“There was skin and blood in its gut,” says Salvo. “Human skin and blood. Or at least, human-seeming.”

“What do you mean?” says Shell.

“I’d have to get it to a lab to confirm,” says the Artificial, “but I think the skin was the kind of simulated integument that I have.”

“By the Thousand Heresies, are you saying there might be an Artificial on board that is unaccounted for?” says Fin. “A wounded one?”

“Or dead,” says Shell.

Salvo shakes his head. “Not the conclusion I would draw. We don’t know when it ‘ate’. It could be before the Ragtime. Was any of the passengers an Artificial, Captain?”

“I don’t know. On Earth, in some countries you don’t have to declare. Artificials have full personhood. To ask is… offensive. There were some Artificials when I came on board. I don’t know if they went to Dreamstate or returned to Earth.”

“So let’s retrace the steps and find out what he ate,” says Fin.

“Ragtime, video feed of the wolf’s path,” says Shell.

“Unavailable, Captain.”

What?

“Try again.”

“No files found.”

“Ragtime, video files of our fight on IFC screens.”

“No files found.”

Shell’s disquiet returns. “This is what happened the last time, when the wolf licked my hand or something while I slept. No recording.”

“That means someone or some entity decided the video should not be kept. The footage of the wolf is deliberately being kept from the record because it makes someone vulnerable,” says Fin. “Perhaps the wolf belongs to the killer.”

“Interesting theory,” says Shell.

“It scans,” says Fin.

“Not if someone illegally brought the wolf along, a pet, and wanted to hide it. It’s an offence, yes, and one that carries a hefty fine, and maybe even some jail time. A lot of these folks are rich and don’t think rules apply to them.”

“You’re missing the part where it was combat ready,” says Fin. “It took two shots without slowing down.”

“It did slow down, actually. And like I said, rich folks. Pets can have self-defence modes to protect—”

“How did this person modify the Ragtime’s AI?” Fin leans away from Shell – a bad sign. “The person could hide the wolf from being recorded. Such a person could also manipulate the instructions for the bots.”

“Captain,” says Ragtime.

“Yes,” says Shell.

“Warning.”

Shell had seen flashing in her peripheral vision but she’d been too riled up by Rasheed Fin to focus on it. She expands the alarm.

“Oh, fuck.”

Proximity alert.

Chapter Nine

Ragtime: Shell

Breathe, calm down. Remember your training, Shell. Breathe.

You wanted to be captain. This is how you captain a ship.

Now, then.

Fin is quiet this time, and even Salvo manages to look expectant.

“Ragtime, open channel to approaching vessel,” says Shell.

“Yes, Captain. Channel open.”

“Unidentified vessel, you are approaching the starship Ragtime. Reverse engines and correct course to avoid collision. Please acknowledge.”