‘Fortunately, my family took that responsibility. One of the old ways we have not given up. And in my case they made a very good choice.’

They were walking back towards the gate when Zaquil’s voice buzzed in Ysbel’s ear. She had almost forgotten about the bot clinging there – the last of her bots; she was going to have to answer for losing the others when she got back to Ogres Grave.

‘Someone is approaching,’ Zaquil said.

‘One of ours or one of Goodwill’s?’

Ysbel had stopped walking; Goodwill stopped too, asking her if there was a problem.

‘It seems that we have company,’ Ysbel said. She was looking towards the fence, shading her eyes against the glare of the setting sun, hoping that the intruder wasn’t a bear. They had left both gates open …

‘A human woman,’ Zaquil said. ‘Coming up through the trees, making straight towards the clearing.’

‘Is she alone?’

‘As far as I can tell.’

Ysbel told Goodwill that one of her people was approaching, asked Zaquil how the intruder had managed to slip past him.

‘She may have crossed the river and skirted around the hopper. Do not fear for your safety. As soon as she presents a clear target the security bot can take her down.’

‘Don’t do anything to antagonise her. She may know what this place was and where its inhabitants have gone,’ Ysbel said.

When she and Goodwill reached the gates, they found the intruder standing in the tall grass outside the fence, a lean, dark-skinned woman in her late thirties, dressed in shorts and a canvas shirt, a mass of black curls held back from her face by a red bandana. She held up her empty hands, palms facing outwards, and said, ‘You aren’t the kind of visitors I was expecting.’

‘Do you work here?’ Ysbel said. She and Goodwill were standing just inside the outer gate. ‘Are you the caretaker, something like that?’

‘Does it look like anyone works here, anymore?’ the woman said. A small pack rode high on her back. A tranquilliser dart rifle, a narrow pipe barrel with a gun grip and telescopic sight, was slung over one shoulder. ‘How did you find this place?’

Ysbel introduced herself and Goodwill, told the woman that she was with the Bureau of Indigenous Affairs, thinking that mention of Special Operations might alarm her, make her zip up.

‘And your friend – does he work for the bureau too?’ the woman said.

‘We have interests in common,’ Goodwill said. ‘May I ask who you work for?’

‘Survey and Surveillance, Behavioural Science section,’ the woman said, and placed her hands over her heart in native fashion. ‘I’m Raia. Raia Karysdaughter.’

It took Ysbel a few moments to place the name. ‘You’re Trina Mersdaughter’s partner.’

‘You know Trina? Did she send you here?’

‘That’s one of the things we need to talk about,’ Ysbel said.

15.