The longboat banked gently as Amelia piloted it around a small asteroid. Jane hung on to the side and looked at the surface of the rock that they were passing, noting the way that small grains of silica seemed to catch the light and sparkle.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" Arrow, holding his hat on with one huge hand, looked over at her. Jane nodded briskly and turned her head. The Resolute already seemed like it was a long way off, holding station as close to the edge of the asteroid field as she had dared get. With only a few sails open to catch enough of the stellar breeze to generate power and stop herself drifting, the big ship-of-the-line was not as imposing a sight as she usually was.

"Do you have everything you need, Miss Porter?" Lance-Corporal Flower was sitting next to her. Jane hefted her leather satchel and patted it.

"Everything I should need, thank you."

"It was good of you to volunteer for this, ma'am," said Arrow. Jane shrugged and smiled.

"Well, one can't be bored."

"Anyone who can heal a void whale can probably handle anything," said Flower approvingly.

"Easy on the chatter there," said Amelia. "We're getting close. We'll do one orbit to port and I want that side of the boat to watch for any movement in the wreck. Everyone else, keep your eyes on the rest of the field. We don't know what did this to the Chancer and I don't want to find out by surprise."

"Aye, aye, ma'am!" The rescue party was small but, in recognition of the incident with the whalers, rather well-armed. Amelia had a score of searchers with her, including Arrow, Jane and Flower. A full half of the party was composed of Marines will their full equipment and the barrels of their rifles formed a small, neat forest as they sat facing outwards along the edge of the boat. The rest of the party were spacers, and Amelia had seen to it that none of them would be a liability if it came to a fight. She brought the boat around the side of the Chancer's asteroid in a tight, decelerating arc. Keeping one eye on the instruments, she craned her neck to see down at the wreck. The hull was the usual Imperial ivory, which made the rents where planking had come away seem even darker. The blue and gold trimming had been reduced to firewood. By some freak chance the mainmast had come down against a rise in the asteroid's surface, leaving it surprisingly intact. The ship's ensign fluttered from its lines, providing a stark contrast with the lifelessness of the rest of the wreckage. It was deathly still. Amelia checked her speed and frowned in concentration.

"I don't see anyone, ma'am," said Spacer Clasp.

"Nor I," said Jane.

Amelia nodded. "We'll go in and make landfall. Captain Arrow, half your Marines will establish a perimeter around the longboat. The rest of us will search for survivors. Including you, Mr Flower. You as well, Miss Porter, but I want you to stay close to me."

Jane shouldered her satchel. "I understand."

"Very good. Hang on, everyone. Here we go." Amelia eased back on the throttle, deployed the longboat's etherbrakes and guided it down towards an open, flat area of the asteroid. Its thrusters kicked up dust as it landed and came to a halt, repulsors humming quietly. Arrow stood up and waved to his troops.

"First section, disembark and form the perimeter! Second section to follow me!"

The red-coated troops vaulted over the side of the boat. Five of them fanned out around the landing site and took up defensive positions. Arrow led the others towards the wreck a short way, then turned and gave her a signal. She acknowledged it and stood up, adjusting the pistol on her hip and grasping the hilt of her sword.

"Spacers disembark," she said. "Form a dispersed search line."

She caught up with Arrow, Jane following close behind. The Cragorian was surveying the wreck carefully.

"If anyone saw us land, they're keeping it to themselves," he said.

Amelia nodded. "So it seems. It's quiet."

"Too quiet?" Jane followed their gaze.

"Perhaps," Amelia narrowed her eyes. "We may be too late."

"Shall we proceed, ma'am?" asked Arrow.

"Naturally." Amelia stood up and began walking forwards. "Search party, advance! Go carefully now! We're here to find survivors, not get into trouble ourselves! If you need help, sing out, don't try it alone!"

They were already stepping past the first scattering of wreckage. All the detritus of a ship of war lay about them- broken timbers, barrels, crates, crockery and pots from the galley and other, more personal things. Jane knelt to pick up a holographic picture locket that was stuttering fitfully. A grainy, shaking picture of a woman and child was being projected. They were smiling at the unseen camera and Jane saw the woman's lips move in conversation before the locket's projector froze on a frame and started the sequence all over again. Jane bit her lip at the simplicity and story of the tiny device and she wondered who had owned it, who had treasured it and from whose neck or hand it had fallen onto this desolate rock…

She snapped it shut as the image froze again, unable to watch any further, and hurried to catch up with Amelia.

Arrow heaved aside a large piece of broken decking and grunted in satisfaction.

"Well, at least we can be reasonably sure that piracy had no part in this."

"What makes you say that, captain?" Amelia looked over from where she was searching. Arrow pointed a finger at a case of laslock rifles that had been broken open on impact. The weapons had spilled out haphazardly, their silver and brass fittings gleaming in the bright starlight.

"Any pirates would have been sure to loot the crash site. A cache of weapons such as this would not be left unattended," Arrow said. "Whatever happened here, I believe it may have happened alone."

"But a scout frigate should have been able to navigate a field such as this," said Amelia. "And they wouldn't have entered it at full speed, either, but they must have been proceeding swiftly to crash this hard."

Arrow nodded. "I agree, ma'am, it is a puzzle."

"And no evidence either way as yet," said Amelia, glancing back up to the main wreck. "Perhaps only an eyewitness could tell us the truth. And if it happened alone, the only eyewitnesses would have been on the Chancer."

"There may be survivors," Arrow said. "The ship crashed only recently."

"How can you be sure?"

