Jo-Jo sat himself down at the table next to Catchut. Randall had bandaged and braced his ankle, and they both looked cleaner.

'No dead down below, other than the ones near the p.i.s.s room, said Jo-Jo.

Randall forked some steaming farfalle into her mouth and took a moment to savour the taste before she answered. She gestured up with her thumb. 'Go look in the meeting room up there. Then she added, 'Might wanna let your food go down first.

Jo-Jo wasnt sure if she was serious, or just provoking him. Either way, hed finish his exploration after hed eaten.

Between them, they ate the entire pot and drank another bucket of water. Meal finished, Catchut stretched out on the floor and fell straight asleep.

Randall, though, got down on her hands and knees to search the bottom shelves of the cupboards. 'Gotta be some... Knew it! She slid out two big flasks. 'The other good thing about Latinos. Araldisian red. She unscrewed the plug and drank deeply. Her satisfied glugging made Jo-Jos mouth water. How long since hed had a drink?

She belched, plugged the flask and threw it to him. 'A few hours ago I figured never to taste this again. Her bloodshot eyes sparkled as she watched Jo-Jo twist the cap off. 'Been in plenny of tight spots over the years, but never come so close to losin it as I did in that Extro ship.

Jo-Jo took a swallow and nodded. 'Weird stuff, all right.

'I said Id never forget the fact you got me out of there, and I wont. She opened the other flask and sucked in some more. 'Cant think of a much worse place to die than in that goo. Even the vacd be better. You did all right in there, Rasterovich. She tapped her temple.

Jo-Jo shrugged, not wanting her to make something out of it. 'More to do with how the Ent.i.ty f.u.c.ked my head over back when I discovered it than anything else. Made it easier for me than for you to think.

They sat in silence for a while, drinking.

'You think shes still alive? Randall asked him.

'Mira?

'No, the f.u.c.kin Extro queen.

She was baiting him, but he laughed. It felt good to be alive. 'Yeah. I do. Might just be wishful, he said truthfully, 'but shes a survivor.

'Like us?

'No. Shes smarter than that.

They both laughed this time.

Then Randalls expression sobered. 'I shouldnt have left her alone on Rho Junction, she said. 'Thought shed be OK. We were so d.a.m.n close to the ship. Didnt expect anything to happen. Bethany was with her too. Beths got smarts.

'No. You shouldnt have, said Jo-Jo. 'And I wont f.u.c.kin forget it till we find her alive. It was the first time the mercenary had admitted guilt at Mira Fedors kidnapping.

Randall stared at him. 'Figured as much. I dont give a f.u.c.k about your forgiveness, though.

Jo-Jo didnt like the direction of the conversation, so he hauled himself to his feet, then bent down and rubbed his shins. 'Gonna find somewhere to sleep. Ill finish looking around in the daylight.

Randall nodded. 'Thinkin the same way. Dont change the shade settings on the windows, and stay away from them once its light. Might be that the Extros in that big ol flying drum were happy to get rid of us, but the Saqr might fancy a bit of fresh brain juice.

'Hear you, said Jo-Jo. 'Where da ya think well find a flyer?

'Therere buildings all over the mountain. If we go out at night, we should be able to cover most of them. Gould be, we get lucky and find one that hasnt been damaged.

'Or?

'Could be, we spend the rest of our days eating pasta, right here. Until it runs out.

'I think were gonna get lucky, said Jo-Jo with a certainty he didnt feel.

'Sure, said Randall. 'And OLOSS is gonna fly right in here and take Araldis back. Mira Fedor will be with them. She and Ill fly off into the black together and get rich.

Jo-Jo gave her his best scowl. He didnt like that scenario much better than the first.

MIRA.

'Your placenta is breaking down. We must take the baby from you soon, or it will starve.

Mira felt vulnerable lying on her back, covered by a translucent membrane and under the scrutiny of an array of sensors. The clinician-Dolin, he introduced himself as-was like all the others who had come to examine the odd Latino woman carrying a child of indeterminate biology: curious but nursing a hint of faint repulsion beneath his spill-resistant research whites.

