‘That was . . . speculation,’ Mika admitted, a pained expression on her face. ‘A confinement vessel for some kind of energy creature would of necessity not be biofactured.’

‘By any method we know,’ Cormac added.

Mika’s pained expression became one of annoyance. ‘Quite,’ she said, not meeting his eyes.

Cormac nodded and opened the channel again. ‘What do you mean by “energy creature” and where is it now?’

‘Its substance is mainly gaseous, and it is held together by lattices of force much like your shimmer-shields. I do not know where it is now. It has escaped via your runcibles.’

Cormac closed the channel again. ‘Do you notice a certain lack of resemblance to previous Dragon dialogue?’ he said to them all.

Mika said, ‘It is answering your questions directly.’

‘Precisely. That makes me very suspicious.’

He reopened the channel. ‘Dragon, there is little we can do about this creature now. We came here to install a new runcible, and we wish to set about this work. Have you finished scorching Samarkand?’ He could not keep the sarcasm from his voice.

Dragon took a long time replying. ‘The criminal must be found. The danger to your kind is great. It has taken ten thousand lives. Next time it might take millions.’

‘I repeat: there is little we can do about this now. We need the runcible installed so that communications can be opened with the grid. Then perhaps some way can be found to trace this Maker. Tell me, in what ways is it vulnerable?’

‘You have devices . . . Your proton weapons, contra-terrene bombs . . .’

‘These will kill it?’

‘If they do not kill it, they will hurt it sufficiently to make it run. It knows your runcibles now. It will run for them.’

‘But why should we want it to run?’

‘So it goes somewhere else.’

This was more like the Dragon of old: it was playing semantic games with life-and-death issues. Cormac paused for a moment of thought before continuing.

‘Dragon, what did you intend to do had the Maker been here, and free from its containment vessel, when you arrived?’

‘Now you have a grasp of the basics, Ian Cormac.’

‘You would have killed it here, then. And you still can,’ said Cormac. Then he added, ‘We have a runcible to install now.’

‘I will not hinder you. But you may take onboard my creatures. They will assist you. They will obey every command. This I offer in reparation.’

‘Accept or die,’ whispered Thorn.

Cormac did not like this. He felt, as he always felt with Dragon, that a lot was not being told. He especially did not like an offer of reparation that was not open to negotiation. Should he refuse, and risk more of the wrath they had just witnessed? He let the thought slide, and in that moment decided there was one more question that needed an answer.

‘Dragon, where is . . . the rest of you?’