SABBAT MARTYR - PDF document

SABBAT MARTYR A GAUNTÕSGHOSTSNOVELBYDANABNETT A NEW WAVEof hope has been unleashed inthe Chaos- infested Sabbat system when a girlclaiming to be the reincarnation of SaintSabbat is revealed. Despite private doubts fromthe military high command, she proves to bethe perfect rallying point for beleagueredImperial troops. But the dark forces of Chaosare not oblivious to this new threat and whenthey order their most lethal assassins to kill DANABNETTis a writer of prose and comic books who lives in theUK. His popular series featuringGauntÕs Ghosts, Inquisitor Eisenhorn,Darkblade,Titan and many more have endeared him to sf and fantasyfans around the globe as a major new talent. 01 TM¨ This is an excerpt from SABBAT MARTYR by Dan Abnett, published by TheBlackLibrary in 2003.Copyright © Games Workshop Ltd 2003. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited, in any form, including on the internet.For more details email publishing@games-workshop.co.uk or go to the BlackLibrary website at www.blacklibrary.comAONETHE BRINK OF MIDNIGHT .ÕThere was nothing new in the manÕs rantings. He, and otherslike him throughout the camps, had been causing scenes likethis regularly in recent days. It wasnÕt good for morale, and itcertainly wasnÕt endearing the pilgrim mass to the city authori- Almsmen, their rank denoted by the blue ribbons that flut-tered from their long dust-cloaks, were trying to coax the manwn off the wagon. His feet had already knocked over sevsacks of the corn-wafers and hardtack they had brought to dis-tribute through the camp. An ayatani from one of the farwcongregations had elbowed his way through the crowd and wholding up a prayer-paddle as he shouted benedictions at theman. Two junior Ecclesiarchy adepts were clutching pewtercups and using their silver aspergillums to shake water at thevising preacher. Holy w, Alphant was sure, that theyhad purchased at great expense from the stoups of the Holy.Õ.ÕThey were right. Several penitents in the crowd had becomeso agitated by the manÕs preaching they had begun to scourge. The row had even captured the attention of someof the nearest stylites. They turned round on their pillar topsto watch, and some shouted out over the heads of the crowOther pilgrim troupes had wheeled or carried their clockshrines up close to the wagon, pointing them at him as if thesymbolism might deter him.ÔIÕm no priest,Õ said Alphant. How many times had he said that?Just an agri-worker from Khan II who had made the pilgrimagehere when heÕd heard the news because it seemed like the rightthing to do. Along the way Ð and it had been a hard journey ÐheÕd somehow become the nominal leader of those heÕd trav Sabbat Martyr3 with. They looked to him for opinion and direction, more thaner since theyÕd reached the cold, austere reality of the camps.HeÕd never asked for the responsibility.s.ayBut no one was touching him. A girl, a young girl no morethan eighteen, was standing over him. Her face, thin and pale,was confident, the look in her green eyes soft. She had onehand extended, palm out, to ward off the riot. Every time apart of it spilled towards her, she moved her hand in thatdirection and the people drew back. That simply, that quietly,she was maintaining a tiny circle of calm around the preacher,keeping at bay a crowd lusting for his blood. 4Dan Abnett way..Õvewaw- Sabbat Martyr5 But as Udol rode a lurching carrier down the Guild Slope,through the deafening uproar of the panicked suburb, hecaught sight of fat brown vapour clouds wwing up heafrom the obsidae east of the Simeon Aw.ve.ÕThe carrier obediently veered east, parting the rushing crowwith blares from its warning sirens. Two other units from the con-voy turned with it. They got off the Guild Slope and rumbledwn a gravel linkway deeply shadowed by the tall buildings on 6Dan Abnett either side. At the end of the linkway, the buildings framed anoblong of sky stained with clots of smoke.y brown smoke billowed across the whole campsite andwashed out between the arches of the aqueduct. Dirty pilgrimswere pouring out with it, struggling with children and belongings.ovayve Sabbat Martyr7 He went around the shrine, waving the troopers behind him. The pilgrim shelters ahead of them were burning freely.Dirty yw flames licked away shelter cloth and canvas and leaptup into the morning air, swirling into dense, dark smoke. Udolw a clock shrine in the heart of the fire succumb and topple.wa 8Dan Abnett ÔInkerz!Õ Udol voxed. ÔGet tac logis. Tell them thereÕs anotherhot raid coming in right down here under the aqueduct!ÕÔA.