‘You’re pathetic!’ Aquillon bellowed at Ryan but clearly including them all. ‘You honestly believe that these beasts will change?’ She spat at Ryan’s feet. ‘Ever?’ Heedless of his threat, she turned back to her infantry. ‘Open—’

She never finished her command. Masst shot her down with a bolt from his bow and her legs buckled beneath her as she fell, unconscious.

‘I believe – I hope – that we can all change.’ Shaking, Masst looked at his comrades in the rogue legion. ‘Legate Aquillon has been stripped of her rank. To fight under her command is henceforth illegal. Any who try will be forcibly restrained.’

Slowly, the Astingir heavy infantry lowered their weapons and sank to their haunches.

The Doctor looked at her friends. ‘The abductees …?’

‘They’re safe,’ Graham confirmed. ‘One of them horse-things opened fire—’

‘But Masst brought him down,’ said Ryan, and Chantelle grabbed him close in a grateful hug.

‘I took no pleasure in doing so,’ said Masst sadly. ‘But we had received direct instructions from the Herdworld and Aquillon and Elkon would not obey.’ He turned to Ace, and the Wraith Queen. ‘I know you could be tricking us all,’ he said quietly. ‘I don’t trust you. I’ve spent my whole life hating you. Which is why I don’t trust myself either.’ He paused. ‘I will not start a new war between our peoples. A Securing Force from the Herdworld is moving into orbit. You must plead your case to my superiors, and we shall abide by the outcome.’

‘WE SHALL,’ said the Wraith Queen, as if she had known all along, and placed a hand to Ace’s head. ‘THIS CREATURE CAN SUMMON ME AGAIN.’

‘But what about everyone who’s been taken here?’ Graham placed his hand on Kim Fortune’s, and gestured round at the genuflecting Wraiths. ‘They’re being used …’

‘Used up, more like,’ Yaz added. ‘Look at them!’

The humans were still twitching feebly, imprisoned in their plastic skins.

‘They’re right, you know.’ The Doctor crossed to the Wraith Queen. ‘You can’t use these people to secure yourselves in our time and space.’

‘WE SHALL NOT.’ The Queen bowed her great head. ‘A single pulse of energy along the correct frequency will sever our bonds with the sleepers. YOU WILL PROVIDE IT.’

‘And revive them?’ The Doctor raised the sonic screwdriver; Squidget beeped with quiet dignity and extruded a tendril to wrap around its tip. ‘Yes, of course, he will know the wavelength. But you Wraiths will go back into the Quantum realm, trapped and intangible all over again. Perhaps forever.’

‘WE HAVE SEEN,’ said the Wraith Queen with what might just have been a smile. ‘IT WILL NOT BE FOR EVER.’

Squidget pulsed, and the sonic glowed, and the sound filled the chamber like a choir ascending.