Bash isnt as brain-dead as you think. He knows more than you could possibly guess, such as the fact that the Wanderers already started digging through the Ingersolls hull, to get at its nova drive. So, unless you take action right now, were all dead.

I dont believe you, said Sifra flatly. He reached into a pocket, retrieving his gloves without once taking his eyes off her.

No, wait a second, said Tarrant, stepping closer to the display he had been studying moments before. He activated a virtual panel, his hands moving through the projected light. Theres something not right here.

What? asked Sifra.

He looked back at Sifra, shock evident in his gaze. The external feeds theyve been running on a repeating loop for the past hour!

While youre at it, said Gabrielle, maybe you should ask Szymurski to come out of his chair.

Tarrant glared at her, before touching another panel. Szymurski, you there?

Right here. His voice echoed across the command deck.

The external feed, said Tarrant. Its looping. We arent getting it in real time. Why?

Theres a software glitch in the micro-relays, Szymurski replied. Its nothing to worry about.

God damn it, Tarrant exploded, why the hell didnt you tell me? Do you have any idea how much danger youve put us in?

I can monitor the real-time situation just fine from here, said Szymurski. Everythings quiet.

Tarrant licked his lips, and Gabrielle saw a flicker of real fear crossing his face. Step down from the chair, he said. I want to speak to you directly, person to person.

Gabrielle stared over towards the astrogation chair. With its petals folded up, it looked like a sculpture of a sleeping rose wrought from steel and plastic.

Szymurski didnt respond.

Tarrants hands clenched by his sides. Goddamn it, he shouted, answer me!

Still no answer.

Tarrant turned to Sifra. Shes right. Somethings wrong.

No. Sifra shook his head. I dont believe any of this. Shes lying, or bluffing. Shes a machine-head herself and, for all we know, shes found some way of locking Szymurski inside his astrogation chair with no way to get out.

Tarrant stared at him in disbelief. Dont be ridic

Something shook the bulkheads surrounding them, and in the next moment a siren began to wail.

When you were last here, ten years ago, said Gabrielle quickly, the Wanderer learned a great deal about how machine-head implants work. Thats how, from the moment we jumped into this system, it was able to get inside Szymurskis head without you ever guessing.

Sifra jabbed at a console, his face turning pale. I cant get hold of Rohloff or anyone else, he said. The comms systems are all down.

All right, Gabrielle, said Tarrant finally. I believe you. What do you think we should do?

Just what I already said. Trigger that nova mine you put in orbit around this systems sun, so it destroys the Wanderer.