‘I thought you two had put your differences behind you,’ Trusko said.

‘Ain’t about differences,’ Prozor said. ‘It’s about provin’ we’re all equal to our share of the cut. Surt was ready to go in, and it wasn’t expected of her either.’

‘She feels that strongly,’ I said, ‘then let me on the expedition as well.’

‘I need you on the bones, Fura.’

‘The bones haven’t given so much as a squeak in fifteen days,’ I told him. ‘If there was another ship near us, I’d know it. We can be in and out quick, can’t we, if Strambli does her job?’

Strambli’s larger eye flared with irritation, like a tram’s headlight pushing through fog. ‘Don’t you worry about me.’ Then: ‘I’m with Proz. Let the girlie prove ’erself. The bones’ll wait, and the auguries are on our side.’

‘They are,’ Trusko mused. ‘And they do have a point, Fura, as much as I’m loath to place my Bone Reader at any unnecessary risk. I suppose some practical suit time wouldn’t hurt you, and at least you’re lighter than Drozna.’

I gave my best sneer. ‘I said I’d do it, didn’t I?’

It took another three hours to finish getting the launch ready, by which time only twenty-eight hours remained for us to get in and out of the bauble. Prozor and I knew that, of course, but no one else did. Trusko was cross at being delayed by Surt’s accident, but he was still acting as if he had days to spare, and there wasn’t much Prozor and I could do to put the spur into him. There was already enough buzzing around in his head without adding to it.

‘I’ve had my share of happenstance,’ he was saying, as we sealed up for final departure. ‘But the death of one crew member, and the injury of another, within weeks of each other . . .’

‘They do say bad luck comes in threes,’ Strambli said. ‘I wonder what’s next?’

‘Oh, we’ve had our run of three,’ Trusko said, smiling at his own conviction. ‘Or four, if you want to count those first two baubles separately.’