The Valkyrie lurched, but my senses were entwined with Mizar, and I was unsure what was happening. At my urging the seer-skull swung back to the Scions, just as Taton pierced the bubble.

I don’t know what I expected to emerge. But it was not another Scion.

It was difficult to be sure because of the mud and mire, but the shape had the same silhouette as Taton. The soldier’s helm was firmly in place, permitting him to breathe whilst submerged. But he moved with a horrible hunched posture, as though his spine were compressed. He cradled something to his chest, but the waters shielded it from my view. Taton assisted him with his one good arm, the two powering as best they could through the swamp water towards the Valkyrie.

Which shifted, then accelerated away from the dropsite.

‘What are you doing?’ I screamed. I have no idea if she heard me, or merely did not think I warranted a reply. Either way, as the craft retreated I confess to mixed feelings. I was relieved to be fleeing the onrushing orks, but I felt shame at abandoning our comrades, and disbelief that Shard would be so callous with their lives and the mission.

The Valkyrie suddenly banked hard, accelerating as it curved around the incoming horde. It slowed to an abrupt halt, the nose spinning right, the momentum tugging my flight harness tight.

Ahead, the greenskins were moments from the Scions.

The Valkyrie surged forward, straight for the ork flank. It was a dozen yards away when Shard fired the rocket pods, the barrage of fragmentation missiles disappearing into the water, and wrenched the nose back. The turbofans screamed in protest, unleashing a gale that almost toppled the lead airboat.

Then the warheads detonated.

The swamp erupted in a deluge of filth and shrapnel. Orks were flung from their vessels, the lead boat capsizing. Another tried to turn to face us, but the airboat had no means of braking. In its enthusiasm the ork helms­man swung into the path of the rearmost vessels, the resulting explosion pitching the remainder into the swamp.

We were blessed with a moment’s silence before the first ork rose sluggishly from the mire, still brandishing its weapon. It roared, a dozen more emerging around it. Several bore wounds, burns, but showed no signs of slowing as they surged towards the Scions.

The Valkyrie swung about, bringing its heavy bolters to bear. Rocket-propelled shells ripped apart both ork and airboat, the Scions adding a barrage of las-bolts to the equation.