A massive shock rocks the entire ship, shaking both her and Brisbane. Stressed metal screams, transmitted through solids. Brisbane is gone like a shot.

“Ragtime, what—”

“That’s what I was trying to tell you. I got a proximity alert. We’re being boarded, Captain.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

Lagos: Beko

The cabinet is complete. Their restlessness tells Beko they’ve heard rumours, and they’re frightened, and maybe they should be. The kind of threat they’re facing is new to humanity: the threat of space conflict, Yan Maxwell’s contingency fuck you to the known universe in the event of his death.

“Listen up. The Clandestine, the Pica and the Rowdy are literally hours away from Bloodroot’s orbit. Scans tell us Governor Biz and his daughter are on board the Ragtime, and they’re alive.”

A small cheer goes through the gathered people, but Beko raises her hand.

“Unfortunately, MaxGalactix owner, Yan Maxwell, who was on board, is dead – along with thirty others. This is probably why we haven’t had the all-clear. The Ragtime still isn’t talking to anyone, but the Clandestine is going to board to find out what the hell happened and to bring the governor home. That’s not the reason we’re gathered.”

“It’s not?” says Awe.

“It’s not. Lagos, graphics if you please.”

The room darkens, and a hologram of space takes over. The Dyson elements gather and the bridge is forming.

“This, my people, is the problem. The bridge is forming in response to a request from a ship called the Sinistral. It belongs to or is commissioned by MaxGalactix. I know it is hostile to us, and I have reason to believe it has armaments. I spoke to the charming captain of the Sinistral, and I can tell you right now when he finds out that Yan is dead he will lose his shit. Seconds after that, he will destroy Lagos.”

“Nobody would do that,” says Ibidun.

“He’s bluffing.”

“You’re reading the situation wrong.”

Beko raises her hands again, faux calm. “I’m not wrong, but let’s look at it the other way. There are nine million adults and children on this island. Do you want to wait and find out if my risk assessment is faulty?”

“What do you intend?”

“I think we have to destroy the Sinistral,” says Beko. “Before it destroys us.”

“How? We don’t have offensive weapons. Nobody does. We may posture sometimes with asteroid rail guns, but nobody has ever fought in space.”

“That gives us the element of surprise if we can come up with something. It’s self-defence. Understand that the Sinistral’s purpose is to find Maxwell alive or obliterate us for not keeping him that way. The captain is implacable. We have to kill the ship.”

“What kind of ship is it? How large?”