‘Just to make sure you’re fit to travel,’ said Gobleka.

‘And to obtain more data, magos,’ said Davinch. ‘To assist in the preparation of further successful candidates.’

Sark nodded. He walked over to Davinch and faced Eisenhorn.

‘You have had some success at least,’ said Sark. ‘A replication to build on.’

He looked more closely into Eisenhorn’s blank face.

‘I pity you,’ Sark said. ‘I hate all you stand for and all the setbacks you have caused the Cognitae over the years, but even so, I pity you for what you are about to endure.’

Eisenhorn didn’t reply.

Sark turned and limped up the steps towards the hatch into the palace.

‘Should we follow?’ Davinch whispered to Gobleka.

‘I don’t want to leave him alone for long,’ Gobleka replied. ‘He seems safe, but I really don’t know what he is any more. First, let’s deal with this.’

He looked at Eisenhorn.

‘Let’s get him in the cage,’ he said.

Nayl took a step towards Blayg.

‘Get ready to move,’ he told the others. ‘I’m going to knock him down. Get ready to run when I do.’

Drusher could see that Nayl meant to tackle the animation and grapple it out of their way.

‘You’ll die!’ he exclaimed.

‘We’re dying right now,’ replied Nayl.

There was a chattering, rattling thump, and the light above them dimmed considerably. The gears and mechanisms of the Loom suddenly spun down and slowed.

The animations collapsed to the deck as though the invisible wires that had been supporting them had suddenly snapped. They heard the separating bones of the skeletal one clattering and bouncing away down the steps.

‘What does that mean?’ asked Macks.

‘Don’t question it, Germaine,’ said Drusher. ‘Move, before they get up again.’

They hurried Voriet past Blayg’s body, towards the steps he had approached from. Nayl paused, squatted and picked up Blayg’s autorifle. Gingerly, he poked at Blayg with the weapon’s stock. No electric crackle. He reached on and took some spare clips from the corpse’s pockets.

‘Hurry up!’ said Drusher.

‘I’m coming,’ Nayl growled. Hefting the combat weapon, he turned and ran after them.

Gobleka shut the cage door with the locking un-word. Smoke threaded the air, hanging like gauze under the lighting rigs.

Inside the cage, Eisenhorn was on his knees, staring dumbly at his cuffed hands. He slowly raised his head and looked at Gobleka.

‘You know what to do,’ said Gobleka.

Eisenhorn didn’t reply.