Arrow brushed his red sleeve against the piece of decking he had moved and showed it to Amelia. "There is only a very fine covering of dust on the wreckage, ma'am. In an asteroid field such as this, it could not have been here for more than a week or so or else it would already be partially buried."

Amelia smiled. "Very multitalented, Mr Arrow. For a marine, anyway."

Arrow grinned. "I did say that I had learned a few things from your family, ma'am."

"And I see the proof," said Amelia. "Thank you for your insight, captain. Let us continue."

Arrow touched his hat and moved on. The furthest of the search party had already reached the wreck and were beginning to clamber up and through it. The size of the task was daunting, and Amelia reached a decision.

"Since it seems unlikely that pirates were the cause of this, Mr Arrow," she said, "Please summon the guards left on the longboat and have them join the search. We need every eye and hand we can get."

"As you wish, ma'am." Arrow turned and signalled to the troops left behind. Amelia counted them as they stood up and began hurrying forwards and nodded with satisfaction.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant Amelia!"

Jane was calling from atop a small hillock. A yard had come down on it, and the mast was splayed out like a discarded cloak. Here and there, other fragments of ship propped it up like a tent. Jane was kneeling next to one such point and waving.

"What have you found, Miss Porter?" Amelia called.

Jane shook her head. "I don't know! But I think I heard something!"

"Continue the search, Mr Arrow," Amelia ordered. "And send word for Mr Flower to attend us."

"Aye, ma'am." Arrow stepped forwards and cupped his hands to his mouth. "Pass the word for the medic!"

Amelia set off and climbed the hillock. Jane was on her hands and knees, and seemed to be concentrating on the fallen sail.

"What did you hear, Jane?" Amelia knelt beside her.

Jane frowned. "I'm not exactly sure. But when I got up here and started walking around, I thought I heard...sort of a voice."

"Did it say anything?"

"No...it more sort of...moaned. Or whimpered." Jane swallowed nervously. I thought it came from over there."

One of the ship's crow's nests had come down in the middle of the sail, like a pin through a butterfly's wing. The flagpole had been driven deep into the asteroid, snapping off halfway and creating a cone-shaped tent. Amelia moved over to it, treading carefully.

"Imperials! We're Imperials here!" she said.

"There! Did you hear it?" Jane clasped her arm.

Amelia nodded. "I certainly did. We're coming to get you out!" she added, raising her voice.

Jane watched her draw her sword, with some alarm. "What are you doing?"

"These sails are harder to cut than they look," Amelia hefted the weapon. "Stand back, Jane."

She drew her arm back and swung the blade, slicing a neat gash through the white fabric. Peering inside, she checked that there was nothing in the way and opened the cut wider until she could fit through it. She was forced to crawl where the heavy sail rested on the ground, but she did not have far to go. Near the wrecked crow's nest, she found a small figure lying on the ground, its blue uniform crumpled and darkened in places with green blood.

"Jane! I could use some medical help in here!" Amelia shouted.

There was a rustling behind her as Flower pushed his way inside. "Ma'am?"

Amelia pointed to the figure. "There's the patient, Mr Flower."

Flower shuffled over and began examining the figure. "Well, he's breathing. But we need more room to work in."

"I was just thinking the same thing." Amelia began cutting open the sail from the inside. Willing hands gripped it from above and began pulling it back, widening it until the area was bathed in sunlight. Flower was kneeling over the body of a Zandarian, the multi-eyed creatures much prized among the Navy's scoutships for their keen vision. Amelia joined him.

"Can you hear me? What's your name?"

A few of the eyes opened and tried to focus on her. "I'm...I'm...Sius...Spacer First Class...Chancer..."

"Well, you're with friends now," said Amelia. "Friends. Do you understand me?"

Sius sighed and seemed to collapse a little further. "Friends...here..."

"Here, yes. That's right." Amelia looked up at Flower. "He seems in a bad way, lance-corporal."

"Could be blood loss," Flower said, working methodically. "Or dehydration. Or any number of other things depending on how long he's been here."

"You should...go..." Sius closed his eyes. "Too dangerous...even in the rocks...they follow...madness..."

"Who followed you?" Amelia asked. "Who?"

Jane shook her head. "He won't be able to answer questions for a while, I'm afraid. We have to get him back to the ship."

Amelia nodded. "Of course. Can he be moved?"

"I'd rather not, ma'am," said Flower.

"In that case," Amelia stood, picked out two spacers and pointed them back downhill. "You two return to the longboat and bring it up here. Mr Arrow, fix the stretcher to carry him. Mr Flower, Miss Porter, do you have everything you need?"

"I need everything that's here, if that's what you mean, ma'am," said Flower. "But Miss Porter is right. He needs the surgeon's facilities."

"And he'll get them." Amelia looked down at the lookout. "We have to find out what happened here."

Sius made a sound halfway between a whisper and sigh. Amelia leaned down to hear it, but he was lying still once more, breathing shallow.

"Did you catch that, lance-corporal? Miss Porter?"

"Sorry, ma'am." Flower shook his head.

Jane swallowed nervously. "Um, I think he said...I think he said..."

"Yes?" Amelia raised an eyebrow.

Jane swallowed again and looked up at her. "I think he said...'the whales'..."

"And what could that possibly mean?" Forsythe muttered, pacing like a caged tiger up and down the bridge.

"I don't know, sir," said Amelia. "Mr Sius was unable to answer further."

"The surgeon reports that he will mend, sir," said Chad. "But he can't say when he'll be in a fit state to be interviewed."

"I suppose we should be grateful that there was one survivor, at least," said Forsythe. "Only the one, acting lieutenant?"

