Immrich is requesting permission to refuel his tanks from the greenskin cache。”
“Immrich？” asked Bergen。
“Yes； sir。 He’s standing in for Colonel Vinnemann。 The colonel is seeing the medicae
augmeticist on your orders； remember？”
“Right； yes；” voxed Bergen。 “Tell Captain Immrich to go ahead； but I want the fuel store
searched for nasty surprises first； and have him ask one of the tech…priests for a substance analysis
before he fills up。 Emperor alone knows what the orks put in their fuel tanks apart from
promethium。”
“One more thing； sir；” said Graves。 “Tech…Adept Armadron tells me his preparations are
complete。 A vox…node antenna has been set up and connected to the landlines。 We’ve just opened a
link with Army Group HQ。 The sound quality isn’t too bad at all。 General deViers expects you to
report personally within the next thirty minutes。”
“Understood； colonel。 I’ll be back at the comms station in ten。 Meet me there。 Division； out。”
Bergen turned and began marching back towards the centre of the outpost； retracing his steps
along streets filled with rusting junk and reeking of ork blood and excrement。 He was glad of a
68
reason to leave the piled bodies of the murdered slaves behind him； but the image of what he had
seen stayed with him； a powerful memory that he would draw on later。
It would fuel his hate in the days to come。
Three days after Karavassa was secured； Major General Rennkamp’s 8th Mechanised Division
moved up to take the old Imperial supply base； Tyrellis； located in the Garrando region of the desert
to the east…south…east of Bergen’s position。 Resistance was fractionally lighter than at Karavassa；
and the troopers might have been in high spirits had it not been for the increase in sickness and
parasitic infestation that they suffered。 The flesh…boring dannih were a constant nuisance。 Orders
had gone out for the men to shave their heads and remove any thick body hair in order to help
combat the problem。 Some troopers； preferring to drink their valuable alcohol rations rather than use
them to get rid of the vicious ticks； developed nasty infections。 Others reported to the medicae
station with skin so saturated by the fines that they looked as if they had been bathing in spinefruit
juice。 The jokes and taunts didn’t last long。 The worst afflicted men suffered so badly from the
resulting sickness that they died。 It was a miserable way to go； organs clogged by accumulating
dust； failing one after the other until the whole body shut down。 That cast a dark shadow over those
who survived； for they knew it was only a matter of time before their own cells became choked with
the stuff。 The quicker the general gained his prize； they grumbled； the better。
In that respect； at least； things were proceeding well。 It was apparent that the greenskin presence
between Hadron Base and the last known coordinates of The Fortress of Arrogance had been greatly
overestimated。 It seemed Ghazghkull Thraka’s pogrom against mankind had called far more of the
orks away from Golgotha than the Officio Strategos had anticipated。 This alone remained in
Exolon’s favour； for if the orks were proving less of a threat； Golgotha was doing her level best to
make up for it。
Bergen and the men of his division remained garrisoned in Karavassa； anxiously patrolling the
surrounding lands； waiting impatiently for the general’s order to move east。 That order was expected
to come through on the landline once the fortified settlement at Balkar — last of the major outposts
needed to secure the route between Hadron Base and the site of the objective — had been retaken
by the 12th Heavy Infantry Division under Major General Killian。 Until then； there was little to do
but wait； and； with time on his hands； Bergen began to notice little things that worried him； such as
the subtle change in the tone of his skin。 Each time he shaved； he looked into the mirror and noted
the deepening pink tinge that coloured the whites of his eyes。 He was far from alone in this。 Medicae
staff had issued everyone in the division with detox packages to help them combat the fines； but
they didn’t seem to be doing much good。 Bergen had pressed Sergeant Behr； the medic on his
personal staff； for worst case scenarios。
The sergeant’s answers offered little comfort。
There were wildly varying levels of resistance between men。 The hardiest would hold out for
months； perhaps even a standard Imperial year； but the symptoms would steadily worsen throughout
that time。 Growing headaches and nausea could be dealt with easily enough； the pills to suppress
