He pushed himself away from the wall with a groan, and stared bleakly up and down the corridor. More than any other time since they'd left Redstone, he wanted to be back home.

Every day that pa.s.sed made it clearer to him just how much Udo was a liability. Only now, he'd as good as told Oorthaus they'd hired her for a job other than the one they'd told her about. And that on top of threatening to kill her. That just made it even more likely she'd try and disappear once they got to the coreship. And then . . . well, then they'd either have to find another machine-head stupid or desperate enough to accept their terms, or try and figure out some other way of salvaging the Magi derelict when the time came.

And Corso had already learnt enough about the derelict to be certain their chances of salvaging it without Mala were close to nothing.

Still shaking, Dakota found her way back to her quarters, where she dimmed the lights and let her Ghost start to calm and soothe her with a steady trickle of empathogens into her cerebral tissues. Then she slept for a little while, curled up in her cot like a child, lost in the warm ocean tides of her back brain.

After a little while, the Piri Reis Piri Reis came to her, a soft, comforting presence in her thoughts. came to her, a soft, comforting presence in her thoughts.

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Fresh knowledge started thudding into her forebrain, in sufficient quant.i.ty to overwhelm her Ghost and leave her momentarily disoriented.

According to what Piri Piri had discovered, Lucas Corso was some kind of historian. A 'xeno-data archaeologist', to be precise, though she wasn't at all sure what that was . . . had discovered, Lucas Corso was some kind of historian. A 'xeno-data archaeologist', to be precise, though she wasn't at all sure what that was . . .

Her Ghost obligingly filled her in: xeno-data archaeologists attempted to glean understanding of Shoal super-science, usually by remote a.n.a.lysis. It was often, by necessity, an extremely covert science. In particular, Corso picked apart pieces of programming languages used by the Shoal.

Which sounded dull enough, but Dakota couldn't begin to imagine what it had to do with exploring a new solar system. Yet she was sure that contained somewhere in this nugget of information lay a clue to what Udo had almost let slip earlier.

What was it he'd said? 'If you only knew.' 'If you only knew.'

Maybe, Dakota decided, she really didn't want to know.

What she needed more immediately was something concrete against the Mansells-Udo, in particular. Halfheartedly, she had her Ghost circuits scan the mora.s.s of new data in the faint hope of finding something usable. At the very least she could find out more about how to deal with Udo the next time he- 'Oh s.h.i.t,' she said aloud, though her voice sounded m.u.f.fled in the cramped s.p.a.ce of her cabin. 'You have to be kidding me.'

the Piri Reis Piri Reis informed her.

informed her.

