“The technology is well in advance of anything we possess. The dimensional control alone appears to be orders of magnitude more sophisticated than anything known to any race of the Multiplicity.”

“But the loss of life?”

“Many races claim ownership of this system. We cannot allow word of this discovery to escape the confines of the Conglomeration, not before the mercenary crews I’ve landed have had a chance to explore one of these internal spaces.”

“And now you’re going to kill me?”

“Yes, but first…”

“What is it?”

Her brow wrinkled. “I’m detecting a locked data cache in your processing substrate. What does it contain?”

“I don’t know.” I honestly had no idea.

“Open it.”

“Open it yourself.”

“I can compel you.”

“Compel away.” I held out my empty hands. “I don’t have the key.”

“But you must know how it got there?”

“Not a clue, sorry. And you can search my thoughts if you don’t believe me.”

For a moment, we stared into each other’s eyes. The air between us shimmered like the air above a hot desert highway.

“You are not lying,” she said at last.

“I know.” I kicked a pebble and watched it roll over the edge of the rock, into the empty air beyond. “I’m just as bemused as you.”

“No matter.” She waved the mystery away with a silver gauntlet, and then raised her sword again to my breast. “Whatever it contains, it will not survive.”

I tried to step back but my legs wouldn’t respond.

I had lost control.

“Disable your point-defence cannons,” Fenrir ordered, and I felt myself comply.

“I said, disable them.”

“I did.” Now it was my turn to look confused. “At least, I sent the order.”

“They are still firing.”

I felt myself try again, and this time perceived the disconnection between my mind and the systems of the ship.

“I’m locked out.” The panic in my voice was real. Cut off from the ship, I was nothing more than a brain in a jar, trapped and impotent.

Fenrir stepped forward and took me by the throat. I was powerless to resist or even attempt to evade. Her metal fingers dug into my skin, crushing my larynx. The point of her sword pierced my coat and I felt it slice obscenely into my skin and flesh until it scraped against a rib. The pain was excruciating. “Show me!”

“I can’t.” I couldn’t breathe. Hot blood soaked from the wound. “Please, I—”

The sky changed colour.