Within the minute Mere burst into the room.

Prassan leapt to his feet and saluted.

‘What is happening?’ the adjutant demanded.

Prassan almost shouted out his reply. ‘The traitors have launched a massive counter-attack. Ostanko expects landings on the northern beaches of Tor Kharybdis within thirty minutes.’

Bendikt returned to the command centre just as the first traitor landings began.

Mere briefed him quickly on the latest situational reports. Bendikt stood listening. To Prassan’s amazement, the general appeared unflustered. In fact, Prassan thought, he seemed pleased.

‘Get reinforcements onto the island.’

‘Already under way,’ Mere said.

Bendikt paced up and down as the usual hubbub of crisis command filled the room about him. Prassan had the vox-receiver pressed to his one ear. He was tracking contacts on the map before him. He could immediately point out where the enemy were pushing forward most strongly.

Bendikt continued his pacing. ‘Any sign of the Elnaur Chasseurs?’

Prassan shook his head. ‘Nothing yet,’ he said.

Three

THREE

On Tor Kharybdis the Cadians were scrambling down the supply trenches. Their task now was to hold the trenches they had been attacking just hours before. Seventh Company were given the beaches between Fifth and Sixth Redoubts.

‘Lesk!’ Colonel Sparker shouted. ‘You are in command of Sec­ond Platoon!’

‘Thank you, sir!’ Minka saluted. She was strangely calm as she led her squad along the headland.

The smouldering ruins of Fifth Redoubt were still strewn with the charred bodies of dead Jackals. Minka had the best part of three squads left. Viktor had taken command of her old squad and Barnabas and Elhrot took the others.

The beach beneath them was broad and flat. It was one of the beaches that had escaped assault by the Cadians, which meant the beach defences, at least, were largely intact.

Minka risked a quick glance above the trench parapet. She could see the hastily thrown together flotilla coming towards them. It was flotsam. Disorganised. Haphazard. The waters were cluttered with amphibious craft.

It was less than a mile between Traitor Rock and the volcanic cone of Tor Kharybdis. The packed traitor craft were dark against the afternoon glitter of the sea. The counter-bombardments had achieved little effect on the trenches, except where there was a direct hit and the blast had chewed up the duckboard footing and torn the walls of the trench down.

The front-line trench, beneath Fifth Redoubt, was set halfway up the sand dunes. The sandy ground was held back by sheets of flakboard, nailed in place with iron bars driven deep into the ground. The firing step was a series of ammo crates, filled with sand, lined up along the front of the trench.

The first thing Minka had to decide was where to position their heavy weapons.