"One so far, sir," Amelia nodded. "But I left some crew behind, and perhaps Mr Buckley's party will have more luck."

Forsythe looked across to the asteroid and watched the second search party making its descent. He grunted curtly. "One can only hope. Are you able to return to the wreck to continue the search?"

"I am, sir."

"Then do so. But all hands are to be back aboard the Resolute by 1800 hours, is that clear?"

"Two hours, sir? Aye, sir. As you wish." Amelia saluted.

"It is not ideal," Forsythe acknowledged. "But I am reluctant to keep the ship stationary for this long at the best of times. Still less in a declared warzone and less still when we have cryptic warnings of danger about us. Increase the lookout, commander, and ensure that the guns can be cleared for action at any moment."

Chad bowed. "Aye, sir."

"You have your orders, then," Forsythe nodded to them. "You may proceed."

Amelia hurried back to the longboat and ordered the spacers back into it. Flower had gone below with Sius, but Jane was still waiting nervously.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

Amelia swung herself up into the boat and turned to help Jane over the side. "Mr Sius will live. But we need to get back there quickly. We've only been given a couple more hours to search for others. Are you sure you're all right to rejoin the rescue?"

Jane nodded. "Perfectly, Amelia, thank you."

"Boat's ready, ma'am," said one of the spacers. Amelia acknowledged him and took up the controls again. She gripped them firmly and gave Jane a last look before she fired the engines. The young woman was already gazing back across the void to the wreck site, a determined look on her face. Amelia allowed herself a small, private smile, and then opened the throttle.

They returned to the wreck site to find Buckley supervising a handful of spacers and soldiers in laying two neat rows of long, canvas-wrapped bundles. Amelia took off her hat as she approached and watched a couple of marines lower the latest body into its place.

"Any survivors, Mr Buckley?" she asked quietly.

Buckley shook his head. "I'm afraid not, ma'am. We're finding the crew...more than half so far. But they're all...we were too late for them all."

Amelia patted his shoulder. "It's nobody's fault, Mr Buckley. Let's keep looking. While there are still crew unaccounted for there may still be hope."

"I hope so, ma'am." Buckley sighed. "Watch what you're doing there! Show some respect!"

A spacer who had been dragging a bundled body into position by its head blanched at Buckley's shout and saluted nervously.

"Are there many more to bring out, Mr Buckley?" asked Jane.

Buckley shrugged. "No...only another few. There must be others still stuck in the wreckage, but these are all we could recover."

"Understood," said Amelia. "When you're done here, choose three spacers and send them up the mainmast to recover the battle ensign. We'll return it to the Navy Chapel when this is all over."

"As you wish, ma'am." Buckley touched his hat. "I'll attend to it myself."

"Thank you. Oh, and is Captain Arrow around?" said Amelia.

Buckley nodded. "Searching the after hull, ma'am."

"Thank you. I'd better go and find him. Will you accompany me, Miss Porter? Carry on, Mr Buckley." Amelia set off towards the stern of the Chancer. The windows on the captain's stateroom had shattered or broken open and she was able to step neatly through. The floor was at a crazy angle, and dark rents had opened up in the boards, but broken wood and furniture provided a more or less level surface to walk on. Amelia picked her way through it, pausing occasionally to check that Jane was keeping up.

"Mr Arrow! Mr Arrow!"

Amelia pulled aside the broken door and set a careful foot onto the main deck under the overhanging bridge before looking around at a new scene of devastation. Two carronades, wrenched from their mountings, lay in a pile of twisted metal against the rock. Jane followed her and stumbled on the head of a nail protruding from a twisted timber. Amelia caught her quickly and helped her up.

"Are you all right, Jane?"

Jane looked up and smiled. "Perfectly, Amelia, thank you."

"We wouldn't want to end up rescuing you as well, would we?" Amelia grinned.

Jane laughed. "You've already done that once recently."

"I can always do it more than once," Amelia shrugged. "Especially with you, Jane...once is never enough."

"I'm not that careless...unless you mean..." Jane bristled and then blushed at the playful gleam in Amelia's eye. She opened her mouth to reply but a shadow loomed over them from above.

"Acting lieutenant? You called?"

Arrow was bracing himself against what was left of the bridge cupola and looking down at them. Jane saw Amelia's cheeks flush an uncharacteristic shade before she replied in her usual brisk, efficient tone.

"Mr Arrow! So there you are. Have you anything to report?"

"I am afraid not, ma'am," said Arrow. "The ship's console has been shattered beyond all repair. There were no clues to be found there about what happened."

"None at all?"

"The bodies we recovered were not..." Arrow paused for a moment. "...helpful, in that respect."

"How many were there?"

"Five, ma'am. The captain and two others appear to have been at the wheel. A fourth was in the starboard flying bridge and I believe that there was a fifth crew member in the port one."

"Really? Fascinating..." Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"How so?" asked Jane.

"Both flying bridges aren't typically crewed, even in a scoutship," said Amelia. "And remember Sius? We found him in the forward crow's nest, not in the one on the mainmast. Mr Arrow, have you found the mizzen top yet?"

Arrow shook his head. "I am afraid not, ma'am. The top of the mizzenmast was snapped off."

"During the crash?"

"No, ma'am. At least, I do not believe so." Arrow clambered down from the bridge to join them. "The wood was broken in a different direction to the breaks in the fore and mainmasts."

"As if something hit it from a different angle," said Amelia thoughtfully. Arrow looked at her curiously.

"You have a theory, ma'am?"

