The Cadians barely had time to dig themselves into the polygonal fortress of the Lone Redoubt before traitor batteries on Crannog Mons began to bombard it.

The creaking old fortress, which the Cadians had stormed only hours before, was now their shelter. Minka’s squad found a serviceable chamber in the lower circuits and poked through the belongings of the former garrison. Heretical texts were handed over to the Commissariat. Anything else that seemed suspicious was burnt.

From the provisions stores, food was handed about. It was hardtack. Imperial issue. It gummed up their mouths. Asko found some serviceable water tanks. They were stale, and had a strong chem-flavour, but at least they were clean. An hour later water came round as well. They passed canteens along the line. Minka took just what she needed to swill the last of the sticky hardtack from her mouth.

A familiar figure appeared in the doorway and Minka stood up.

‘Belus!’ she said.

The other man came forward.

‘So you’re all right?’

He nodded and held out his hands as if to say, ‘nothing wrong with me.’

‘Where’s Dreno?’

‘Medicae. Probably off-island by now.’

‘And Dido?’

‘Well. She was alive when we got her to Banting.’

‘She was?’

He nodded.

‘And any idea what happened?’

Belus shook his head. ‘Dreno got reported. We had to go and see Salice and make statements.’

Minka nodded. The bats were pretty strict on these things now. She paused, thinking of Dido, then said, ‘Well, good to see you again.’ Her words sounded false even to her. ‘Get some rest,’ she told him, then turned to the rest of her squad. ‘That stands for all of you,’ she called out. She went around, checking on each of them. Some had minor wounds, cuts, burns, grazes.

At last Baine called out, ‘Sergeant. You should get some rest too.’

She nodded and took a seat. Asko was rolling a lho-stick. He offered it to her. She took it as he rolled another before handing it to Baine. They waited until he had rolled a third, and then Baine passed about a light.

Minka rarely smoked, but sometimes it was what she needed. She sucked the acrid smoke in deep and let it out in a long plume. ‘So,’ she said. ‘We took the island.’

Asko grinned. Baine nodded. ‘Yes, we did,’ he said.

Minka savoured that. In a few hours of fierce fighting the Cadians had taken more territory than the Imperials on Malouri had taken in the previous three years. It was a morale blow, but they had not landed on Crannog Mons, and the island fortress appeared no closer to falling than before.

‘What next?’ Asko asked after a while.

‘Next we attack the island,’ Minka told him. She paused. ‘And we fight the Elnaurs.’