It goes. People showing holograms or photos of their loved ones who are now missing, or who are dead. There has been no official confirmation of the ones taken to Lagos by the Rowdy, but everybody knows all the same. It hurts, not knowing for sure. Shell has to say, “I don’t know” and “I’m sorry” so many times. Mostly, it’s a listening exercise so that the victims feel heard. The reactions vary from apathy to anger to weeping despair. They all want to know what is being done, and they look to Shell as if she is part of Bloodroot’s space programme or government, or a representative of Lagos. She says the same thing each time when answering this query.

“New pods are being discovered every day. When there is satellite confirmation, we send up a shuttle with a space net. I have done this personally on many occasions even though I am not strictly speaking a pilot. I am a mission specialist. Many of the pods bring people back alive. There is reason to be hopeful.”

She can say this without thinking now. She hears it in her sleep.

And on, for four hours. By the end, Shell is frustrated but not showing it, she has a headache, her ass throbs and she is sure there’s an increased risk of deep-vein thrombosis.

The sun is low in the sky when she emerges, exhausted. A man waits near her car. He has the easy grace and haircut of a military person. He’s dressed in what he thinks passes for mufti.

“Michelle Campion?”

“Yes. Who are you?”

“My name is Aaron. I was… ah, I was on the Ragtime.”

“Come back tomorrow. I’m tired today.”

“No, I wasn’t… I wasn’t a passenger. I… the Clandestine was my ship. I boarded you.”

Familiar name. “You’re the one who got medals for your actions.”

“Not just me. The crews of the Rowdy and the Pica. Posthumous for the latter. The Decisive crashed into—”

“I’m all out of apologies, Aaron.”

“I’m not here for that.”

Shell nods, waiting.

“I have a message for you from Joké.”

“Joké’s gone.”

“She appeared to me on Lagos. I might have been dreaming, I’m not sure. She said to tell you that she knows what happened to Hal. And that she will be in touch if you want, selah.”

“If I want.”

“She said she will know if it’s something you’re interested in. Does this seem weird to you?”

“Is there any aspect of this whole thing that doesn’t seem weird, Aaron?” Shell walks around him and gets into her car. “Thank you for taking the time. Have a safe trip back to Lagos.”

“I’m not going back just yet.”

“More fool you,” says Shell.

He shrinks in the rear view.