'We have docked within your own vessel and request that you deliver us to G.o.d's ship. Our computers are now supplying you with the necessary coordinates, indicating that the ship is located in a neighbouring system. Once we get there, we will be able to make a full demonstration of our discoveries. This one,' he turned to look pointedly at Corso, 'has discovered a way of accessing its data stacks which, as you now know, is something that eluded us for a long time.'

Corso once again found himself the object of the visitor's unwelcome attention. Its tentacles once again began slithering across Corso's face and shoulders, and he found himself once more staring directly into its terrible black maw, whose fetid stench was almost more than he could bear.

'If you fail to reveal G.o.d's message to us, you will die!' it screeched. 'Should I kill more to make my point clear?'

Something wrenched at Corso from behind and he stumbled backwards. Honeydew and the surviving guard had pulled him away from the Emissary. 'Tell her that will not be necessary,' Honeydew said.

'It won't be necessary,' Corso stammered.

'We will go to G.o.d's ship immediately!' the Emissary cried, stomping backwards about a metre and turning as it did so.

In the distance, a panel slid open in the surface of the crystalline s.p.a.ceship from which the Emissary had emerged. They watched as the enormous creature finally retreated back inside her ship.

If not for the firm grip the two Bandati still had on him, Corso would have crumpled to the deck. But after several moments their grip relaxed, and neither made any move to stop him as he turned and walked stiffly away from the still-expanding pool of blood.

Corso didn't get more than a couple of metres before he dropped to his knees and vomited noisily onto the deck. Once he'd finished, he reached up with one shaking hand and used his sleeve to wipe his mouth before standing once more.

'The Emissaries are very impatient,' Honeydew informed him, 'and, therefore, difficult to deal with.'

Corso nearly started to laugh, but choked instead. Understatement of the century. Understatement of the century. 'What the h.e.l.l 'What the h.e.l.l was was that thing?' he demanded angrily. 'And why, in the name of h.e.l.l, did you feel the need to put me through that performance?' that thing?' he demanded angrily. 'And why, in the name of h.e.l.l, did you feel the need to put me through that performance?'

'Emissary KaTiKiAn-Sha represents a culture at least as powerful and as widespread as the Shoal. Like the Shoal, they possess superluminal technology, and they have also been at war with the Shoal for a very long time.'

'But how? I mean, I thought the Shoal-'

'They lied, Mr Corso. Their knowledge of superluminal technology is not unique. The Emissaries originate from another spiral arm, several thousand light-years distant. Even I myself wasn't aware of their existence until very recently' Honeydew paused for a moment as if not sure what to say next. 'It is possible that the Shoal are losing their contest with these Emissaries.'

'So where do I I come into all this?' come into all this?'

'My Queen intends to offer certain information to the Emissaries in return for a favourable position within their expanding empire.'

'The derelict,' Corso croaked. 'Your Queen's going to give it to that that thing?' thing?'

'Yes - and possibly yourself as well, if the Emissaries demand it.'

Corso felt the blood drain from his face. 'Is she f.u.c.king insane insane?' he finally managed to stammer.

The Bandati agent regarded Corso with expressionless blank eyes for what seemed like a very, very long time. Then he turned and began to walk away towards the entrance to the docking bay.

After a moment the surviving guard prodded at Corso's shoulder, and he reluctantly followed, his thoughts in turmoil.

Nineteen.

'I just want to know what the Emissaries intend to do with the derelict,' Corso demanded, following hot on Honeydew's heels as they left the bay behind them. The guard walked close behind Corso, occasionally prodding him in the back to keep him moving in the right direction.

'Your protocols will be used to extract any useful data from the derelict's stacks. They are now the property of my Queen, to do with as she sees fit as the ruler, mother and protector of us all.'

'But there's something here that doesn't make any sense. You said the Emissaries are at war with the Shoal, also that they've got superluminal capability. Fine. But what could they possibly get from the derelict that they don't have already?'

'Knowledge,' said Honeydew, coming to a halt and turning to face him, 'the desire for which drives us all to leave the worlds of our birth. Does that answer your question, Mr Corso?'

