He sighed. ‘Well, as I suspect your Mr Markham is aware – with these older weapons, a simple chemical test applied to Anders’s hands and gloves will prove that he pulled the trigger. The same test applied to Jane will prove she didn’t. That’s where they – whoever they are – have been too clever. They thought they’d use a weapon that couldn’t be tracked back to them and forgot – or never knew in the first place – about the existence of gunshot residue. Although, of course, if no one restrains Officer North soon . . .’

‘For fu. . . could someone tell me what the hell is going on?’ demanded Grint, staring at his fallen colleague.

Max said quietly, ‘Grint, even you must be aware of what’s going on here. You’re in the first stages of a coup.’

In so much as a six-foot-four, sixteen-stone man can look panicky, Grint looked panicky.

Ellis tried to sit up straighter. ‘They – the Albayans, if you want to name them – are trying to get rid of Hay. Max is kindly calling it a coup but it’s not. It’s mutiny. Plain and simple mutiny. Not today, perhaps, but soon. Very soon.’ He paused. ‘For God’s sake, Gordon, remember who you are.’

Back in the Pod Bay, matters were not progressing well for Anders. The fact he was stretched out on the floor had not in any way prevented Officer North from putting the boot – or rather, the tray – in.

‘Someone really ought to intervene,’ said Max. ‘He’s no good as a witness if he’s dead.’

‘Yeah,’ said Luke.

No one moved.

North had stopped hitting Anders but only to give herself a moment to draw breath. ‘Tell the truth, you lying piece of shit. You shot Major Ellis.’

Anders shook his head, blood flowing freely from a couple of nasty cuts across the bridge of his nose and above one eyebrow.

‘No. I swear. She did it. She did them both.’

Major Callen turned to Hay. ‘As I see it, it’s just a case of he said, she said, Commander. Anders versus Lockland. One word against another. I think we should accept that, in the absence of any reliable third-party evidence, this will be a difficult matter to adjudicate.’

‘Quick – that’s my cue,’ said Max. ‘Out of the way, stumpy.’

Still bemused, Grint stepped aside.

Ellis said weakly, ‘Max . . .’

‘I know.’

‘Let Hay handle this. There are other issues here.’

She said again, ‘I know.’

‘Don’t mention the gunshot residue test.’

‘I know. Let them incriminate themselves.’ Max opened the door, stuck her head out and grinned. ‘Cooee.’

As she said afterwards, their expressions were priceless. Those who didn’t know her simply stood and stared. Those who did know her wore expressions ranging from politely neutral to outright horror.

Someone said, ‘Who’s that?’