The Golem, though not quite so damaged as Cento, had still taken a pounding. He had lost skin from the side of his face and all down one side of his body. His eye on that side was missing, his exposed metal arm-bones were bent, and his metal ribs staved in, one of them broken. Aiden moved slowly as he turned the handle on a mechanical winch. He glanced over at Cormac, and perhaps noted how he was being assessed. Small plates shifted on the exposed side of his face, while the other side grinned.

‘You should see the other fella,’ said the Golem with an unexpected flash of humour.

Cormac could not find it in himself to react. He looked along the winch cables to where they were attached to the carrier. ‘Will it work?’ he asked.

Aiden’s grin switched off. ‘It will have about fifty per cent AG, and one turbine is still functional,’ he said, and then continued winding the winch. After a moment the carrier crashed down on its side. As Aiden went off to reattach the cables, the sergeant approached. Cormac registered his stiff expression; he was well aware that the sergeant blamed him for the deaths of his men, and was in complete agreement with that assessment. Had the men been policemen, he might have had some sympathy, but they were soldiers, and death was just part of their job.

‘Any sign of Stanton?’ Cormac asked.

‘No sign, sir. We found the shuttle, though. Whoever brought it in must have been a lunatic. It looks like it only just made it to the surface in one piece.’

‘Can’t be coincidence that it landed here,’ said Cormac.

‘Probably zeroed in on the proton gunfire, sir. I would think that most of the planet knows something happened out here by now.’

‘Yes, quite probably.’

There was a short, tense silence.

‘What now?’ the sergeant finally asked.

Cormac saw that Aiden had finished reattaching the cables and was coming back. He nodded towards the carrier. ‘Now . . . now you take your own men, and Thorn, Cento and Mika, back to civilization in the carrier. Aiden and I continue on.’

The sergeant could not hide his relief.

‘Not a chance,’ came a voice from behind.

Cormac turned to see Thorn walking unsteadily towards him. Mika came out behind him.

‘Should he be walking?’ Cormac asked her.

‘I wouldn’t recommend vigorous movement, but he’s all right to walk. The other two won’t be walking, though. One for obvious reasons, the other because his optic nerves are burnt out. That said, they’re easily enough replaced.’

Thorn was staring hard at Cormac. ‘You promised me,’ he said.

Cormac shook his head. ‘You asked—but I promised nothing. I remember it precisely. Carn found that hole in the artefact before I could give you a reply.’

‘Please,’ said Thorn levelly, too proud to beg.