Festum Gladius Chapter 22

"Tell us again," Cato Sicarius commanded imperiously, "Tell us in detail."

Novak sighed, "I honestly don't know what else to say, we've been over this a dozen times."

"Once more, there may be some detail you've missed," Phalros ordered.

Novak shook his head as he looked at the lords. The Chapter Master of the Storm Heralds and the Commander of the Victrix Guard were sitting at a broad table, hands crossed before them in thought. They were located in a hall set aside for the organisation of the Feast of Blades. Not one of the magnificent feasting halls or grand chambers of the Chapter but a functional room where men could work. The walls were bare and the roof unadorned, save for the flickering electro-scones casting light across the room it could have been a refectory on any of a million worlds.

Serfs and attendees came and went constantly, carrying slips of paper or dataslates to clerics shifting information into piles upon their small desks. These mortals had been tasked with arranging the Feast of Blades but currently were on pause as their focus shifted to investigating the attack on the champions. They were combing through surveyor reports and missives from teams scouring the islands beyond the Fortress-Monastery, hunting any spoor of who the attackers were.

Novak thought it was a good show but he suspected it was largely for his benefit. He was certain the true architect of the attack was sitting before him. Unfortunately Cato Sicarius was proving a most skilled liar. His questions were incisive and blunt, assigning blame elsewhere and his face gave nothing away. Had Novak not been sure of his involvement he would have fallen for the act but as it was he was carefully gauging every answer to test the suspect's responses.

Standing before the pair Novak repeated, "I set off on the challenge as ordered. I flew the Emperor's Storm and was immediately set upon by unknown forces. Four Lightning fighters of hidden origin. I've already told you how we fought them off, Janus and I. Everything should be available in my gun-camera footage."

Phalros leaned back in his chair and lamented, "Unfortunately the gun-cameras recorded nothing but static. Somehow these elusive attackers jammed your Machine Spirits. And the satellite footage, we have a period of time when all observation of the Champions was absent. That alone is worrying; few in the Imperium have the technology to deploy such a cover and fewer still who can do so without leaving a trace."

Cato Sicarius mused, "All we have is your eyewitness reports, and four dead Champions. This is intolerable, the Feast of Blades has been compromised, I will not stand for it!"

Novak wondered how much of his irritation sprang from the fact a pair of Champions had survived and he needled, "Surely the damage to our planes speaks volumes."

Phalros concurred, "The impacts are consistent with the kind of weapons you describe. That is the first proof we have that you speak true. But had you not returned, we would have been left with six missing Champions and no explanation. This mysterious foe is good, too good."

Novak cocked his head and said, "What of the enemy planes?"

Cato Sicarius allowed, "I have teams scouring the waters around the location you indicated, but so far they have found only a few scraps of wreckage. Most of it sank into this planet's endless oceans and recovery will require diving equipment and lifting gear of a special nature. Finding and bringing up a whole plane will take months of effort."

Phalros added, "The Mechanicus was good enough to undertake a deep scan of the materials we recovered. Their results are depressingly vague. The metals could have been produced on any of a thousand Forge Worlds or Hive Manufactorums and the genic traces match no recorded individuals. Those planes may as well have come from nowhere."

Novak sighed, "Then we have hit a dead end."

Cato Sicarius' face darkened as he hissed, "Sadly yes and worse follows. That fool Janus has been running around shooting his mouth off to any who will listen. He's got everybody riled up, all Chapters are hurling accusations at each other, all are trading barbs. I have had to deploy guards to keep fighting from breaking out. This is intolerable, I will not abide this disruption to the Feast of Blades!"

Novak blinked in surprise, "You intend to continue?!"

Cato Sicarius' eyes narrowed as he hissed, "There is still a gap in the Victrix Guard's ranks that must be filled. No matter what. This duty is too critical to ignore, the Feast must continue."

Phalros added, "Do not think that this means the investigation is over, we shall pursue every lead until we find out who is responsible."

