‘The Ghosts are this way,’ said the Integumentary, ‘because of our evolutionary past. As you would understand if you knew anything about the species you are endeavouring to wipe out.’

‘Maybe,’ Teel said, ‘but you stayed that way because it’s efficient. Even in some military applications: if you’re waging a guerrilla war on an occupied world, for instance, a network of cells can be very effective. But in large-scale set-piece battles, which we always try to draw the Ghosts into, you need a command structure.’

‘And now they have one,’ Hex said.

‘Which makes them harder to beat. But it also makes them more vulnerable, because suddenly assassination is an effective weapon.’

Hex, intrigued, asked, ‘Why would any Ghost commit this treason? If the Black Ghost exists - if it lies behind these new effective tactics—’

The Integumentary said, ‘The Black Ghost’s is the greater treason, because of where its project will inevitably lead.’

Teel prompted, ‘Which is?’

‘To an arms race. Humans will steal or reinvent the gravity wave technology for themselves. Then we will conspire together, humans and Ghosts, to wreck the Galaxy between us. Or, worse—’

‘Ah,’ said Teel. ‘The Black Ghost will unleash such power that there won’t be anything left for the victors to take.’

‘It’s possible,’ Borno said. ‘Ghosts are single-minded. They choose a plan and stick to it, whatever the cost.’

In the training academies there was a joke about Ghosts that had the right of way to cross a road. But the transport drivers ignored the stop signs. So the first Ghost crossed, exerting its rights, and was creamed in the process. So did the second, the third, the fourth, each sticking to what it believed was right regardless of the cost. Then the fifth invented a teleport, changing physical law to make the road obsolete altogether . . .

Teel said, ‘So you want the Black Ghost eliminated before it destroys everything. Even though this may be your best chance of winning the war and of avoiding the subjugation or even extinction that would follow.’

‘Sooner extinction than universal destruction,’ the Integumentary said.

‘How noble.’

Hex said, ‘And you, Integumentary, are prepared to make the most profound moral judgements on behalf of your whole species - and their entire future?’

Borno said, ‘Who cares about Ghost ethics? They won’t need ethics when they’re all dead.’

‘You’re deranged, gunner, but you’re right,’ said Teel. ‘We don’t need to consider Ghost consciences. Our job is to consider what use to make of this strange opportunity. Certainly we need to find out more about these new Ghost variants you’ve come up against. I’ll pass this up the line to—’

‘You decide now,’ the Ghost snapped.

Borno said, ‘If you think a commodore is going to take orders from a ball of fat like you—’

‘Can it, gunner,’ Hex snapped.