"I have, Mr Arrow. Mr Sius mentioned something about whales before he lost consciousness. And with all the crow's nests and the flying bridges manned, that suggests that the crew of the Chancer were on the lookout for something, not fighting something."

"On the lookout...for whales?" said Jane. "But surely...do you think they were attacked by whales?"

"It would fit, ma'am," admitted Arrow. "I have not been below deck myself, but it was reported that the ship was not at action stations, as it would certainly have been had it been attacked by the Confederates."

Jane bit her lip. "I've...never heard of whales deliberately destroying a ship..."

Amelia and Arrow exchanged glances. She touched Jane's shoulder. "I'm sure Sunny had nothing to do with it, Miss Porter. He would still have been with us when the Chancer was lost."

"I know, of course...but still..." Jane shivered. "It makes me worry. There will be more pods the further we go into the Megapterans. And they'll be bigger, too. They come together in groups when they sing."

Amelia nodded. "We'll report to the captain as soon as we get back. In the meantime, we still have work to do. We complete the search, Mr Arrow. We are to be back on board the Resolute by 1800 hours."

He saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am!"

Amelia turned to Jane. "We'd better get back to searching as well, Miss Porter."

Jane smiled weakly. "Yes...let's."

A team of spacers emerged from a forward hatch. Amelia called over to them.

"Was there anyone down there?"

The lead spacer shook her head. "No, ma'am. It's just a tomb."

Amelia nodded grimly. "Well...keep it up, and be sure to count every crew member you find. Split into pairs and continue the search."

The spacers hurried off on their assignments. Amelia looked along the mainmast as it lay across the asteroid, following the slender woodwork all the way to the proudly-fluttering red, white and gold flag that crowned it.

"Let's do this properly," she whispered.

The crew were lined up along the port side of the Resolute, standing in neat ranks. Dress uniforms shone in the bright light. Amelia, standing in the centre with the other officers, gazed across to the Chancer's last resting place as the ship's small band played a slow, sombre rendition of Eternal Powers Strong to Save, the Royal Navy's own hymn. There was a hum of singing from most of the crew that died away long before the last, mournful note. Captain Forsythe, the braid of his uniform bright and the ship's red leather-bound book of dedications in his hands, stepped forward. He flipped the book open, and began reading. Amelia took off her hat respectfully and tucked it under her arm.

"We pray for souls adrift on the tide,

May those who are lost find their way,

May the ships that are lost find their wind,

May those left behind find their comfort,

We pray for souls adrift on the tide."

Amelia glanced sideways. Jane was standing with Archimedes on the steps up to the bridge, the position almost comically enhancing her height advantage over him. She noted a black strip of cloth tied around Jane's upper arm and couldn't help but be touched by the gesture.

"It is with a heavy heart that we leave this place," said Forsythe, turning to face the crew. "But it is also with courage unbowed, and in knowledge that our duty continues and still lies before us. Resolute this ship is named and Resolute shall we be also. A ship and her crew stand or fall together, and we will not lose faith in each other. Remember the dead. Mourn their loss, but do not forget the endeavour to which they were dedicated. It is to the same endeavour that we ourselves are committed, and the knowledge of their sacrifice must embolden us, not diminish us."

He snapped shut the book and turned, giving a small nod to Lieutenant Harburn on the bridge and to Mr Arrow. Below their feet, seven guns boomed out in salvo. A squad of Arrow's marines raised their rifles and fired a volley simultaneously. The guns fired again, and once more to complete the funereal salute in honour of the lost ship. The thunder of the last discharges died away and there was a minor restlessness among the crew as they realised that the service was over but they had not yet been released. Forsythe was still standing, facing outwards, his hat under one arm, the book under the other. Amelia saw him standing stock still for several long moments before he seemed to reanimate. He replaced his hat and turned back.

"Commander Chad? Get us underway, if you please."

"Aye, sir!" Chad stepped forward, straightening his own hat. "Hands at the capstan to haul in the anchor! Hands aloft to loose topsails! Hands forrard to loose the headsails! Engines to all ahead one quarter!"

"Crew dismissed!" Forsythe barked. "Back to your posts!"

Amelia watched the crew peeling off in groups, those returning to duty departing in a more disciplined manner, some of those off their shift hurrying below but others lingering for a moment in a reflective fashion before moving away.

"That was a very moving service," said Archimedes, when Amelia began walking up the bridge stairs. "Very nicely done. I haven't heard that song since I was in choir at school."

"You were in choir, sir?" Amelia smiled.

"Oh, yes, naturally," Archimedes grinned. "I used to be a rather good tenor even if I do say so myself! And of course, there was one rather fine soprano I had my eye on at the time, if you see what I mean. That was

how I met Janey's mother."

"I suppose it had to happen somehow, sir," said Amelia.

"Come, father," Jane patted his shoulder. "I'm sure the lieutenant is too busy to hear that story right now."

"I'm afraid so," Amelia grinned again at the sight of Jane's grateful acknowledgement. "But I'd be glad to hear it at some point. There seems to be a lot of talent in your family."

"Quite so, quite so," said Archimedes. "And lucky for Jane, she's got most of it!"

"Now, father, that's not true. You know I'm not the best singer," said Jane, blushing. "I didn't get that from mother."

"Yes, I'm afraid I have a lot to account for there," said Archimedes. "Still, perhaps it's just a matter of motivation. Perhaps like me, you just need to find the right choirgirl to fall for!"

Amelia didn't dare meet Jane's eyes. "I'm sure your daughter's qualities are more pleasing to the eye, sir."

Even in her embarrassment, Jane looked up suddenly. But Archimedes was already laughing.

