‘That is already under way. I will ensure they have all the support they need. My enginseer teams are also constructing suitable roadways for them from Starport to the causeway.’

Bendikt’s impression of this man improved. He seemed on top of his brief. ‘And the other requests?’

The chief logistician nodded. ‘Yes, my lord. The new rotas for bombardments are in place. We have had to bring our supply dumps forward. There is much to do. Our resources are stretched.’ He paused. ‘There was a time when I could have sent a request and I was guaranteed its delivery. But with times as they are, I can assure you that we are doing all that is possible. We are working around as best we can.’

Bendikt grunted in approval. The sheer logistics of maintaining an all-out bombardment had occurred to him, as well as a possible solution. ‘If we asked the Imperial Navy’s gunners to maintain the bombardment for a certain period each day…’

‘That would give us a few hours grace.’

‘Excellent. Mere, petition the Navy to take over bombardment schedules. That will allow the chief logistician some leeway. The sooner we finish this siege, tell them, the sooner we can move off from this backwater world.

‘Now, quartermaster general,’ Bendikt turned to the smaller man standing beside the chief logistician, ‘the amphibious craft?’

The quartermaster general met Bendikt’s gaze. ‘Yes, sir. We received the instructions you sent via astropath and have already started work procuring the vessels you requested. We have searched the STC files and come up with this.’

He motioned to one of the clerks, who carried over a holo-projector. A vision appeared in the air before him: a blunt, blocky craft, with a command tower set two-thirds back along its length and a landing ramp at the front. The quartermaster general made a circular motion with his hand and the image spun slowly. There was a low hush. The quartermaster general’s manner seemed immensely smug. ‘For your situation, sir, this is my recommended solution. Each can carry ten Chimeras.’

‘Good. I need hundreds of them.’

The chief logistician allowed himself a wry smile. ‘General Bendikt. We have already started work.’

Ten

TEN

Dido pulled her collar close, but still she felt a strange chill in the air as she stood in the watchtower and watched Minka lead her two chosen troopers out into the no-man’s-land between the Cadian and Drookian camps.

Feral world scum, she thought, as she considered the Drookians. She’d fought with them on Cadia and didn’t have a high opinion of them. They’d caused as much trouble for the Imperial forces as they had for the enemy. And now they were camped right next to them.

As Minka disappeared into the darkness, Dido scanned the Drookian camp. The curse pole still stood staring towards the Cadian camp. She felt that chill again. A mist was rising.