Fire spread from the rear engine, flowing all along the fuselage as the fuel ignited. Bodies tumbled out of the waist doors. Jaromir and Lyrga dragged the wounded gunners out. Last of all came Minka, her face covered in blood. It was running from her nose and mouth.

‘I’m all right!’ She pointed to the cabin. ‘We need to get them out!’

The flames engulfed the cockpit. The canopy had jammed and the pilot was hammering against the glass. His face showed panic as the catches refused to give. Belus and Orugi rushed forward to help, but the growing flames forced them back.

The pilot’s mouth was open in a scream. Minka turned away as he started to cook. She did not need to see that.

Nine

NINE

The crews were putting out the last of the flames when a medicae van arrived. Minka had brought seventeen of her platoon off Tor Kharybdis, packed in tight. They were in good shape, considering. Except Karni, of course. Her arm had become infected and they’d run out of stimms. Minka stepped up straight away to make sure she got in first.

‘Baine!’ she called next.

‘I’m fine,’ Baine said, but it was patently untrue. His palms had been flayed down to the tendons. They’d done their best, dousing his hands in the seawater and bandaging them with strips of uniform, but they needed some serious attention.

‘Viktor!’ she called out. He limped forward, his face pale. She thought Viktor might have broken a rib.

The medics screened the others. Minka refused to go anywhere until they were all seen to.

‘We’ll get another van,’ the medic said as he clambered into the front cabin.

It took an hour for the next van to arrive. Minka bundled all of her remaining platoon inside. Yedrin held back to the end. She pushed him in. ‘Go,’ she said. ‘They’ll want to check you out. And, hey. You and Blanchez – you did well. I was proud of you out there!’

Yedrin forced a smile. ‘Thanks,’ he said, and ducked into the back of the van.

‘Lieutenant?’ Blanchez said, making space for her to join them.

Minka shook her head. ‘I’ll come later. I have a few things to clear up first.’

The van had just pulled off when a Tauros arrived. Prassan was driving. In the other seat sat Colonel Sparker. Her immediate thought was, what are those two doing here? But at that moment, Sparker saw her and leapt out.

‘Congratulations! We thought we had lost you.’ He took her hand and pulled her into a fierce embrace. ‘Was it just you?’

‘No,’ she said. ‘The others have gone to the medicae.’

‘Have you eaten?’

‘I’m fine, thank you, sir,’ Minka said.

Sparker went on regardless. He bundled her towards the Tauros. She found the sudden attention bewildering. She was in shock.