‘Don’t take an age about it,’ Prozor said. ‘Bosa’s boarding squad’s probably already on its way.’

Trusko worked the airlock that led back into the main part of the Queenie. We watched him go through it, holding back for the moment. I touched a hand around the invisible sleeve of her Ghostie armour, while Strambli looked on.

‘I had to do it,’ I said. ‘I ain’t apologising, or explaining myself, so don’t get that idea. Bosa hurt you, but she hurt me as well and I wasn’t going to roll the dice on us ever crossing orbits again. I want you to stay my friend. Nothing would mean more to me than that. But if you can’t set this aside, I understand.’

‘You played us,’ Prozor said.

‘I played Bosa, not you. You wanted Trusko to stay in character, so you kept some of the truth from him. I did the same. If you’d known how near she was, you’d have acted differently, and maybe we wouldn’t be getting this chance.’

‘This chance to die?’

‘This chance to end her,’ I said. ‘That’s what’s happening. This day, this hour.’

‘You really think you can do this? That glowy’s been in you too long, girlie. It’s crossed over into your grey.’

‘I just know what needs to be done. And I want you with me while we do it.’

That was when I noticed the light on Trusko’s console, flashing on and off. I didn’t know what it meant – just that it hadn’t been there before.

‘What’s that?’ I asked Strambli.

‘The squawk,’ she said after a moment’s hesitation. ‘The Queenie’s squawk, on the backup channel. It’s Cap’n Trusko. He must be sending a message to Bosa.’

I knew then that he had lied to us, just as we’d lied to him. Trusko hadn’t gone ahead to break the news to the others about the armour. He’d gone ahead to use the squawk.

‘Get him,’ Prozor said.

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