"So you've seen her paintings, then! Isn't she good? I told you she was!"

"Yes, sir. Her paintings." Amelia grinned at Jane, who loosened her collar and grinned nervously.

"We really should be going, father," she said.

"Of course, of course. Carry on, lieutenant, do." Archimedes waved to Amelia as Jane led him gently but firmly away. Amelia chuckled to herself and mounted the bridge. She shaded her eyes and looked up at the masts. Unfurled sails glowed above her and the engines were building up speed. The big ship accelerated away from the asteroid field and turned to point her bows deeper into the star cluster.

"Best speed, Mr Chad," said Forsythe. "We've still got a rendezvous to make."

"Aye, sir," Chad looked over to Costell. "Luminescence reading, lieutenant?"

"Luminescence forty-nine point nine five, sir," Costell checked a dial on the console. Chad nodded and raised his voice.

"Loose topgallants and skysails! Engines, all ahead full!"

Amelia watched the crew on the mizzenmast clamber up to the heights and begin labouring at the heavy ropes. More white acreage unfolded and caught the light, but not all of it moved smoothly.

"Looks like a tangled line on the mizzen skysail, sir," she called out, suddenly pointing. Forsythe looked up and grunted approvingly.

"Well spotted, Ms Amelia. Get up there and get it sorted."

"Aye, sir." Amelia left the bridge and swung herself up into the shrouds. She fixed her eye on the troublesome sail, which had only partly opened and was being struggled with by a handful of riggers, and began climbing, feeling the solar wind playing in her hair. She allowed herself a brief pause about halfway there and looked back past the stern, but the asteroids were already indistinct shadows in the distance as the ship left them, and their hidden secrets, far behind.

The Resolute's sick bay was nestled below the lower gundeck and close to the centre of the ship to ensure that the staff there would not be easily distracted, even in the midst of battle, and especially by such things as shells coming through the sides. The only lighting was artificial, though in the small recovery wards it was at least a mellow candle-lit glow such as was found elsewhere in the ship rather than the harsh white brilliance of the operating theatre. Each ward held a handful of beds, which hung from the walls on brackets enabling them to be quickly folded away to free up floorspace if necessary. The floor underfoot was made of the same timbers as the rest of the ship, but it was overlaid with synthetic matting that would not absorb and be stained by any of the fluids that could be loose in such an environment. Amelia tried to avoid it wherever possible, largely due to the strong scent of disinfectants which irritated her olfactory senses, but she braced herself and stepped inside. An orderly looked up briefly from his work, saw Amelia's uniform and pointed her into the first recovery ward.

"In there, ma'am. Second bed from the stern." Amelia nodded her thanks. The direction was unnecessary since only one of the beds in the ward was occupied, and it was already surrounded by a knot of the ship's officers. Forsythe was at the head of the bed, alongside the ship's surgeon. Amelia squeezed into a space behind Midshipman Whiting and traded smiled greetings with him.

"Welcome, acting lieutenant," said Forsythe. "Nothing to report from the deck?"

"No, sir. I came as soon as I heard," Amelia touched her hat. "Ms Dunn and Lieutenant Harburn have the bridge."

"Very good," Forsythe looked down at the figure in the bed. "As you were the rescuer of our Mr Sius here, it seemed appropriate to have your presence. And I am hoping that he will be able to provide us with some insight."

"I'll…do my best…sir…" Sius was pale, but he was sitting more or less upright in the bed.

"Take your time, son," said the surgeon. "You can rest when you need to. Thank you, Mr Flower." Flower leaned past him to deposit a glass of a coloured liquid on the small folding table attached to the bed. Sius touched it gratefully but did not pick it up.

"You may report when ready, spacer," said Forsythe. "What happened to your ship?"

Sius swallowed. "We…were on our reconnaissance mission…deep penetration into…Megapterans. Confederate ships…seen in the area…"

"Go on," Forsythe nodded.

"Spotted signs of enemy presence…eleven days ago…dumped garbage from a ship…followed the traces…"

"Did you find them?" asked Chad.

Sius nodded slowly. "Yes, sir…enemy fleet…eight vessels…at least one capital ship, a galleon…we followed…followed..."

The surgeon picked up the glass with one of his hands and gave Sius a drink. The Zandarian swallowed it painfully and sighed.

"We approached the…asteroids. But they must…have spotted us. The Confederates…"

"They engaged you? Is that what happened?" Forsythe leaned forwards.

Sius shook his head. "Not like that…the galleon had…some new weapon…when they turned for us we withdrew…found a pod of void whales…tried to hide behind them…but they came for us…"

"The Confederates?" asked Chad.

Sius shook his head more vigorously. "Not the Confederates! The whales, sir…the whales…turned on us. One minute they were singing…then they came for us. But we heard…heard something. Over the song. Stopped it. Turned them mad."

"What did you hear?" Forsythe bent lower. "What was it?"

"A siren…like a great foghorn…enemy battleship had it…on the fo'c'sle. Drowned out the whales' song…must have driven them insane…suddenly they attacked us…Captain Beckett took us into the asteroid field…to shelter…whales don't go into asteroids…but they did…"

The officers exchanged glances of worry or surprise over the bed as Sius continued. "We tried to dodge…asteroid came from nowhere…no time…couldn't turn in time…couldn't do anything…crashed…"

Amelia looked down, trying to picture the horrible scene in her mind. Forsythe and Chad exchanged glances across the bed.

"And you say that the pirates made them attack you?" said the Captain.

