Her forearm is covered in insects, heaving with their movement. He follows her arm to the grab rail, which is layered in the same bugs. The entire wall of Node 3 seethes with them. At first, he thinks they are flying insects, but some are just floating in the micrograv, no wings, legs flicking about.

“Daddy, um, what do I do?”

The comm comes alive. “Larry, why in hell are you stationary? Ragtime tells me you haven’t moved.”

“We seem to have a bug problem.”

“Hmm. They’re moving higher,” says Joké.

“The bug problem means you should be moving away from there.”

“Shut up, Shell, darling. Let me think.”

He moves back a bit.

“Daddy!”

“Stay still, baby. I have an idea.”

He knows he saw it on the way. He keeps moving along the panels until he sees the fire panel. He opens it and pulls free a hose, drags it with him.

“Close your eyes.”

He blasts carbon dioxide onto Joké’s arm, anchoring himself against the reaction forces that threaten to send him careering in the opposite direction. He inspects the arm: dusty, but clear of crawlies. The insects don’t like it, though, and they seem agitated. Some of them have discovered Lawrence.

He grabs Joké by the waist and hurls her ahead of him, into Node 2. He follows after.

When they get to Node 1, they seal it manually since Ragtime won’t listen to them. He checks for bites on Joké and himself. None that he can see.

The seal breaks, and Shell tumbles in. “Ragtime, seal bridge,” she says.

“Captain, why are there insects on your ship?” Joké asks.

Shell catches her breath. “It’s not just insects. That alarm was the experimental wing. Deep-space flights sometimes contain experiments in plant tropisms, microorganism growth, insect survival, tumour behaviour and so on. There are some animals in suspended animation.”

“Sure. I know about those. We usually leave them alone. They’re supposed to be locked until the ship returns to Earth,” says Lawrence.

“Yep. But Ragtime just opened all the locks.”

How biblical.

We’re fucked.

Chapter Eighteen

Lagos: Beko, Awe

“Lagos.”

“Madam.”

“Put me in touch with Awe.”

“One moment… go ahead.”

Awe sounds breathless. “Yes, Madam Secretary?”

“I need the old man. Where is he?”

“I’ll get a message to him. What do you need him to do?”

“I asked you where he is.”

Some dead air. Why is Awe hesitating?

“I don’t know where he is, Madam Secretary.”

“Did you recall him like I said?”

“He… ah… he wasn’t at the mines, Madam.”

“So where in the name of The Sixty Curses is he?”

“I don’t even know where he went.”

“Well, find out.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“Out.” So hard to get good help, although Awe is better than most. “Lagos.”

“Yes, Madam Secretary.”

“What ship did the governor take?”

“The Decisive.”

“Are you in touch with the AI?”

“Negative.”