Waiting in the undergrowth a short distance from the camp, Len's mind turned for a moment to the 'secret' order that he knew Michaels had given her two agents - if things go wrong, kill your team mates rather than letting by captured. It was against the code he lived by, but he hadn't expected anything else from a government official. I promise you, he silently told the woman at his side, none of the six of us are going to die tonight.

D'Agostino's troops had moved out quite some time before, splitting into groups to take up positions around the perimeter. They would have waited for things to go quiet, then quietly cut access points in the perimeter. They would have waited a while longer, then prepared their 'surprises' for the camp's occupants.

It was well on into the small hours of the morning, when things got interesting.

The first explosion was the largest - as he'd known it would be. The ground shook and the noise was painful to the ears. Fire and debris shot skywards from what had been the engine section of the mothership. There were fires and smaller explosions further round the far side of the camp's perimeter.

People were piling out of their sleeping quarters, only half awake but holding weapons. A woman's voice was shouting for them to follow her. He heard Sara's breath hiss at the sound of that voice. Then they were moving, Lawton and the techs in the centre, the other three in flanking positions. They had to take cover at one point, as a belated couple of camp occupants scrambled out of the shadows where they'd been overwise occupied. By the time they reached the jump ship's ramp, there was firing on the far side of the camp, which hadn't been in the original plan.

Holt had given a demonstration of how one of his spheres could open the jump ships hatch - but that was something he'd been concerned about. It did take a bit longer than in the practice run, but the hatch did open, and they dashed in. Mick went right, towards the rear of the ship, taking up position to hit any incursion from behind. The others headed towards the flight, Sara peeling off when her designated side-corridor came up. Once Lawton had ushered the techs into the flight deck and sealed the door, Len took up position with his back to the metal.

Inside Lawton watched as the other two took their seats, going through the start-up that Hunter and Baxter had drilled into them. It took a bit longer than he liked before the ship began to ascend - he could hear sounds that suggested people were firing at the vessel as it headed skywards. Just bullets, he guessed, with a sardonic grin.

Ramon had moved sideways to another set of controls and was preparing to open the breach. Something heavier hit the ship, causing it to rock momentarily.

''Come on'' Lawton muttered under his breath.

Then a glowing oval that must have been the breach appeared in the sky in front of the ship and they glided towards it. On route to Earth n1, he hoped.