Confronted with that evidence, the Raiel finally explained that they created the High Angel-class of ships over a million years ago while their species was at its apex. It was a golden age, when the Raiel civilization spread across thousands of planets; they mixed with hundreds of other sentients, guided and observed as dozens of species transcended to a post-physical state. They even knew the Silfen before their Motherholme dreamed its paths into existence.

Then the Void underwent one of its periodic expansion phases. Nothing the Raiel could do stopped the barrier from engulfing entire star clusters. Gravity shifted around the galactic core as stars were torn down into the event horizon. The effect on civilizations just outside the Wall stars was catastrophic. Stars shifted position as the core gravity field fluctuated; their planets changed orbits. Thousands of unique biospheres were lost before evolution had any real chance to flourish. Whole societies had to be evacuated before stormfronts of ultra-hard radiation that measured thousands of lightyears across came streaming out into the base of the galaxy's spiral arms.

After it was all over. After rescue and salvage operations that went on for millennia, the Raiel declared that the Void could no longer be tolerated. The Firstlife who had created it while the galaxy was still in its infancy clearly didn't recognize the horrendous consequences it would have on those who lived after their era. The Raiel created an armada of ships that could function in any quantum state which theoretically might exist within the Void. And they invaded. A hundred thousand ships surrounded the terrible barrier and flew inside, ready for anything.

None returned.

The Void remained unbroken.

What was left of the once colossal Raiel civilization launched a rearguard action. A defence system to reinforce the Wall stars was built in the small hope it might contain the next macro-expansion. More ships were created to act as arks for emergent species, carrying them away from the doomed galaxy across the greater gulf outside where they could re-establish themselves on new worlds in peaceful star clusters. It was the last act of beneficence from a race that had failed its ultimate challenge. If they couldn't save the galaxy, the Raiel swore they would endure to the bitter end, shepherding entities less capable than themselves to safety.

'That's not a version of history 1 can believe in, Corrie-Lyn said softly as the file images shrank to the centre of the cabin and vanished. 'It's very hard for me to accept the Void as something hostile when I know the beauty which lies within. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and brandy, curling up tighter on the couch.

'That version? Aaron queried from the other side of the cabin.

'Well it's not as if we can ever verify it, is it?

'Unless I've got a false memory, you've got nearly six hundred years of human observations from Centurion Station to confirm the very unnatural way in which the barrier consumes star systems. And who was it now that took some of them? Oh yes, that's right: Inigo himself.

'Yes, but this whole crusading armada claim? Come on. A hundred thousand ships with weapons that can crunch up entire stars. Where are they? None of Inigo's Dreams showed the smallest relic'

'Dead. Vaporized into component atoms and consumed like every other particle of matter that passes through the barrier. He paused, slightly troubled. 'Except for the human ship which got through and landed on Querencia.

'Pretty crappy tactics for a species of self-proclaimed masterminds. Didn't they think of sending a scout or two in first?

'Maybe they did. You can ask when we get to the High Angel.

She gave him a pitying look. 'If they even let us dock.

'Oh ye of little faith.

The Artful Dodger fell back into spacetime ten thousand kilometres from the High Angel. Icalanise was waxing behind the alien starship, a horned crescent of warring topaz and platinum storm-bands. Four small black circles were strung out along the equator, the tip of the umbra cones projected by a conjunction cluster of its thirty-eight moons.

Several sensor sweeps flashed across the starship. High Angel still hosted a large Commonwealth Navy presence. The base Admiral took security seriously. A fresh identity complete with official certification was already loaded into the smartcore for examination. Aaron's u-shadow requested docking permission with the New Glasgow dome for the Alini. They received almost immediate approach authority.

The archipelago of industrial stations glided lazily along a thousand-kilometre orbit, forming a dense loop of silver specks round the High Angel. Service shuttles zipped between them and the human-inhabited domes, collecting advanced technology and materials for forward shipment to the External Worlds where such systems were still prized. 'How about that, Aaron muttered appreciatively as he accessed the ship's sensor imagery. 'An angel with a halo.

'You can take religious analogies too far, Corrie-Lyn chided.

There were seventeen domes rising out of the core's rocky surface now. The six occupied by humans all had crystal cupolas, allowing them to see the cities and parkland inside. Four of the remainder were also transparent to a degree; the spectra of alien suns shone out of them, following their own diurnal cycles. Strange city silhouettes could be seen parked on the landscapes within. At night they would shine with enticing colourful light points. One of those belonged to the Raiel. The remaining domes were closed to external observation, and neither High Angel or the Raiel would discuss their residents.

Following Aaron's instruction, the starship's smartcore aimed a communication maser at the Raiel dome. 'I would like permission to dock at the Raiel dome, please, Aaron said. 'There is a resident I wish to speak to.

'That is an unusual request for a private individual, the High Angel replied with the voice of a human male. 'I can speak on behalf of the Raiel'

'Not good enough. You're aware of the nature of this ship?

'I do recognize it. Very few of ANA's ultradrive vessels have ever come into my proximity; the technology is extremely sophisticated. You must be one of its representatives.

'Something like that, and I need to speak with a specific Raiel'

'Very well. I am sending you a new flight path, please follow it.

'Thank you. The Raiel I'd like to meet is Qatux.

'Of course.

The Artful Dodger changed course slightly, curving round the massive dark rock of the High Angel's core towards the stem of the Raiel dome. Large dark ovals were positioned at the base, just before the point where the pewter-coloured shaft fused with the rock crust. One of the ovals dematerialized, revealing a featureless white chamber beyond. The Artful Dodger nosed inside, and the outer wall rematerialized behind it.

'Please stand by for teleport, the High Angel said.

Corrie-Lyn looked very startled.

'Once again, Aaron said. 'And yet still without any hope of you paying the slightest attention: let me do the talking.

Her mouth opened to answer.

The cabin vanished, immediately replaced by a broad circular space with a floor that glowed a pale emerald. If there was a ceiling it was invisible somewhere in the gloom far above. An adult Raiel was standing right in front of them. Corrie-Lyn gasped and almost stumbled. Aaron hurriedly reached out and caught her arm. He didn't have any memory of being on Earth and using the planetary T-sphere, but the abrupt translation was about what he'd expected.

'Dear Ozzie, Corrie-Lyn grunted.

'I hope you are not too shocked, the Raiel said in its mellow whisper.

Aaron bowed formally. The Raiel was as big as all the adults of its species, larger than a terrestrial elephant, with a grey-brown skin that bristled with thick hairs. Not that Aaron was an expert, but this one looked like an exceptionally healthy specimen. From the front its bulbous head was surrounded by a collar of tentacle limbs; with a thick pair at the bottom, four metres long and tipped with segmented paddles which were intended for heavy work. The remaining limbs were progressively smaller up to a clump of slender manipulators resembling particularly sinuous serpents. Each side of its head had a cluster of five small hemispherical eyes that swivelled in unison. Below them on the underside of the head, the skin creased up into a number of loose folds to form the mouth zone. When it spoke, Aaron could just glimpse deep wet crevices and even a row of sharp brown fangs.