Finis Fide Chapter 7

In the native's camp large crowds gathered in the largest hut to hear the Imperials plan. It was a dilapidated shack with flickering lumen orbs but it was the only space big enough to fit all the community leaders. Toran stood at the front, his presence dominating a room filled with dozens of men. At the back of the room stood Halis Paur with his arms crossed, he was not saying anything but Toran knew that his cynical and cunning mind would pick up subtle clues he himself would miss.

The men sat on crude stools listening to the briefing but Toran was not giving it, that honour fell to Inquisitor Canesh who was laying out the plan to assault the Capital City on a flickering two-dimensional schematic projected on the wall by a groaning pict-caster. The lack of a working three-dimensional Hololith spoke volumes as to the primitive nature of their abode and the lack of shrines, votive candles and chanting was profoundly wrong. Toran had been most disturbed by the way the locals had merely switched the device on without offering Catechism of appeasement or anointing it with sacred unguents. He was certain his Chapter's Techmarines would be horrified by such lack of respect for the Machine Spirts, technology was a dark dangerous path to follow and it was not for men to understand the ways of the Machine God. Respect and adoration were fundamental to any interaction with Imperial technology, after all a breastplate lovingly tended to and maintained may well reward such devotion by saving its bearer's life.

Canesh continued laying out the strategy, the plan was Toran's but the Inquisitor had been insistent that she present it. That seemed a banal and petty point to the Space Marine, but Chapter Master Gorgall had impressed upon him the need to build good relations within the Inquisition. His Chapter was suffering the ire of the Inquisition for their proselyting ways and with the Badab War still in living memory the Imperium had little patience for wayward Astartes, so Halis had advised to let Canesh have her moment.

Meticulously Canesh laid out various districts in the Capital city, highlighting important targets for the native militia to assault as she said, "These targets are individually important, but the larger goal is to create confusion and misdirection. The Xenos must believe this is the main assault and commit their forces into the city."

From the back of the room a voice rang out, it was Phelps and he sounded scornful as he scoffed, "And while we are bleeding in the city where will you be?"

Canesh put an armoured finger on a great bastion right in the heart of the city and said, "The old Governors Palace, the centre of the Xeno infestation. It is the key to the whole operation. As we speak an Imperial liberation force is waiting to launch their offensive, but they cannot approach this planet as long as the orbital defences remain operational. So while you draw the Xenos out the Space Marines and I will take a small team of your best men to infiltrate the Palace to destroy their control of the defences."

There was much consternation to this announcement, men grumbling and anxious at the thought of more off-worlders coming but Kalos raised his voice and cut through it all saying, "Why don't they just land beyond the range of the guns and march on the city?"

Toran answered, "A drawn out ground campaign is exactly what we are trying to avoid. The whole point of our mission is to ensure the Guard can land in the very heart of the infestation and burn them out swiftly. We shall liberate Odoisis in a single day."

Many men looked reassured by this but few still scowled fiercely and Phelps spoke for them all, "More Off-worlders? We don't need their sort, we can do this ourselves."

Kalos however turned around and spat, "This is the day we been waiting decades for, now you cowards protest?"

Phelps grumbled, "If they save Odoisis this will be their world not ours. We won't be any better off."

Toran bristled at that but Kalos rebuked, "This is an Imperial World and we have faith in the Sky-Emperor and his warriors. Anyone who disagrees can explain that to me outside."

The protest died for Kalos was a well-known and respected leader in the community and his words settled the men down. Meanwhile Canesh had been watching the whole exchange with keen interest and Toran had no doubt that she had marked out every single man who had grumbled. She cleared her throat and turned back to the map saying, "The orbital guns are governed by Primary and Secondary Logic Engines here and here, they are on different levels and must be eliminated simultaneously to cripple the defences."

"Why not just blow up the main genatorium?" asked Kalos.

Canesh glared disapprovingly and hissed, "Our objective is to recapture the Capital City, not level the whole place."

Phelps scoffed, "And how exactly will you get in?"

"The Palace has a strategic weakness," replied Canesh, "It was built too far from a water source, so they installed an Aquifer. It runs underground right into the heart of the Palace, by using that accessway we can catch them unawares."

That statement provoked a lot of shocked whispering in the crowd but it was Kalos who leapt to his feet and said, "That is not going to work! Right after the invasion we had an engineer here who had once worked in the Palace and he had the same idea. We sent fifty men up that Aquifer, but the Psybrids were expecting them. They staked the bodies on the walls to send us a message... we never tried to attack the Capital again after that."

Toran was vexed by that revelation but Canesh did not seemed disturbed and merely said, "Well what would you suggest?"

Kalos looked around and several men gave him encouraging nods so he slowly said, "Well... there was one other idea we had, but never dared to try. You see the Palace's sewer network was deliberately isolated from the city's but to cut costs they never bothered to reinforce the walls. There's a couple of places where the two systems come within six paces of each other. You lads could break through that with ease and enter the Palace from underneath."

Canesh mused, "I will take that under advisement. Now, when we do breach the Space Marines will assault the Logic engines while I and my strike team head for the highest Levels."

Kalos looked confused by that and queried, "Is there another objective that we are unaware of?"

Canesh betrayed a thin smile and said, "You have spent decades lurking on the fringes so I am not surprised that you are unaware that the Psybrids operate under the leadership of a single creature: A Gestalt being. It is the lynchpin of their mind-control abilities and as long as it exists we cannot dare land more troops, they would be instantly turned to the enemy's cause. It is a dire threat to the minds of every human in the fleet, few indeed are immune to its effects."

From the back of the crowd Halis snorted, "It doesn't seem to be affecting you."

Canesh didn't even bother to look at him as she said, "I am an Inquisitor, my mind is proof against such witchery. That is why I came alone."

Toran wasn't satisfied with this plan and protested, "My Chapter has fought the Psybrids on other worlds and our records describe the Gestalt as a most ferocious enemy. One such beast took the life of Chapter Master Turgo seven centuries ago and it fell to his Honour Guards to avenge him. Only Astartes can expect to face this beast and triumph: you will need our aid to finish it."

"No Sergeant," said Canesh firmly, "Your Chapter's misguided efforts have cost the Imperium before, I have doubts whether your will is strong enough to fend off its power at such proximity."

"Yet you will trust these mortals in our place?" asked Halis pointedly.

Canesh looked at the men around her and said, "I have my reasons..."

Toran tried to say more but Canesh cut him off saying, "The decision is mine and I have given my orders. I don't need your help."

Toran wanted to protest but before he could speak Halis cut in over a closed Vox and said "She is goading you, this entire performance is purely to test how you react." Toran realised he was right and that the Inquisitor's pettiness was all a performance. Games within games, plots within plots, this Inquisitor had a mind of wheels and traps. For a split second Toran wondered if Canesh had ever shown him her true face, but he gave no hint of this as he made the sign of the Aquila to show his compliance. Canesh smiled slyly and Toran realised she was telling him that she had heard every word, then she turned back to the crowd and began laying out the specifics of their targets. Toran was left to fret, deeply worried that this plan would see the mission fail.