Heresy

I stood there in dumb silence. Looking around at my accusers, unable to form words. No protestation of innocence would form upon my lips, no indignant refutation of these preposterous charges. Was this really happening? Who could be behind it? Was the Inquisitor General making a move against the Emperor? Doubtful. Then the Emperor himself must be involved. How could I not have caught wind of this, how could I have been taken so completely by surprise?

“Lord Earconbert, do not make me ask you a third time. Command your men to stand down”

I glanced to my left and caught the gaze of Hengist, Captain of my personal guard. He was a surprised as I but his eyes showed a clear understanding of the situation at hand. At a word, these men would not hesitate to lay down there lives for me. And that was exactly what was to happen.

“Stand down Captain” I said.

Hengist opened fire.

The room erupted into chaos, Hammer gun concussions filled the air with mortar dust and flying shards of stone from the walls. I was thrown to the ground by a wall of heat as Hengist was caught in the beam of the Amber Guards Arclight, his teeth exploding with the thermal shock. Uli was trying to drag me clear, back to the landing dock. It was pointless, there was no way we’d get the ship in the air, much less past the guns. Chances were the crew were already prisoners.
Or dead.
Soon we’d all be dead.

Uli took a hammer shot in the side of the neck. He crumpled, falling on top of me, his vertebrae burst open. The air was choking, it was impossible to see more than a few feet.
I struggled to get my feet back, only making it a few yards before I was caught by a dart and unconsciousness overtook me.