We dont have any guarantees that we can even get ourselves out of this system before the detonation reaches us, said Tarrant.

Were about as good as dead anyway, she replied. And, believe me, things are going to be far, far worse for the whole human race than you could possibly imagine, if that thing gets away from here with your nova drive. The bulkheads shuddered violently again. I mean it, Gregor. You have to trigger it now.

Wait one minute, said Sifra. I still say this is bullshit. Shes tricking us.

Just open your eyes and ears, Gregor rounded on him. Somethings attacking us.

Then how the hell does she know all this? Sifra demanded, his voice shrill. How could she unless Jacinths already made a deal with the Wanderer, and shes in on it?

Tarrant peered at her intently. You said Bash told you all this, but how did he do that exactly? You mean he just sat up and started talking?

Something like that. Hes capable of lucid moments, very occasionally. And he can get inside the Wanderers mind in some way.

Right, said Sifra. So a man with the intellectual capacity of a piece of broccoli spontaneously started having a conversation with you. He turned to Tarrant, his expression defiant. Are you honestly going to listen to this bullshit? Theyre both skilled manipulators, her and Jacinth, and now theyre spinning this insane story just to get us to back off.

For Gods sake, Anil, Tarrant exploded, didnt you hear something slamming into the ship? And yet our sensor arrays tell us theres nothing out there.

If what you say is true, Anil, said Gabrielle, I wouldnt be asking you to destroy the Wanderer, and quite possibly kill all of us in the process as well.

Have you forgotten what Jacinth did to us, back on the Beauregard? Sifra demanded, staring at Tarrant. How she tricked us?

Around them the ship shook with even greater violence than before, as Tarrant confronted him. No more arguments, he said, moving away from his console. We need to get Szymurski out of that astrogation chair, and put Gabrielle in his place.

No, said Sifra. Not without General Schellings authorization first.

Anil, said Tarrant, Ive about had it up to here with your endless whining. We cant manage to raise Rohloff or anyone else on this ship. For all we know, theyre all already dead.

Gabrielle thought of Bash, still back in their quarters, and wondered if she had made some terrible mistake by leaving him there . . . But, no, if she had brought him along with her, they might never have got past that guard. She just had to hope he would be all right.

Tarrant took a step towards the astrogation chair.

No, yelled Sifra, darting up behind him.

Gabrielle hadnt noticed Sifra pulling on his gloves. Now, before she could move, he had grabbed hold of Tarrants arm.