This story is currently only available within Inferno! Volume 3.
His second Black Library short story after debuting with The Emperor’s Wrath, Steven B. Fischer’s The Weight of Silver is another Imperial Guard story, this time featuring a young Cadian officer wrestling with questions of confidence and authority. The Cadian 900th are newly arrived on an embattled Imperial world, and newly-promoted Lieutenant Glavia Aerand faces dissent within the ranks of her platoon as well as the dangers posed by the enemy. After her first mission ends in disgrace she questions her abilities and the merit of her rank, and she’ll have to dig deep if she’s to survive and thrive.
While other stories of the battered survivors of the Fall of Cadia focus on the psychological trauma caused by their loss, this brings the focus inward and concentrates on a Aerand’s personal battle – for survival, for authority and for self-belief. The enemy remain fairly vague throughout, more a general sense of Chaos’ presence than anything else, which allows Fischer to focus on the disillusioned soldiers within Aerand’s platoon as antagonists. It’s an effective choice, and for all the lasgun-toting action (of which there’s plenty) this remains a character-led story which carefully balances the inherent darkness of Warhammer 40,000 with a satisfying dose of human bravery and determination.
