Chapter 8: What Sons Remain Secure

Somewhere in the Warp

Two beings traveled down a sunlit path, their road winding through the orchard for quite a ways. The Star Child, looking up, plucked what was unmistakably an apple, a deep, vibrant red, from a branch and began to eat it.

"Does that do… anything, in a place like this?" Daniel asked. "There doesn't seem to be any need for physical sustenance in the Warp, as far as I can tell."

+It serves a different purpose here, one that is still useful,+ the Star Child replied. +It grounds me and my sons. Allows us to keep hold of those parts of us that are, at the deepest level, human.+

"I see," Daniel said quietly, contemplating the wisdom of such a thing.

"Come to think of it," Daniel said as they continued, the Star Child finishing his apple in the space before he spoke again, "calling you just 'the Star Child' is going to become rather tedious, all told. Besides, it is simply a moniker."

He paused for a moment. "What is your name?"

The Star Child considered the question for about as long as Daniel might have expected for one who had borne as many names as he had. +My first name is lost to me now,+ he said quietly, sorrow lacing the words and augmenting their tone like a distant waterfall. +I have simply become used to whatever name the Emperor needed to take in the lands He traveled in. To take one for myself…+

Again, it was silent as the Star Child pondered. +I think… I shall take a name from home, many centuries after I first came into being there. The Emperor once went to Ireland for a time in the late 1100s, for one reason or another. The name He took was… Cionaodh.+

He nodded slowly. +A name from home. For a man no longer truly the Emperor of Mankind.+

"The birth of fire," Daniel said quietly. "A tool and a weapon for humanity to begin its mastery of all things. How fitting, Cionaodh. I think you'll bear it well."

Before Daniel could speak further, the trees parted, and Daniel got his first look at what could only be Cionaodh's abode.

It was an L-shaped farmhouse paneled in a deep red, almost black wood, a second story on the shorter arm they faced and over about a third of the longer one, windows set scattered liberally but deliberately across its walls, and electric lights flanking the slate-gray door that led inside. It was a construction that harkened back to the 2nd millennium, or rather in terms that Daniel was still more familiar with, the early 21st century.

"A fitting home for these surrounds," Daniel said. "I imagine this was something of a shock to Sanguinius and your other sons to see."

Cionaodh nodded, smiling slightly. +They got used to it, in time.+

With that, he walked forward, Daniel trailing behind slightly as he opened the door and walked in.

The interior was rustic but still furnished with much of what Daniel might have called modernity many ages ago. There were no pictures, but there were a few mirrors in the hallway that they traveled through.

After a moment, they got to what was apparently a living room, a great window on the far wall, framed in stained glass, allowing light in to illuminate the scattered couches and chairs that were occupied, a stairway to the right leading up to a little balcony.

The room's occupants regarded him intently, and Daniel found himself rather surprised at who Cionaodh had managed to bring to his hideaway.

Sanguinius, dressed in a simple shirt and pants, stood at the far end of the room to the right of a seated figure similarly dressed, broad of frame with a somewhat squashed face topped by a buzz cut of black hair, gleaming silver eyes casting a hard gaze on him. In the chair on Sanguinius' left lounged another, leaner and more unkempt, with wild blond hair falling from his head and face and likely dusting arms that bulged in a long-sleeved shirt, a patch covering a left eye that, judging from its remaining partner, would have been a pale, sky-like blue.

The last one, tucked back in a corner, wore a deep blue shirt and black pants, a pale face with utterly dark eyes, no trace of white in them, framed by raven-black hair that seemed almost matted in its dullness. He regarded Daniel with a stare that seemed to bore into the soul. Daniel felt the gentle prod of psychic power, subtle yet directed. He allowed the man to see openly into his soul, more than just the potential futures attached to it.

+Konrad…+ Cionaodh said warningly.

Daniel raised a hand. "He's fine," he said quietly. "Let him look. It means I can finally be fully truthful."

Konrad continued to look, his eyes widening as the others looked over at him with various levels of concern. After a moment, the broad man to Sanguinius' right stood.

"Whatever you are doing to him…" he said, his voice a threatening rumble.

Then, at last, Konrad spoke. "What… are you?" he nearly whispered.

Daniel sighed quietly. "I am the oldest person in this universe at the current moment," he replied. "I had to come in from outside it to do so, however. As I'm sure you're now aware."

Cionaodh looked over at Daniel, a concerned expression beginning to crease his face. +What did he see?+

"My past," Daniel replied. "Enough to realize its vastness."

