At last, somewhat to my relief, we got Dakk away from her crew. Varcin led us down more corridors to Captain Iana’s plush wardroom.

Tarco and I stood in the middle of the carpet, aware of how dinged-up we were, scared of spreading Spline snot all over Iana’s furniture. But Varcin waved us to chairs anyhow, and we sat down stiffly.

I watched Dakk. She sprawled in a huge chair, shaking a little, letting her exhaustion show now she was away from her crew. She was me. My face - reversed from the mirror image I’d grown up with. I was very confused. I hated the idea of growing so old, arrogant, unorthodox. But I’d seen plenty to admire in Dakk: strength, an ability to command, to win loyalty. Part of me wanted to help her. Another part wanted to push her away.

But mostly I was just aware of the bond that connected us. It didn’t matter whether I liked her or loathed her; whichever way, she was always going to be there, for the rest of my life. It wasn’t a comfortable notion.

Varcin was watching me. I got the idea he knew what I was feeling. But he turned to business, steepling his fingers.

‘Here’s how it is. We’re scrambling to download data, to put together some kind of coherent picture of what happened downstream.’ Downstream - not the last bit of time-hopping jargon I was going to have to get used to. ‘You have surprises ahead of you, Ensign Dakk.’

I laughed a bit shrilly, and waved a hand at the captain. ‘Surprising after this? Bring it on.’

Dakk looked disgusted. Tarco placed a calming hand on my back.

Varcin said, ‘First, you - rather, Captain Dakk - will be charged. There will be a court of inquiry.’

‘Charged? What with?’

Varcin shrugged. ‘Negligence, in recklessly endangering the ship.’ He eyed Dakk. ‘I imagine there will be other counts, relating to various violations of the Druz Doctrines.’

Dakk just smiled, a chilling expression. I wondered how I ever got so cynical.

Varcin went on, ‘Ensign, you’ll be involved.’

I nodded. ‘Of course. It’s my future.’

‘You don’t understand. Directly involved. We want you to serve as the prosecuting advocate.’

‘Me? Sir.’ I took a breath. ‘You want me to prosecute myself. For a crime, an alleged crime anyhow, I won’t commit for twenty-four years. Is there any part of that I misunderstood?’

‘No. You have the appropriate training, don’t you?’

Dakk laughed. ‘This is their way, kid. After all who knows me better?’

I stood up. ‘Commissary, I won’t do it.’

‘Sit down, ensign.’

‘I’ll go to Captain Iana.’

‘Sit. Down.’

I’d never heard such a tone of command. I sat, frightened.

‘Ensign, you are immature, and inexperienced, and impetuous. You will have much to learn to fulfil this assignment. But you are the necessary choice.