‘May I?’ he said, and took the auspex from her hand. He held it to his face. ‘I hate this waiting,’ he said. ‘It is always a relief to be back in the front lines. Do you feel that too?’

‘Yes, sir.’

Shand handed the auspex back to her. ‘I hope your squad under­stand the depths of our foe’s treachery.’

‘Yes, sir. They have thrown off their love for the Emperor. They have put their faith in false prophets.’

There was a long pause. Minka had questions and the presence of the chief commissar seemed too good to miss. ‘Sir,’ she started, ‘I am concerned. I am sure General Bendikt knows what he is doing, but I do not understand. The enemy know exactly where we’re planning to attack. They can mass their own troops to defend it. Anyone attacking will be slaughtered.’

With other units this was a dangerous thought to voice aloud, but within the Cadians there was a degree of tolerated doubt. A hint of a smile played upon Shand’s thin lips. ‘Go on.’

Minka understood that her line of questioning was safe. ‘If it was another Imperial commander then this would be what I expect. But Bendikt is in charge. And we know he is no fool. So there has to be a plan.’

Shand smiled. ‘There is a plan. Don’t worry about that, Sergeant Lesk. Make sure you’re ready for battle when the call comes.’

She saluted. ‘Yes, sir!’

As she spoke one of the Leviathans fired. The shot impacted on the void shield that protected Tor Tartarus and the energy dissipated in a kaleidoscopic burst of colour.

A dull boom rolled back towards them. Minka turned towards the battlefront. That first shot was like a signal to all the Imperial batteries. Night became day as the coastline Earthshaker batteries fired as one. The roll of sudden thunder made the watchtower vibrate.

The three Leviathans rumbled forwards, their own massive siege guns adding to the tumult. The shells were so large they moved in low parabolas, hitting the walls with earth shattering explosions that threw immense clouds of dust up and set off landslides of shattered permacrete. And then from the heavens lightning strobed down as the Imperial Navy ships in low-orbit entered the fight.

The white glow side-lit Shand’s face. He smiled grimly. The battle for Crannog Mons had begun in earnest.

Fifteen

FIFTEEN

The thunderous artillery battle went on through the night and the Leviathans pushed forward under the smoke and flame of battle. As they drew closer to Tor Tartarus the mountainside glittered with the muzzle-flash of counter-fire. A hailstorm of las-bolts and shells flared against the void shields. For the last mile of the attack the Leviathans suffered withering defensive fire, their own void shields crackling and sparking as they deflected las-bolts and armour-piercing shells.