He looked back at Konrad, whose eyes were now narrowed and cautious. "Konrad Curze, I would presume."

"Correctly," Konrad replied. He glanced over at the short-haired man. "Be at ease, Ferrus. He means no harm."

"For now," Ferrus replied. "Father may have brought him in, but until he has proven himself…"

+Ferrus Manus,+ Cionaodh said quietly. +The old master of the Iron Hands.+

Daniel glanced at the bared arms of Ferrus Manus, and found the skin matching the rest of the man's complexion. "Well met, Manus. Konrad speaks true. I only wish to help."

"That remains to be seen," Ferrus said as he took a seat. "All too many have feigned loyalty to have me be so naive. What do you seek from our father?"

"A convincing voice to show the people of the Imperium that there is a better way."

"Your way," the wild man said as he leaned forward. "Though I give you credit, it isn't difficult to propose a better way than this mess that Father's dream has become."

"Just so, Leman Russ," Daniel replied. "As I've said, I am not native to this universe. I come from a place in a greater Reality, one that sees your galaxy through the lens of story and game. Though that vision, by design, is incomplete. I knew you disappeared into the Warp to search for the Tree of Life, to revive the Emperor. What happened to your retinue?"

Leman Russ grimaced. "Gone. They gave their lives before Father found me. I learned of the truth, and paid the price with my eye last of all."

"How remarkably in line with ancient tales," Daniel mused quietly.

"What's this?"

Daniel looked up to the balcony and once again found himself rather surprised. The figure that stood there, quickly making his way down the stairs, was far more ephemeral, transparency fading in and out of his form. Long of hair and clean-shaven, his singular right eye gleamed with curiosity and open expectancy, its almost glowing blue a striking contrast to the deep red shade of his hair. And his skin.

"Magnus?" Daniel said as the man, noticibly taller than him, came to a stop in front of him, studying him not only physically, but psychically as well, the curiosity on the man's expression deepening.

"Part of the being, anyway," Magnus replied. "Not that I'd fully wish to rejoin the rest of my soul at this point. I must say, you are a fascinating sort. I haven't seen a soul so deeply experienced since trying to look upon Father's. And you've made it so that such a force of memory does not cause any psychic harm when read. Remarkable."

Daniel looked over at Cionaodh. "This is the noble, kindly portion of Magnus' soul? How did you manage this?"

Cionaodh smiled slightly. +This time, it was someone else's idea entirely. In the days of the Heresy before He had to occupy the Golden Throne, and Prospero was poised to fall, one of our component souls, a rather pragmatic sort, suggested that before we did so, we could augment our power with some of Magnus' own, using our warp-craft to create a simulacrum that would be exchanged for the genuine soul fragment. Even with the fragment contained on Terra, it was a difficult and drawn-out process, but the replacement was made, part of Magnus' soul subsumed into the Emperor before He took His place on the Throne. When I was cast out, I managed to steal away with him while the rest of the conclave's focus was turned to the task of slaying Horus. Besides Sanguinius, he was one of the first residents of my little refuge, and one of its chief architects in conjunction with myself.+

"Indeed," Magnus said. "It's been remarkable to work in conjunction with Father in a capacity beyond mere subordination. Even separated from the gestalt consciousness of the Emperor, His skill in warp-craft is remarkable. It has made our separate task of reassembling Horus most fascinating."

"Reassembling…" Daniel paused as his mind grappled with the words and how they went together. "You're putting the soul of Horus back together?"

+Indeed,+ Cionaodh replied. +In the instant that Horus was slain with the ancient Athame, his soul was shattered and spread throughout the Warp. Watching it was like…+

"A cloudburst, sorrow and regret gleaming in every teardrop," Magnus said quietly, his downright bright attitude disappearing as he seemed to visibly dim with his change in mood. "In conjunction with the moment as we saw it, we risked detection from the sight of brother and son moving us to such sorrow. Almost by instinct, I reached out to one of the comet shards of his soul and guarded it close. Father did the same. That was the start of it. Neither of us can tell how far in the process we are. Only that we proceed apace as best we can."

Daniel was silent for a moment. "Is he… like you then, Magnus?" he asked.

Magnus shook his head. "No. For now, he is sequestered in a separate room, in what could be equated to a catatonic state. None have seen him stir, and he reacts to no one."

"Not even Mother…" Sanguinius said softly with a sorrowful expression.

