'What was the nature of your punishment?' asked Barbaden.

'We were exiled from the Chapter,' replied Uriel.

'To what purpose?'

'Lord Tigurius, the chief librarian of the Ultramarines saw a vision of great evil and sent us on a mission to destroy it: a Death Oath.'

'A Death Oath?' asked Barbaden. 'So, you were not expected to return?'

'Few have ever returned from such quests,' agreed Uriel.

'But you have completed your Death Oath?'

'We have. We travelled to a world taken by the Ruinous Powers and fought our way into the fortress of an enemy warlord and saw his citadel torn down.'

'And you did this all on your own?' asked Verena Kain.

'No,' said Uriel, choosing his words carefully, 'not quite. We made allies of some of the planet's inhabitants. Together we were able to complete our mission and now seek only to return to our Chapter.'

Barbaden appeared to consider Uriel's words and said, 'An intriguing tale, Captain Ventris, but it does not answer the question that has been vexing me ever since I was informed of your arrival. How did you get here?'

'I am not sure of the exact mechanics of it, Governor Barbaden,' began Uriel, understanding that he would need to tell at least part of the truth. 'Much of what has happened to us in recent times is beyond my understanding, but we were transported within a craft that somehow travels between this world and the Empyrean. It brought us here and left us in Khaturian. Where it is now or why it chose your world, I do not know.'

Barbaden glanced over to Mesira Bardhyl, who gave a curt, nervous nod, and Uriel understood that the governor was using her as some form of psychic truth-seeker. He was grateful he had chosen not to lie to Barbaden, as he suspected that the governor would order his soldiers to open fire at the first hint of falsehood.

'So here you are,' said Barbaden, 'two heroic Space Marines beginning their odyssey home. I admit, it has the whiff of the epic to it, Captain Ventris. What is it you require of me?'

Uriel let out a soft sigh of relief. While it wasn't acceptance or an apology, it was at least a step in the right direction.

'We ask for the chance to send an astropathic message to Macragge,' said Uriel, 'a message approved by you, obviously. We have completed our Death Oath and it is time for us to return home.'

Barbaden drained the last of the tawny liquid in his glass and set it down next to him.

'And if I agree to this request?'

'Then we are at your disposal until such time as our battle-brothers can bring us home.'

Though the offer was distasteful to Uriel, the idea of having two Space Marines at Barbaden's beck and call clearly appealed to the governor and he smiled. 'It is not often we can call upon the warriors of the Adeptus Astartes.'

The governor snapped his fingers and the soldiers around the edge of the room gratefully lowered their weapons.

'Yes, perhaps your presence here is just the thing we have been looking for in our recent troubles,' said Barbaden, 'troubles that Colonel Kain tells me you have experienced first hand.'

'Indeed,' said Uriel, although he knew fine well that Barbaden would already know every detail of this morning's encounter with the Sons of Salinas.

'I am sure your assistance was most welcome,' said Barbaden.

'We needed no help,' said Verena Kain and Barbaden smiled at her interruption. 'Pascal Blaise is no great commander and his insurgents are amateurs.'

'And yet he ambushed you and cost you several armoured fighting vehicles, Verena,' said Barbaden, 'vehicles we can scarce afford to lose.'

Colonel Kain wisely kept her mouth shut as Barbaden continued. 'Yes, I think it might prove advantageous to be seen as having the support of the Adeptus Astartes. The people of this planet need to see that they are part of the Imperium and that to resist the appointed commander will not stand.'

Barbaden stood and clasped his hands behind his back. 'I will set up a communion between you and my astropath and we shall see about getting you home. In the meantime, I insist you remain as my guests within the palace precincts. You will receive the very best hospitality, but for your own safety I shall have to ask that you do not venture beyond the palace walls without escort. As you have seen, the streets of Barbadus are not as safe as we might wish.'

Although he was surprised by Barbaden's reversal, Uriel wasn't about to reject his offer to help simply because he didn't like the man. He nodded graciously and said, 'That is acceptable to us, governor.'

'Of course,' said Barbaden, waving his arm around the room to encompass the others who had arrived before Uriel's tale had begun. 'Now that the matter is resolved, I have many other things to attend to, Captain Ventris, and I must speak with my senior advisors. Eversham here will find you suitable accommodation within the palace and I will send word when it is possible to transmit your message home.'

'Thank you, Governor Barbaden,' said Uriel, although he could see that the man had already effectively dismissed them.

Eversham appeared at Uriel's side and said, 'If you would follow me, please.'

Uriel nodded, casting his eye around the room one last time.

All through his tale telling, neither Togandis nor Nisato had said a single word and Uriel wondered why they had been summoned to hear it. Why had Barbaden gathered them here?

It was something to think of later, for Eversham was waiting expectantly at his side.

Uriel and Pasanius bowed to the Imperial Commander of Salinas and followed their escort from the room.

'Well?' asked Barbaden, the mask of civility falling from his face once the two Space Marines had been led away. 'What did you make of that?'

No one wanted to be the first to speak and Barbaden sighed. His reputation was such that no one dared to voice an opinion until they knew which way he was leaning. In no mood for games, he said, 'I believe there is more to Uriel Ventris and Pasanius Lysane than meets the eye, don't you?'

Surprisingly, it was Shavo Togandis who spoke first.

'They are Adeptus Astartes, my lord,' he said. 'What is it you suspect?'

'I was asking you that, Shavo,' said Barbaden. 'I do not like it when my questions are rephrased and asked back to me.'

'My apologies, governor,' said Togandis, clearly regretting his impetuous utterance. Barbaden paced among his subordinates, enunciating each word with deliberate clarity so that there could be no misunderstanding. His time in the administrative corps of the Achaman Falcatas, prior to his taking command, had taught him the value of clarity.

'Captain Ventris claimed to have come from a world fallen to the Ruinous Powers. Well, cardinal, might it perhaps be perspicacious to have the quarters assigned to him secured with holy scriptures, wards and the like? I would imagine that there must be some litany you could read that would discern any taint.'

'Ah, well, yes, I'm sure there would be some passage that would fit the bill,' said Togandis, 'perhaps in Sermons of Sebastian Thor or Benedictions and Blessings—'

'I don't need the specifics,' snapped Barbaden. 'Just find a suitable passage and see it done. If they have brought some taint with them, I do not want it loose on my world.'

Having dealt with Togandis, Barbaden turned his gaze on Daron Nisato, solid dependable Nisato. Barbaden could feel the man's dislike of him, but tolerated it, for he was good at what he did and had an honest soul.

That was why he had been transferred out of the Screaming Eagles.

Putting the thought from his mind, Barbaden asked, 'What of you, Daron? What did you make of Captain Ventris?'

Nisato stood a little straighten 'I don't believe he was lying.'

'No?' said Barbaden. 'Then your instincts are letting you down.'