Lord of Decay
The transporter smashed through the bay-doors and onto the street, the wheels screeching on the road.
‘Which way’s the workshop?’ Talen said, skidding to avoid a cluster of rampaging zombies.
‘Straight ahead, then take the corner,’ Mekki told him, barely glancing from the door, which was already rusting from the scrape of Nurgling claws.
‘You helping us now, Mekki?’
‘I do not wish to be infected,’ Mekki replied matter-of-factly. ‘Although the disease also seems to spread through the Mechanicus’s technology. If I had been connected to the cogitator–’
‘You would have turned into one of those things?’ Zelia asked, gripping her chair as Talen swerved around the corner.
‘That’s what happened to Nalos,’ the ganger told them, swinging the transport from left to right. ‘He only became sick after he plugged himself into the control panel.’
‘But why is it happening?’ Zelia asked, clutching her harness as Talen veered to avoid hitting a diseased servitor.
‘It is a plague,’ Jeremias growled, ‘a blight that has swept from planet to planet.’
‘And what about those creatures?’ Mekki asked.
‘The Nurglings spread the contagion, infecting all they touch.’
‘Unless you’re protected by leech-spheres,’ Zelia pointed out.
‘Yeah – where can we get some of those?’ Talen asked, the transporter shuddering as it lurched to the left. ‘Not that they helped those skitarii back there.’
‘Yes, I wondered about that,’ Zelia said, holding on as Talen sent them screaming into another turn. ‘Why weren’t they protected?’
‘Maybe their equipment was faulty,’ Jeremias told her.
‘Unlikely,’ Eighty-Seven intoned.
‘Either way, you’re safe with me,’ the inquisitor vowed.
‘And Aparitus?’ Eighty-Seven asked.
‘Little can be done once the plague has a planet in its grip,’ Corlak informed him.
‘That is… unsatisfactory,’ the skitarius replied.
Jeremias sighed. ‘I will call for reinforcements.’
‘You mean Space Marines?’ Zelia asked, thinking of the armoured giants they had seen on Targian.
Jeremias nodded. ‘Aparitus is a valuable resource. The Throne will not want to see it fall to the disease.’
‘That isn’t a guarantee,’ Zelia pointed out, remembering what had happened on the hive world.
‘For good reason,’ Jeremias snapped. ‘I am but one inquisitor, on a very specific mission. I cannot save everyone.’
Zelia shook her head. ‘All you care about is the Diadem.’
Jeremias glared at her. ‘You have no idea how many worlds would perish if the Diadem’s true power was unleashed, how many lives would be lost. These are the kinds of choices I have to make every day. The fate of one planet against thousands. It’s imperative that we recover the device. Nothing is more imp–’
His words were lost as something slammed into the side of the transporter. Talen fought with the steering wheel, but couldn’t stop the vehicle from tipping over. It rolled, throwing them against their harnesses, until it skidded to a juddering halt.
‘Is everyone all right?’ Zelia asked, hanging from her harness. The transporter was on its roof, the cracked windscreen hissing in the rain.
‘Barely,’ Talen said. ‘What hit us?’
A huge mechanical leg smashed down in front of them.
‘Does that give you any clues?’ Zelia said, releasing her buckle to drop down beside him.
‘Actually no,’ he replied, staring up at the giant robotic figure that towered over them. It was armoured from head to toe, phosphor-blasters where its hands should be and a combustor-cannon mounted on its back.
Mekki scrambled over to see. ‘It’s a Kastelan robot. A war machine.’
‘What?!’ Jeremias exclaimed, joining them to stare through the window.
‘At least it looks as if it’s seen better days,’ Zelia said, as it raised one of its arms, rusted plates clattering to the ground with every movement. That didn’t stop it slamming its blaster down like a bludgeon. It burst through the bottom of the transporter, nearly spearing Jeremias. The transport shook as it pulled its arm free, ready to deal another blow.
The next time they might not be so lucky.