As ephemeral as Daniel knew he was, he felt his head seemingly starting to spin. "Mother? Who… wait…"

+Yes,+ Cionaodh said. +Erda is also here. I doubt you will even catch sight of her for many more visits yet. She wanders the periphery of this realm.+

"How did she even come to be here?" Daniel asked incredulously.

+After she was slain by the Word Bearer Chaplain Erebus,+ Cionaodh began, +she began to follow some of the fragments of Horus' soul, gathering them to herself as she drifted through the Warp. As Magnus and I searched for fragments of Horus as far as we dared, we came across her, floating with more of Horus' soul than we'd managed to collect in almost 500 years of standard time alone. When she awoke here and learned the whole truth of who I was, she departed, desiring to give time and thought to the revelations.+

"I would imagine so, with how she was treated as part of the program that created the Primarchs," Daniel said, the beginnings of a hard edge in his voice. "Her reaction to such isolation from what could easily be considered her sons may not have been rational, but spite rarely is."

Cionaodh frowned slightly. +Perhaps the obscurement of our universe's history that you speak of has misled you in such an area. You have the broad picture of it, but a vital detail is absent.+

Daniel frowned in turn. "What would that be?"

Cionaodh sighed quietly. +With the Primarchs program reaching its apex on Terra, and with Erda's separation, the Emperor approached her to enact the next step of His plan. She would use her psychic power to open up a rift in the Warp, and purposefully scatter her children amongst the stars to worlds with human life upon them. In the time it would take to completely unify Terra and prepare the Great Crusade, these worlds would enter our fold willingly, and the people would be prepared for the coming of the Imperium, one way or another. She obliged, whether due to her love for the Emperor or her love for her sons, I still do not know. Whatever else, she still secluded herself afterward.+

Daniel was silent for a long moment as he considered the implications of such an act, then sighed quietly. "There is much for me to consider," he finally said. "And much to do to come to know and trust each of you. But for now, knowing you're here, I must return to my squad. They will likely be the first of the Imperium's citizens to learn of your existence when the time is right."

The room was silent, most regarding him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. Ferrus glared at him with open contempt. Konrad simply stared, pitch-black eyes inscrutable.

"Whatever you're planning, don't cock it up," Ferrus finally said. "If you lead anyone to our Father who would harm Him, rest assured, I will hunt you down wherever you may go and see He is avenged with my bare hands."

Daniel nodded slightly. "And I would appreciate the effort."

Daniel turned away, beginning to depart the little realm. "Good day to you and yours, Cionaodh. I'll likely see you again soon."

Cionaodh nodded, and Daniel vanished from His realm.

. . .

Daniel opened his eyes, checking the watch on his wrist. 2:12 in the planet's morning. Enough time for a little more sleep.

As reveille came around, the buzz of quiet alarms stirring the camp of Guardsmen, Daniel exited from his tent, stretching in the cool air. Those among their squads who were early risers had already started the portable cook stoves that would warm their rations, the Void Weavers separated from them as they abstained from eating.

'Likely they already took their breakfast in the early hours of the dawn,' Daniel mused as he joined the rest of his squad on small fold-out camp stools.

"So, Captain," Galen said, first to break the silence, "we're up for the leading edge today, correct?"

Daniel nodded. "That's our rotation. Hopefully, we'll be the last, with how much ground we've covered. This damn hole in the ground has to be somewhere around here."
The rest of the squad nodded, returning to their meal.

"Night patrols have found the reinforced door to the depot."

All but Daniel jumped, the man calmly looking behind him and up at the Void Weaver Marine looming over him. In contrast to Captain Amilus' markings, the patterns that this Astartes' armor sported stretched across both of his arms, dots of red like blood-spots scattered alongside outlines of black symbols.

"As well," the Astartes continued, "we will be joined by more forces, including Skitarii of the Mechanicus and two Dreadnoughts from the Mastodons Chapter, to ensure the security of the site."

"Good news indeed," Daniel said with a slight smile. "Thank you, Lord…"

As Daniel trailed off waiting for a reply, all was largely still for a moment before the Astartes turned.

"Lieutenant," was the only word he said before he walked back to the rest of his contingent.

Daniel watched the Marine for a moment before returning to his meal. "That went better than I expected," Daniel said. "Usually, the Space Marine Captains are the most sociable of a Chapter out of necessity, I find."

"And what gave you that impression?" Leona asked, a brow raised. "The two sentences' worth of words that he spoke to us in total?"