Novak caught the double meaning, the Chapter Master would pursue his quarry no matter where they hid or who they were, even if it were the Marine sitting next to him. Novak breathed, "At least we can rule out Janus."

Cato Sicarius snorted, "Hardly."

Novak was shocked and he yelped, "Surely his innocence was proven in the attack!"

"No," Cato Sicarius spat, "Only that he is a skilled flyer, the damage could have been self-inflicted. As for telling everybody in sight about a mysterious attacker… what better way to throw hunters off the scent? He's got everybody at each other's throats, shouting and brawling when they should be watching quietly. Sometimes the best way to shift everybody's attention is to throw a dead feline on the table."

Novak hissed, "You have a twisted mind."

Cato sniffed, "No more than the foes I contend with every day. I must thwart schemes and plots in the dark on an hourly basis, you have no idea how cunning are the minds that seek to bring harm to the Lord Regent. I must be equally cunning to defeat them."

Novak had thought the Victrix Guard were all about glorious charges and desperate battles among the stars. Yet Cato Sicarius made it sound like they spent most of their time rooting out conspiracies and investigating intrigues in the dark. The very idea made his head hurt and the appeal of ascending to the Primarch's bodyguard lost much of its glitter. Glory seemed so very far from what was on offer that he wasn't sure he wanted it anymore.

At that moment a serf ran up to the high table and presented a dataslate. Phalros took it and after a moment read, "Interesting. Our investigation of the region has revealed tracks on the islands. Evidence of an assembled missile platform, conveniently absent now and signs of a hasty disassembly. They must have moved in great haste to leave footprints behind."

"Anything traceable?" Cato Sicarius asked very quickly.

"Nothing that points to the culprits," Phalros replied, "But what I find very interesting is there is no hint of a landing facility. No ferrocrete, no marks of launch rails, not even blast scoring from take-off."

Novak's mind roamed over the mental map of the attack area and he said, "There aren't any islands in that part of the sea large enough to conceal a launchpad. Not completely. Those Lightnings had to come from somewhere and they must have planned someplace to set down again afterwards. Given their fuel capacity they can't have expected to travel for hours, engage us and return again safely."

"They can't have come from the Fortress-Monastery," Phalros mused, "We would have seen them, no amount of technical interference could fool thousands of eyes. I suppose they could have dropped from orbit, but they wouldn't have the fuel to return."

"Maybe they didn't plan to return," Cato Sicarius pondered, "A suicide mission."

"Bold men or indoctrinated," Phalros breathed, "But that still doesn't answer what happened to the men setting up the missile batteries. Where did they go, how did they sneak in and leave undetected? There is something we're missing here, something hidden from us. Discovering how they pulled this off is the key to uncovering the truth of their identity. We should go over everything again and see what we have missed. Novak, your presence is no longer required. Return to your meditations and prepare for the next trial."

Reluctantly Novak made the sign of the Aquila and turned to depart. He left the investigators to their task, eyeing the mortals warily and wondering how many of them were hiding dark secrets. This attack must have had some insider knowledge, plans of the Champions routes and timings would be essential. Surely not all of them though, it couldn't be possible for that many people to keep a secret, but who was working to uncover the truth and who was burying it. There was no way to know so Novak resolved to dig out the truth himself.

He left the hall and stepped out into the daylight. He intended to return to his arming chambers but before he could take another step a voice cried out, "There he is!" Novak's head turned to see a gaggle of Astartes bearing down on him, all in varied colours. He instantly recognised the Champions of the Charnel Guard, Doom Eagles, Emperor's Shadows and Howling Griffons bearing down on him. They looked angry and at their head stomped Maxath of the Red Hunters with a furious expression and Chogai of the White Scars, who looked concerned.

Maxath stormed up to Novak and yelled, "You had better explain the meaning of this outrage!"

Novak was put back and retorted, "What do you mean?!"

"Attacking the other Champions!" Maxath snapped, "Treacherously culling us from the shadows, you filthy traitor!"

