‘Brethren!’ Bianca called out. ‘The saint fights with you today! He will be with you all. He will smite your enemies. He will break those that defy his father, the God-Emperor. And the ­instrument of his wrath is General Bendikt!’

As she spoke, a praise bird landed on Bendikt’s shoulder. Mere and Ostanko and the assembled Cadians drew their swords and raised them in salute. There was a cheer from the gathered troops.

The saint had spoken.

As this ceremony took place, Minka was quiet on the return journey to the camp. Baine didn’t want to intrude.

He had a fresh dressing on his left hand. ‘They think it’s all right?’ Minka said at last.

He looked at his hand and nodded. ‘Yeah.’

The two of them stood in the back of the cargo-8 holding onto the metal bars as the vehicle bumped through the potholes.

That night, Minka summoned Second Platoon for a meeting. ‘So,’ she said, taking a sheet of paper out of her breast pocket. ‘We’re moving out tomorrow.’

‘Can you tell us where we’re going?’ Barnabas asked.

Minka filled them in. They listened attentively.

At the end she said, ‘I saw Lieutenant Dido today. She wishes you all well.’

The troopers nodded. She’d expected more of a response, but maybe it was just the way of the trooper. They did not speak too much of those who were missing.

Minka answered a few more questions. At last she said, ‘Get a good night’s sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.’

Part Four

PART FOUR

One

ONE

The sky was still black when the Cadians loaded up in Chi­meras and cargo-8s.

Blanchez and Yedrin were with Minka. Orugi had his shades pushed up onto his forehead, and he was grinning. His plasma gun was slung across his front. He had spent the days lovingly stripping and cleaning it.

This was a special mission and they had been armed appropriately. Minka had sorted that out for them at least. Blanchez had her sniper rifle over her shoulder. It was as tall as she was. Yedrin had chosen a flamer. As a lieutenant Minka had been ­issued with a sturdy little mauler-pattern bolt pistol to go with her power sabre. It had a twenty round barrel magazine. She wasn’t sure she liked it yet. It had a lot more kick than the laspistol, and made a lot more noise. The bolt pistol fired a self-propelled mass-reactive bolt that was set to detonate just after impact, ripping through the target.

A hit was spectacular and it was powerful enough to smash through flak armour.

‘I’ve never seen it in live combat,’ Blanchez said.

‘It makes a mess,’ Minka told her.

Blanchez paused. ‘Do they make bolter sniper rifles?’

‘Not that I’ve seen,’ Minka said.

They moved out before dawn.