“Already the big dog on deck,” says a familiar voice. “Didn’t take you very long.”

I turn to find Folau, or rather, half of him, leaning out from a tangle of wires and belt feeds. It looks like part of the fire-suppression system, the casing bent around the Juno’s fist.

“Didn’t take you long either.”

He sketches a gasp. “What are you suggesting?”

“That thing’s scrap, at best. Whatever you’re doing isn’t going to save it.” I lean in. “But anyone looking for their newbie greaser might miss that you were here.”

“Are you making out that I’m anything but a model em-ploy-ee?”

“Seems that way, doesn’t it?”

Folau grins at me. “I guess it does. That a problem?”

“As you were, greaser.”

He disappears, gets back to whatever it was he was doing before. “Aye aye, chief.”

I shake my head and leave him to it. Knowing Folau, he’s probably overqualified for whatever Avery has him doing.

The other knuckledraggers are fighting and sweating on the scaffolds around my shell. Whoever put the bolts in did it quick and dirty, like they were trying to sneak it in while Hail and I were on the other side of the hangar.

I grind my teeth. Kadi doesn’t have much to worry about from fresh meat like me and he knows it. I’ll have to find some way of returning the favour, make sure everyone’s clear on where they’re standing.

I’m still simmering when I look up and find the Juno looking at me. It’s only half a head—three eyes down one side, peering through an awkward gap in the steel. The lenses are perfect now, and I can feel them on me.

I pull my helmet up and over, run through the seals and pressure checks. I let it settle and blink my way through a sync.

20.01, says the counter in the middle of my screen.

28.12

The floor falls away under me, and the hangar block spins with my head at the pivot.

31.48

I swallow hot spit and fight to keep myself standing. “Too soon,” I manage, gasping. “Too soon.”

24.17

11.62

5.59

1.00

And I can breathe again. My head feels lighter than the rest of me, and my vision clouds around the edges, but I’m still standing.

The Juno is a subtle pressure now, like a finger resting on my skin. I can feel its eyes on me, but not much more than that. It’s the feeling of someone close by, or a light breeze on your neck.

“Thank you.”

The machine warms at me.

Christs, I’ve missed this.

Avery interrupts my thoughts. He’s got his crew knocking the big bolts free with hammers, the steel shrieking as they go. I grit my teeth and turn away. I’m not sure I can watch.