'Are they attacking the surface? Ethan's immediate thought was the Pilgrimage fleet, still under construction and supremely vulnerable.

'No sir, as far as we can ascertain it's just the two ships engaging each other. No new discharges for the last ten seconds, so it's probably over.

'That fast?

'Yes sir, the colonel said. 'Modern engagements are quick and decisive. The power levels in the weapons guarantee that.

'So can we get a clear image now?

'We're trying sir, our civil sensors aren't built for this. Nearby ships have been destroyed, there's a large wreckage field that's expanding rapidly. We're alerting urban areas along the fall-out track.

'How many ships destroyed? Ever since he'd announced Pilgrimage, wealthy Living Dream followers had been arriving in their personal starships thinking they could take part in the flight to the Void. The last time he'd enquired, over three thousand were in parking orbit above Ellezelin.

'Over twenty confirmed destroyed, probably fifty damaged. Fatalities unknown.

'Lady, Ethan groaned. 'So do you have any idea who the protagonists are?

'No sir, sorry.

'Has the Commonwealth Navy called your agency?

'Not yet.

'Kindly get in touch with them, and formally report this conflict. I'll be interested in their opinion.

'Yes, sir.

Ethan's worry was that the conflict in Bodant Park had somehow spilled over to Ellezelin. That the ships were stealthed was a good indication that Faction agents were in orbit, presumably in a last ditch attempt to retrieve the Second Dreamer for their own purposes. Again, he hesitated to call Marius.

'Sir, the colonel said. 'Back up sensors are coming on line; we're getting some situation clarification. One ship survived intact. Tracking a great deal of debris.

'A victor, then, Ethan said as he accessed the defence agency network. An image of a small ship appeared in his exovision, a smooth ovoid surrounded by a force field's electron-blue shimmer. He knew enough about modern hardware to recognize the type favoured by Faction representatives, and ANA agents. 'So which are you? he murmured. 'See if you can establish a link with them, he instructed the colonel.

The colonel never got to try. Ethan's exovision threw up a communication icon he didn't expect. He let the call come through as he walked into his slick modern office. Two of the armour suited Security Service detail took up position beside the door. Privacy shielding enveloped the room.

'Good evening, Cleric Conservator, ANA: Governance said.

Ethan settled into a chair which shaped itself to his contours. 'I take it you've monitored the fight above Ellezelin?

'Indeed.

'Does the Navy know what's going on?

'Admiral Kazimir has been informed.

'Who are they?

'One of the ships is piloted by an agent working for my security division.

'I see. Is he the survivor?

'Fortunately, yes.

'And the loser?

'Someone suspected of high treason.

'High treason? Ethan didn't know if he should be amused or not. 'That sounds very dramatic'

'This is classified information, but as a courtesy I will tell you we have discovered the Ocisen Empire fleet on its way to Ellezelin is accompanied by Prime warships.

Ethan sat perfectly still. For a second he thought the communication link might have malfunctioned somehow. 'Prime? he asked, glad he had closed his gaiamotes. His shock impulse would have startled the staff working outside.

'Quite, ANA: Governance said. 'As you can imagine, we are extremely concerned by the development.

'Was that a Prime ship in orbit?

'No. However, we believe there was a connection. Fortunately, my agent managed to avoid completely vaporising the suspect's ship, no small achievement given modern weapons. I am dispatching a forensic team to examine the wreckage. I need to know what the suspect was carrying.

'I see. Can we help?

'Yes. Please quarantine the orbital wreckage until my team arrive. No one else is to touch it. My agent will remain in orbit, he has orders to open fire on anyone who contaminates the scene.

'I understand. I will order my defence agency to establish the quarantine zone. As he spoke, the sensors showed him the ANA ship gathering up fragments with coherent gravity pulses, pulling them out of decay paths which would have taken them down to the atmosphere.

'Thank you for your cooperation, Cleric Conservator. This is not an easy time for the Greater Commonwealth. I hope that when this situation is resolved, Ellezelin's Senator will resume his seat.

Ethan didn't bother to point out that Commonwealth politics would be irrelevant to anyone inside the Void. In fact, neither would renewed Prime aggression. 'Can the Navy stop the Ocisen invasion fleet? he asked.

'Yes. It can and it will.

'Thank you.

The call ended, and Ethan sat back, only just realizing how badly his muscles had tightened up. A headache was building behind his eyes; they were frequent now even though the last of the semi-organic auxiliaries had been removed. His doctors warned him it would still take time for his brain to recover fully. He waited a moment, gathering his thoughts, then called the defence colonel in. 'The surviving ship is staying in orbit, I want a two-hundred kilometre quarantine zone around it. Nobody is authorized to approach, I don't care who they are.

'Sir, the colonel licked his lips. 'Rescue ships may need to—

'Nobody, Ethan said firmly.

'Yes, sir.

The colonel hadn't even left the office when Marius called. 'A most unpleasant event in your skies, the representative said.

'Was that one of your agents up there?

'Someone we were affiliated with, yes.

'ANA has requested a quarantine around the wreckage. It says the Prime are part of the Ocisen fleet. It says there's a connection. Is that true?

'I know nothing of that. I don't have access to Navy intelligence.

'Really?

'Yes. Really.

Ethan wondered if he should challenge the representative directly, but couldn't see any advantage in that. 'What was your ship doing stealthed in orbit around Ellezelin?

'It was waiting for the Pilgrimage ships to be completed, then it would deliver the consignment of defence systems in its hold.

As you can understand, we don't want them sitting on the ground exposed to ANA's scrutiny.

A smooth enough answer, and one which Ethan didn't believe for an instant. 'I see.

'Neither do we want ANA to examine the remnants.

'That is completely outside my remit.

'My dear Conservator, if ANA uses the defence systems our ship was carrying as an excuse to curtail our involvement with your Pilgrimage, there will not be any Pilgrimage. And that is exactly the kind of pseudo-legal argument that so many people will seize upon.

'But I can't do anything. We can hardly attack that ship.

'A friend of mine will be in touch within the hour. She can explain to your wormhole technicians how they can assist our cause. Marius closed the link.

'Dear Lady, Ethan put his head in his hands. Events were becoming too powerful, building their own inertia. He tried to remember why he'd agreed to the representative's help in the first place. Ultradrive was turning into the ultimate poisoned chalice. But even if he reverted to equipping the Pilgrimage ships with an ordinary hyperdrive they'd still need help to get past the warrior Raiel in the Gulf. There was nothing he could do but try and ride the crisis out.

If we just had the Second Dreamer we'd be in much stronger position. She's the key to success. We have to acquire her. We have to, no matter what the cost.

The ExoProtectorate Council watched the new squadron of Capital-class ships matching superluminal flight vectors with the Ocisen Empire fleet. Five of the Navy ships were concentrating their sensors on a single Prime warship, preparing to pull it out of hyperspace.