‘So did they, I’m glad to say.’ The Doctor pulled gently away and took a step closer to the Astingir. There was steel behind her smile. ‘Howdy, Legate. Thanks for dropping off my friend. I’m busy, you can go now.’

‘I don’t think so, Doctor.’ Legate Aquillon’s eyes had narrowed to dark slits. ‘You are a most-wanted criminal by order of the Astingir Senate. Your execution—’

‘I’m glad you mentioned “criminal”,’ the Doctor said. ‘See, when you destroy a Hondopel distress beacon, even one transmitting on a civilian channel, people know, and people care. Turns out the Peace Corps track all their beacons automatically and they’d already traced it to your ship when you stopped it working. The TARDIS picked up a diplomatic protest to the Astingir Herdworld, and your government’s response was interesting.’

Aquillon stared at the Doctor but said nothing. Only the hum and pulse of the force-field generator laced the oppressive silence.

‘They condemned the action and put it down to a rogue legion with no official standing. A rogue legion on a genocidal mission to rid the cosmos of all traces of the Wraiths.’

‘Of course those soft fools would deny knowledge of our actions,’ Aquillon began. ‘But they will—’

‘They deny it because you’re wanted by the Herdworld yourself,’ the Doctor snapped. She turned to Masst and the other centaur-creature. ‘Did your Legate tell you that you’re all considered war criminals? That if you return to your Herdworld you’ll stand court martial? That this is why your ship is run-down, ill-equipped – because the war is long over and the Astingir are moving forward in peace?’

Masst stared at his superior. ‘This is why you denied me leave to return when my wife, my child—?’

‘The war can never be over!’ Aquillon snarled. ‘We have all lost family. And we have all taken our vow. The Wraiths may be trapped but if they find a way to return, they will destroy us. Destroy us without mercy.’

‘Like you tried to destroy me, and Graham?’ The Doctor looked heartbroken now. ‘Can’t you see that you’ve become just like them?’

‘We know what you did!’

‘No,’ the Doctor thundered. ‘You inferred, and you were wrong. On your “Site of Mass Contrition”, I was trying to make sure the Wraiths could be dealt with without a war if they ever escaped. Ace and I, we didn’t mean to kill your soldiers. The ground gave way beneath them, we didn’t know!’ She wiped crossly at a tear in her eye. ‘Our actions can have consequences we never imagined. Lost lives …’

‘And living on, lost,’ Yaz added quietly.

Graham noticed the hum of the force-field generator begin to flicker. ‘Er, Doc? I hate to spoil the moment …’