stormtrooper shook his head quickly, calming Achilles. The mayor knew nothing; he was bluffing.
"You better check yourself, my lord." Achilles stepped towards the man, hunching himself over to make him look even more intimidating. "That's a serious allegation to make."
"You know full well what I'm talking about, General," Augustus said. "These stories of you colluding with the Eldar, sightings of hooded figures around your encampments and the disappearance of the commissar? Looks like heresy to me."
"You come into my office," Achilles said as he approached the pathetic man. "Accusing me of turning my back on the Imperium?" He threw his arms into the air. "Look at all I have done for the Imperium! More than can be said of you." He stood over the small man, staring into his eyes. He saw no strength there. Forcefully gesturing to the door, he said: "Now get out."
Augustus hurriedly made for the door, the General's bodyguards parting to let him pass. He half opened the door and seemed to regather his resolves when half way through it.
"What you tell me is inconsequential, Achilles," he said, turning his head towards the commander. "We shall see who the Ordo Xenos believes." He left the office.
Achilles stood frozen for a second. He looked towards Trigger. The stormtrooper stood ready and waiting for orders. Achilles grunted and snapped his fingers.
The stormtrooper snapped into action. Tapping the two men closest to him on the shoulder, he pointed at the door before charging at it with the two men in tow. Achilles also turned and walked to the door, his remaining bodyguards parting to let him pass.
He saw the mayor and his bodyguards standing waiting for the elevator at the end of the corridor. Two stormtroopers tackle the mayor's bodyguards to the ground and pinned them down. Trigger grabbed the mayor by one wrist. Stepping around the man, he wrenched the arm behind its owner's back and into a chicken wing. The lord cried out in pain. Trigger brought the man's other wrist behind his back and kicked him in the leg, bringing the man to his knees. The whole party was restrained by the time Achilles reached the scene. He pulled out the pistol at his belt and placed it under the mayor's chin.
"It would be… unwise… to bring the Inquisition into this," he threatened the lord. "Now, I suggest that you shut your mouth and return to your people. Rule them, as is your job." He plucked the cigar butt from his mouth, and jabbed the lit end into the side of the lord's neck. The man shrieked in pain. "As a reminder," he explained. "And a warning."
He nodded at Trigger, who then released the lord. He fell to the floor and writhed in pain. The two other stormtroopers released their captives, and followed Achilles who had already departed for his office. All Achilles saw before his stormtroopers closed the door behind themselves was the mayor's bodyguards helping the man to his feet.
Once back in the safety of his office, Achilles threw himself into his recliner. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, before looking up at his ten faithful bodyguards. They wore the black carapace of the Urban Tigers over their green uniforms. Unlike the Guardsmen's armour, their carapace had khaki slashes painted on it. A bronze Aquila shone proudly from their breasts. He prided himself on the quality of his men. Achilles' stormtroopers were more than just bodyguards to him; they were his advisers both politically and militarily.
"I want two men to guard the hallway. I don't want to see anyone else for now," he instructed the men. "The rest of you can see to things around the fort. Cycle your jobs as you wish. No one is to remain in this room save Trigger." The men saluted before promptly exiting the room.
Once the room had been vacated, Achilles loosed a huge sigh and reached for the glass bottle on his desk that contained a bright amber liquid. He uncorked it and reached for the glasses in a drawer under his desk.
"Want one?" he asked Trigger, who was lingering at a window. The stormtrooper silently shook his head. He was obviously lost in thought; not taking his eyes off the horizon.
Achilles grunted and took two glasses out of the drawer anyway, and began pouring the strong alcohol into them. He took one glass and placed the other at the end of his desk, before placing his heavy boots on his desk and reclining in his chair. He sipped at his drink and lit another cigar.
"What are you thinking, Jesse?" he asked Trigger. Trigger had been Achilles' personal bodyguard since his days as Colonel. 'Trigger' was just a code name; the stormtrooper's real name was Jesse Koda. He had a slimmer build than Achilles. His years of training meant that he was covered in lean, rippling muscle. His face had a strong jaw line and his skin was a dark tan colour. He had long golden hair and stark green eyes. Despite his youthful appearance, he was a veteran of a hundred battles.
"You know what I'm thinking," Jesse replied. "Just say the word and I can have that fool dispatched cleanly within the week's end."
Achilles laughed and took another healthy mouthful of his drink. "You know we can't do that. A fool he may be, but like it or not it's his position that is keeping this city from falling in on itself. If he goes under, the people will riot and that's something that I can't deal with right now. Our ranks are already stretched thin."
"And what if he calls the Inquisition?" Jesse countered. He stepped over to the desk and snatched the drink the General had poured for him. "Is that something you can deal with?"
"I highly doubt the man is brazen enough to do that, given the message we just sent," Achilles said. "He cares more for his own life than he does my downfall. Besides, he's a weak enough man for me to manipulate. It's through him that I plan to maintain stability in this city. It'll just take time."
"Time's something we don't have!" Trigger shouted, slamming his now empty glass on the desk. "We need to do something now. I can kill the man and see to it that someone more competent is put in his place."
Achilles could see that the man was more frustrated than angry.
"I have already considered this," he said soothingly. "But any sudden political changes like that are going to cause civil unrest. For now we need to keep our alliance with the Eldar quiet. With time, this war will turn in our favour."
"What of this cult that's supposed to be forming in the city?" Trigger continued. "I've heard similar reports coming from the capital."
"During such times, it's not uncommon for such cults to be formed," Achilles said. "The desperate and the fearful are easy prey to the ruinous powers. These cults are a common occurrence and easily crushed before they amass any power. While I'm almost certain that they exist, all we have are rumours, which suggests that very little has come of it. I'll crush them once I have a firmer grip on the mayor and the city."
"So much rests on the shoulders of a foolish weakling," Trigger remarked.
"Only the lives of the people," Achilles said. "Yet it is our duty to protect the citizens of the Imperium. What good is defeating the Tau only to return to a society that has crushed itself?"
