Elnaur officers fired their pistols at point blank range as their troopers smashed about with spiked trench-clubs. One of Barnabas’ troopers was hit full in the face with a swinging blow. There was an explosion of teeth and blood and spittle that arced across the narrow defile. Another was hit on the back of the neck by a blunt trench-club, not much more than a length of iron with a heavy bolt screwed onto the end.

It was enough, however. There was an audible crack as the trooper’s neck broke. He went down like a dropped sack. Minka fired her laspistol, but the carapace protected the traitor.

Minka had taken the power-sabre from the Swabian officer. It was a beautiful sword with a basket hilt embossed with the marks of the aquila – the kind of weapon handed down from father to son. A blade that had been forged and fashioned in the Emperor’s name, reclaimed from the corpse of a traitor. She roared, ‘For the Emperor!’ as she thumbed the power stud and swung. It crackled as it cut the traitor in two.

She moved along the line, exhorting them all with a voice hoarse from shouting. Baine had a bulge on the side of his face that was already livid and purple. Six of her platoon had been killed. Seven more had broken arms or legs. They were stretchered back, or walked, according to their injuries, while the survivors flung the enemy out of the trenches.

As the battle raged along the headlands, a fresh wave of Chasseurs landed, specialised assault troops rushing forward with flamers and grenade launchers now that the Cadian lines were blooded.

Sparker returned as he worked his way along the lines. He’d taken shrapnel in his upper arm during a terrible firefight to clear the trenches. His flak armour breastplate was pockmarked with scorch marks. A shot had burnt a line across his cheek. It had been vicious fighting, and he’d lost two of his command squad and another one had been injured.

Minka could see in his face that he was worried. He caught her eye. ‘All right?’ he said.

She nodded. She was worried too, but they were still alive and there was still a fierce fight within them.

‘Got enough powercells?’

She nodded. ‘For the moment.’

Sparker moved through the ruins, continually assessing the dangers, offering encouragement and support. The longer they held on the better their spirits.

That night, urgent supply ships landed on Creed Beach and unloaded before taking away the wounded. The equipment was carried up to the front lines. At the same time convoys of Sky Talon Valkyries came in under the cover of darkness and dropped metal containers of ammunition, weapons, medicae kits and desperately needed food and water.

But the traitors had also dropped fresh troops and supplies under cover of darkness, and next morning the assaults began again.