'Not yet,' said Pelter, then looked up as four objects settled through the trees. In the dim light they were difficult to see until very close. When visible, they had the appearance of small birds of transparent film stretched over black bones. They came in to land in a neat row on the launcher, where they closed their wings and became featureless ovoids. Corlackis took up a metal box from the deck and carefully placed each of the surveillance drones in its respective compartment. As an afterthought he took the miniconsole from his pocket and placed it in its compartment as well.

The sky was a kind of muddy-brown just before sunrise. Cormac would not have seen it, as he had been deeply asleep. But Aiden shook him awake.

'Another AGC coming directly here. Cento is rousing the others.'

Cormac rubbed sleep from his eyes. 'What's going on, they relocated the AGC park?'

'Pardon?'

'Never mind.'

Cormac sat upright and looked around. Thorn was already at the door of the carrier, his weapon resting on his shoulder. The sergeant and one of the two men were putting on their boots. Lying with his cuffed wrists secured to a steadying handle above one of the bunks, Stanton watched with disinterest. Cormac slid from his bed fully dressed. It was not the first time he had slept in body-armour.

'How far?' he asked.

'Ten minutes away'

Cormac turned to Stanton. 'Pelter?'

Stanton shrugged. 'Could be, but I doubt it. He'll want you to sweat for a while.'

Cormac snorted and turned away. 'Who's on the turret gun?… Never mind. Sergeant, no firing unless fired on. Thorn, Aiden, with me.'

The sergeant began speaking into his comunit as the three headed for the door. Above, they heard the drone of hydraulics as the turret gun swung round. Outside, Cormac saw that the men were dispersed around the camp with their weapons trained on the sky. Once again an AGC came in with its lights on and landed in the middle of the camp. Cormac immediately recognized the diminutive figure that stepped out, and advanced from cover with a smile on his face. Taking their cue from him, the other men did the same.

'All this fuss over me,' said Mika as she lifted a case from the AGC. 'I could get to like it.'

It was the first time Cormac had heard her be coquettish. It seemed very unlike her. He had imagined her as being more direct.

'It's good to see you, but why are you here?' asked Cormac.

'They're refitting the Hubris. It's like a madhouse there. I asked Blegg if I could come to follow up on some studies.' She looked pointedly at the dracomen as they came from the trees to squat by the carrier.

'He's still there then - Blegg?'

'Yes, and managing to annoy everyone with the minimum effort.'

They walked towards the carrier.

Mika went on. 'I also thought you might need a medic, if you haven't got one…'

'A couple of the men are trained, Thorn as well. There was an attack last night, but most injuries have been tended to.'

'Attack. Presumably not the Maker?'

'A Separatist group.'

Mika nodded. 'I see one injury that hasn't been tended to,' she said. She gestured to the dracoman now called Scar.

Cormac could not think of a reply. Just then one of the regulars came running across.

'Sir! Sir! Something took one of the bodies in the night.'

Mika looked at Cormac, and Cormac looked at Mika. They both looked at the dracomen.

'Probably an animal. We should have buried them,' Cormac told the man.

'Shall we bury them, sir?'

'If you like.'

The regular departed.

'You could have at least fed them,' said Mika accusingly, and then walked over to the wounded draco-man. Cormac watched her go, a slight smile twisting his features, and then he frowned and headed back for the carrier. Once inside he called to the soldier at the gun.

'You, go outside for a moment, please,' he said.

The soldier climbed down from the control seat, saluted, and quickly went on his way. Cormac dropped down on the bunk opposite Stanton.

'You were right,' he said.

Stanton just stared back at him.

Cormac went on. 'How long do you think Pelter will… let me sweat?'

'The longer he leaves it, the more it will work for him. Your men will be tired, less alert. But he does want to kill you rather badly. I'd say two days at most.'

'Now tell me why I should believe you.'

Stanton looked down at the floor for a long moment before replying. 'Pelter has a large quantity of money with him. I intended to relieve him of it once I found a way round Crane.'

'Crane?'

'Mr Crane. The broken Golem. Watch out for him. He was a Twenty-five, and now he's armoured and very tough. You wouldn't believe what he's capable of.'

'I would,' said Cormac. 'I have two Golem Thirties with me.'

Stanton stared for a long moment, then a slow smile broke out on his face. 'Won't Pelter be surprised,' he said.

'Tell me about this money. That's not like you, John. You've had ample opportunity to rip Pelter off.'

'That's what Jarvellis said.'

'jarvellis?'

Stanton told him, and Cormac made his decision. He couldn't wait for Pelter. He needed to resolve some things now before Dragon got impatient and threw a tantrum that many of those on Samarkand might not survive. He took up the two Enropower boxes from under one of the bunks, and then left Stanton where he was. Outside the carrier he turned to the soldier.

'Get back on that gun. The call I'm just about to put out does not apply to you.'

The man nodded and quickly ducked back inside the carrier. Cormac tucked one of the boxes under his arm and pulled his comunit.

'I want all of you into the camp right now,' he said, and then walked to where Mika was working on Scar. He saw that she had been forced to use wire to pull together the rent in Scar's tough hide. The dracoman seemed unconcerned. Cormac wondered if an anaesthetic had been used, if one had even been needed. He dropped the two boxes at his feet and looked around as they all came in.

Thorn, Aiden and Cento were the first to join him, all three of them carrying energy weapons, then the sergeant with his six remaining men. When they were all gathered round, Cormac studied mem for a moment before speaking.

'Right. There's another group out mere who may attack. We stay here and they can come in at their leisure. I know their leader, Arian Pelter, and am certain that any plans he's formulating revolve around an attack on us on the ground. Especially as those plans will be dependent on the broken Golem he has with him, one Mr Crane.' He shot a look at Aiden and Cento, but could discern no reaction. 'I'm not prepared to wait for that attack. I came here to do a job, and I'm going to do it. Sergeant, I want you and your men up as spotters and as a first line. I want you, with another man on the turret guns, to take up the carrier and circle the perimeter of the ruins. The rest of your men will operate outside that perimeter, as before. If it looks like anyone is coming in, you inform me immediately and then we form our response to the nature of the attack. This is where Pelter falls down: he can't do that. He's ruthless, but stubborn to the point of idiocy. He'll stick with a plan to the end. We - ' Cormac gestured to Cento, Aiden and Thorn,' -will be going in on sky-bikes. If we come out in a hurry you get to the ground and under cover. Your main concern then will be self-preservation. Any questions?'

The sergeant shook his head.

'Very well, get going.'

'You want me out of the way,' said Mika.

Cormac nodded and turned his attention to the draco-men. 'Dragon wanted you here. You have been useful, but I cannot see what purpose you might serve now. Do you have any suggestions?'

The dracomen stared at him in silence.

'Very well, Mika, take them with you and stay with that AGC. If we run, be ready to come with us back to the runcible. Let's go.'