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The moment of civility had passed and the tension was back.

Rast got up out of Secondo in her usual leisurely, overconfident manner. ‘Might go check out that hardware myself.’

They assembled a while later inside the egress scale as they waited for the biozoon to dock on the overrun of the drum station. The mercs wore Latino combat vests loaded down with bulky, antiquated weapons. Latourn had a set of knife sheaths hanging from a utility belt, and Catchut wore something similar with pouches attached. Rast had two semis slung over her back, plus a selection of grenades in her own pouches. Her vest bulged, making her chest look twice its actual width.

She held out a vest to Jo-Jo and pulled a face. ‘Best the Pellegrinis had to offer. Vintage sweeties. Good for getting your head blown off.’

Jo-Jo took it from her. The material felt stiff and new, straight out of a crate.

‘If the ‘zoon lets the Extros on board we’re better to be here, armed and ready, than have them hunt us down through the ship.’

Jo-Jo agreed with the mere on that score at least. He slipped the vest on and buckled it. ‘I wouldn’t be mentioning who I am to any Extros,’ he said as they took up positions around the mouth of the egress scale.

Rast nodded her agreement to Latourn and Catchut. ‘Can’t do any of us any good to be seen keeping company with the God Discoverer. Best if he’s known as one of ours for the time being.’

Catchut scowled but said nothing.

Latourn stared at the stratum ceiling - his thoughts were clearly elsewhere.

‘Lat?’

Latourn dragged his gaze across to meet Rast’s. ‘Do you think the Baronessa’s even here, Capo?’

Rast gave him a sharp look. ‘Maybe. Why?’

Latourn reddened, his skin colour vivid enough to pass for Latino. ‘If we find her, mebbe we can get off this damn ‘zoon. I got a hankerin’ for somethin’ more military. Not complaining, Capo. Farr’s paid us enough to make good for a while and I know we gotta find her to collect the rest of it, but this ain’t the sort of work I’m wantin’. Babysittin’ wimmen, like, and freakin’ around in Extro space.’

It was the most Jo-Jo had ever heard Latourn speak but Rast never got to reply to him. The light altered, signalling that the egress scale had begun to peel back.

‘Quiet!’ ordered Rast. She leaned her head towards Jo-Jo, whispering. ‘We got one rule in my crew, Rasterovich. My word. You ignore it, you wind up dead. Either by them, or by me. And like it or not, for the moment you’re one of my crew.’ She shot him a fierce glance. ‘Got it?’

Jo-Jo nodded slowly. He’d already made his big choice, the one that saw him here on this crazy ‘zoon trying not to piss himself over what was about to happen. Now it was time to swallow any arrogance on Randall’s part and survive.

Rast seemed relieved. ‘Right. We see trouble, you stay between me and Cat.’ She fished inside her jacket and passed him a pistol. ‘It’s a semi. Don’t fire from behind me.’

She crimped back against the wall now, pushing him along her as she squatted out of sight behind a ridge of ribbing. Latourn and Catchut did the same thing on the other side.

The egress hollow flooded with greyish light.

Nothing happened. No sound. Or smell.

Jo-Jo strained to see past Rast but she shook her head at him. Drawing a small spray pack from her utility belt, she sent the contents squirting into the air. It illuminated hundreds of minuscule beads floating in the atmosphere, glistening like diamond chips.

‘Eges. Don’t breathe,’ said Rast. She tucked the spray away and made hand signals to Latourn and Catchut on the other side of the opening. They felt in their belts and brought out skin masks. Rast pinched her nose while she fumbled for hers.

Jo-Jo followed their cue, holding his breath while he fished in his vest to find one. He guessed the eges acted like tracers if they entered the bloodstream. He didn’t let out his breath until his skin was tight across his mouth and nose.

They waited, then.

The tension increased until Jo-Jo’s desire to stand up and stretch his legs became