There was a pair of heavy stubbers rigged up at either end of the trench and Orugi found a heavy bolter under a dusty tarpaulin at the back of one of the crude dug-outs. It was Accatran pattern, with front tripod and belt fed at the side. He and Baine worked together to get it ready.

‘How many rounds are there?’ Baine said.

Orugi dug through the discarded equipment and pulled out two crates of Munitorum issued heavy bolter rounds. Each one was as long as his forearm.

‘Know how to fire that?’ Minka said.

Orugi grinned. ‘Marksman, first class, remember?’ he said, and tapped the steel plates in his skull. ‘Even with a few bits missing.’

Minka put Baine and Orugi in the centre of the line, nearest to the supply trench that zig-zagged back up the dunes.

‘If we have to pull out, make sure that gun comes with us,’ she told the two men.

Minka sent Breve and Wulfe running back to see if they could get some anti-armour weapons. ‘If nothing else, then krak grenades!’

She pulled out the island charts from her thigh pocket. She watched the enemy assault coming slowly nearer. She estimated their position and voxed in the coordinates to Sparker.

Asko, Allun and Maenard were in the middle of the line, next to Baine and Orugi. Minka had found a store of powercells and gave each of them a handful. Sergeant Barnabas’ squad were ranged along the left-hand side with a pair of flamers. Sergeant Raske was on the right with the other heavy stubber and a plasma gun. Kristian was missing. Elhrot had the rest of Dido’s command squad with flamers ready.

‘Enough canisters,’ Elhrot said, ‘though not much use if they get up here with armour.’

‘How are you doing, Karni?’ Minka asked as she reached the end of her section of the line. Karni and Lyrga were together, propped up against the flakboard. Lyrga had her face pressed up into a trench periscope, her grenade launcher in her fist. There was a case of grenades next to her, the top cracked open.

‘Ready when they are,’ she said. Minka passed along but Lyrga stopped her and put out her hand. ‘Congratulations, sir. I’m very pleased to serve under you, Acting-Lieutenant Lesk.’

Minka laughed out loud. It was not a title she had ever expected. ‘Well, let’s make sure that we make this a successful start to my career.’

The Cadians hunkered down as they called in artillery bombardments from the Earthshaker batteries on the mainland. White gouts of water rose high into the air. Minka was on the vox immediately with corrections. The next salvo came almost as soon as she had finished. There were more white splashes but out in the bay there was the flicker of fire. A few moments later black smoke began to billow up.

‘That’s a hit!’ she reported. She checked with the auspex. ‘Confirmed. A hit!’