Sius nodded. "Somehow…drowned out their song…new weapon…some kind of acoustic machine…never seen anything like it…" "Nor have I, sir," said Chad. "This sounds unprecedented." "Perhaps we'd better get our resident whale expert in here," said Forsythe. "Ms Amelia, take my compliments to Miss Porter. Have her attend us in here at once."

Amelia saluted and left, wishing she could stay as she heard Sius keep speaking in his croaky voice, her curiosity overcoming her usual aversion to the sick bay. She tried to concentrate on working out where Jane was likely to be. Fortunately she was not so adventurous as to go exploring the bowels of the ship by herself so there were a limited number of places she could be. Unfortunately those places ran from the bow to the stern of the big ship and searching all of them would be time consuming, not to mention embarrassing given Forsythe's insistence on punctuality. Anxious to get back to hear the rest of Sius's story, she hastened through the passageways towards the wardroom and almost bumped into a large figure in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Arrow looked down at her and smiled. "You seem to be in quite a hurry."

"I should be the one apologising, Mr Arrow, it's quite all right." Amelia straightened her hat. "I'm looking for Miss Porter. The Captain wishes to see her in the sick bay."

"In the sick bay, ma'am? Is there a problem?" Arrow looked briefly concerned until Amelia explained.

"The survivor we rescued from the Chancer has woken up and is explaining what happened. The Captain feels that Miss Porter's expertise in void whales would be beneficial to understanding the tale." Amelia grinned. "Although, given your interest in them, perhaps you'd make a good adviser on the subject?"

Arrow chuckled deeply. "I'm most flattered, ma'am, but we'd better get the Captain who he asked for. I believe that Miss Porter is in your quarters."

"Thank you, Mr Arrow. I will go there directly." Amelia nodded.

"As you wish, ma'am. Do give her my respects when you see her." Arrow touched his hat.

"I will, thank you." Amelia turned to go and hesitated, as something that had been preying on her mind ueared its head again. Fingering the white tab on the right collar of her blue coat to hide a sudden nervousness, she tried to keep her voice brisk and businesslike as she tried to find a way to ask an unaskable question.

"In fact, Mr Arrow, since we're speaking of Miss Porter and the Chancer, I've been meaning to ask what you…may have…seen. Or…heard. When we were there." She coughed awkwardly.

"Ma'am?" Arrow cocked his head innocently. "I'm not sure that I follow."

Amelia coughed again. "I meant…in fact, never mind, Mr Arrow, never mind. It was of no importance. You say Miss Porter was in our quarters?"

"Yes, ma'am, I believe so. And ma'am?" Arrow stopped her as she turned and began to head back down the passageway. "On the Chancer…I can say that I neither saw nor heard anything which would be of concern to me, either personally or professionally."

"Is that so?" Amelia turned, smiling a small half-smile of relief.

Arrow smiled back. "Quite so, ma'am. I was not at all troubled with the situation. And that remains my position." "Thank you, Mr Arrow." Amelia's smile was unmistakably genuine now. "Carry on."

"Aye, ma'am." Arrow saluted cheerfully and watched her leave, noting the slight spring in her swift stride.

Amelia arrived in the officer's quarters and found the door to the cabin she shared with Jane slightly ajar. She knocked on it quietly and pushed it open. Jane was standing behind an ironing board, working with a steaming hand iron and humming under her breath. She looked up at Amelia's entrance and smiled.

"What a nice surprise! I wasn't expecting to see you after you were called away like that."

"It wasn't going to be a permanent assignment, if that's what you mean," Amelia grinned.

Jane laughed. "Well, no, of course not. But I hope it was interesting, whatever it was."

"As it happens," said Amelia. "You've a chance to find out for yourself. Captain Forsythe sends his compliments and asks that you join us in the sick bay."

"The sick bay?" Jane put down the iron and moved towards her leather satchel. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing like that." Amelia waved her hand. "But Mr Sius has been telling us what happened to the Chancer. It seems to involve whales somehow, and the Captain would appreciate the benefit of your knowledge."

"I'm not really an expert on them, you know," said Jane. "I just like them."

"Well, you're as close to an expert as we have on board," said Amelia. "So you'd better come along. Is that my shirt you're ironing there?"

Jane looked back at the white shirt on the ironing board and nodded shyly. "Yes, it is…I was fixing my tie and then saw your uniform and thought, well, since I had the iron anyway, it seemed like a waste to do only one thing…"

"It's awfully sweet of you," Amelia smiled. "Thank you."

"It's just a small thing," Jane picked up her notebook. "Anyway, we'd better not keep your Captain waiting or he'll start looking at me the same way he looks at my father."

Amelia laughed. "And we wouldn't want that, no. Come along then. Captain Arrow sends you his regards as well, by the way. And truly, Jane…" Amelia caught her hand as she left the cabin and gave it a soft squeeze. "A gesture of kindness like that doesn't seem like such a small thing."

Jane met her bright eyes for a moment and shrugged. "It's really nothing, Amelia. I mean, lieutenant."

"So you say," said Amelia, leading the way back to the sick bay. "But it's not unappreciated, either."

"Speaking of Mr Arrow," Jane said quietly. "I've been a bit worried about that time on the asteroid…when we were talking and he appeared above us…whether he heard anything…or suspects anything."

Amelia smiled and patted her hand. "You don't need to be, Miss Porter. I was as well, but I met him on the way here. It's all right."

"All of it?"

Amelia turned her head and looked Jane reassuringly in the face.

"Yes, Jane. All of it."

