'It could be a genetic program,' mused Anawak. 'You know, with only particular cells capable of triggering aggregation.'

'So one part of the brain would have an inbuilt capacity to do more than the rest. . .' Weaver mused. 'It's an interesting idea. But I'm not sure it's right.'

'Hold on a minute- what if we're still on the wrong track? We're working on the assumption that the cells form a brain when they aggregate.'

'I'm almost certain they do.'

'Well, so am I. But it's just occurred to me that…'

'What?'

Anawak was thinking feverishly. 'Don't you find it odd that the cells are all different. To my mind, there's only one reason why the coding would be variable – their DNA has been programmed separately to enable them to accomplish different tasks. But if that were the case, each of those cells would be a brain in itself He stopped to think again. That would be amazing. But he didn't have the first clue how it might work. 'In fact, the DNA in each cell would actually be the brain.'

'Intelligent DNA?'

'Er, yes.'

'But it would have to be able to learn.' She looked at him doubtfully. I'm prepared to believe almost anything, but isn't that a bit… ?'

She was right. It was a crazy idea. It would involve a new type of biochemistry. Something they knew nothing about. But if there was a way of making it work… 'Can you tell me again how neural network computers actually learn?' he said.

'It's through parallel distributed processing. The computer learns from example. The more input patterns it encounters, the more output patterns it predicts.'

'And how does it retain that information?'

'It stores it.'

'So every unit has to have storage space. And the network of storage units produces artificial thought.'

'What are you getting at?'

Anawak explained. She listened, then made him start again from the beginning. 'But aren't you rewriting the laws of biology?'

'I guess so. But couldn't you write a program that works in a similar fashion?'

'Oh, God.'

'A smaller version, then.'

'Even that's a tall order. Christ, Leon, what a crazy theory. But, OK, I'll do it.'

She stretched her body. Tiny golden hairs shimmered on her forearms. Her muscles were taut beneath her T-shirt. Anawak gazed at her small, broad-shouldered frame, and thought again how much he liked her.

At that moment, she glanced up. 'It's going to cost you, though,' she said.

'What?'

'A massage. For my shoulders and back.' She grinned. 'Well, jump to it. You can start right away while I work on this program.'

RUBIN

At lunchtime they made their way to the officers' mess. Johanson was evidently feeling better, and he was getting on swimmingly with Oliviera. Neither seemed disappointed when Rubin announced that the migraine had ruined his appetite. 'I'm going for a stroll on the roof,' he said.

'Take good care of yourself,' grinned Johanson. 'You wouldn't want to slip.'

'Oh, I'll be fine,' laughed Rubin. If only you knew, he thought. If only you could see just how careful I'm being, your jaw would hit the well deck. 'Don't worry,' he said. I'll keep away from the edge.'

'Well, remember we need you.'

'Yeah, right,' he heard Oliviera mutter, as she and Johanson continued to the mess.

Rubin clenched his fists. They could say what they liked about him. In the end he'd get the recognition he deserved. He was the one they'd have to thank for saving humanity. He was tired of being veiled in secrecy by the CIA, but once this business was over, there'd be nothing to stop him sharing his achievements with the world. All that stuff about confidentiality wouldn't matter. He'd broadcast his successes and bask in admiration.

His mood improved as he hurried up the ramp. On 03 level he turned down a passageway and arrived in front of a narrow door. It was locked. He tapped in the code. The door swung open and Rubin entered a corridor. He followed it to the end, and came to another locked door. This time when he punched in the code, a green light flashed up on the display. Above it was a camera behind a glass panel. Rubin walked up and placed his right eye in front of the glass. The camera scanned his retina and gave the all-clear.

Authentification complete, the door slid open. He went into a large, dark room full of computers and monitors. It bore a striking resemblance to the CIC. Civilians and people in uniform were manning the control desks. The air was abuzz with the sound of computers. Li, Vanderbilt and Peak were standing around a chart table. Its transparent surface was lit from below.

Peak looked up. 'Come in,' he said.

Rubin walked over. Suddenly his self-assurance slipped. Since the events of last night they had stuck to brief factual conversations on the phone. The tone had been neutral. Now it was frosty.

Rubin decided to pre-empt the attack. 'We're making good progress,' he said. 'We're still one step ahead and-'

'Sit down,' said Vanderbilt. He gestured brusquely towards a chair on the opposite side of the table.

Rubin sat. The others remained standing, leaving him in a position that made him uneasy. He sensed that he was on trial. 'Of course, the incident last night was rather unfortunate,' he added.

'Unfortunate?' Vanderbilt rested his knuckles on the table. 'For Chrissakes, you jerk. Under any other circumstances I'd have made you walk the plank.'

'But, really, I only-'

'What the hell did you knock him out for?'

'What was I supposed to do?'

'You were supposed to be more careful in the first place. You shouldn't have let him in.'

'That wasn't my fault,' Rubin objected. 'I didn't think anyone could scratch their bums without you people watching.'

'Why did you open the goddamned hatch?'

'Because… Well, I thought we might. . . You see, there was a matter that I…'

'That you what?'

'Now, look here, Rubin,' said Peak, 'that hatch on the hangar deck serves one purpose and one purpose only: to let vehicles in and out. You should know that.' His eyes flashed. 'Maybe you could tell us what was so damned important that you opened it.'

Rubin bit his lip.

'You couldn't be bothered to walk through the ship. It was laziness, period.'

'How could you even suggest that?'

'Because it's true.' Li walked over to Rubin and perched on the edge of the table. Her eves looked concerned, almost friendly. 'You said that you were going for a breath of fresh air.'

Rubin slumped deeper into his chair. Of course he'd said that. And, of course, the surveillance system had recorded him saying it.

'And then you went out a second time.'

'But it didn't look as though anyone was there,' he defended himself. 'And your people didn't say different.'

'They didn't say anything because you didn't ask – even though you need express permission to open that hatch. It happened twice in a row. They didn't get a chance to tell you.'

'I'm sorry,' murmured Rubin.

'I'm going to be straight with you, Mick. We didn't do our job perfectly either. No one seems to have clocked Johanson's return trip to the hangar deck. We're also to blame for the fact that the whole vessel isn't under continual surveillance. As it turns out, we couldn't hear what Oliviera and Johanson were saying when they held their private party. The ramp and the roof are out of earshot too. But none of that changes the fact that you acted like a total jerk.'

'I promise I won't-'

'You're a security risk, Mick. A brainless asshole. I may not always agree with Jack, but if you go ahead and pull another stunt like that, I'll volunteer to help him throw you overboard. I'll even drum up a few sharks so I can watch them tear your heart out. Do you understand me? I will kill you.'