He sends two officers up. Rotten fruit in the kitchen, mould climbing the walls.

The officers call down. “Sir, you’re going to want to see this.”

“Software?” says Malaika.

“Wireframe Mother,” says Unwin. “They’re popular with traumatised people these days. And those who have lost their own family, like Fin.”

“I looked him up before any of this,” says Malaika. “Nothing has happened to his family.”

“Sealed record, old son. His entire family died in one of those venting incidents that were common thirty years back. He was younger than three, and assigned to Wireframe. Obviously, he wasn’t monitored.”

“And we sent him into space without—”

“Oversight. Too late to cry about it now, hey?”

“I see,” says Malaika, although his tone says he does not. “Thoughts?”

“In hindsight, I should have done more thorough mental health screening,” says Unwin.

“No, I mean thoughts going forward.”

“I have no fucking clue. I’m going to sit around and wait for your Malaika Magic to work. You bring them home; I’ll take care of Fin.”

Demetrius Peole swears at the back of Coker’s head.

“I hope you’re happy now, Coker. I hope you enjoy this work.”

Coker is silent and watches the data streaming in from the satellites. If there is a hint of a smile on his face, Peole cannot tell, but he’s sure the man is amused.

Chapter Twenty-one

Ragtime: Fin

Fin stares at Shell as if willing her to take back what she just said. She doesn’t.

“You murdered the passengers,” says Fin.

“I did,” says Shell.

“Why?”

“What?”

“What was your motive for killing them?”

“Mental illness. Asthenisation.”

“Asthenisation.”

“Yes.”

“What is—”

“Labile mood, altered sleep-wake patterns, territorial behaviour, hypoactivity, fatigue, attention and memory deficits. It’s a space thing. Look it up.”

“And—”

“I was territorial over the Ragtime and I didn’t want them here, so I started killing the passengers.”

“I—”

“I’ll IFC-sign a confession, all right?”

Fin thinks of everything that has happened, and all of Shell’s reactions, and he shakes his head. “You’re lying.”

“What does it matter? You have an out. Let’s go home!”

“I can’t.”

“Why?” Her turn.

“I’ve lied before, and it very nearly destroyed me. My family tends to be inflexible and it destroyed my relationship with them. This is my second chance. Ragtime is my second chance. I can’t risk it.”

“I understand family expectations, Rasheed. I feel the weight of filial duty too.”

“Not like mine.”

“Trust me; like yours.”

“If we survive, we must swap stories some time, Captain Campion.”

“You are obligated to arrest me, Rasheed,” says Shell.

“No. What I’ll do is get Salvo to record your statement, Captain. When we get out of this, if you still want to be arrested, I’ll do it. My investigation is still open. For now, do your job and get us planetside.”