Rene Mianos had been true to her word, arranging for Miras transfer to the Mount Clement facility as soon as the biozoon docked. It had come at a price, though. Thales Berniere had been escorted off the ship, straight to the Sophos, by red-robed police. The Consilience soldier, Fariss ODea, on the other hand, had easily disarmed her would-be captors and simply disappeared.

Mira wondered if Fariss and Thales had worked out a plan for this eventuality, or whether the soldier had simply decided to cut her losses and leave. Either way, Mira went to Mount Clement alone.

As she and Thales had been escorted away from the egress scale-Mira on a hospital float and Thales in restraints-she had seen a fine-looking, slim woman standing in the background of the down-lift area. Shed wanted to tell Thales his wife was there, but the Scolar authorities had allowed them no time to speak or say goodbye.

'Will my baby survive? she asked Dolin.

'Were unsure, Baronessa. Were not a neonatal facility as such, though our cellular accelerator may be just what you need. If you agree to its use, then we should be able to mature your infants development enough for it to survive. You should know, however, that to date we have only used it on test clones.

'What could happen to my baby?

'The accelerator has been seen to trigger Werner syndrome in a small percentage of recipients.

'What is that?

'Werner syndrome causes accelerated aging. The process goes... too far, if you like to look at it that way.

Mira closed her eyes as he continued to speak.

'The good news is that despite its short gestation the baby in your womb appears unusually well-formed for its biological age. It should only need a short exposure time. More worryingly, our scans show that the baby has some unusual physical characteristics. You say the father was humanesque?

Mira had been over this so many times in the past few hours that her tongue refused to cooperate again. She stared at the clinician in frustration. Theyd all wanted endless details from her but were prepared to give only generalisations in return.

Dolin saw her expression and relented. 'Do you consent?

'What will happen without it?

'We predict the baby will only survive a few minutes. Its lungs are too immature, as are some of its other organs.

Mira levered herself up onto one elbow to stare at the scientist. He was tall, with a narrow face and a furrowed expression. Not an unkind fellow, but one with deep preoccupations.

'Use the accelerator to save my child, she said, cupping her stomach. 'Shes all Ive got.

'She? The clinician looked interested. 'You believe the child is a girl? Our scans were inconclusive.

'Si. At least, Im n-not sure. My biozoon symbiote couldnt tell me. Biozoons have different s.e.xual references to humanesques.

'I know, said the clinician. 'I studied among the Pod for a time.

Mira stared harder at him. 'You were permitted into the Pod?

He nodded. 'I met Designate Ley-al at a conference on Mintaka, many years ago. Ley-al showed much interest in my research and was able to convince the Pod to allow me a short sabbatical among them.

'Where did you live?

'Aboard Ley-al. It was a remarkable experience, and somewhat frightening.

Mira relaxed a little, knowing Dolin had been with Ley-al. The leader of the biozoons first diplomatic family would not let an unethical 'esque near the Pod.

'We should proceed with preparation, said Dolin gently. 'Your consent, please. He held out a disclaimer.

She pressed her finger against the film and waited for it to copy her DNA.

As she felt the tingle of identification being completed, Dolins technicians moved in around her, pressing adhesives on her skin, spreading absorbent sheets around her body. Mira listened as Dolin described living among the Pod. He was still talking, distracting her, as a transparent crib was wheeled in, and lights shone directly at her face so that she couldnt see past the end of the bed. She felt a cold sensation against her thigh.

'Dolin!

He leaned past the bank of brightness until his face was close to hers. 'The accelerant has been administered.

'How long will it take? She felt short of breath, as though the infusion had robbed her of oxygen.

'The biozoon slowed down the fluid loss with a synthesised hormone that will now be nullified by the accelerant. Soon you will feel contraction pains. The baby is small, so we do not antic.i.p.ate difficulty with the birth. However, we think the accelerant will have more time to work if the baby is born through the birth ca.n.a.l-not by the normal procedure.