these were plentiful。 For the changes in skin and eye colour； and the damage to organs； nothing
could be done ent and facilities at hand。 Despite Sergeant Behr’s insistence that it
would make little difference； Bergen nevertheless issued new orders to his men： they must wear
goggles and rebreather masks as much as possible。
If the able…bodied men of 10th Division were suffering； though； it was as nothing compared to
Colonel Vinnemann’s pain。 Day after day； Bergen marvelled at the colonel’s resilience。 The man
rarely uttered a word of complaint； at least not in company； but； between the dust and the higherthan…
standard gravity； his augmetic spine was bothering him like never before。 The Medicae
augmeticist kept Bergen informed of Vinnemann’s condition； breaking his oath of patient
confidence for the sake of keeping the divisional leader fully apprised。 Colonel Vinnemann had
been authorised to increase his self…administered injections of immunosuppressants and pain69
mediators； but the drugs were problematic if taken in high quantities。 Bergen； who held great
affection and respect for the resilient little officer； began to offer daily prayers to the Emperor and
His Saints that Operation Thunderstorm would come to a speedy conclusion。 To lose Vinnemann
prematurely would be a huge blow to the expedition。 To lose him at all would be a huge blow to the
men who knew him。
Finally； on the fifteenth day after planetfall； it seemed as if the Emperor might be listening to
Gerard Bergen’s prayers。
Reports started coming through on the landline。 With Karavassa and Tyrellis securely held and
protecting Imperial supply lines； Killian’s 12th Heavy Infantry Division had pushed forward；
storming the ruined fortress at Balkar； capturing it； and converting it into a front…line stronghold。
The fighting had been heavy there； and the casualty figures were high； hinting at a much heavier ork
presence closer to the site of the general’s ultimate objective。 But Killian succeeded all the same；
and the forward base so vital to supporting the final leg of the expedition was firmly and fully
established。 Those officers with a pessimistic bent predicted massive greenskin retaliation； but； for
now； Hadron； Karavassa； Tyrellis and Balkar were all back in Imperial hands after almost forty
years of enemy occupation。 The final stage of the Operation Thunderstorm could commence at last。
Bergen received all this news with a feeling of great relief。 He was even more relieved when the
10th Armoured Division’s new instructions came through from Hadron Base shortly after dawn on
the sixteenth day。 General deViers ordered Bergen’s forces — minus an adequate garrisoning force
— to press east from Karavassa； heading straight for Balkar with all possible speed。 Once there；
they would link up with elements from the other divisions and await the general’s arrival。 DeViers
would personally lead them out into the Hadar region； to the foothills of the Ishawar range； for the
final phase of the operation。
Talking directly to Bergen over the landline； the old man sounded practically ecstatic； like an
over…stimulated child on the night before Emperor’s Day。 Perhaps he sensed his long…sought
immortality waiting just beyond his fingertips。 He would find The Fortress of Arrogance； whatever
was left of it； and the operation would enter its closing stage。 The Mechanicus would fire a beacon
into the upper atmosphere to signal their position。 A lifter would then descend from The Scion of
Tharsis to haul the holy machine from the desert sands and lift it back into space。 Safely aboard the
Reclamator craft； The Fortress of Arrogance would be restored to its former glory during transit to
the Armageddon system。 There； it would be presented to Commissar Yarrick； and he would ride it
out onto the battlefields of Armageddon Prime； rousing the spirits of his tired soldiers； inspiring in
them a glorious new strength。 Thus uplifted； they would roll out to crush the foe。
It sounded wonderful； and in Bergen’s heart of hearts； he hoped it would be so； but the voice in
his head still held to the certainty that it was nothing but a pretty dream。 Things would not come to
pass that way。
Thirty…eight years； he thought。 To imagine that she would still be there…
The moment General deViers closed the vox…link from the other end； Bergen sent out a call to
his regimental commanders。 When he gave them their updated orders； all three sounded genuinely
glad to hear that they would be on the move again within hours。 Colonel Vinnemann in particular
expressed his relief in no uncertain terms。 Bergen had