Because Ive had time to think, she said, catching the other mans eye and speaking quickly. Luiz, listen to me. If you burn Bash, you run a risk of permanently damaging his implants. And if what youre telling me is true, she said, turning back to Sifra, and he really can link to the Wanderer as you say he can, then youre taking a chance of losing that link forever if you do any lasting damage. And if that happened, Im guessing Schelling would personally burn your dick off.

He stared at her. And that story you just told me?

Take it or leave it, she said. I dont care if you dont believe any of it or not.

Shes right, said Luiz. Its too much risk. You have her and Bashir both, and thats all that matters.

No, said Sifra, I

Luiz sighed and shook his head, then pushed his torch gun back inside his jacket. No, Anil, he said firmly, lets just concentrate for now on our departure for Redstone. Thats the reason Im here, not because youve got some personal vendetta against this woman.

Megan watched as Sifra visibly struggled to control his temper. Then he exhaled noisily and stepped back over to the door. Theres something youre not telling me, he said, glaring back at her as Luiz swung the door open. And even if I dont find out what it is today, I will eventually.

He nodded towards Bash. In the meantime, youd better get used to each others company, because youre going to be spending a lot of time around each other.

As he left, he slammed the door shut and locked it, his and Luizs footsteps rapidly receding down the passageway beyond.

Megan let her head tip back against the wall with a groan. Redstone? Of all the places.

She glanced over at Bash, lying unseeing and uncaring on his cot. In a life full of bad memories, the ones associated with that particular world were the worst for her.

The following morning, Luiz returned, accompanied by the two bead-zombies. One remained standing by the door, a sword clutched in one hand, while the other kept a cheaply fabricated plasma rifle trained on Megans head. Luiz meanwhile busied himself with cuffing her wrists behind her back. He then started to drag Bash out of his cot by the arm.

For pitys sake, said Megan, take it easy. You only need to coax him a little.

Luiz gave her a brief, sour glance and kicked Bash hard as he lay on the floor, half tangled up in his sheets. Luiz then knelt down to twist Bashs arms behind his back, before securing them with another pair of cuffs.

Megan eyed the two bead-zombies. She might not have access to the local data-net but, with those two headless abominations physically present in the room with her, she could see their electronic control systems as a shimmering matrix of data. Was it possible . . . ?