'Get to the point, Erebus,’ said Horus, his fists clenching in murderous balls.
'Of course. En route to Sardis and our rendezvous with the Two Hundred and Third fleet, the revered Lord Kor Phaeron bade me detour to Davin that I might ensure the Word of the Emperor, beloved by all, was being maintained by Commander Temba and the forces left with him.'
'Where is Temba anyway?' demanded Horus. 'I gave him enough men to pacify any last remnants of resistance. Surely if this world was no longer compliant I would have heard about it?'
'Eugan Temba is a traitor, my lord,' said Erebus. 'He is on the moon of Davin and no longer recognises the Emperor as his lord and master,’
Traitor?' shouted Horus. 'Impossible. Eugan Temba was a man of fine character and admirable martial spirit, I chose him personally for this honour. He would never turn traitor!'
'Would that that were true, my lord,’ said Erebus, sounding genuinely regretful.
'Well, what in the name of the Emperor is he doing on the moon?' asked Horus.
The tribes on Davin itself were honourable and readily accepted compliance, but those on the moon did not,’ explained Erebus. Temba led his men in a glorious, but ultimately foolhardy, expedition to the moon to bring the tribes there into line,’
Why foolhardy? Such is the duty of an Imperial commander,’
'It was foolhardy, my lord, for the tribes of the moon do not understand respect as we do and it appears that when Temba attempted an honourable parley with them, they employed… means to twist the perceptions of our men and turn them against you,’ 'Means? Speak plainly, man!' said Horus.
'I hesitate to name them, my lord, but they are what might be described in the ancient texts as, well, sorcery,’
Loken felt the humours in his blood swing wildly out of balance at this mention of sorcery, and a gasp of disbelief swept around the yurt at such a notion.
Temba now serves the master of Davin's moon and has spat on his oaths of loyalty to the Emperor. He names you as the lackey of a fallen god,’
Loken had never met Eugan Temba, but he felt his hatred of the man rise like a sickness in his gorge at this terrible insult to the Warmaster's honour. An astonished wailing swept round the yurt as the assembled warriors felt this insult as keenly as he did.
'He will pay for this!' roared Horus. 'I will tear his head off and feed his body to the crows. By my honour I swear this!'
'My lord,’ said Erebus. 'I am sorry to be the bearer of such ill news, but surely this is a matter best left to those appointed beneath you,’