'They're from another spiral arm, spiral arm, yet they came all that way just for a ship that can do something they already know about? Surely that doesn't add up. What yet they came all that way just for a ship that can do something they already know about? Surely that doesn't add up. What kind kind of knowledge?' of knowledge?'

'Life,' said Honeydew, 'is often the sweeter for not asking difficult questions.'

'No way,' Corso replied hotly. He could see they were now heading for the entrance to another bay. 'You still need me, remember. You told me they're winning a war with the Shoal. And if what Dakota said is right, and there really are technology caches scattered throughout the galaxy, then it makes sense to a.s.sume the Emissaries got their FTL technology from one.'

His mind was racing ahead, so furiously that he almost forgot Honeydew was still standing there. 'So if they're winning this war, what does the derelict have that's so valuable? Why would they come here now, now, all the way to Ocean's Deep? Why . . . ?' all the way to Ocean's Deep? Why . . . ?'

He closed his eyes as the truth finally opened itself to him. When he opened them again, he saw Honeydew busily chittering to the guard who still stood next to him. After a moment the guard walked away, spread his wings and soared upwards into a light-filled shaft.

'They claim they had no previous knowledge of the drive's destructive potential,' Honeydew replied, turning back to him. 'The Queen is now offering them the proof that it can be used as a weapon. The derelict, and your protocols, along with the recent destruction of Nova Arctis, will greatly accelerate their weapons research.'

Corso stared, feeling numb. 'But you said the Shoal were losing the fight, which shouldn't be the case if their weapons potential is much more advanced than that of the Emissaries.' He thought hard. 'Unless, for some reason, the Shoal have been deliberately avoiding using nova weapons.'

'One might also a.s.sume that if the Shoal did make use of such weapons,' Honeydew responded, 'it might not take long for a rival species, with access to the same tools, to devise their own equally deadly response.'

'So the Shoal are just frightened of escalating the war?' But how long, he wondered, could they go on losing before they changed their minds?

'Much of this is, by necessity, little more than speculation, Mr Corso. But one might reasonably deduce that to be the case.'

'But if the Emissaries know about the derelict - and presumably already have some idea of what happened at Nova Arctis - then the secret's pretty much out, isn't it?'

'Yes, indeed. Hence their desire to acquire the derelict and accelerate their research.'

'Are you insane?' insane?' Corso screamed. 'You want to hand over that kind of power to things like . . . like Corso screamed. 'You want to hand over that kind of power to things like . . . like that that?'

The Bandati moved so fast Corso barely had time to register that the little alien suddenly had one small hand wrapped around his throat. He tried to breathe, but it was like his neck was trapped inside a steel vice that was slowly getting tighter and tighter. A pain induction device suddenly appeared in the Bandati's other hand, and a moment later Corso was curled up in agony on the deck.

'My Queen believes that selling this information to the Emissaries will give us an advantage we could never achieve under the Shoal's existing hegemony,' Honeydew explained, standing over him. 'It is her belief that we can grow stronger, that we can gain greater leverage for occupying many more systems than the Shoal would ever allow us, and thus give birth to yet more powerful Hives. That is her goal.'

Corso slowly pulled himself back up onto his knees, choosing his words more carefully this time. 'If that monster back there is typical of the Emissaries, I don't think they're the kind to return a favour unless they really have to.'

'Perhaps you are right,' Honeydew replied. 'I am sorry'

Corso squinted up at the winged alien. 'Excuse me?'

'I am sorry that you are involved in this, Mr Corso. The Emissary demanded to speak to you personally, otherwise she threatened to destroy our entire fleet. You see, then, that we had no choice.'

Honeydew reached down and grabbed Corso by the arm, pulling him upright again. Corso stood, dazed, and watched as the door to the bay before them slid open. He realized Honeydew was now taking him back to the Piri Reis. Piri Reis.

Honeydew led the way still, and Corso followed at a wary distance. 'You don't like this any more than I do, do you?' he shouted after the alien. 'How do you know those things aren't going to take your Hive for everything it's worth?'

'Life is full of calculated risks,' Honeydew answered without turning.

'Yeah, but how good are the odds?'

