The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第59部分

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'We　have　an　understanding；'　I　said。　I'd　saved　Voke's　life　on　the　flagship　Saint　Scythus；　but　he'd　returned　that　favour　on　the　Avenue　of
the　Victor　Bellum。　Maybe　that　was　enough。
'He　needs　convincing；'　said　Fischig；　'but　I　think　he's　in　for　the　long　haul。'
'You　do？'
'You　see　that　creep　Heldane　anywhere？'
I　knew　what　Fischig　meant。　Heldane　would　have　opposed　this　mission　without　question；　and　taken　great　delight　in　bringing　me　in；
dead　or　alive。　Voke　had　clearly　come　here　without　his　old　pupil　knowing。　Fischig　was　right。　That　was　a　good　sign。
'Endor；　well；　he's　safe；　isn't　he？'　said　Fischig。　'Given　your　history；　he'd　have　come　anyway。'
'It's　good　to　have　him　here。　What　about　Ricci？'
Fischig's　voice　suddenly　dropped　to　a　hiss。　'Speaking　of　whom。'
He　withdrew。　Clutching　a　goblet　of　wine；　Ricci　walked　out　of　the　archway　behind　us　and　joined　me；　gazing　up　at　the　staggeringly
bright　star…field。
'I　hope　you　realise　how　lucky　you　are；'　Ricci　said。
'Every　day。'
'You　took　a　risk　contacting　Lord　Rorken。　He's　always　liked　you；　but　given　the　current　climate；　liking　you　is　a　dangerous　habit。　He　was
at　loggerheads　with　Bezier　and　Orsini　over　your　case。'
'And　still　he　sent　you？'
'Let　me　be　direct；　Gregor。　I　think　it　will　help。　Lord　Rorken；　may　his　fortunes　multiply　in　the　face　of　the　God…Emperor；　sent　me　to
assist　you　in　the　unmasking　and　destruction　of　the　heretic　Quixos。　But　if；　along　the　way；　I　should　discover　anything　that　confirmed　the
generally…believed　allegations　of　your　own　heresy…'
'What？'
'I　think　you　understand。'
'You're　his　hatchet　man。　You'll　help　me…　but　if　I　cross　the　line　in　your　eyes；　Rorken　has　sanctioned　you　to　execute　me。'
He　raised　his　glass。　'I　think　we　know　where　we　stand。'　We　did。　Now　it　made　much　more　sense　that　Rorken　had　sent　so　senior　an　agent
to　my　side。　I　said　nothing。　Ricci　smiled　and　went　back　inside。
WE　SAT　DOWN　around　the　table　again　and　debated　some　more。　I　found　most　of　the　questions　…　especially　those　from　Voke　and　Ricci　…
wilfully　small…minded。
At　last；　after　another　hour；　Grumman　voiced　a　pertinent　query。
'Supposing　we　agree　to　this。　Agree　that　Eisenhom　is　wrongly　charged　and　that　Quixos　deserves　our　sternest　censure…　how　do　we　do
that？　Do　we　know　where　Quixos　is？'
'Yes；'　I　said；　though　I　didn't　know　the　answer　myself。　My　people　had　enjoyed　the　best　part　of　two　years　to　do　their　work；　many　dozens
of　agents　sifting　data　from　hundreds　of　worlds。
Unbidden；　Bequin　stepped　forward　and　took　a　seat　with　us　at　the　table。
'About　three　months　ago；　our　research　discerned　a　pattern　in　the　data　surrounding　the　near…mythical　life　of　Quixos。　And　that　pattern
centred　on　Maginor。'

'Capital　of　the　Niaides　subsector；　Viceroy　sector；　Ultima　segmentum；'　announced　Voke。
'Your　astronomical　knowledge　is　humbling；　sir；'　Bequin　said　smoothly。　She　handed　out　data…slates。
'As　you　can　see　from　the　file　of　data　marked　〃alpha〃；　Quixos　certainly　visited　Maginor　almost　two　hundred　years　ago；　and　became