Mira tried to sit up. 'You mean an uncontrolled birth?

'The accepted term is natural birth. Afterwards, though, we may have to take the baby away quickly. Try not to be alarmed. Dolin smiled rea.s.suringly, but Mira could see the concern in his eyes. 'Our tests show us that the babys physical characteristics are primarily humanesque, Latino origins, but there would appear to be some anomalies in its blood work. We will know more soon.

He withdrew behind the lights.

Within moments Mira felt the first twinge-milder than the gripping pain shed felt on Intel station. She lay back on the bed, suddenly wishing that her sister, Faja, or her friend Estelle were with her. Even Bethany Ionil.

A different kind of fear struck her. Only women caught in dire circ.u.mstances went through uncontrolled childbirth. Even on Araldis, natural birth was a rare thing.

'What will happen? she asked after another contraction.

'Your body will know what to do. Just accept what happens as part of a normal process. We are monitoring your progress. Dolins voice echoed past the lights. 'Dont be afraid.

The next contraction squeezed her abdomen into a tight ball, and she gasped aloud.

'We cant administer pain relief with the accelerant, Baronessa.

She nodded and felt another contraction. This one started in the small of her back and radiated to her side and down into her pelvis, finishing in a fierce cramp that made her draw her knees up. She grabbed the edges of the bed and rolled to one side.

Gloved hands reached through the bank of lights. 'Stay on your back. We must feel inside the birth ca.n.a.l.

'No! Mira jerked upright. 'Where are the women?

'Baronessa? said Dolins voice.

'I want women in attendance.

'There are no women on this shift.

Mira lashed out with her foot, knocking over a bank of lights. She slid off the bed to her feet and blinked into the dark side of the room. It was filled with male 'esques.

She gritted her teeth through the next wave of pain, waiting for it to pa.s.s before she could speak again. When she could, she straightened. 'Dolin...

He righted the lights and moved them further back. Then he stepped to her side.

'Yes, Baronessa?

'Find a woman to help me, then do not come back in here until the baby is born. None of you!

'But we must- 'As soon as the baby is born, you may do what is necessary to save it. She was quiet but emphatic, using the most commanding manner she could muster.

In the silence that followed something unspoken pa.s.sed between the observers. They quietly disappeared, leaving only Dolin. He helped Mira back onto the bed.

'Your customs dont allow males present at the birth?

She nodded. 'Latino women are modest. I have adapted to... many things since leaving Araldis, but not this.

The furrows in Dolins forehead grew deeper. 'Ill see what can be done.

He disappeared.

She lived in the narrow world of managing pain until the door finally opened again, and a stocky woman dressed in food-smeared overalls entered. The dark hair escaping a white cap marked her as a domestic of some kind. She marched straight over to Miras side.

'Whatre all these harsh lights for? For Scolars sake... men! She straightened the cover and put her hand to Miras brow. 'Whats yer name, love?

'Mira Fedor.

'Well, Mira Fedor. Im Linnea, the galley supervisor in this place. Come from just down the mountain in Clementvale. Only ever delivered one baby the old way. Me own. Got caught out in the protein fields on Argamon. Had me son right there in the clod. Used me pocket knife to cut the cord.

Her rea.s.surances were thin, but her voice was strong and centred, like Fajas. Mira became calmer-until the pain piled in again. She gasped for air.

'Little breaths, love. Above it. Ride above it. Linnea left her to search through some drawers. She returned with a wad of absorbent pads and a white overall. She stripped out of her kitchen garb and donned the clean overall right then and there, unconcerned about modesty.

The sight of her bare chest made Mira gasp-not the nudity, but the myriad of finely inked lines spreading across her naked b.r.e.a.s.t.s. 'Pensare!

'What? Linnea pulled the overall up and sealed the seam.

But Mira was caught in another contraction and couldnt speak. When the wave of pain pa.s.sed, she reached out for Linneas hand.