The Beast Arises

‘Phylectic gradualism? Hardly. What are you thinking? Punctuated equilibrium, then? No better. Time span too brief, the result too massive. Oh, but you’re assuming that the rules apply to Veridi giganticus. Why wouldn’t they? They’re still part of the materium. And they haven’t changed into a new species, now have they? Haven’t they?’ He paused, considering his point, and noticed Koorland. His remaining eye twinkled. ‘Ah, captain — I’m sorry, Chapter Master.’ He corrected himself again. ‘Chapter Masters.’ The eye blinked. ‘How can I help?’

‘What progress have you been making on the orks?’ Koorland asked.

‘As subjects, they are fascinating and frustrating in equal measure. So much to speculate, but so few conclusions to make with any degree of certainty. We are being inundated with data, but all it does is create more questions. We are gathering more and more fragments of more and more picts, but never anything complete, if you follow.’

‘Do you have any new conclusions?’ said Thane.

‘I can assure you, Chapter Masters, that the orks will surprise us again.’

‘I think I might have guessed that.’

Koorland said, ‘You know about the moon in the Sol System.’

‘Yes, I do.’ Laurentis’ enthusiasm for his work, so strong that it was clear even through the artificial recreation of his voice, turned solemn.

‘Why haven’t they attacked yet?’

Laurentis’ eye brightened. The enthusiasm returned with a vengeance.

‘Exactly!’ he said. ‘That is exactly the question!’ He snatched up one of the data-slates and tapped at it as he spoke. ‘There are two primary categories of possibility. The first is that they cannot attack. There are numerous scenarios suggested by this hypothesis, most involving unprepared forces or a lack of energy, perhaps depleted in the journey.’ He looked at the files he had called up on the data-slate. He shook his head. The reconstructed magos had so little of his original body remaining that the very human gesture looked odd. ‘Most unsatisfactory. In every other instance of the intrusion into Imperial space by a star fortress, the assault has been immediate. The supposition that the Veridi giganticus could be unprepared to attack so vital a target defies reason.’

‘And the second category?’ Koorland asked.

‘That they have chosen not to attack.’

Koorland exchanged a look with Thane. ‘Orks refraining from battle?’ he said to Laurentis. ‘How is that more credible than an operational failure of some kind?’

‘Failure would be a massive anomaly in this campaign. Unorthodox behaviour, conversely, is very much the norm.’

‘The surprises you spoke of,’ said Thane.

‘Precisely.’

‘But why would they choose not to attack?’ Koorland wondered. ‘What possible advantage would delay grant them?’

‘There would appear to be none regarding immediate military concerns,’ Laurentis said, ‘but that is your specialism, not mine. However, if I may speculate…’ He hesitated.

‘Please do,’ said Koorland.

Laurentis picked up the other data-slate. ‘Examination of the effect of the moon’s arrival is suggestive. Data from Terra is regrettably partial and it would be very helpful if it were more recent.’ He looked up at the Space Marines in reproach, as if they were responsible for the inadequacy of his research material. ‘However, we have evidence of large-scale panic. The military response to the star fortress also suggests political disarray and confusion.’

‘I am not aware of any response at last word,’ Thane said.

‘No response is a response.’ Laurentis replaced the data-slate.

Koorland felt the cold wind of dread blow through his soul. He thought he could see where Laurentis’ reasoning was taking him. ‘And you have a hypothesis,’ he said.

‘The orks are triggering disruption without having to act. The longer they refrain from engaging in accepted ork behaviour, the more confusion they create.’

‘You’re saying that they’re engaging in psychological warfare.’

‘That is a theory I am considering, yes.’

In the silence that followed, Thane muttered, ‘Throne.’

‘How?’ Koorland managed. Laurentis was proposing an unimaginable advance in greenskin strategy.

Laurentis gestured at his laboratorium. ‘Answering that question is my current project. Fascinating work, Chapter Master. I have never had such an opportunity before. I am afraid that I can offer no answer that I find convincing.’

‘Still less anything that would be reassuring, I suspect.’

‘That is so.’

Koorland thanked him. He and Thane began to walk in the direction of the bridge.

‘Do you think he’s right?’ the Fist Exemplar asked.

‘Are you willing to act on the assumption that he’s wrong?’

‘No.’

‘Nor am I.’