The local star's azure spectrum shone brightly on the hull of the Mellanie's Redemption as it dropped out of hyperspace five hundred kilometres above Orakum. Troblum accessed the external sensors, seeing a planet that was essentially the same as every human-settled world in the Greater Commonwealth. Blue oceans swathed in puffy white cloud, brown land masses with a fuzz of green. Its electromagnetic emissions were a lot lower than a Central world, reflecting the relatively small population of Advancers and naturals. The kind of world that provided an ideal quiet life. Knowing what he did about Oscar Monroe, Troblum wasn't at all surprised that the old War hero had chosen this place to settle

He ordered the starship's smartcore to enter the atmosphere in full stealth mode. His muscles ached from the crouch position he'd been compressed into for the last ten hours. Even now that he'd finally made some headway into cataloguing and arranging the components into distinct piles, the starboard midsection hold was still badly cramped. He was beginning to worry about the assembly process, which was going to require a decent volume to work in. Not that he was anywhere close to starting that yet.

When Mellanie's Redemption passed through the ionosphere he went back into the cabin and took a quick spore shower. There were still sore patches on his skin where the medical module had repaired the damage he'd received at Florae's villa.

'You should put some cream on those, Catriona told him. The beautiful girl's curly hair bobbed about as she tilted her head to one side, registering deep concern.

'It doesn't matter, he grunted back.

'It matters to us, Trisha cooed.

Troblum pulled his shabby purple toga suit on, somehow strangely concerned about his dignity in front of the two girls. Having them see him naked was oddly disquieting. Back at the Arevalo apartment they never did, the daily routines were all perfectly established. He was comfortable with those. But here in the starship's cabin there was little privacy, and the projectors could throw the images just about everywhere. 'Thank you, he said, hoping it would shut them up — he didn't want to load in program restrictions, not now he'd constructed their personalities so perfectly. 'I'm all right. The last seam on the suit fastened up, and he straightened himself without wincing.

'What are you going to ask him? Tricia asked as the starship sank down through the clouds. Far below the fuselage the sensors had already picked out the white circle of the house set in its rambling grounds on the edge of a vast prairie of native vegetation.

'I just want five minutes of his time, that's all. Then this will all be over.

Troblum switched the stealth effect off when they were below five hundred metres. The starship settled on the big patch of level grass where two capsules were already parked in the shade of tall reddish-brown trees. He walked down the airlock stairs, sniffing the faint alien pollen in the air. Two figures were already hurrying down the spiral stair that was wrapped round the house's central pillar. Although he normally hated the countryside, Troblum had to admit the raised house in this bucolic setting was fabulous.

His u-shadow reported pings being aimed at him by the men walking towards him. He responded courteously enough with his identity certificate, praying they wouldn't send too many queries about him into the Unisphere. The Accelerators would be waiting for any giveaway, though even if they confirmed his location he should be relatively safe from Marius here.

'I'm Dushiku, the first man said. 'Can we help you?

'Is that really your starship? the second one asked. He was younger, definitely a first lifer, everything about him leaked eagerness and an endearing naivety, not just his gaiafield presence. 'It looks fantastic'

'Thank you.

'Are those wings?

'Heat radiators.

'Oh.

'Jesaral, enough, Dushiku chided.

'Sorry.

'I'd like to speak to Oscar, please, Troblum said.

Their attitude changed immediately. Dushiku chopped off his gaiafield emissions as his face hardened. While Jesaral pouted and allowed a wave of upset and worry to spill out of his mind.

'Oscar is not here, Dushiku said stiffly.

'Have I said something wrong?

'No, Jesaral said, his handsome face frowned in misery. 'It's just that Oscar isn't very popular round here right now. He left us in a hurry a few days ago. Apparently we don't mean nearly as much to him as he does to us. That's always good to know, isn't it? Poor old Anja is still crying her eyes out.

Dushiku's arm went round the younger man's shoulder, squeezing in comfort. 'It's okay, he'll be back.

'Who cares? Jesaral said with sudden contempt.

'Do you know when he'll be back? Troblum asked.

'No. Dushiku gave him a sharp look. 'Do you know him?

'We have a mutual friend. It is rather important I contact him.

'His u-shadow is blocking our calls, Jesaral said. 'But don't let that put you off, you might have better luck.

'I'll try that, thank you.

'Really? Dushiku said. 'Why didn't you do that originally instead of coming here?

'I, er… Troblum's social program reported that Dushiku was becoming irate and curious, and he should say something soothing. It didn't say what. 'It's complicated. Where's he gone?

'Ask her, Jesaral said with a effusive glower.

'Who?

'That Paula Myo character. She was the last of his old friends to turn up here unannounced. I didn't know there were so many of you.

Troblum stood perfectly still, staring at the now-wary men. That's a big coincidence. Very big. Why would Paula visit Oscar? And what is he doing now? Could they be working together? I didn't see him at Florae's villa.

'Do you know her? Dushiku asked.

'I know of her. I have to go now. Troblum turned, and made for the airlock ramp.

'Hey!

'Sorry to have bothered you.

'What the hell did you want from him?

'Nothing. Nothing at all.

'Who in Ozzie's universe are you people?

With the ramp under his feet, Troblum felt a lot safer. I U was already ordering the smartcore to power up the drive.

'Give him back to us, Jesaral yelled. 'I want Oscar back. I want my Oscar. You bastard.

The airlock closed. Mellanie's Redemption lifted immediately, accelerating hard, only just keeping subsonic. Troblum knew that was ridiculous, Oscar's lovers didn't present the remotest threat. Yet he wanted to get away from them fast. The stealth effect shrouded the fuselage in a refractive smear as they reached the cloud level. Troblum checked, but there were no sensors probing the sky hunting for him.

'Well they were terrifying, Tricia said contemptuously. She and Catriona were snuggled up together on the cabin's long couch.

'Worse than the Cat.

'You were lucky to get out of there alive.

'Shut up, Troblum snapped.

Both girls pouted, then turned to each other, pawing and stroking like kittens. Troblum ignored them and slumped into a big chair. He was still shocked by the revelation. Paula Myo had visited Oscar! It was the last thing he'd expected. He let out a small grunt of admiration. That was it. Of course, those two working together would be the last thing anyone would expect. So what's he doing for her?

The starship reached four hundred kilometres altitude. Troblum told it to go ftl, and fly ten light years clear from Orakum.

Oscar's Unisphere code hung in his storage cluster. Immensely tempting. But since Sholapur he simply didn't trust the unisphere. Knowing Oscar and Paula were in contact surely gave him some kind of advantage. He just couldn't think what.

Catriona raised her head, and gave him an affectionate look. 'So where are we going?