"So if the Dolgoprudnensky haven't contacted the alien, why did Mutizen make their offer to me?" Julia asked.

"It wasn't a genuine offer," Greg said. "As far as we know, Event Horizon is the only company to be offered generator data by Mutizen. Everyone else has been approached by Clifford Jepson, including Mikoyan who loyally informed the Russian Defence Ministry. Consider the timing. Three or four days ago the Dolgoprudnensky learned about atomic structuring, either from contacts in Mikoyan or the Russian Defence Ministry. A technology so startlingly original it's frightened the crap out of every company and government that's heard about it. Then, at more or less the same time, they find out there could be an alien in the solar system. Just like you did, Julia; and just like you they drew the same conclusion. The two have to be connected. Since then, they have been doing exactly the same as everyone else, trying to find the source of atomic structuring, the owner of the generator data. Their advantage was that they were the first to know about both atomic structuring and Royan's alien together. They thought all they had to do was interrogate Charlotte and they would get to the alien first. But then Jason Whitehurst played his joker and isolated her. The Dolgoprudnensky started to panic. There's a definite deadline involved, because tomorrow Clifford Jepson is going to finalize his partnership. If they want in, they're going to have to find the alien before then. They're trying to get you and Clifford Jepson to do their work for them.

"Mutizen was ordered to offer you the joint development deal and production partnership. It's a complete phoney, but it made sure you knew about atomic structuring after you'd been given the flower. That way you would be bound to mount a major operation to chase after Royan, an operation that was naturally put together in a hurry. In other words, a sloppy one, one which would be easy for them to follow. And Mutizen's offer would also spur Clifford Jepson along, maybe even force him to visit the alien to ask how come Mutizen were also offering generator data. Certainly they slipped him the know about Charlotte and maybe Royan as well; that's why Leol Reiger appeared on the scene. The Dolgoprudnensky couldn't lose; they have their own agents searching New London, then they had Event Horizon and Clifford Jepson plugged in as well, three trails to follow. Vassili was right, that Kirilov is one smart bastard."

"I've been used?" Julia asked quietly.

Suzi tried to tell herself she wasn't bothered by the icecool tone. But Julia had a way of speaking direct into the brain. And hearing her angry like this was daunting. All that power, safely bottled away by Julia's stuffy conventions and convictions, but what that woman could do if she ever lashed out…

"Yes, you," Greg said lightly. "And me, and Suzi, Victor, Clifford. The Dolgoprudnensky loaded our programs, and we jerked about like cyborgs. The only one who didn't was Jason Whitehurst."

Julia's face was perfectly composed, staring out of the window, swallowed by thought.

"The synopsis Greg suggests does seem to plug in to the profile we've been assembling on Mutizen," one of Julia's screen images said. "We were unable to find any reference to atomic structuring technology prior to two days ago. There have been no funds allocated to physics research teams, they don't employ any scientists capable of doing that kind of work. Your original assessment that they had obtained the data from someone else is the most logical solution."

"Humm," Julia turned to Greg. "Is he still alive?"

"You know I can't answer that, but—" Greg's face went all slack. "I don't get any bad vibes about carrying on the search. Maybe it'll be worthwhile. Tell you, I'm going to keep going." He fixed Suzi with a bleary gaze. "How about you?"

"New London next stop," she said levelly. Then Leol Reiger.

"I didn't say I was going to stop." Julia spiked Greg with a vexed glare.

"Good," he said. "New London is a big place, and the Dolgoprudnensky agents wouldn't even know where to begin."

"And you do?" Julia asked.

"No. But Charlotte does. How about it? Will you come with us, Charlotte? Identify the priest for us?"

Charlotte gave a cautious nod. "Yes. If you think I can help."

"Thank you, Charlotte." Julia showed her a warm smile. The girl's tension seemed to flake away.

"Are you sure New London is the source?" Victor asked. He struck Suzi as the only one round the table who wasn't entirely convinced about Royan and the alien. Which was strange, he'd seen Greg's psi at work before.

"Only lead we've got," Greg said. "Unless the SETI team has found anything at Jupiter?"

"Sorry, not a thing," Rick said. "I've been updating this morning. There have been no detectable electromagnetic signals. Something might turn up on the visual search, but it's early days yet."

Victor gave a dispassionate grunt. Definitely some tension there, Suzi thought.

"I want my hardliners with me," Suzi told Julia. "We came out of yesterday looking like shit. If we'd had some decent fire-power it would've been another fucking story. And if the Dolgoprudnensky have got some people up in New London, you can be sure they're carrying."

"New London is a dormitory town and tourist resort," Julia said. "I'm not having you take a private army up there."

"Take the crash team with you," Victor said smoothly. "You know they're good, yes? And Julia's right. We really can't permit armed tekmercs in New London, no matter how loyal to you or well disciplined they are. Highest bid, Suzi."

She grinned. "Sold. It sounds fluid enough." The crash team would be OK; she'd been talking to them, putting on the old-time pro routine, surprising what'd kicked free.

"I hope you'll allow me to accompany Greg and the security team up to New London," Rick Parnell said.

Suzi hadn't paid him much attention, a hunk in a bad suit. University man, who looked for aliens in the stars, his talk would be in the stratosphere. He'd been very keen to sit next to Julia.

"I want the Jupiter search supervised properly," Julia said.

"It will be," Rick insisted. "But I'm not an astronomer. I couldn't contribute to that. You always say put the experts in charge. And I'd be best employed in contacting the alien. It's going to have a very strange psychology. I'm not saying I'll understand its motivational behaviour patterns, but, well, the SETI department has initiated some studies into—"

"All right," Julia cut in. "If Greg doesn't object to you tagging along."

"No."

Rick let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Victor, you chase up Royan's next memory package," Julia said. "It ought to be at the North Sea Farm company."

"We've already accessed every memory core at the Farm," said one of the screen Julias. "They're clean."

"All the more reason for Victor to go in person," Julia said. "He can find what you're missing." She looked round the table. "Right, well if that's it, we'll start. Greg, your spaceplane will be here in an hour."

"Are you coming to New London with us?" Suzi asked.

"Not initially, first I'm going to try and sort out the atomic structuring situation with the kombinates and Clifford. But as soon as you locate the Celestial priest, I'll follow you up."

"Right." Suzi stood up. There wasn't even the slightest tweak of pain from her knee. The clinic's bioware bracing was the best she'd ever seen.

What about the Dolgoprudnensky?" Fabian asked.

"Fabian—" Charlotte began warningly.

"No," the boy said stubbornly. "I won't be quiet. The Dolgoprudnensky started all this, they got you all fighting each other. And that's why my father is dead." He turned to face Julia Evans, eyes accusing. "Why aren't you going to do anything about them?"

"I am going to do something about them, but this situation requires my full attention right now. They'll still be there in a week, after this is all over. And you'll be a big part of their demise, Fabian. We can pass on everything you know about their timber operation to the Russian Justice Ministry." She gave him a modest smile. "Good enough?"