Ty took a seat next to a console and pulled off his suit’s gloves to log on. ‘Remember the Mjollnir was primarily used as a colony ship,’ he said without looking up. ‘These labs were built so they could analyse alien flora and fauna. That means keeping them in strict isolation in case of any potential biohazards.’ He nodded over his shoulder at the main airlock. ‘You don’t want to take the chance of the rest of the ship getting contaminated, if something nasty gets loose.’

‘But a lot of this looks brand new.’

‘Just like in those bays we passed,’ Ty agreed. ‘Hang on . . .’

A screen took up most of the wall directly above the console. A grid of images now appeared on it, each showing identical views of metal-grey rooms. All but one of these was empty.

‘What are they?’

‘Those are the isolation booths for storing larger samples,’ Ty explained. ‘The body I brought back is held in one of them.’

He looked around suddenly. ‘What’s that?’

‘What?’ said Olivarri.

‘That noise.’

‘I don’t hear anything.’

‘It sounds like . . . I don’t know. Almost like singing.’

Olivarri just looked dumbfounded. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

Singing wasn’t the right word for it, exactly. That would imply there was something pleasant about it, when in fact it was horribly abrasive. It was more like static, he decided, but barely at the edge of perception. After a moment it began to fade.

‘You really didn’t hear that?’ Ty said, after it had passed.

Olivarri shrugged and shook his head. ‘I really didn’t hear anything. Maybe a problem with the comms?’

‘Maybe.’ Ty tapped at the interface once more and the empty booths disappeared, all except for the one containing the Atn’s remains, which now expanded to fill the screen.

‘That’s it.’ He turned to Olivarri. ‘That’s the reason we’re here.’

Leo let out an incredulous laugh. ‘You’re fucking kidding me. That’s what we’ve been fighting for? It looks like a pile of junk.’

‘Appearances can be deceptive.’

A pile of junk was a fair description, Ty realized. But inside it might just be found the one thing that could bring down an entire civilization.

Corso and Lamoureaux supported the wounded Commander and helped him along the passage. As they walked, they passed archways leading aside into mess halls and recreational areas, all of them now deserted. Thick, lush vegetation grew from pots placed at every metre or so, all tended by small, delicate-looking machines that climbed in between branches or vines.

They kept their weapons at the ready, but met no further resistance. Before very long they reached the door leading into the bridge itself and found that it was, of course, sealed.

Martinez let go of them and slid down against one side of the passageway.