Jane, touched by the significance of Amelia using her first name instead of the formal address she always used in public, opened her mouth to reply but a couple of spacers bustled past at that stage and the need to stand aside and acknowledge their hasty salutes and acknowledgements broke the moment. Jane followed Amelia around a corner and into the bright, sterile environment of the sick bay. The officers were filing out of the recovery ward when they got there. Forsythe nodded to them when he emerged.

"Ah, Miss Porter. Thank you, acting lieutenant. I'm afraid the patient is resting again. But I would be grateful if we could meet instead in my day cabin."

"Of course, Captain," said Jane.

"Very good." Forsythe moved on.

Whiting was the last one out of the ward and he shook his head. "Now that was a story and a half. I hope you're able to make more sense of it than I can, Miss Porter."

"I'll give it my best, Mr Whiting," Jane said politely.

They followed him out of the sick bay and Whiting gave a sigh of relief. "It's good to be out of there again."

"I can't imagine it's much fun being in there," said Amelia.

"Not under any circumstances. And with a canid's sense of smell? It's even worse." Whiting wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Thank goodness I was only there for a few days before they let me back into my cabin. A Midshipman's cupboard may not be luxurious but I'd take it any day over being stuck in there."

"No wonder," Amelia patted his shoulder. "But I'm sure you've used up all your bad luck being stuck in there once already."

"Perhaps that just means that next time I'll simply bypass sick bay and go straight to the morgue," Whiting grinned. "Sorry, ma'am. Bad taste, I know."

"It's all right," Jane shrugged and smiled. "I appreciate it."

Whiting put his hat back on. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, ma'am, I've still got to complete those navigational exercises before I go on watch."

"Of course, Mr Whiting. Do proceed." Amelia touched her hat.

"Thank you, ma'am." Whiting started to go. "I don't suppose you have any useful hints on those exercises?"

Amelia grinned. "You know the rules. We'd both be keelhauled if we swapped notes."

"Always worth asking, though," Whiting grinned back. "Good to see you, Miss Porter. Good day to you."

"It's good to see him up and back to his old self," said Jane, after he'd gone. "Even if it does seem to have affected his sense of humour somewhat morbidly."

"I can't blame him for that, the poor old chap," said Amelia. "Now, Miss Porter, we'd better not keep the Captain waiting."

Forsythe was sitting at his desk, a large book open in front of him. Amelia stepped inside his day cabin and nodded to the Marine guard who had opened the door for them. Jane joined her, looking around the room in some awe. It was a light and airy room with tall windows across the back wall. A temporary cot was hanging on straps from the wall, the bed neatly made, and Forsythe's blue and gold coat was draped on a hook above it. A space chest, heavy with brasswork, was at the end of the bed, a pair of boots next to it, and there was a rustle as the door closed, moving the oilskin jacket hung from the back of it. A couple of small bookcases, one laden with tomes, the other holding map cylinders, stood to the sides of the room. The day cabin was normally an austere place but with Archimedes occupying his stateroom Forsythe had turned it into a temporary home. Such proximity to a captain's personal space was rare aboard a warship, especially under such a straight-edged patrician as Forsythe, and Amelia made sure that she did not appear curious as she crossed the room and stood before the desk. She cleared her throat politely.

"Reporting as ordered, sir," she said. Forsythe looked up from his book. Without his blue coat and hat, the old human seemed a much smaller figure. His white wig, white waistcoat with silver thread and buttons, white shirt and white uniform breeches could have conspired to make him look almost frail, but his eyes were hard and focused.

"Ah. Excellent. Welcome, Miss Porter. I trust you are well?"

"Very well, captain, thank you," Jane gave a little bow. "You asked me to come?"

"Indeed." Forsythe steepled his fingers and looked up at her over their tips. "I assume that the acting lieutenant has briefed you on the subject?"

"Yes, captain. Although I'm not sure how much help I can be." Jane stepped forwards. "I'm a veterinarian rather than an astrobiologist."

"Nevertheless, I suspect you can be more help than anyone else on this ship," said Forsythe. "We're rather short on biologists ourselves, which is rather a pity since we may need one. The survivor you helped to rescue from the Chancer has told a fascinating story. Apparently the ship crashed while attempting to evade attack from a pod of void whales."

"Attack?" Jane's eyes widened.

"Furthermore, he seemed to suggest that the pirate Confederation might have some kind of device…some kind of weapon…something that enables them to control the whales." Forsythe sat back in his chair. "They were tracking a Confederate force when they were attacked. Mr Sius has said that there was some kind of acoustic device on the enemy flagship that affected the behaviour of a pod of whales which were in the vicinity. Do you follow me so far?"

Jane nodded. "I do, captain, it's just that…I've never heard of anything like this before…"

"Nor have I." Forsythe tapped his book. "And nor, it seems, have any others. I do not wish to put too much emphasis on rumour, Miss Porter. It remains possible that the Chancer, inadvertently and unaware, did something to provoke the whale attack itself and that enemy action had no part in it."

"It's certainly possible, sir," said Jane.

"But what else is possible?" Forsythe leaned forwards again. "The whalesong, Miss Porter. What purpose does it serve?"

Jane shrugged. "Well…communication, mainly. It lets other whales know that the singer is there. People think that it carries messages, like greetings, threats, availability for mating…"

"Threats?" Forsythe raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean, one whale threatening another? Territorial disputes?"

"Yes, that sort of thing," said Jane. "Especially between rivals males. But also of outside threats. If a whale sees a predator heading towards their group they'll sing a warning to the others to let them know about it."

"And could they also suggest to their group that they should face the predator?" asked Forsythe. "Instead of just being an alert, could the song also carry instructions?"

