Legends of the Smoke Jaguars Chapter 145
The Aquila lander was ubiquitous across the stars, used in massive numbers by Terran and Novan alike. A small personal transport, neither particularly fast or well-armed. The sleek craft did however have the virtue of anonymity, so prevalent that a single one moving against the sky drew no notice. Disquisitor Von Tor was counting on that fact to stay alive. His steps were being dogged by fellow agents of the Ur-Council and for the last few days had only survived by staying mobile. That wouldn't work for long but thankfully recent events had changed matters.
"The anomaly cannot be explained," a glowing Holo-avatar of Archmagos Zobatten declared.
Von Tor leaned back in a cushioned chair, "That was the point."
"The Terran forces fired upon their own basecamp, this defies all logic. The Astronomicon-prophecies for this conflict accounted for five point seven trillion permutations, and in none of them did this outcome appear. You claim credit for this aberration, explain how!"
Von Tor shrugged in his straps, "I have friends in high places."
"Elaborate!" Zobatten rasped from his vox-coder.
"I am not sharing my secrets with you, as you do not share with me. Let us discuss the effects, what at the Terran forces doing?"
Zobatten's robed head tilted as if in thought, "The Terran advance has halted again, units are fighting where previously engaged but there is little strategic coordination. The loss of higher command has stymied their assault. The cessation of resupply of fuel, victuals and ammunition will degrade their combat performance by seven percent in the first twenty-hour hours. Increasing by 2.5 percent with every successive hour that passes."
Von Tor leaned forward, "The moment is ripe for our armies to counter-attack!"
Zobatten fixed him with his steel eyes, "The Ur-Council has voted to entrench and supplement our defences. The Schismatic Princeps are taking this chance to consecrate our God-Engines and repair battle damage."
"Idiots!" Von Tor snarled, "They waste every chance put before them. The Ur-Council is corrupt and ineffective. They could sweep the Terrans from our world and send a message to a thousand planets that the Novans are not defeated, instead they allow our enemy time to reorganise and rebuild. The Ur-Council is a liability, one we can no longer afford."
Zobatten's image leaned forward suspiciously, "You advocate a change in leadership. Behavioural modelling indicates a high probability you intend to replace them with yourself."
Von Tor smiled coldly, "My only wish is to serve Nova Terra and its people."
"Confirmation: you do mean you."
Von Tor shook his head, "You cannot fight a war by committee. The Ur-Council has failed at every step to prepare our people for war, they never had the spine to deny Terra. You made Cogitator predictions of this conflict, in how many did the Novan's actually win... ten percent... even that? Soon they will start to seek terms with the Terrans, a cowardly surrender to save their own hides. And then what happens to you and your Schismatics, how forgiving will Mars be to your brethren?"
Zobatten cut him off, "Your arguments have already been foreseen in the prophecies. Your guesses are supported by the light of the Omnissiah. Yet they also model that a coup against Nu Zantium is doomed to failure."
Von Tor grinned, "Did the prophecies account for the additional forces I can bring to bear?"
"No," Zobatten allowed, "If you can deploy such forces in our assault then the coup's chances of success rise exponentially."
"Then we are agreed?"
"It is agreed," Zobatten affirmed, "The Moirae Schismatics are with you. The Ur-Council is no longer useful. Signal us when you are ready to attack."
With that the Archmagos snapped off his image, leaving the Disquisitor to sag back. The Aquila carried on, engines rumbling in the background but the noise did not trouble him at all. Yesterday he had been a wanted man without any ally he could count on, now, well he was still a fugitive but at least he had one ally.
"So, that's the Archmagos on board," Kazial mused from across the hold, "Anyone else we can call?"
Von Tor considered it, "Dathkio will never submit, nor will Furix, the heads of the Regulorum and Adjudication will have to be disposed of. Dolel is weak, she will follow whoever is strongest, the Orthopraxy is desperate for a scrap of power. The rest of them will bow to the inevitable, a few Disquisitors will fight me, the rest will accept the new status quo."
Kazial scowled, "Just the small matter of storming Nu Zantium, fighting every Wardsman in the capital and killing anyone who resists."
"For that we will need our allies," Von Tor agreed.
"We shouldn't trust Vorshaan," Kazial warned.
"I trust his ambition," Von Tor dismissed, "He wants a fleet, and I can provide him one. He will hold to our bargain, as long as it suits his interests. Beyond that, I have no expectations."
"I'll keep my guns handy," Kazial muttered.
The Aquila was dropping now, engines reducing thrust. Von Tor sat up straighter as his ears popped, pressurisation equalling in the cabin. After a few minutes the lander shifted to vertical thrust and settled on its landing claws, engines cutting out. Von Tor hastily stood up and moved to the hatch, opening it to find they had reached their destination. A large botanical garden, in the highlands of Harmsela province. It was a rolling landscape of beauteous plantations and flowerbeds, with small rivers and lakes. Plants from across the Novan empire had been gathered, carefully managed to ensure the divergent ecosystems meshed well. Large waterlilys floated on still ponds, while golden flowers opened their petals to face the dawning sun. Cold fragrances tickled his nose, the grass was dewy under his boots and the chirp of birds resumed as his lander settled.
