The men around her all glanced up, and she followed their gaze, at the same moment hearing a dull roar from above. A dropship was descending towards them from out of the night sky, with drive-fields flickering around its hull. For a moment she thought they had been caught, and that the approaching craft was an Accord patrol come to return her to the Demarchy.

Karl and his Freeholder companions, however, watched the crafts descent with equanimity. Once the dropship had settled down onto the hard frozen soil, half a dozen metres away, Karl took charge of Gabrielle once more, tugging her towards the craft as light spilled out from its interior.

Gabrielle felt a sudden, powerful instinct urge her not to get on board the craft. She tried to shake herself loose from Karl, but his grip only became tighter.

Move, he snapped, dragging her forward. It was the first word he had said to her since picking her up and throwing her into the rivers freezing waters.

One of the Freeholders followed them. Karl paused at the dropships ramp and turned to him. Its all up to you from this point on, De Meer, he said. The impact wave should hit before very long.

De Meer nodded, and slapped Karl on the shoulder. Youve been a good friend to us, Tarrant. Maybe we finally have a chance at getting back everything we lost.

Tarrant? Gabrielle stared between the two men in confusion. Why had De Meer addressed Karl by that name?

Karl nodded towards the boat bobbing gently in the starlight. Can you get away before the wave arrives here?

We have our own air transport waiting nearby, De Meer replied. Well be able to watch Dios drown from above.

Karl laughed at that, and the two men embraced as if they were old comrades. Gabrielle thought suddenly of the tens of thousands of pilgrims who had converged on Dios for Ascension Day. Then De Meer turned without another word, and went to rejoin his companions who were waiting by the dock.

Inside, said Karl, his expression hardening again as he turned back to her.

Gabrielle stared at him. That name, he called you . . .

He grabbed her by the shoulder, nearly throwing her into the dropship. The hatch closed behind them, and Gabrielle swallowed hard as the airlock rapidly cycled through. The inner door opened and he pushed her into a bay where a man was waiting, wearing a jumpsuit similar to her own.

Get her inside a medbox, instructed Karl, pulling off his breather mask and pushing her towards the other occupant, before hypothermia sets in.

The man saluted him. Youll need attention too, sir, he said, stepping up beside Gabrielle. And the sooner the better, once were out of here.

I want to know why that man called you Ta