"The fact that he even spoke to us at all," Daniel replied, finishing his rations and stuffing them into a trash sack. "They may not be Mastodons — hell, they may not even be Emerald Dragons — but they're willing to speak to us. And I'm sure there's someone willing to hold a conversation in all that ceramite over there."

. . .

They were soon underway, one of the other squads leading them towards what must have been the depot. The 3 Chimeras and 2 Rhinos, fitted with dozer blades, made a quick path through the rather thick forest, the sound of crackling and crashing trees being only slightly muffled through the armored walls of the Chimera Daniel and his squad rode in.

It was likely only a little further now, if his recollection of how far the patrols ranged from the main camps. That the ride had lasted this long suggested that the patrols found a path to the site instead of the site itself.

"So, Captain," Joris said as he finished crashing through a particularly dense tree, "think we might run into any more civvies around the depot?"

"The possibility exists," Daniel replied, recollecting their previous encounters with the well-hidden residents of villages and towns that had survived the Ork presence by subterfuge, stealth, and relocation. "We'll likely be setting up a perimeter around the depot proper to keep people out."

"No more surprise lunches," Kat said somewhat glumly. "Damn. I still can't find the spice they like to bring to make a meal interesting. Even with their description of the plant itself."

"I'm sure we can vet and allow some civvies to stay on the periphery for a limited time," Daniel said. "I doubt they'll be able to pal around with us like they have for the past few weeks, but there's a compromise to be had there."

"I sure hope so," Kat said.

The cabin fell largely silent until they finally stopped. "Well, here we are, I think," Joris said.

Daniel nodded as he opened the rear doors, stepping out and leading the others around the vehicle to regard the door to the underground depot.
It was a surprisingly imposing sight, a shallow ramp with piles of what had likely been its cover to either side of it leading into a short ferrocrete tunnel wide and tall enough to park at least four Chimeras within it. The door itself was equally imposing, likely forged out of plascrete and hardened steel, if not a layer of ceramite somewhere in there as well.

Standing before this imposing gate were ten figures, most cloaked in the robes of the Mechanicus, colored and in the patterns of all the worlds of the Billet. One among them towered over the rest, however, the glittering green armor augmented by mechanical arms tipped with various implements, the pattern of the cog etched into one of the shoulder pads of the Emerald Dragons Techmarine.

Daniel made his way over towards the group, his squad following behind him. Whatever conversation the gathered techpriests were having stopped as all turned to regard the new arrivals, and Daniel managed to see two familiar faces amongst the mechanical crowd.

"Is there any chance we know how long this might take?" he ventured, scanning the crowd.

"The machine spirit of this depot has likely laid long dormant," the Techmarine replied. "It may take several days to open this door, if not longer."

Daniel suppressed a grimace as he nodded. "Very well. We'll begin setting up perimeters and let you get to work. No need to keep you from your task."

With that, he turned and led the Furies back out of the tunnel, beginning to lay out the squad's patrol schedule.

. . .

All was in order by the late afternoon, a perimeter about 30 meters out from the depot entrance now staffed by the first Guard patrols. The Furies would take the evening watch later that night, allowing them to take dinner as the sun was well on its way to setting.

As they set up the cook stove and rations, however, Daniel looked up to see those familiar faces from earlier in the day approaching the squad.

The eyes of the Furies turned to see Isyander and Koda standing somewhat hesitantly before them. "Would we be able to gain sustenance alongside you?" Isyander asked. "As we are not so modified as our peers are, we are required to eat and drink as you do."

Daniel smiled slightly. "Pull up a stool if you need to. I'm not quite sure what augmentation you already have, so you might be fine as is."

"Our limbs have been replaced," Koda replied as the pair squatted next to Winfer, reaching into their robes to likely to lock their knees in place, "along with some other sundry portions of our flesh. We are journeymen, on the path to further perfection."

"Journeymen," Winfer said, frowning slightly. "You travel across the stars? Who was your Magos?"

Both Isyander and Koda glanced over at Winfer with arched brows as they took ration packs from within their robes, holding it in both hands as mechadendrite tendrils, graspers at their ends, gripped an edge and tore their packets open.

"Our Magos was a traveling sort," Isayander replied as they began to prepare and eat. "We were some of his select few students during his journey. He is known as Magos Cawl."

'Belisarius?' Daniel mused as he nodded with the others. 'Let's see where this line of inquiry takes us, shall we?'