Õysw. Sabbat Martyr9 waThe stalk-tanks came on, scuttling like arachnids. Each had sixpiston-geared legs that supported the low-slung body casings.Udol could see the drivers in the underslung bubbles beneaththe tails. On each raised head section, dual mini-turrets rotatedand began to fire.avFifteen kilometres south, at the crest levels of the inner city,the immortal choir was tuning up. Rampshel, the choir-master, 10Dan Abnett .Õery good, choir master. Carry on,Õ said Bruno Leger, electedfirst officiary of Beati City. He was a small man, with a cleanlyved scalp and a neatly clipped goatee. He settled his mantleof office around his shoulders with a fastidious gesture, anddouble-checked that his amulet was hanging squarely on hischest. By his side, Marshal Biagi folded his huge arms andys Sabbat Martyr11 Twovay, w, colonel-commissar,Õ said Leger, takingGaunt daintily by the shoulders and kissing him on the. He had to stand on tiptoe to do this. Gaunt seemed totolerate the custom the way a guard dog tolerates the occa-sional brisk rub between the ears. Leger began to make afuller and longer speech of welcome in High Gothic. 12Dan Abnett .Õay.Õ.Õ.Õell, itÕs quite wonderful to have you here!Õ the first offi-ciary said with a rush of false enthusiasm, clearly desperate tobrush over the a. ÔIsnÕt it? Quite wy.Õ Sabbat Martyr13 s.Õwa.Õwaw,e.Õe,way.Tanith personnel pouredout onto the assembly floor. As hestrode down the metal deckway, Biagi could see hatch afterhatch opening along the ornamental terrace. Men and, in, women, clad in the same dirty black and draped with, were exiting the fleet of drop craft, lugging muni-tion boxes, stow crates and kitbags. They had a smell to them.The smell of dirt and fyceline and jellied promethium that noamount of bathing could scrub out. The shadows of other 14Dan Abnett landing ships flickered across the terrace skylights, and therewas the thump and clank of landing clamps engaging. Steamvented through the floor grates.The newcomers gave Biagi a courteous wide berth. He was asenior officer, and also an imposing figure. Shaven-headed, withdark olive skin and amber ey, he wore the ceremonial battle-dress of the city regiment: gleaming brown leather embossed withgold-wire detailing. His left arm and chest were covered with pol-ished, segmented armour plating and, on his back, under the foldof the scarlet sash, his accelerant tank was locked in place.ws..Õ.Õws.Õ.Õ*** Sabbat Martyr15 veThere were Ghosts all around him, off-loading from the lan-. Many knelt down around him, producing their own greensilk faith ribbons and kissing them the way he had taught them.They were faithful, these boys and girls, these soldiers. It was aglorious thing to see. He unwound his own beaded green rib-bon from around his wizened knuckles and began to recite they..Õoyeil looked at Gaunt and regretted his sharpness. ÔIgnore me. IÕmold and wishful and IÕve spent the last few months on a Navy pack-et ship dreaming of what awaits us here. I expectedÉÕoy.Õ.Õ 16Dan Abnett .Õ.Õwayoy.Õ Sabbat Martyr17 .Õ.ÕwayGaunt tipped his head down and looked at Belta.Õ.Õe.ÕÔCorbec, Ra, Mkoll and Soric. I know IÕm going to regretasking this, Beltayn, but do you have any idea why that might be?Õ.Õ.Õ 18Dan Abnett .ÕMajor Udol rFire from the stalk-tanks was smashing upthe terrain all around him. The high-pitched of theirpumping guns was all he could hear. He was bleeding from ascalp wound. The scorched remains of one of his men was hang-ing from a semi-collapsed tentframe in front of him.wayThey were standard pattern Imperial Guard landers. Bug-nosed,bulk-made delivery ships. The Imperial Guard. HeÕd been prato the Saint for deliv. What kind of answer was this? Sabbat Martyr19 Udol tried to raise his men on the vox, but an alien signalwashed through the channel. He only caught snatches of it.Something like ÔÉfething waiting for?Õ followed by ÔÉlive forevways.Õay.Õ 20Dan Abnett aysayÔClearly pleased and all that, Udol. Pardon me but this olds still riding the combat high. Got my boys here bois-terous too. Too many months in a belly hold, too littlekilling. This is Herodor, eh? Heard so fething much about it.Õ.Õ.Õawaw- Sabbat Martyr21 RaRawayRa.ÕThere was an aqueduct at the edge of the obsidae, and a string ofbattered carriers was rolling out from under the arches. 22Dan Abnett way.waTr How can the Imperial forces possibly holdagainst the massed forces of Chaos arrayedagainst them? Find out in SABBAT MARTYR, theseventh storming GauntÕs Ghosts novel.Sabbat Martyr23 Ñ wwwy.com Ñ Sign upwithGauntÕsGhostsColonel-Commissar IbramGaunt and the men of theTanith First-and-Only battle their way through countless warzones inDan AbnettÕs wonderful range of action-packed, blood-soaked epics. Butwith the hordes of Chaos on the march, can GauntÕs Ghosts live to find aplanet they can call their own?FIRSTAND ONLY¥ GHOSTMAKER ¥ NECROPOLISHONOURGUARD ¥ THEGUNSOFTANITHSTRAIGHT SILVER ¥ SABBAT MARTYR