‘Oh, in this game you are. We’re all things when it comes to war. You see⁠ —’ August realised that Hoff was staring out of the dome in surprise. He followed his gaze.

Smith and Bernice were wandering unconcernedly towards the dome, Smith wearing his white evening gloves.

The two of them walked straight in through the open doorway.

Hoff pressed his gun closer into Joan’s face. ‘John!’ she cried. ‘I hadn’t dared hope⁠ —’

‘What?’ hissed Smith. ‘Oh, of course⁠ — she thinks that I am Dr Smith. Greeneye and I succeeded in cornering his fleeing companion on the hillside. She and some of the boys had mounted a trap for us. We fooled them through my assumption of this form. That finger I consumed proved to be… very useful.’

‘And I had some fun afterwards. Professor Summerfield put up quite a fight.’

Bernice wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, her other hand on her hip.

‘Delicious memories, almost as good as that Auregan.’ She wandered over to Joan and ran a hand through her hair.

Joan shivered. ‘Does this mean that⁠ — Is John dead? Please tell me.’

‘No. He wasn’t about. Lucky for him.’ Bernice looked up at August. ‘Can I have some of this? It’s always that way with humanoids: you have one and ten minutes later you want another.’ She pulled a strand of hair from Joan’s head and chewed on it thoughtfully.

Hoff relaxed, standing up and dropping his gun back into its holster.

August smiled at Bernice. ‘Yes, of course, but don’t do her too much damage, we need something to give to Smith. This Auregan you mention, do you mean Sola?’

Bernice glanced up from where she’d knelt down, starting to tap Joan’s sides with her fingers like a skilled butcher. ‘No, not him. Didn’t I tell you about Kuala? Or was it Tuola? I just fancy some kidneys…’

Joan began to sob uncontrollably. ‘Oh God, somebody save me, please…’

August turned back to Smith. ‘You don’t have the Pod, I take it?’

‘No.’ Smith shook his head. ‘Smith must still be searching for it.’

August absently picked up a scanner and checked a reading. ‘So why keep his form?’

‘I can search for the boy like this, also. He will trust me.’

Joan gave a shriek. Bernice was working at something behind her. ‘Finger,’ she explained. ‘That won’t annoy Smith too much, will it? They’ll be a matching pair.’

Smith idly picked up the control dart-gun from one of the benches and inspected the muzzle. ‘Ready?’ he asked.

‘For what?’ August frowned.

‘Yes,’ Bernice called cheerfully.

Smith spun the gun round and fired darts into August and Hoff.

Bernice threw aside the manacles she’d been cutting through and pulled Joan to her feet. She dropped the laser cutter back into her pocket. ‘Sorry I burnt you,’ she told Joan, ‘but it added a touch of realism.’