They came to the platform that would drop them down to where the Piri Reis Piri Reis was kept. 'The highest risks bring the greatest gains.' Honeydew replied, coming to a halt once more. 'Or so my Queen believes. You are a clever man, Lucas Corso, and my Queen will reward you if you do what she requires. In the meantime, the protocol fragments you retrieved are being studied for evidence of tampering, and to see if they can be implemented without your further involvement.' was kept. 'The highest risks bring the greatest gains.' Honeydew replied, coming to a halt once more. 'Or so my Queen believes. You are a clever man, Lucas Corso, and my Queen will reward you if you do what she requires. In the meantime, the protocol fragments you retrieved are being studied for evidence of tampering, and to see if they can be implemented without your further involvement.'

Corso swallowed on hearing his worst fears confirmed. 'I didn't know you had your own experts in this kind of thing.'

'Our civilization goes back much further than that of your own species; to paraphrase a saying I recall from my amba.s.sadorial duties within the Consortium, we have forgotten more than you have ever known. Anyway, we have our own, secret source of knowledge relating to this field, and it's one we've had access to for a very long time.'

They stepped onto the platform and descended into the lower bay. 'So why have you brought me back here just now?' Corso asked.

And then he saw the Piri, Piri, and his question was answered. and his question was answered.

'We want you to explain why this is happening,' said Honeydew.

Navigation lights were flickering randomly across the entire hull of the Piri Reis. Piri Reis. The ship itself was on the move, twisting and bouncing violently in its bed of shaped fields. As Corso watched, the The ship itself was on the move, twisting and bouncing violently in its bed of shaped fields. As Corso watched, the Piri's Piri's nose sc.r.a.ped against a nearby bulkhead, making an awful sound that set his teeth on edge. nose sc.r.a.ped against a nearby bulkhead, making an awful sound that set his teeth on edge.

As the ship twisted hard in its restraints, Corso spied light shining through the deep rent in the vessel's hull. The light flickered, almost as if something inside were moving around.

Incredibly, he could hear music coming from inside the hull breach: soft, mellow music that sounded tinny and distant in the echoing metal s.p.a.ces of the bay.

'I have no idea,' Corso replied miserably. 'When I left the Piri, Piri, it was exactly as it was before.' it was exactly as it was before.'

'If this craft presents any further danger to us, it will be destroyed.'

'No!' Corso whirled around to face Honey dew. 'I mean, no, that's not a good idea.'

He stared over at the Piri Reis, Piri Reis, and at the deep rent in its hull. He was still thinking of the ship as some kind of escape route, but how would that even be possible? In its current condition, it wasn't much better than flying sc.r.a.p. and at the deep rent in its hull. He was still thinking of the ship as some kind of escape route, but how would that even be possible? In its current condition, it wasn't much better than flying sc.r.a.p.

But it was still the one place he could go where the Bandati couldn't.

'Look,' he said, improvising, 'I already told you I'd need to get back on board the Piri Piri or I wouldn't be able to guarantee anything as far as the protocols go. How sure are you that what you've got from me already is enough to work with, Honeydew? What happens if you end up having to explain to that monster back there why you destroyed the one remaining source of the very protocols your Queen promised to it?' or I wouldn't be able to guarantee anything as far as the protocols go. How sure are you that what you've got from me already is enough to work with, Honeydew? What happens if you end up having to explain to that monster back there why you destroyed the one remaining source of the very protocols your Queen promised to it?'

Long seconds pa.s.sed while Honeydew once again did an excellent imitation of a statue, a behavioural trait apparently common amongst the Bandati.

'Go back on board the Piri Reis,' Piri Reis,' Honeydew commanded. 'Find the source of this activity, and retrieve the rest of the protocols if you can. This time, we will remain at a distance.' Honeydew commanded. 'Find the source of this activity, and retrieve the rest of the protocols if you can. This time, we will remain at a distance.'

'You won't send any more soldiers after me?'

'No, but if you don't return within a reasonable time, I'll order the destruction of the ship regardless of whether or not you're still on board and take my chances with Emissary KaTiKiAn-Sha.'

Corso gaped at the alien. He has to be bluffing. He has to be bluffing.

But there was no way to be sure. He only knew that they still needed him alive, at least for the moment. From that he could draw at least a faint glimmer of hope.