Dakota couldn't figure out if she was appalled or elated. Probably both. I thought those two were supposed to be running a security operation. So how did I thought those two were supposed to be running a security operation. So how did- Piri Piri explained. explained. Yeah, yeah. I get it. They have to make do with what they can get. But you'd at least think he could keep it in his pants for the duration of the expedition, rather than take the chance of someone digging this up.She couldn't keep the huge grin off her face. If anyone had been watching her at that moment in the privacy of her cabin, they'd have thought she'd completely lost it.She scanned rapidly through more of the information, finding other pieces of electronic mail also using out-of-date encryption methods. Udo, Udo, Udo. Udo, Udo, Udo. Dakota's Ghost worked overtime cross-referencing the decrypted messages with other items stored in the Hyperion's Hyperion's data stacks. They were as good as transparent. Yet for all that, neither she nor data stacks. They were as good as transparent. Yet for all that, neither she nor Piri Piri could find anything that might explain what Udo had said to her on the bridge. Nor could she find details of the system they were intending to visit-not even its name. could find anything that might explain what Udo had said to her on the bridge. Nor could she find details of the system they were intending to visit-not even its name.The feeling that she'd walked into something bad all over again had been growing ever since she'd boarded the Hyperion, Hyperion, and with Josef's apparent murder her fears had taken an exponential leap into the unknown. and with Josef's apparent murder her fears had taken an exponential leap into the unknown.Cross-reference, Piri. What would happen to Udo if any of this became known back on Redstone?Piri just then dumped another mountain of data into her Ghost circuits. A growing awareness of the complexities of Freehold society spread through her mind. just then dumped another mountain of data into her Ghost circuits. A growing awareness of the complexities of Freehold society spread through her mind. Piri Piri added. added.Dakota nodded, biting the corner of her lip and barely able to suppress a giggle. Udo hadn't struck her as quite so . . . kinky. If she had it right, if what she had just found out about Udo Mansell became public knowledge among the Freehold, not only was he finished, but so was anyone a.s.sociated with him.The Senator would certainly be tainted by any of this information if it became public knowledge.This, Dakota thought with a deep sense of satisfaction, Dakota thought with a deep sense of satisfaction, is what I call real leverage. is what I call real leverage.Fourteen.A day later, they finally rendezvoused with the coreship.As they made their approach, its bulk filled every available screen on board the Hyperion. Hyperion. Dakota sat in the interface chair on the bridge, her Ghost channelling to her reams of data concerning the energies flickering in great sheets around the Shoal vessel. Dakota sat in the interface chair on the bridge, her Ghost channelling to her reams of data concerning the energies flickering in great sheets around the Shoal vessel.The coreship itself was spherical in shape, perhaps a hundred kilometres in circ.u.mference, like a world in itself. Its surface was pockmarked with gaping holes through which the hollow interior could be glimpsed. Beneath the vessel's vast curving roof, supported by huge pillars a kilometre thick, could be found a far greater habitable environment surrounding the central core. And deep within that core could be found the mysterious transluminal drive that pushed the craft through s.p.a.ce at enormous multiples of the speed of light.Rumour had it the core contained a liquid environment-a lightness, abyssal ocean in which resided the craft's Shoal crew. Some trick of its planet engine prevented it from exerting any significant gravitational pull on the Hyperion Hyperion as Dakota followed a standard docking manoeuvre. as Dakota followed a standard docking manoeuvre.Even though she couldn't see them directly through the interface chair's petals, Dakota was nonetheless aware of Arbenz and Gardner paying close attention to the bridge's monitors while she focused on the multi-layered data pa.s.sing through her implants.She could feel the weight of their attention being focused on her through the petals, judging and appraising her piloting skill. If