He'd dealt with Naval types a hundred times before. They were never this fast, never this good. Finton was entertaining a new emotion inside his oily, calculating mind. He was afraid, and when the bridge door went orange and melted off its hinges, he very nearly lost control of his bodily functions.

Figures in black armour came into the chamber, iron boots clanging off the patched and rusty deck plates. They wore dark helmets bannered with white faceplates, eyes of deep night-blue crystal that searched every shadowed corner of the bridge. Movement for them was graceful and deadly, not a single gesture or motion wasted. One of them noticed him for the first time and Finton saw a difference: this one had a brass shape on the front of its helmet, a dagger-shaped leaf.

'Oh, Blood's sake.’ whispered the captain, and he fumbled at his belt. The next sound on the bridge was the thud of Finton's holster and weapon hitting the deck. He bent his knees, hesitated, and then raised his hands, unsure if he should kneel or not.

As one, the invaders threw back their heads and the helmets snapped open. Their short, bobbed hair, framed eyes that were hard and flinty. The leader came forward to Finton in two quick steps and gripped him by a fistful of his jacket.

'Where is he?' growled Miriya, lifting the man off the deck.

Finton licked his lips. 'Sister, please! What have I done to displease the Sororitas?'

'Search this tier.’ she shouted over her shoulder. 'Leave no compartment unchecked. Vent the atmosphere if you have to!'

'No, please-' said the captain. 'Sister, what-'

Miriya let him drop to the deck and kicked him hard in the gut. 'Don't play games with me, worm. You measure your life in ticks of the clock.’ The Sister Superior carefully placed her armoured boot on Finton's right leg and broke it.

Behind her, Sister Isabel directed the other women to their tasks, then began a search of the bridge's control pits, pushing her way past doddering servitors and aged cogitator panels. 'As before, there is nothing here.’

'Keep searching.’ Miriya presented her plasma gun to Finton's face, the neon glow of the energy coils atop it washing him with pale illumination. Where is Vaun, little man?' she spat. 'Answer me\'

'Who?' The word was drawn out like a moan.

'You are testing my patience.’ snapped the Sister Superior. 'Half your crew is dead already from resisting us. Unless you wish to join them, tell me where the heretic hides!'

In spite of his pain, Finton shook his head in confusion. 'But... but, no. We left the commerce station... You came after us, fired on us. Our communications were faulty.’ He waved feebly at a jury-rigged console across the chamber. We couldn't reply...'

'Liar!' Miriya's face twisted in anger and she released a shot from the plasma weapon into a support stanchion near Finton's head. The captain screamed and shoved himself away from the corona of white-hot vapour, dragging his twisted leg behind him. Miriya tracked him across the floor with the gun muzzle.