‘He gave orders and instructions, which amount to the same. Let me pose a question to you: would you disobey him?’

It did not sound like a question from Mika’s lips, more like some sort of didactic exercise.

‘I know what you mean,’ said Thorn. ‘He’s all perfectly logical and reasonable mostly, but you know that he could quite logically and reasonably cut your throat, then wander off to find himself a cup of tea.’ He turned to his other companion. ‘Aiden, couldn’t you follow him in at a distance.’

‘He specifically ordered me to stay here. He is an agent of Earth Central Security, and we were told to put full trust in him and obey him. This was at the request of people we respect, as we otherwise have always been taught to question all orders. Cento and I did some checking and found he was gridlinked for ten years more than is normally acceptable, simply because he had become almost indispensable to Earth Central. The runcible AIs rank him not far below Horace Blegg.’

Thorn nodded. ‘Blegg . . . we always used to hear about him. He’s something of a legend. There’s those that don’t believe he exists. I wasn’t so sure myself . . .’

Aiden looked at him and said, ‘Perhaps I cannot impress on you enough just what it means to have that kind of approval from the runcible AIs. The records on Blegg go back beyond the first runcible AIs. It is rumoured he is over four hundred years old, which is somewhat strange, but it is certain he has now been working for Earth Central for two hundred years. Ian Cormac has only been an agent for seventy-three years, yet he too is ranked so high.’

‘I guess we should stay here then,’ admitted Thorn.

Mika said, ‘In the Life-coven we are taught to read people. I will wait here. I will wait on Ian Cormac.’

* * *

Cormac programmed the CTD and shoved it down amongst the decaying bat-things, then he turned and watched the light retreating into the depths of the cave. He nodded his head contemplatively, then looked down at the sprawled dracoman. It was Nonscar, lying prone as if in slumber, but with its eyes open. Cormac studied it for a while, then spoke into his comunit.

‘Viridian, did you get all that?’

‘There was some interference. I am having trouble holding your signal through that rock.’

‘Very well, I’ll repeat: we go through to the stage-one runcible, and I want all information access to the containment spheres closed off. The Maker will follow us in, and there’ll be a detonation at the other end. The next transmission will be to the stage-two runcible—when it’s set up—but only on my signal.’

‘Affirmed.’

‘I’m leaving the cave now. The blast will occur in twenty-five minutes. We didn’t have this conversation, so don’t let it out on the grid.’

‘Affirmed.’