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Tekton stepped closer to Bethany, assessing her mood and state of mind, all the while wondering how it could feel so completely and utterly real. Did they … Could they know he was there? Was this the present, or had this already played out? A thousand questions tugged at logic-mind, while free-mind let go and immersed itself in the surroundings.

‘Where is it, Beth?’ asked Farr quietly.

Tekton had never seen the Commander look so pale or tense. His displeasure would’ve given Tekton great satisfaction, if the man’s wrath hadn’t been directed at Bethany. She was smart and sweet, and direct in a way that Tekton had found refreshing. She’d also resisted his advances, which made her even more desirable than she’d originally been.

Stop it! Tekton clamped down on free-mind’s akula rush and listened.

‘I don’t have it, Lasper. You’d do better to question your enemies, not your sister.’

‘I’m comforted to hear you say that.’ Her brother gave her a small and humourless smile. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t believe you.’

Bring them in, Farr sub-vocalised so discreetly that only Tekton, in his privileged position of surveillance, could hear.

The cabin door flew open with such force that Tekton stepped back instinctively. Soldiers marched Samuelle into the room.

‘Get her out of that thing,’ Farr ordered.

At gunpoint, they forced the old ’esque to shed her combat suit.

To Tekton’s acute mortification, the woman was naked underneath. Though her wiry physique had been kept well conditioned by the suit’s muscle stimulators, she was old, and her skin looked several sizes too big for her skeleton. It hung from her neck and belly and arms like a loose shift.

‘Lasper!’ cried Bethany. ‘This is unnecessary. Why are you doing this?’

Samuelle was the one who answered. ‘Cos he’s scared, Beth. Someone’s stolen his little god machine, and he’s shittin’ himself.’ She put her hands on her hips, refusing to be shamed.

Tekton found himself overcome by a gross fascination. He wanted to touch her old body, feel its age. But his attention shifted back to Bethany, who rounded on her brother with a quick, intense fury.

‘You’re insane, brother. Orion is being destroyed around us and you’re worrying about some ridiculous prescience device. Geni-carriers are being reported in thousands of star systems. Thousands of worlds aren’t replying to ’cast signals, meaning that they’ve either disbanded their shift spheres or been annihilated.’

‘And why do you think that’s happening, Beth?’ said Lasper quietly.

She stared at him.

Samuelle cleared her throat and took a step forward, so that she formed a close triangle with them. Again, Tekton felt an overwhelming desire to touch her.

‘He thinks he can run things with it. One of those god-fuckers gave it to him, and he thinks he can make things go his way. Save us or fuck us over, dependin’ on what he feels like.’

Farr transferred the focus of his gaze to Samuelle. ‘You know nothing, you mouthy old bag of meat.’ He flicked one of the guards a look, and the ’esque punched Sammy in the back, below the ribs.

The old woman went down without a sound.

‘Lasper!’ screamed Bethany. She leapt to Sammy’s side.

Tekton found himself clutching his own back in sympathy.

Straighten up, fool, free-mind told him.

You’re just an observer, logic-mind reminded him.

But Tekton couldn’t separate himself from what was happening. He knew Sammy, after a fashion. He’d shared a cabin with her for a short time, watched her sleep and dream, and worry. She was a good woman despite her flaccid old age.

Good woman! Both minds choked out an exclamation as Sammy regained her feet with Bethany’s help.

‘He’s rattled, Beth. Lost his grip. He’s blind without that device, vulnerable as you or me. More so, cos we can live without it. He don’t know what to do now. Can’t make a decision without it. And everyone’s waiting for him to do something grand.’

Bethany let go of Sammy and advanced on her brother. ‘I don’t have your device, Lasper. And neither does—’

But a pounding at the