men turned to face me. Fischig, imposing in black body armour, nodded me a half-smile. Interrogator Inshabel, in a bodyglove and lightweight cloak, bowed his head and smiled nervously.
The other four stared at me levelly.
I walked into their midst solemnly.
The first lowered the hood of his maroon cape. It was Titus Endor. 'Hello, Gregor/ he said.
Well met, old friend/ Endor had been one of the first two to contact me anonymously the previous year, from the Salies slave-worlds. The other, who had written from Thracian Primaris, stood next to him.
'Commodus Voke. You honour me wim your presence/
The wizened old wretch sneered at me. 'For the sake of our history, and damn- his-eyes Lyko, and other matters, I am here, Eisenhorn, though the Emperor knows I am very suspicious of this. I will hear you out, and if I don't like what you have to say, I will withdraw… without breaking the confidence of mis meeting!' he added sternly with a raised finger. 'I will not betray this congress, but I reserve the right to leave and quit if I find it worthless.'
That right is yours, Commodus.'
To his left stood a tall, confident man I didn't recognise. He wore brown leather flak armour under a long blue coat of cavalry twill and his silver rosette was fixed on the left breast. His domed head was shaved, but there was a violet glint in his eyes that told me he was a Cadian.
'Inquisitor Raum Grumman/ said Fischig, stepping forward. Grumman took my proffered hand with a curt nod.
'Inquisitor General Neve acknowledges your communique to her, and asks me to express her true sadness that she could not join you here. She personally requested me to take her place, and render you the service I freely render her'
'I am grateful for it, Grumman. But right from the start, I want to be sure that you know what we're about here. Just being here because your provincial chief requested it isn't enough.'
The Cadian smiled. 'Actually, it is. But to reassure you, I have reviewed the matter carefully with Neve herself and your man Fischig. I have no illusions about the danger of being here and siding with you. Given the evidence, I would have been here anyway.'
'Good. Excellent. Welcome, Grumman/
The identity of the fourth and final guest took me aback. He was clad in polished battleware plating that looked custom-made and exorbitantly expensive. With gauntleted hands, he lifted the scowling houndskull helmet off his head. Inquisitor Massimo Ricci, of the Helican Ordo Xenos. He was hardly an old friend, but I knew him well.
'Ricci?'
His handsome, haughty face displayed a wide smile.
'Like Grumman, I am here to extend apologies from another. For numerous reasons that I'm sure you can appreciate, Lord Rorken cannot answer your request in person. It would be political suicide for him to participate in this matter. But my lord has faith in you still, Eisenhorn. He has sent me to act as his proxy/
Ricci was one of Lord Rorken's most valued and admired inquisitors. Many said he was a likely successor for the post as a Master of the Ordo Xenos. For him to be here was an enormous compliment, both from Lord Rorken, who had seen fit to send one of his most illustrious men, and from Ricci himself, who was risking a high-profile career just by being here. Clearly both of them had taken my proposal and cause very seriously.
'Gentlemen/ I said. 'I am pleased, and honoured, to see you all. Let us discuss this matter, freely and openly, and see where we stand/
* * *
The Thessalonian night winds moaned through the ruined cavities of the keep as I briefed them. Inshabel and Nayl had carried chairs in, and erected a heavy trestle table. Bequin and Aemos provided data-slates, charts, papers and other pieces of evidence as I called for them.
I talked for about two hours, taking them through the entire matter of Quixos as it was known to me. Much of what I said had been laid out in the initial communiques, but I filled in all the details, and answered questions as they arose. Endor seemed satisfied, and hardly spoke. It was good to have a true friend here, one who simply trusted my word and purpose. Grumman was also generally non-committal. Voke and Ricci asked plenty of questions, and required clarification on the smallest points.
All three ordos were represented around that table: Voke was Ordo Malleus – though thankfully not a tight member of Bezier's inner circle –Ricci and I were Ordo Xenos, and Grumman and Endor were Ordo Hereti-cus. All of us apart from Grumman were assigned servants of the Ordos Inquisitorae Helican. Only Titus Endor, who I knew to be famously demure, wasn't wearing his rosette openly.
I believe I spoke eloquently and well.
We broke after two hours to stretch our legs, ruminate and take refreshment. I went outside, taking in the cold night air, listening to the wind swish the conifers. Fischig joined me and brought me a glass of wine.
'It's bad with Neve/ he said, just getting right into it. He had travelled back to Cadia from Cinchare to collect more data and to specifically recruit the inquisitor general.
'Because of me?'
He nodded. 'Because of everything. Osma made big trouble after we sprang you from the Carnificina. He had the combined clout of Bezier and Orsini behind him, after all. That made Neve's superior, Grandmaster Nunthum of the Ordos Cadia, sit up and take notice, I can tell you. They were after her for her job. But they couldn't prove a thing. Neve's very good at being slippery. And she fought your corner like a she-bear too, believe you me/
'She's safe?'
'Yeah. Thanks to a massive incursion of the Enemy eight months ago. The Cadian Gate's on a war footing and utterly in turmoil. Last thing anyone's worrying about is what part Neve may have played in the Eisenhorn Conspiracy/
That's what they're calling it?'
That's what they're calling it/
I sipped the wine, expecting something rough and local. It turned out to be a damned good Samatan red. From my own cellars, I guessed.
Bequin would have taken care of such things and chosen the very best to mollify our guests.
'Grumman: what do you make of him?'
'I've got plenty of time for him, Gregor,' Fischig said. 'Smart mind, knows what he's doing. Given the scrutiny she was under, Neve knew she couldn't get away, so she picked Grumman, and I don't think she would have if he wasn't worth his salt.
The pair go back a long way, and Grumman's doing this out of respect for her. But we spent a long time talking on the voyage back here, and I think he's in it for himself now too.'
'Good. The others?'
Voke's full of surprises/ he snorted. 'When you said he was going to be on your list of contacts, I thought you were mad. Not as mad as writing to Lord Rorken, of course, but anyway… I never thought the old bastard would show, or even deign to answer you. He's so stiff even the rod up his arse has got a rod up its arse. That's one bet I would have lost. He must like you more than he lets on.'
'We have an understanding/1 said. I'd saved Voke's life on the flagship
'He needs convincing/ said Fischig, 'but I think he's in for the long haul.'
'You do?'
'You see that creep Heldane anywhere?'