"I've been around another techpriest that interacted with Magos Cawl during my time with a Rogue Trader," Daniel said, gaining the attention of the sibling Techpriests rather quickly. "They regarded him as something of a firebrand, as remarkably intelligent as he was. I believe the first thing they said was 'I am quite surprised he has not earned some sort of censure from Mars as of yet'."

Isyander and Koda glanced at each other, then around themselves for a moment. "Your techpriest does speak some truth," Isyander replied as their focus returned to Daniel, his voice lowered almost conspiratorially. "Magos Cawl taught us in ways that we… did not expect, initially."

"He taught us pragmatism," Koda said confidently, though her voice shared the same pitch as her brother's. "That we could adhere to the diktats of the Omnissiah while fully pursuing its sacred knowledge in ways that many of our brethren will not try, wrapped up in shrinking caution as they are. That the form of flesh was not a weakness, simply an adjacent design that the rest of the galaxy might be used to."

"Bold words," Daniel replied, glancing down at Koda's arms. They had a flesh-like tone, but they were certainly mechanical upon further inspection. "Is that why your arms are painted?"

Koda looked down, showing the plated design more clearly to the now eminently curious squad. "Using an aerosolized solution usually used for marking vehicles, yes," Koda admitted. "I've found it's made interacting with the rest of the Imperium much easier."

"And the rest of the Mechanicus that much harder," Isyander said meaningfully. "There is a reason I keep my limbs unpainted. One can only endure so many warnings before it becomes outright censure."

"And I have been able to explain my reasoning to any who ask," Koda replied. "Your concern is always appreciated, but I do know what I'm doing, brother dearest."
Isyander rolled his eyes. "Would that you knew what I have done to this point…" he muttered as he shook his head and returned to his meal.

'They really do take after Cawl, then,' Daniel mused. 'Fascinating. Let's try and keep them functioning, shall we?'

"Turning back to more present matters," Daniel said, "we were told that reinforcements from the Mechanicus would be arriving to help secure the perimeter. Any chance you could tell us more?"

Isyander nodded. "Elements of the Skitarii Macroclade Terinix-Ochre-12 will be arriving within the next 1.5 solar cycles. It will be interesting to see how their focus on vehicular warfare adapts to the forest."

"With how we've cleared it out just trying to get here," Galen said, "I don't think they'll have too much trouble."

"If we somehow didn't clear it out, they likely would," Winfer replied. "Unless their cogitators and targeting matrices are tuned to this sort of environment ahead of time, it would be easier to create the opportune conditions to fight in."

"You seem well-versed in the attitudes of the Mechanicus," Koda ventured. "How is that so?"

"I had a friend who joined the steel priesthood," Winfer replied. "We kept in touch as best we could before I was shipped out as part of the Guard tithe. He never spoke of any sacred or confidential knowledge, but I came to grasp the generalities."

"I see," Koda said. "I hope that he is doing well."

With that, the meal largely fell silent, Daniel mulling on what he had heard far more than on the rather bland rations that they now ate.

. . .

The first reinforcements arrived the next day, a line of Chimeras and Sentinels rumbling into the camp with soldiers marching alongside them. The Furies stood and watched the colors of both Silver Scales and Drake's Eyes, steel-gray and purple mixed with deep green, red, and orange, as they made their way into the camp.

The most ostentatious of the lot, however, were the two brown, blue, and ivory ceramite boxes on legs that tramped in on rather stubby legs, forming the rear guard of the column. These were the Mastodons' Dreadnought sarcophagi, armed as well as armored, an equally boxy claw of an arm on their right accompanied by a sponson-like primary weapon on their left side in an assault cannon on one, and twin-linked las-cannons on another. As well, the tusks that their smaller brethren had on their helmets flanked the lowest point of the actual sarcophagus unit, here coming to over a meter long.

In all, 3 Chimeras, 4 Sentinels, and 30 Drake's Eyes infantry began to go about the business of setting up a place for the next… well, however long this was going to take, the Dreadnoughts simply taking in the sights of the action swirling around them.

Daniel, in charge of the 3 squads that had started the search thus far, did his best to help organize the effort of getting the Guardsmen situated. To this end, he spoke to the nominal lead Lieutenant of the Silver Scales squads, a woman named Uruna, and the lead Lieutenant of the Drakes, a man named Dolmer.

"Thus far, we've had no hostile incursions," Daniel said, showing the pair a data-slate marked up by the Mechanicus of the surrounding area. "I'll direct you to my soldier in charge of patrol rotations, Lieutenant Tassellon. He can slot in your soldiers to make sure the patrol route is completely covered."