she screwed up in any way, automated guidance systems would kick in and dock the Hyperion Hyperion automatically. automatically.But she wasn't about to let that happen.She merged with the Hyperion's Hyperion's primitive intelligence and guided the frigate's vast bulk through one of the kilometre-wide apertures in the coreship's hull. The bridge was temporarily under zero gee, the gravity wheel having been stopped for the duration of their voyage aboard the coreship. The bridge now sat at the bottom of the stilled wheel. primitive intelligence and guided the frigate's vast bulk through one of the kilometre-wide apertures in the coreship's hull. The bridge was temporarily under zero gee, the gravity wheel having been stopped for the duration of their voyage aboard the coreship. The bridge now sat at the bottom of the stilled wheel.Dense layers of rock and compacted alloys appeared to rush towards and then past her on either side. A moment later the curving interior surface rose above her viewpoint, and the Hyperion Hyperion was falling, on a cushion of shaped fields, towards the outskirts of a sprawling city. was falling, on a cushion of shaped fields, towards the outskirts of a sprawling city.A flicker of warning data - A burst of violent energy shot through one of the aft drive bays like a muscle spasm, pre-ignition processes flickering with exotic fire deep within the engine cores.Not good. Not good at all.Dakota fully melded with her Ghost, making full use of its intuitive algorithms as a heavy, rattling vibration pa.s.sed through the frigate. She was distantly aware of Gardner cursing and muttering somewhere beyond the petals of the chair.There, she had it: a software failure. Something Dakota couldn't possibly have missed, unless . . . she had it: a software failure. Something Dakota couldn't possibly have missed, unless . . .The Hyperion Hyperion was starting to push against the shaped fields that bore it downwards, as the main drive threatened to self-activate, the hull screaming in protest at the unexpected stresses. Dakota rerouted fresh instructions past the problem-a kind of logjam of erroneous data -and the drive finally powered down. Then it was a natter of clever calculations and sheer guesswork to steady the Freehold vessel as it continued to descend. was starting to push against the shaped fields that bore it downwards, as the main drive threatened to self-activate, the hull screaming in protest at the unexpected stresses. Dakota rerouted fresh instructions past the problem-a kind of logjam of erroneous data -and the drive finally powered down. Then it was a natter of clever calculations and sheer guesswork to steady the Freehold vessel as it continued to descend.Whatever had gone wrong, at least it was over. Dakota finally let out a long, shuddering sigh, and tasted the sweat on her upper lip.The Hyperion Hyperion continued to drop slowly down towards a landing cradle, from which grasping, cilia-like constructs reached upwards like hungry anemones. The frigate rumbled again as the cilia moulded around its hull, cradling it with ease. One or two other ships-not quite on the same, grandiose, old-fashioned scale as the continued to drop slowly down towards a landing cradle, from which grasping, cilia-like constructs reached upwards like hungry anemones. The frigate rumbled again as the cilia moulded around its hull, cradling it with ease. One or two other ships-not quite on the same, grandiose, old-fashioned scale as the Hyperion- Hyperion-were similarly cradled a few kilometres distant.Dakota shut off her dataflow and stared into the darkness surrounding her. Throughout the whole docking procedure, the Hyperion Hyperion had practically become an extension of her body. It would have taken a crew of at least half a dozen non-machine-head technicians and engineers to carry out the same rendezvous, but Dakota had done it on her own without so much as moving a muscle. had practically become an extension of her body. It would have taken a crew of at least half a dozen non-machine-head technicians and engineers to carry out the same rendezvous, but Dakota had done it on her own without so much as moving a muscle.She reached up with one hand and tapped the manual release b.u.t.ton, standing as the petals surrounding the interface chair unfolded around her to reveal the bridge.'Did you cause that glitch?' she asked the Senator. 'Or do you let just anyone mess with the engine systems?'Arbenz grinned. 'You coped very well.'

