‘I don’t see him,’ said Domor. ‘I see Commissar Hark. They’re coming out of the vents down there.’
‘Keep firing!’ Gaunt yelled. ‘Use this! Hit them hard while they’re reeling.’
‘Yes, sir,’ said Rawne.
Gaunt scrambled back from the hatchway. He looked at Blenner and Wilder.
‘The last of the transports are loaded,’ said Wilder. ‘Everything we can carry.’
‘Get moving. Get back to the ship. We’ll follow on foot.’
Wilder nodded. He and Blenner turned.
‘Signal the Armaduke,’ Gaunt called to Blenner. ‘Begin withdrawal now.’
‘Understood,’ said Blenner.
Dalin came running through the debris field to the spot where Kolea and Fazekiel were in cover.
‘We’re ready for the next advance,’ said Kolea. He pointed. ‘Through those hatches there, into the yards on the far side, and–’
‘No, sir,’ said Dalin. He handed Kolea a slip of paper. ‘Just received by Rerval. We’ve been given the order to disengage and pull out.’
Kolea studied the piece of paper. He handed it to Fazekiel.
‘It’s authentic,’ said the commissar.
‘All right,’ said Kolea. ‘Contact all section and company leaders. The order is disengage and fall back. Systematic, just like we trained. Fall back by unit, covering fire. No unnecessary risks. No one rushing for the transports. Any charges, explosives, grenades left, use them to good effect. Bring the place down behind you if you can.’
Dalin and Fazekiel nodded.
‘Get the order spread quickly,’ said Kolea.
Baskevyl fired a couple of shots at some cult fighters dug in ahead of his position.
‘We’ve got the word, Bask,’ Kolosim yelled. ‘Pull back!’
‘Because we have to or because we’re done?’ asked Baskevyl.
‘Let’s hope it’s the latter,’ yelled Kolosim.
‘Time to go,’ said Gendler.
Meryn tipped his head back and blew out a deep breath.
‘You sure?’ asked Costin.
Gendler ignored him.
‘You sure?’ asked Meryn.
‘Word just got passed up the line,’ said Gendler. ‘We’re out of this shit-fix.’
‘Suits me,’ said Meryn. In the last half an hour, the enemy strength had depleted a little. Things weren’t as hellish as they had been right after the drop, but they were still pretty bad. A steady stream of fire was coming their way, and Kolea had ordered his company to take a particularly inaccessible storage area.
Meryn could smell sour milk and crushed mint. He had no intention of taking any storage area. E Company had sat down on their arses and dug in for the last ten minutes, claiming to be waiting for restock before following the order to assault.
‘Let’s go then,’ Meryn said. ‘E Company, out now! Fast! Head for the transports. Move your scrawny arses!’
‘Orders said something about systematic retreat and covering fire,’ said Gendler. He looked at Meryn. They both snorted with laughter.
Costin tried to join in too, faking a laugh.
‘Shut the feth up,’ said Meryn.
They began to back off, scrambling over the smouldering wreckage and heaped debris in the direction of the hangar bays and the drop site.
Merrt could walk, very slowly, with Dorden supporting him and using the autorifle as a walking stick. His skin was sallow from blood loss. Each step he took was a massive effort. Daur was still unconscious; Haller was obliged to carry him. Every ten metres or so, Haller put his friend down to rest his arms.
‘Maybe we should wait for Hark’s squad to come back this way and help us,’ said Dorden.
‘What if they don’t?’ asked Haller through gritted teeth. ‘You heard that fighting. Like the West Wall at Vervunhive.’
‘You’re right, you’re right,’ said Dorden. He was behind Haller, so Haller couldn’t see how sick he was or how badly he was faltering. Already tired and wrung out, the effort of supporting Merrt was sapping the last dregs of Dorden’s strength.
Merrt was ailing too. He slumped against the passage wall, dropping his rifle. Dorden tried to help him slide down to the ground without further damaging himself. Blood welled up over the lip of his augmetic jaw.
‘Gn… gn… gn… can’t do it,’ Merrt whispered.
‘You can,’ said Dorden. ‘You can, Rhen.’
Merrt shook his head.
‘Get him up, doc!’ Haller urged.
‘He needs a moment to rest,’ Dorden replied. So do I, he added, under his breath.
Haller cursed and put Daur down again. He sat down, rubbing his arms.
‘How much further, do you think?’ he asked. They’d already passed half-a-dozen of the devices that Merrt and Haller had disarmed and marked up with red chalk.
‘Not far,’ said Dorden. He gave himself a shot in the thigh that no one could see, a huge and desperate hit of pain-killers.
‘Too far,’ Merrt whispered, sitting with his back to the wall, his eyes closed. ‘Tell me the gn… gn… gn… truth, doc. I’m done, aren’t I? I’m bleeding inside. My heart… It feels like I’m gn… gn… gn… torn up.’
‘You’re fine,’ said Dorden. He couldn’t avoid Haller’s eyes. Haller could see Dorden was lying. The old medicae no longer had the strength to fake a confident bedside manner.
‘Leave me here,’ said Merrt. ‘You’ll be gn… gn… gn… a lot faster without me.’
‘We’re not leaving you,’ said Haller.
‘No, we’re not,’ Dorden agreed. He looked at Merrt. More blood was seeping through the dressings on his chest. Slowly, painfully, Dorden got up and crossed to Haller.
‘You go on,’ he said quietly.
‘No, doc.’
‘Yes. I’ll follow on with Merrt when I’ve got my breath back. Please, Haller. Get Daur back to the ship.’
‘I’m not leaving anyone behind,’ Haller insisted, frowning.
‘Haller, Ban’s your friend. Your good friend. You’ve known him for years, since before the Ghosts. He’s got a brand-new wife waiting for him. Sweet, sweet girl. She needs you to bring Ban back to her. Decent surgery on the ship will save his life. Do you understand what I’m saying, Haller?’
‘I’ll carry you,’ said Haller. There were tears in his eyes.
‘All of us?’ Dorden smiled. ‘Daur can’t walk. Neither can Merrt. And I can’t carry Merrt. I can barely get up, Haller. Go on. Do this for me, Haller. Pick Ban up and carry him home.’
‘What about you?’ asked Haller.
‘I’ll follow you, with Merrt. As soon as we’ve both pulled ourselves together and had a little rest. All right?’
There was a noise in the tunnel behind them. Something moved, dislodging debris.
‘It’s Commissar Hark! He’s moving this way!’ Haller cried, starting up.
Merrt had opened his eyes.
‘It’s not Hark,’ he said. He reached out for the rifle that had fallen on the ground beside him. His hand was unsteady. It took him a long time to grasp it.
‘Haller,’ said Dorden. ‘You’ve got to go now.’
‘The transports are all away!’ Domor shouted to Gaunt.
Gaunt nodded.
‘Get ready to follow them out,’ he yelled back. He looked at Mkoll and Rawne. ‘We need to pour everything we’ve got left at that line there. Give Hark a chance to get his men into the college so we can exit.’
‘That’s going to be tight,’ murmured Rawne. ‘Can’t we just leave them here? I’ve really grown to dislike the commissar.’
‘That’s a lie,’ said Gaunt.
Rawne shrugged.
‘You’re right. I didn’t like him to begin with.’