'I doubt the latest victim thinks that, Oscar said. He couldn't drink his cinnamon-flavoured espresso now. The callousness he'd just witnessed was triggering a lot of guilt. The poor woman was perfectly innocent, her only crime to have roughly the same dimensions and features as the real Araminta. That way the whole incident could be blamed on the recognition software that had plucked her image from one of the streetwatch sensors along Daryad Avenue, alerting the welcome team to her location.

'This is your operation, Oscar, Tomansio rebuked. 'You knew what would have to be done. Don't go soft on us now.

'Of all the people in the galaxy, I am the one who really understands the concept of collateral damage best of all, Oscar announced.

'So you are. Then you know she was a necessary casualty.

'That doesn't make it right.

'Oscar, Ellezelin invading Viotia isn't right. Hunting Araminta isn't right, but we're all doing it because we all know she has to be found.

'What was her name? Oscar asked, staring down on the broad avenue. More people wore heading down the slope now, marching to the docks to make their demands heard by the Senate-delegation. It was all futile, he knew. Living Dream didn't care for their opinion, nor that of the Senate. The delegation and talks with Phelim and the Prime Minister were just buying the welcome team more time to find their target.

'Does it matter? Beckia asked.

'Yes, actually, it does, Oscar said. 'We used her.

'I'll have Liatris check it out when he has a moment, Tomansio said.

'Thank you.

Tomansio and Beckia finished their drinks. Oscar still couldn't bring himself to touch what was left of his. People were getting hurt, and he was the cause. He knew it was stupid, but he really hadn't considered that aspect of the operation when he agreed to help Paula. Dushiku's Unisphere interface code hung in his exovision, so very very tempting. Talking things through with his calm, rational partner would make things feel so much better. 11 was also a sign of weakness which the Knights Guardian wouldn't take too kindly. So he sighed when Tomansio and Beckia rose from the table and gave him an enquiring glance.

'Coming, he said.

They took a public cab from outside the cafe. It rode quickly and smoothly along the metro track that ran down the middle of Daryad Avenue, taking them up the slope into the grid of taller modern buildings. Ten minutes later it dropped them oil in the Palliser precinct, where they walked into a bar that was several social levels below the cafe they'd just left. It was wedged in between a trike repair garage and a wholesale packaging store. A cheap framework of composite which was supposed to have aircoral grown over it; only someone had messed up the pruning hormones leaving one corner and half the roof misshapen, with lumps and cracks. Plastic sheeting had been epoxied over most of the splits decades ago, sealing it against the elements, but they didn't look good. A lot of the patches were peeling away. The current owner had pushed them back and held them down with thick black tape. Sallow fungal weeds were growing out of the pocks on the roof, parasiting the aircoral's paltry nutrients.

Oscar glanced down to the far end of the street where the Colwyn City's big confluence nest building stood at the intersection, squat and aloof, looking fortress-like compared to the shabbiness of the structures around it.

Inside, the bar was little better, with the windows obscured by ancient hologram adverts and fading overhead lighting strips adding little to the illumination. Tables were scattered about on the ancient wood floor, interspaced with pool tables and tri-gamer stations. Only the counter had decent lighting, with suspended white globes projecting a monochrome glow across the beer pumps.

There were less than ten customers in total. Two hardcore barflies up on stools lining up shot glasses and aerosols, one loner sitting at a tri-game feeding it with his cash coin, and the others huddled round tables. They all ignored the newcomers.

Tomansio gave the bartender an order for four beers and they claimed a corner table. A service bot trundled over with their glasses. Two minutes later Cheriton sauntered in. He did draw some glances, with a big grey coat buttoned up tight so he didn't show off his 'native' Ellezelin clothes. Nothing he could do to disguise the hat, though, which he held in one hand.

'So? Tomansio asked as Cheriton sat down.

The gaiafield expert raised his glass as they used their biononics to establish a screening field. 'Paranoia reigns supreme. They've got the building net scanning and logging all calls. If I'd encrypted anything I sent they would have dropped a cage over me.

'Are they suspicious?

'Not of us, but they know someone is messing with the welcome team's search. We're not the only covert team here.

'Liatris has spotted at least two other infiltrations, Beckia said.

'Well between us we're certainly stirring up a yarsnapper nest of distrust. The Third Dreamer hasn't helped.

'I would have thought they'd enjoy that, Tomansio said. 'A near real-time connection into the Void that shows we can get inside, and we have psychic powers when we do get there.

'Living Dream certainly welcomes that, but it does raise questions about why our dear Cleric Conservator hasn't been chosen for any communing, nor the rest of the Cleric Council for that matter.

'Are they chasing after the Third Dreamer now as well? Oscar asked.

'No. Best guess is that it's someone with a strong natural connection to Justine.

'What do you mean, natural connection?

'It was always assumed Inigo was related to Edeard somehow, some distant family connection. As we don't know which colony ship wound up inside the Void, the link could never be proven So Living Dream is assuming the same for Justine.

'There can't be many left, Oscar said thoughtfully. 'She's been inside ANA for centuries. All her contemporaries are in their, too, that or they're real-dead.

'Apart from Admiral Kazimir, Cheriton said.

'No!

'Probably not, Cheriton admitted. 'But we'll never be able to trace it anyway. Justine's dream emanated from the Central worlds' gaiafield; where the Confluence nests are all built and maintained by Highers. Living Dream can't touch them.

'Thank Ozzie for that, Beckia said.

'Hang on, Oscar said. 'Araminta can hardly have a family connection to a Starflyer.

Cheriton grinned. 'It's not exactly a perfect theory.

'So Living Dream's emphasis is still on the Second Dreamer Tomansio asked.

'Very much so. Cheriton took another drink of the beer 'You need to get Liatris into my building's net and subvert I heir monitors to establish a secure channel for me. If he doesn't I'll have to go aggressive to get out if I send you a warning again.

'I'll tell him.

'What progress are you making with Danal and Mareble? Oscar asked.

'Some, though I'm not sure it's going to help much. Danal was given a memory read.

Everyone round the table winced.

'Yeah, Cheriton said. 'As were all the others they rounded up at the apartment raid. I took Mareble down to their headquarters in the docks. She got to see him, but he's still in custody, and she had a restriction order placed on her. As far as Major Honilar is now concerned, just knowing Araminta is a crime.

'So they're no use, then?

'I wouldn't say that, exactly.

Beckia gave Cheriton a knowing glance. 'You didn't?

'What could I do? The whole merry widow syndrome really kicked into overdrive for a while there. She was very upset when I got her back to her hotel room.

'Dear Ozzie, Oscar chuckled into his beer.

'It establishes me as a genuine supportive friend, Cheriton said, a shade too defensively. 'That could be useful. A lot of followers are having their faith shaken by the way Phelim is acting. This wasn't what they signed up for.