'I am Maxilla/ said the ship's master, stepping forward.
'You have been notified that an inspection of your vessel is due. Furnish me with crew lists and cargo manifests. Your full co-operation is expected/
At a nod from Maxilla, one of the servitors moved forward on silent tracks and handed the security detail's leader a data-slate with the relevant material.
He didn't look at it. 'Do you have anything you wish to volunteer before the inspection begins? It will go easier for you if you make submissions of contraband.'
I watched the exchange. There were twelve troops, hardly enough to search a ship the size of the Essene. Where were their servitors, their scanning units, their crow-bars, multi-keys and heat-detectors?
They had no way of knowing who I was from my appearance, but why had they not remarked on the presence of an Arbites?
My vox channel was set to the cutter's. I didn't speak, but I keyed it three times. A non-verbal part of Glossia Betancore would understand.
'You haven't yet identified yourself/ I said.
The lead security trooper turned to look at me. I saw only my reflection in his tint-coated visor.
What?'
'You haven't identified yourself or shown your warrant of practice. It is arequirement of such inspections.'
'We're naval security-' he began angrily, stepping towards me. His men faltered.
You could be anybody' 1 pulled out my Inquisitorial Rosette. 'I am Gre-gor Eisenhorn, Imperial inquisitor. We will do this correctly or not at all.'
You're Eisenhorn?' he said.
There was no surprise in his voice at all. A tiny thing to notice but enough for me.
The warning was already rising in my throat as their guns came up.
EIGHT
A dozen killers.
The procurator.
Grain merchants from Hesperus.
Maxilla uttered a yell of disbelief. The leader of the security detail and two of his men opened fire.
Their compact autoguns were designed for ship-board fighting and zero-gravity work: low velocity, low recoil weapons that fired blunt-nosed slugs which couldn't puncture a hull.
But they were more than capable of shredding a man.
I threw myself sideways as the first shots spanged off the deck or left ugly metal braises on the wall. In seconds, it was utter chaos. All the security troopers were firing, some on semi-automatic. Smoke filled the air and the airgate chamber was shaking with muzzle flashes and gunfire.
One of Maxilla's servitors was decapitated and then punched into spare-part debris as it turned towards the attackers. The other tried to move to shield Maxilla, but more shots tore out its tracks and its torso.