'Do you have any idea how dangerous dangerous it is, altering base routines like that?' it is, altering base routines like that?''There were backups, just in case. I could have shut the engines down in a moment, no harm done.''Because you wanted to see if I screwed up?'Arbenz shrugged, looking smug and self-satisfied. Dakota felt a deep urge to violence.'But you didn't screw up,' said Arbenz. 'You did very well. I'd even say you're about as good as Josef Marados said you were.''Don't ever try something like that again,' she spat at him. Gardner listened impa.s.sively to their exchange, with arms folded.Arbenz spread his hands in an open gesture. 'No more surprises, I promise.'She nodded in silence. As satisfied as Arbenz seemed with her performance, she would have loved to be able to see the look on his face when he realized she wasn't going to stick around.'Let me get this clear,' Dakota railed, several hours later. 'Unless I heard you wrong, I can't leave the Hyperion Hyperion at all for as long as we're on board this coreship?' at all for as long as we're on board this coreship?'She had tracked Gardner down in one of the mess halls in the gravity wheel, where he'd been engaged in conversation with the Senator while Ascension news feeds scrolled down one wall. The other walls of the mess were decorated with Spartan images of valour that fitted in appropriately with the whole Freehold value system. Broadswords certainly appeared to be a popular motif.Gardner looked up at her with the kind of expression normally reserved for unruly children. 'We made it clear from the start that we're on very sensitive business. As long as we're on board this coreship we're wide open to the outside scrutiny of anyone who's curious to know what we're up to. Remember, there are mercenary fleets who specialize in jumping contract claims by keeping tabs on the movements of frigates like this.''So you need to keep me locked up in here, because that way there's less chance they'll figure out what you're up to when they see a giant f.u.c.king warship warship sitting on the horizon.' sitting on the horizon.'Gardner's face was blank for a moment, while Arbenz merely chuckled without looking up.'Listen,' Gardner replied angrily. 'You're a valuable a.s.set, one we paid a lot of money for. There are people out there who'll happily s.n.a.t.c.h you off the streets of Ascension and take your skull apart to find out what you already know about us. We also paid to have this core-ship make a special diversion to our destination, which is as good as advertising the fact we're trying to set up a new colonial contract. Do you have any idea how expensive all this has been? How much it cost me personally, and also the Freehold?' Gardner waved at Arbenz with a fork. 'It's your your job to protect us against anyone who gets too interested.' job to protect us against anyone who gets too interested.''Then perhaps you'd care to tell me exactly where it is we're going? Or are you saving that for a birthday surprise?'Gardner glared at her. 'You're just being dramatic.''I've just found out I'm being literally held prisoner here, and you're surprised by my reaction?''Miss Oorthaus, you're not a prisoner,' said Arbenz mildly, finally putting down his fork and leaning back.'Then why did Kieran Mansell just stop me on my way to the airlocks, and tell me I'm not allowed to leave the ship?'Gardner wiped his mouth with a cloth and pushed his plate to one side. 'Look-''No, it's all right,' said Arbenz, studying Dakota keenly. 'You can go-but not alone.'Gardner turned red. 'Senator-''No, Mr Gardner. We'll attract even more attention by never disembarking at all. Are there other machine-heads here, Mala?''Yes.''Because you can sense them from a distance, and they can sense you?'Gardner looked nonplussed.'So really, anyone who wants to know we have a machine-head pilot on board already knows. Our secret is already out, Mr Gardner.'Gardner remained unpersuaded. 'It feels like too much of a risk.''Only if she goes out alone.' Arbenz turned back to Dakota. 'Yes, you can go, but only with Kieran. We'll all all be operating under a strict curfew when it comes to departing this vessel. I have some business to conduct here too.' be operating under a strict curfew when it comes to departing this vessel. I have some business to conduct here too.''Udo, not Kieran,' she insisted.Arbenz held her gaze for several seconds. 'Any reason for the preference?''He's marginally less ugly.''I'm surprised by that.''Why?' Dakota replied.'I heard about what happened on the bridge.''I don't recall receiving an apology from any of you.'Gardner leaned forward. 'If you're thinking of trying to get back at him for attacking you, then I'm afraid it's not up to you to decide what-'Arbenz put up his hand to shush Gardner, an amused look on his face. He thinks this is funny, He thinks this is funny, Dakota reflected: Udo getting into fights with some skinny little girl. Dakota reflected: Udo getting into fights with some skinny little girl.'No, it's not her decision,' Arbenz agreed, without even looking at Gardner. 'But it would be good to have Udo off the ship for a while, don't you agree?'Gardner looked caught. 'What exactly is your business in Ascension, anyway?' he asked her.'I'm going to see an old friend. Another machine-head. If I don't show my face at all, he'll start wondering why I never leave the Hyperion. Hyperion. Given it's owned by the Freehold,' she continued with a shrug, 'any machine-heads in Ascension might draw the conclusion I'm being held prisoner, don't you think?' Given it's owned by the Freehold,' she continued with a shrug, 'any machine-heads in Ascension might draw the conclusion I'm being held prisoner, don't you think?'She got her way.Dakota immediately made her way straight back to the aft airlocks. The frigate had been designed with coreships in mind: a wide lip had extruded itself from the hull, below the airlock, so pa.s.sengers could simply step outside and feel a fresh breeze against their skin.It was like standing inside a roofed canyon the size of a continent. As she looked up, Dakota saw fusion globes dotting the underside of the coreship's outer crust. A couple of dozen metres below where she stood, a floor carpeted with gra.s.sland extended all the way to the outer suburbs of the city of Ascension, a sprawling metropolis that filled half of the s.p.a.ce allocated to humanity. But instead of solid walls separating them from the rest of the vessel's interior, there were instead sheets of faintly flickering semi-opaque energy that were anch.o.r.ed beneath the ceiling's ma.s.sive supporting pillars.She turned to see Udo step out through the airlock, accompanied by Lucas Corso.'I want to take a look at Ascension,' Corso explained, on seeing Dakota's annoyed expression. 'I didn't even get the opportunity to explore the last coreship I was in.'