Honeydew remained on the platform as it returned to the overhead bay, leaving Corso alone with the Piri Reis. Piri Reis. The The Piri Piri responded by swivelling on its cushion of shaped fields until its forward nacelles faced more or less towards him. responded by swivelling on its cushion of shaped fields until its forward nacelles faced more or less towards him.

It was uncomfortably like having a large and dangerous animal turn its attention on you.

Navigational lights continued to randomly flicker around the curve of the ship's hull, as Corso stepped once more across the field of burned corpses, still numb from his recent encounter with the Emissary.

As he approached, the primary airlock slid open for him once more. He paused for a moment, then stepped inside with an air of grim determination.

Nothing looked any different, but he could hear Dakota's s.e.x toy stumbling around in her sleeping quarters. Was that thing somehow responsible for what was happening to the ship? He knew the device was limited as to how far it could get from its wall niche, but still . . .

Corso suddenly realized the ship had stopped shifting about in its cradle the moment he'd climbed inside. Like it was waiting for me. Like it was waiting for me.

After a minute's indecision, he hit up the navigation systems, found the controls for the lights and turned them off. He did the same for the internal speaker system, cutting off the music.

That was easy. Now what?

A display on the nav-board caught his eye, and he had to read it several times before it sank in that he was no longer in the Night's End system. According to the board, they were currently decelerating towards the centre of a new system. And yet he was suffering none of the typical effects of deceleration, nor had he been ordered into a gel-chair, and there had been no perceivable changes in the level of gravity.

Corso leaned back in the chair, arms folded, and tried to remember exactly what the Emissary KaTiKiAn-Sha had said to Honeydew. G.o.d's ship. G.o.d's ship. Surely the only ship it could have been referring to was the Magi derelict. Surely the only ship it could have been referring to was the Magi derelict.

And yet Honeydew had also mentioned something about coordinates - and referred to a ship located in a nearby system. nearby system.

Corso stood up suddenly. How could he have been such an idiot? Honeydew had already told him that the Emissaries possessed superluminal ships. So, whatever system they were in now, the Emissaries had clearly transported them there.

But why do that, when the derelict was still back in Night's End? Night's End?

Or had he himself made a mistake in a.s.suming they'd been talking about the same same Magi ship? Magi ship?

It was clear from Honeydew's exchange with the monster that the Emissaries had something roughly equivalent to a coreship, and the Bandati vessel had been taken inside it. It would certainly explain a few things, for coreships had some kind of inertia-dampening technology to negate the intense deceleration that always followed re-entry into normal s.p.a.ce. There was no reason not to a.s.sume the Emissaries had something similar.

And then there was the question of how the Piri Reis Piri Reis could even have found out their current whereabouts, trapped as it was in the belly of the beast, let alone displayed the data on its nav-board . . . could even have found out their current whereabouts, trapped as it was in the belly of the beast, let alone displayed the data on its nav-board . . .

'Lucas.'

Corso stiffened.

The voice came again, m.u.f.fled by the intervening bulkheads. 'Lucas, it's me. Are you there? Can you hear me?'

It was was Dakota's voice, apparently coming from her sleeping quarters behind. But she was still on Ironbloom - wasn't she? Dakota's voice, apparently coming from her sleeping quarters behind. But she was still on Ironbloom - wasn't she?

He stepped away from the nav-board and crawled through the narrow s.p.a.ce leading to the rear of the ship. But all that he found there was Dakota's s.e.x toy standing near its wall-slot, fortunately this time considerably less priapic than it had been on their previous encounter.

Even so, it made him nervous enough to crouch just outside the cabin's entrance, ready to retreat quickly in case it made any sudden moves towards him. He wondered how on Earth Dakota had managed to live alone in the depths of s.p.a.ce for so long with only such a creepy device for company.

'What have you done to my ship?' it now demanded - in Dakota's voice. Hearing her familiar tones emerge from the mannequin's throat was an unsettling experience.

'What have I I done?' Corso laughed weakly. 'I haven't done anything. And ... is that really you?' done?' Corso laughed weakly. 'I haven't done anything. And ... is that really you?'

'Yes, it's me.' There was a note of irritation in the reply. 'The Piri Piri is telling me it's safe to talk now.' is telling me it's safe to talk now.'

'So where are you, Dakota? Are you still in touch with the derelict?'

'I destroyed the derelict, Corso.'