“I don’t think Adam listens to anybody when they’re telling him something he doesn’t want to hear. Zahra, he’s ranting about being enslaved. He’s not rational. I don’t think the drones will deter him, and I don’t think the virus will either.”

“He’s only . . .” Only what? It was so hard to know anymore where Adam’s hyperbole ended and his true beliefs began. I had never cared before, when his hatred of the Councils was driving us to achieve a dream that should have been impossible. When I had thought he was saving the family, and my brother and sister, not endangering them.

“We need to contact Pangong,” Malachi said. “We have to tell them what’s going on.”

I stared at him. “You want to contact SPEC before we talk to Adam?”

“Adam won’t listen.”

“Maybe not, but he’s not the one piloting Homestead. Orvar will listen. He won’t want to endanger the family. He wants to keep everybody safe.”

Malachi turned to the control panel. “Okay. We can try. Do you want visual?”

“Yes.” It would be better for them to see my face. My mouth was dry, my head aching, my entire body sore from the bruises I knew must be purpling my skin. One look was all Orvar would need to understand how dire our situation was. “Go on.”

It took only a few seconds for the encrypted transmission to go through, but it felt like an eternity before Orvar’s face appeared on the terminal. His expression was grim, his hair wild, his flight suit loosened at the collar. There was a cacophony of noise around him.

“Where the hell have you been? SPEC is tracking us. The dark ship Boudicca saw is real,” Orvar said.

“We know,” Malachi said. “We’ve heard their warning.”

“Tell me you’ve got good news.”

“I need to talk to Adam,” I said.

A hush fell over the bridge of Homestead. Orvar’s eyes narrowed. Two young men appeared behind him, leaning down to peer at the terminal. My skin prickled with unease.

“Where’s Dag? Henke?” Orvar asked.

“Henke is dead,” I said. “One of the hostages killed him. I need to talk to Adam immediately.”

Orvar nodded at one of the young men, who grimaced but obeyed. He looked so very young, and so very scared, as he turned to leave the bridge.

“How far away is the SPEC ship?” Malachi asked.

“Quarter million klicks,” Orvar said grimly. “They’re not hiding anymore. A bit less. Can’t you see it?”

“We’re having trouble getting the systems online,” Malachi said.

“I don’t like the sound of that. He isn’t going to . . .” Orvar glanced over his shoulder. “It’s Zahra again.”

“Zahra!”