Peter McLean’s second Black Library short story, Lightning Run is an Imperial Navy (Aeronautica Imperialis in modern parlance) story which, while not quite as grim as Baphomet by Night, is still a powerful demonstration of the bleak realities of 40k life. On the corrupted world of Elijan III, Flight Officer Salvatoria Grant finds herself tasked with a mission vital to the flagging war effort. Piloting her Valkyrie towards a distant Imperial base and a faint glimmer of hope, she trusts to her own skills and her faith in the Emperor to see her through to survival and Imperial victory.
Imperial Navy stories are rare, but on the strength of this we should all be clamouring for more, as McLean absolutely nails the thrills and dangers of this sort of high-speed, adrenaline-fuelled story. Grant makes for a compelling protagonist, fuelled by a powerful sense that her Valkyrie provides a spiritual connection to the Emperor, which drives her to extreme lengths in order to succeed. Combine that with a nicely-judged pace, plenty of exhilarating airborne hi-jinks and McLean’s dark, gritty understanding of the 40k tone – the final, oh-so-bleak payoff is perfectly judged – and what you have is an exceptional short story. Highly recommended.
