He immediately picked up on numerous minor communications: soldiers trying to find their commanders, others pleading for medics, many others complaining that they were in no state to go anywhere. Then arrived com traffic from Messina’s space plane, as some general instructed the troops to ‘maintain their positions’ and ‘retain their weapons’. At which point Saul decided it was time to butt in.

‘So you are actually instructing all your men to commit suicide,’ he said, making sure that his words – and any replies – would be heard by all the troops outside.

‘Who is this?’ demanded the general.

‘I think I have been here before,’ snapped Saul, ‘and I’ve no patience with it any more. Here is the position: Argus Station is presently set on a course away from Earth, and while it is under acceleration, all your space planes will remain locked down. I have destroyed the majority of your force and I now control your spiderguns. If your troops do not withdraw immediately as instructed, I will send the robots to kill them all. After that, I’m coming for you personally. I can detect that some of the nerve gas is still available, and a little bit of that released inside your plane should conclude this matter.’

‘This is Alessandro Messina speaking.’ The Chairman’s voice was instantly recognizable from so many broadcasts back on Earth. ‘And you, I take it, are Alan Saul?’

‘I certainly am,’ said Saul, rather distractedly.

The two robots Saul had sent off to Tech Central still had half a kilometre to go. When some of Langstrom’s men opened fire on them, their reply was brief and wholly destructive: five human beings converted into flying chunks of flesh interspersed with shreds of VC suits, all raining down on the asteroid beneath. This fusillade had also turned their gun to unrecognizable scrap, but now Smith was moving hundreds of station robots in between the pair of spiderguns and their destination.

‘We have much to discuss,’ continued Messina. ‘I can understand your anger towards Director Smith, since it seems he has subjected you to the most—’

‘Yes, do let’s have a discussion,’ Saul interrupted him. ‘Relay my order to your troops, or I come over and kill you. Meanwhile you remain aboard your plane. End of discussion.’

Saul cut the link and left them to it.

He now reviewed the progress of the construction robots he’d previously sent into Dock Two. They’d already secured Messina’s plane and three others, and were proceeding towards the last one on that docking pillar. He checked on timings and saw everything running to plan: less than two minutes left till shutdown, and by then the construction robots would have finished their job. His three spiderguns were in position within the same dock, so he sent them instructions to kill anyone who tried to step out of the space planes. All neatly tied off there, time now to deal with Smith.