"I…well…I suppose it could, captain, but really, this is all far beyond my expertise," Jane tried to smile nervously. "I mean, nobody knows how complicated whalesong is or everything they use it for."

"So it's a possibility?" Forsythe insisted.

"It's…yes, sir, it is." Jane nodded.

Forsythe glanced over at Amelia. "I recall our Mr Sius saying that the Confederate device drowned out the whalesong."

"Yes, sir, so do I." Amelia looked over to Jane. "Could it be that they somehow broadcast a threat warning to the whales? Somehow convinced them that the Chancer was a danger and had to be attacked?"

Jane's eyes were still wide. "Nobody's ever been able to communicate with void whales before! It's been tried, but nobody has ever succeeded, the language is too complicated to understand even when it's been recorded!"

"Recorded? By whom?" Amelia said.

"The history books mention the Periskova Expedition," Forsythe turned a page of the volume on his desk and ran his finger down the densely-printed text. "A Professor Periskova from the Imperial College took a research ship into the outer Megapterans some seven years ago."

"She was the pioneer of whalesong interpretation," Jane said to Amelia. "She led an expedition to take recordings of it. Everyone in my class at university admired her."

"Perhaps her work contains the answer, sir?" said Amelia.

Forsythe grimaced. "Sadly not. At least, not in the way you mean. The expedition was a failure."

Jane furrowed her brow as she racked her brain for memories. "Weren't they attacked by pirates or something similar?"

"Quite so. They were lost without trace until about two years ago, when a longboat carrying a few surviving scientists was picked up by a merchant ship at the edge of the cluster." Forsythe closed the book with a snap.

"Yes...of course. It was just before we left Kingshome-on-the-Cusp to start our colony on Naztar," Jane murmured. "I remember reading about it in the newspaper on the day we embarked. It's one of my last memories of home."

"There were already pirates in the Lagoon Nebula then, sir," Amelia looked at Forsythe. "And sir, if a longboat was all that was recovered, that means that the research ship may have been captured..."

"With all the recording equipment on board," Forsythe nodded. "Along with the research party who knew how to use it."

"We were all devastated at vet school when the expedition was lost," Jane said. "Everyone assumed they were all dead. When that longboat turned up it took everyone by surprise. Of course, Professor Periskova wasn't on it...nobody knows what became of her."

Forsythe drummed his fingers on his desk. "So the pirates have had more than half a decade to uncover the secrets of their prize. Along with the help of the prisoners to teach them. Perhaps they worked out how to change it from recording to broadcasting?"

Jane blinked. "But even the Professor didn't think of that! Nobody knows if it could be done!"

"That suggests that it's at least plausible, even if it's difficult," said Amelia.

"We don't even know how difficult it is! I mean, strictly hypothetically..."

"Hypothetically," said Forsythe, heavily. "Is there any reason it could not be done? The fact that it has not been done before is not relevant, Miss Porter. What I need to know is: could it ever work?"

Jane swallowed to wet her dry throat. "I…I suppose so…I don't see why not…but why would they do it?"

"Whales roam all over the galaxy," said Forsythe. "To be able to control them...make attacks look like an accident...who would suspect piracy, after all? They'd be able to scavenge in safety, like the vultures that they are." He grimaced in distaste.

Jane hugged herself and shrugged. "Well, if you put it that way...but as I said, Captain, I'm not an expert on whales so all of this could be wrong…"

"And as I said, Miss Porter, you're the best that we have." Forsythe smiled grimly. "I fear that we must assume the worst, acting lieutenant."

Amelia nodded. "I agree, sir. Mr Sius' testimony was quite clear. It seems like too much of a coincidence for that…foghorn device to have sounded immediately before the whale attack."

"Coincidences do happen," said Forsythe. "But common sense counsels caution here. The pirates have had possession of the technology. They have had possession of the expertise. They have had the time to use them both. Thank you, Miss Porter. The acting lieutenant will see you out. Ms Amelia, send my compliments to Commander Chad and ask him to attend me at his immediate convenience."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Amelia saluted and led a pale-faced Jane out of the room and back onto the bridge deck. Normally the spectacle of the ship stretching before them would have attracted Jane's curiosity but she was too distracted by her troubled thoughts. Chad looked around at them enquiringly and Amelia nodded to him. He touched his hat and made his way over to the day cabin door.

"Thank you, acting lieutenant. I trust that the Captain was able to find his answers?"

Amelia touched her hat in return. "I'd better let him explain it, sir. The situation may be more complicated than we thought."

Chad grinned. "Let it never be said that Navy life is dull, eh? Thank you, Ms Amelia. Carry on."

The Marine sentry held the door for him and Amelia took Jane over to the port stern corner, watching her face carefully.

"Are you all right, Jane?" she whispered, checking over her shoulder that there was nobody within earshot.

"It's unheard of," Jane shook her head. "What we were talking about. Completely unheard of. And yet...it's..."

"Just crazy enough to be possible?" said Amelia. "Well, we don't know for sure, but planning for the worst and hoping for the best is good practice."

"Of course, yes...but still..." Jane looked out at the stars. "There must be hundreds of whales in this area by now. Thousands, even. If the pirates can control even a few of them..."

"I know. It's not an encouraging thought." Amelia rested on the rail beside her.

It's a terrifying thought." Despite the heat from the nearby stars, Jane shivered. Amelia touched her shoulder reassuringly.

"Try not to dwell on it, Miss Porter. And thank you for your advice."

"Any time, really," Jane smiled and then sighed as she dwelt on the magnitude of its implications. "But as strange as it sounds...I just hope I was wrong..."