As a man born on Terra Von Tor could not imagine such a place on the Throneworld, perhaps once in the gardens of the Imperial Palace, but it had all been plated over with gun turrets during the Heresy, then buried under cathedrals in the millennia since. The amount of labour that had gone into this garden was stunning, effort enough to run an agri-world, it was a tragedy that it was all going to waste. The grim darkness of the galaxy demanded every sinew be bent to the waging of war; the sheer hostility of the universe allowed no other option. Kill or be killed, that was the universal law, a fact the Novans had failed to grasp.
"Where is he?" Kazial muttered as he shrugged his coat.
"He's already here," Von Tor stated confidently.
"I don't see him."
"That's the general idea," a voice breathed down their necks.
Von Tor felt a cold shiver run down his spine but refused to jump as Vorshaan appeared right behind him. The Disquisitor stiffly turned, making no sudden movements and sure enough the Dusk Prince was there, looming over him. The helmed head seemed a predator's visage with its angled wings and his Chainglaive was held passively in one hand, at an angle suggestive he could change that in an instant.
"Such theatrics are unnecessary," Von Tor stated.
Vorshaan tilted his head, "No thanks for saving your planet?"
"You destroyed the Terran's main hub, impressive, but the war continues."
Vorshaan growled, "I did more than that. I killed Bezharad, I wiped out the Black Templar contingent and obliterated their logistics at a stroke!"
Von Tor nodded, "As I said, impressive... but the Ur-Council fails to capitalise on the opportunity. It is clear they are not fit to lead. I require your aid to remove them."
"Your ambition grows but regrettably I am paralysed by not giving a Frak."
"You want your ships, I want Nova Terra saved. You aid me, or you get nothing."
Vorshaan glared downwards and Von Tor had to fight not to empty his bladder. The Chaos Warlord could kill them both with a gesture, nothing the Disquisitor could do would change that. All he had was bluster and a promise, if Vorshaan tested either then this could go very badly. Eternal seconds passed but then Vorshaan relented, lifting his head to stare into the distance.
"Do you want to know how I destroyed the Black Templars?" Vorshaan asked.
Kazial sneered, "Probably by doing something Heretical."
"Very much so," Vorshaan agreed, "You would be surprised."
"I doubt it," Von Tor dismissed.
"Then I suggest you look behind you."
Von Tor frowned as he glanced backwards, then gasped as he spun about. Appearing from the vegetation was another Space Marine, this one in pitted armour. Lean he was, leaner than any Marine in plate had any right to be, his armour crowned by triple orbs in the shape of the Plague God's icon and his eyes were sparks of green in sunken pits that fronted the helm. He bore a flail with a bronze head, that leaked black vapour and as he moved Von Tor swore he heard the buzzing of flies.
"Empex..." Von Tor breathed.
"Frak, we've been double-crossed!" Kazial snarled as he pointed both bolters at the newcomer.
"Put those away," Vorshaan chuckled, "Empex is my good friend, he and his kind are joining our merry band of renegades."
"The Dark Tusks have turned traitor?!" Von Tor gasped.
Empex stopped before them and spoke, "The true traitor is the Emperor on his throne of lies. He deceived us, he claimed the power of the gods for himself and left us nothing. I know better now, and I have you to thank for it. On Chasquit IX, when your virus bombs fell, I beheld the glory of the warp. Our bunkers were not deep enough, the seals failed and the life-eater virus broke in. My flesh rotted on my bones, but the voice of Nurgle spoke to me, promising rebirth into new and stranger forms, and I accepted. Death is but a door to new growth, an endless cycle of decay. I thank you for teaching me this."
Von Tor stared in disbelief, "But you fought us for ten years!"
Vorshaan snorted, "That was my influence, I advised Empex to keep his new allegiance hidden. Till the right moment. Now it is here and we have such plans for this world."
Von Tor glanced backwards, "You can't mean for me to fight alongside him?!"
"You've had worse allies; I know you have. You want to win, this is how. Empex is eager to get stuck in, aren't you, my friend?"
Empex agreed, "All things die, I wish to share this revelation with the universe."
Von Tor could scarcely believe his ears. Fighting alongside Night Lords had been distasteful, but they were what they had always been, more or less. The Dark Tusks were corrupt in body and soul, the taint of Chaos wafting off Empex. To call such filth an ally was beyond the bounds of sanity, and yet there were no other options. Von Tor needed Space Marines to seize Nu Zantium, and that was the only way he could save Nova Terra. If he just let the Dark Tusks go ahead of him it wouldn't be so bad, it wasn't like Von Tor would be performing dark rituals himself. It was as simple as the difference between saying yes, and not saying no.
Von Tor swallowed his revulsion, "I need time to plan a way into Nu Zantium, bribes must be offered, promises made and bargains struck."
"Take your time," Vorshaan sniffed, "We have business of our own,"
"Such as?" Kazial hissed.
"There are still some lapdogs to dispose of. The Fire Lords I fear not, but the Smoke Jaguars... I would very much like to kill them personally."
"I look forward to sharing the Grandfather's lessons with my cousins," Empex agreed.
"You do that," Von Tor stated despite his sick feeling, "I shall signal when the assault is to begin."
The deal was struck and their fates were entwined. Von Tor hated that it was necessary, but he knew it must be so. The Ur-Council would fall, he would rise and Nova Terra would be saved. The future seemed so bright but Von Tor entirely missed the darkness of the present. In ponds all around waterlilys were curling up and browning, as birds fell from the trees, dead on the branch. Under the grass fly maggots swarmed in the thousands, swelling as they gestated, almost ready to burst into pestilent life.