involved　with　a　cartel　of　trade　interests　and　noble　families　known　as　the　Mystic　Path。　The　Path　was　a　network　which　was　already
utilising　prohibited　and　forbidden　lore　and　technologies。　Quixos　should　have　closed　them　down　and　burned　them。　It　is　clear　he　did　not。
Instead；　he　fed　and　supported　them。　He　nurtured　them　until　they　became　a　power　base　for　his　invisible　empire　of　dark　belief。　No
longer　a　cartel　but　a　cult。　A　cult　of　Quixos。'
'Why　do　we　think　he's　still　there？'　asked　Ricci。
'We　think　he's　made　his　hidden　fastness　there；　sir；'　said　Bequin。　'The　reaches　of　the　Mystic　Path　now　spread　throughout　the　segmentum
and　beyond。　Maginor　is　its　heart。　In　239。M41；　Inquisitor　Lugenbrau　and　a　warrior　band　numbering　some　sixty　individuals　disappeared
on　Maginor。　No　trace　of　them　was　ever　found；　though　Interrogator　Inshabel　was　able　to…　ah…　recover　an　incomplete　verbal
transcript　of　a　pict…recording　apparently　made　during　Lugenbrau's　raid。'
I　speed…read　the　transcript。　It　was　harrowing。　'You　got　this　from　Elvara　Cardinal；　Inshabel？'　I　asked。
Inshabel　was　at　the　back　of　the　room。　He　stepped　forward；　blushing。　'Not　directly；　sir。　It　actually　came　from　the　inquisitorial　datalibrary
on　Fibos　Secundus。　How　is　a　damn　good　story；　but　it's　probably　wasting　valuable　time　to　repeat　it　just　now。'
Inshabel　was　right；　as　I　have　already　said。　It　was　a　damn　good　story；　and　I　enjoyed　it　when　he　told　it　to　me　later。　I　urge　you　to　access
it。
'We　believe　Lugenbrau　ay　not　have　known　it；'　continued　Bequin。　'He　and　his　entire　band　were
wiped　out　by　Quixos's　forces。'
'Lugenbrau；'　murmured　Voke；　setting　his　slate　down　and　looking　off　into　space。　'I　never　met　him；　but　he　was　a　trusted　pupil　of　my　late
comrade；　Inquisitor　Pavel　Uet。　When　Lugenbrau　went　missing；　Uet　took　it　hard。　The　loss　shortened　his　life。'
Voke　looked　at　me　with　his　rheumy　eyes。　'If　I　wasn't　decided　before；　Eisenhorn；　I　am　noust　pay。'
'I　agree；'　said　Endor；　tossing　his　slate　onto　the　table　and　looking　grim。　'At　the　very　least；　the　Inquisition　demands　vengeance　for　this。'
'Maginor；　then？'　Grumman　asked。
'It's　still　his　base　of　operations；　sir；　we　are　sure　of　that；'　said　Bequin。　'And　until　a　week　ago；　we　were　all　set　to　prepare　for　a　strike
against　Maginor。　Then　we　received　this。'　She　held　up　a　astropathic　transcript。
'I　will　read　it；　if　I　may。'　She　carefully　put　on　her　half…moon　glasses。　They　suited　her；　but　I　knew　her　vanity　made　her　hate　them。　It　said
a　lot　about　the　situation　that　she　was　willing　to　wear　them　in　front　of　these　men。
'It　begins…　〃Gregor；　my　friend。　I　have　been　kept　up　to　date　with　the　data　concerning　your　quarry。　It　gives　me　something　to　do；　these
winter　afternoons。　I　agree　that　Maginor　may　be　the　seat　of　the　evil；　and　certainly　requires　the　attention　of　the　Inquisition。　But；　if　you'll
pardon　me；　I　suggest　that　Maginor　be　left　to　the　Ordos　Niaides。　Using　pointers　Aemos　gave　me；　I　have　assessed　the　following。　My　full
findings　are　on　the　data…files　attached　below；　but　in　short；　I　think　you　should　be　looking　at　Farness　Beta。　Quixos's　fascination　with　the
pylons　of　Cadia　made　me　think；　you　see。