Novak should have been angry at the insult but his jaw dropped as he spluttered, "You… you think I'm behind this atrocity?!"

Chogai stepped in to explain, "We know someone has been sabotaging the Feast of Blades and some have pointed out this is your planet. Your Chapter is best positioned to arrange accidents and murder, who else would have the knowledge and resources to set up ambushes and traps?"

Novak snorted, "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I was attacked too, I barely fought my way out!"

Maxath's face went as red as his armour as he growled, "How very convenient, four Champions die but you miraculously survive. Four noble Chapters are left in the dust as the Storm Heralds advance one step closer to claiming the prize, all while bleating how you are the victims in this conspiracy. A veil of sympathy and salt tears to disguise the knives in the dark. Yes, it is a good cover but I see your treachery. I have tracked far more elusive prey than you, slain Heretics beyond count who protested their innocence. You plot murder even now."

Novak's hand fell to his sword as the various Champions behind them grumbled in agreement. He drew in a breath and said, "You insult the Honour of the Storm Heralds, and mine. Speak again and I will answer your offence with blood."

Chogai hastily raised his hands and said, "No violence, we agreed only to talk. We need truth not…"

His plea was cut short as Maxath moved. Novak expected him to go for his sword and was prepared to draw his own to parry but instead the Red Hunter's fist crashed into his burnt face. Novak was stunned by the unexpected assault and staggered back, only to be borne over as Maxath tackled him. He reacted on instinct, punching and kneeing his foe before his back even hit the dirt. They slammed into the ground in a tangle of limbs, raining blows upon each other in a flurry. Novak was fast and skilled but at such close range his talents counted for nothing. Maxath by comparison was a frothing ball of rage and ferocity, slamming his fists into the Champion without restraint. He fought with savage ardour, lashing out continuously, never relenting or deviating from his onslaught of blows.

Novak felt himself being battered into unconsciousness and struggled to fight back. Maxath was on top of him, his weight bearing down as his fists flew and Novak was barely able to punch back. Seeing no alternative he dropped his arms, letting Maxath punch his face but getting his palms on the ground. He heaved left and Transhuman strength threw them to the side, toppling Maxath off his perch to slam into the dirt.

Instantly Novak sprang up, ready to pounce but then the sound of a bolt shot rang across the combatants. All eyes looked up to see Cato Sicarius standing in the doorway, a bolt pistol held in his hand. He had fired a shot to get attention and snarled, "On your feet."

Slowly Novak climbed to his feet as did Maxath and they stood before him like naughty scholam-children facing a headmaster. Cato Sicarius glared at them as he spat, "Brawling in the street like thugs. Pathetic. You are Space Marines, not uncouth ruffians. If you start a fight I expect you to kill the foe instantly, not roll about in the dust! You have all shamed yourselves. Depart at once and meditate upon your lax behaviour and if I see one more brawl like this I will instantly disqualify you from the Feast."

Heads low the Champions broke up and departed, trooping away in shame. Maxath cast one more dirty look at Novak and hissed, "I'm watching you."

Novak watched him slink away but as the White Scar turned to leave he said, "Chogai… you don't believe it is true, do you?"

His face filled with sadness Chogai replied, "I don't know what to believe. You seem a noble soul and I want to trust you, but the machinations of evil are many. Only time will tell if you are true in heart or a traitor. I cannot afford trust until certainty is ours to grasp."

Novak watched them all go then sadly turned to head to his own arming chambers. His hearts were heavy as he pondered what this meant. In all the rush to find the hidden assassins he'd never considered that some would think he was involved. More than ever he had to find who was responsible, not only to uncover a murderous plot but to prove his own innocence. In his hearts he found himself longing for the days when he was simple Company Champion, fighting alongside the Third. Facing down Traitors and Xenos and Daemons seemed blissfully simple compared to this web of intrigue and he genuinely wished he could be rid of it all.