"We should be just fine," Uruna said. "Even with the Mechanicus following behind, we should have the Guard of this place well in hand."

"I don't know," Dolmer replied, scratching the beginnings of a dark beard as his brow furrowed. "The Mechanicus can be very protective of their secrets. They might insist on a guard duty of their own."

"That, I'm sure we can deal with when the time comes," Daniel replied.

Before he could continue further, he caught, from the corner of his eye, the terribly familiar flash of a black overcoat, lined in red. However, as he turned his attention to take in its owner fully, he found himself somewhat surprised.

The Commissar that strode towards them was a weathered woman, built much like many of the taller, broader soldiers Daniel might hazard to find. Under her cap, pale blonde hair starting to flow into gray was done in a tight, professional braid, some strands falling over a square, caramel-colored face whose hue she shared with Dolmer, and she regarded the trio with calm, but intent maroon eyes.

Dolmer came to attention quickly, saluting the Commissar before the others followed suit. "Good afternoon, Commissar," he said.

"Good afternoon to you, Lieutenant," the Commissar replied with a nod. "The troops seem to be in order getting into camp. Are their duties being dispersed to their sergeants?"

"I was in the process of ensuring such would go smoothly with Captain Theisman here, Commissar," Dolmer replied.

The Commissar arched a brow as she regarded Daniel. "Captain? If my understanding of your current forces is correct, I'm surprised you lead so few men at your current rank."

"I believe Commander Kinley, my superior officer, is… easing me into the role, shall we say. It was a rather sudden promotion in the aftermath of the governor's palace, and with what I've heard of the state of the Silver Scales before I arrived on Salome, the fact that she was a Captain in charge of a single squad spoke to the recent devastation."
The Commissar nodded. "I see. I am Commissar Gelena of the Drake's Eyes. All I ask is that you ensure the men under my care are treated well. These are fine soldiers, and they've borne the brunt of taking and holding the city thus far."

Daniel nodded, quite thankful for the change in pace from a member of the Commissariat. "I'll give them what rest I can, ma'am. This should be a rather quiet posting, all told."

"That does not mean these men can let their vigilance wane under your watch, Captain."

Daniel closed his eyes and sighed quietly at the all-too-familiar voice that had interjected. 'Would that my luck would hold out just this one little time…'

He opened his eyes and regarded Kurtiz as he stood next to Gelena, regarding him with an almost sour expression. "The Ork presence here is nearly negligible, sir," Daniel replied. "Our only run-ins have been with locals that have hidden within the forest, sharing valuable intel on Ork movements and providing valuable guidance on natural water and food resources."

"Just so," Kurtiz said. "Even still, this is a secure facility. Your little… acceptances of the local people will have to stop to ensure that these weapons will not fall into enemy hands. None must be allowed to linger."

Daniel arched a brow. "The locals thus far have been thoroughly vetted before being allowed to remain in close contact, sir. And, if I may be so bold, I cannot help but wonder why you are here. As I recall, you remain attached to Commander Kinley."

"Until such time as you return to the city and receive your company Commissar, I have taken it upon myself to ensure that command and discipline are maintained here," Kurtiz replied.

He paused for a moment. "So I must insist that you and your men keep this perimeter secure, by lethal force if necessary. Is that understood?"

Daniel managed to keep from gritting his teeth as he nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good."

With that, Kurtiz walked past, leaving the four to remain where they were.

"You have my sympathies," Galena said. "I never envy those who get assigned those sorts of Commissars."

"We've been able to deal with his lack of proximity thus far," Daniel replied. "We can deal with him being around us for a few weeks. Not that he'd find us lacking in any regard, anyway."

"Certainly doesn't sound like the sort to enjoy a card game with the men," Dolmer said.

Daniel caught the implication, looking back over at Galena. "Do you have a card game set up with your men?"

"When time allows," Galena replied. "It's a rather exclusive group, but you have the rank to make it into whatever we do while we're here."

She looked past Daniel. "And besides, he may be strutting around with a fair measure of power, but though you may not notice it, he's still only a junior Commissar. And the Commissariat recognizes its own. Perhaps he'll heed the experience of a senior Commissar to learn some measure of flexibility."

"That would be appreciated far beyond this forest, I'm sure," Daniel replied. Even still, he couldn't help but wonder what effect Kurtiz Alberich would have here. And how he would have to deal with it.