'〃See　below；　that　I　have　traced　massive　stonecutting　orders　to　the　limit…world　of　Serebos；　which　lies　galactically　south　of　Terra。　The
masonic　guilds　of　Serebos　are　famously　secretive　about　their　contracts。　They　provide　an　inert；　obsidian…like　black　glass…stone　called
serebite；　a　beautiful　substance　that　is　in　high　demand　right　across　the　Imperium。　Serebite　is；　as　far　as　reckoning　goes；　as　close　to　the
material　used　on　Cadia　for　the　pylons　as　it　is　possible　to　get。　As　I　have　said；　the　masonic　guilds　are　close　about　their　contracts；　but
there　is　little　hiding　the　transportation　of　a　massive　copy　of　one　of　those　pylons　by　shipping　guild　bulk…lifter。　Three…quarters　of　a
kilometre　long　and　a　quarter　square！　Quixos　has　ordered　the　manufacture　of　a　perfect　copy　of　the　Cadian　pylons；　and　has　had　it
shipped　to　Farness　Beta。〃'
Bequin　paused　and　looked　up　at　us。
'〃If　you've　ever　trusted　my　advice；　trust　this　now；〃'　she　continued。　'〃Quixos　is　on　Farness。　And　if　you're　going　to　stop　him；　it　must　be
now。　Your　devoted　friend　and　pupil。　Gideon。〃'
Gideon。　Gideon　Ravenor。　Crippled　as　he　was；　he　had　found　this　insight；　which　totally　altered　our　plan　of　attack。　I　was　speechless。　I
felt　almost　tearful。
'There　is　a　postscript；'　said　Bequin。　'He　writes；　〃The　daemonhosts　will　be　your　foullest　problem。　I　know　you　are　prepared；　but　I　send
you　these。　One　for　each　of　the　twenty　you　have　summoned。〃'
Bequin　took　off　her　half…moon　glasses　and　rose。　Nayl　brought　in　a　crate　and　set　it　down　on　the　table。　Inside　were　twenty　scrolls　of
daemonic　protection；　each　sealed　inside　a　blessed　tube　of　green　marble；　and　twenty　consecrated　gold　amulets　of　the　God…Emperor　as　a
skeletal　relic。　It　was　so　typical　of　Ravenor　to　attend　to　such　details。　Nayl　handed　them　out；　a　heavy　scroll　tube　and　an　amulet　to　each　of
us。
'I'm　convinced；'　Ricci　said；　getting　to　his　feet　and　hanging　the　amulet　around　his　neck　so　that　it　hung　between　the　purity　seals　of　his
armour。
'I　am　glad。　Grumman？'
'I'm　with　you；'　said　the　Cadian。
'A　toast；'　I　said；　raising　my　glass。　'To　this　cell　of　five。　And　to　the　others　who　have　assisted　in　getting　us　this　far。'　Bequin；　Aemos；　Nayl；
Fischig　and　Inshabel　also　saluted　with　their　glasses。
'To　Farness　Beta。　To　the　end　of　Quixos。'
'The　five　inquisitors　in　the　drafty　keep　clinked　glasses。
'Farness　Beta；'　said　Ricci。　'Remind　me。　Where　is　that？'

'In　the　throat　of　the　Cadian　Gate；'　said　Grumman。　'Right　on　the　edge　of　the　Eye　of　Terror。'
TWENTY…TWO
SARNESS　BETA。
CHERUBAEL　AND　PROPHANITI。
QUIXOS。
IT　WAS　EARLY　in　343。M41　before　we　reached　Farness　Beta。　By　then；　war　was　bifurcating　the　Cadia　subsector；　and　armies　of　sheer
horror　were　spewing　out　of　the　Eye　of　Terror。　Like　a　whirlpool　of　fire；　the　Eye　dominated　the　skies　of　most　gate…worlds；　distended　and
angry；　flaring　more　savagely　than　at　any　time　in　living　memory。　Every　flash　and　pulse　of　its　maelstrom　was　another　warp　hole
opening；　another　flotilla　of　death　unleashed。　That　spring　was　known　as　the　Staunch　Holding　of　the　Cadian　Gate；　and　entered　the
history　books；　as　every　scholar　knows。
During　the　first　months　of　343；　the　Cadians　saw　off　the　greatest　incursion　of　Chaos　suffered　in　three　h