Redd and Yeller took the commander to the medical room, where I had received my veil all those years ago. Yeller stopped me from entering.

  "Shade, you cannot enter," it said. "We must tend to Commander Sentix, and his protocol stipulates privacy. You should wait for us in the thren."

  Privacy? Now? As the door closed in my face, I stifled a laugh at the absurdity of functionaries.

  On the way to the thren, I passed the Garden Room and took a moment to peek inside. Turq the garden functionary was there, amidst the tangle of green. It was tending to a row of small bushy plants.

  "Welcome Shade," it said. "It is good that you are here. We have an orchid with a mutation. The flower structure shows unexpected development. Would you like to see it?"

  "Yes, I would." Turq had never been very talkative, even for a functionary. Its flat statement was practically a burst of excitement.

  The orchid was in a small isolation tank. Its dark and glossy stem was topped by a spray of misshapen blooms with thin, crinkled, iridescent petals, their edges tinted with violet.

  "It's beautiful," I murmured.

  "It is an anomaly." Turq's manipulators hovered over the plant without touching it. "Its continued existence requires authorization. Do you consent to its cultivation?"

  "Yes, Turq," I said. "Please let it live."

  "Understood. I shall keep you updated on its progress."

  ?

  Mother had been busy setting the mood in the thren. She had implemented what Brons probably called "the dramatic lighting protocol", which was mostly darkness with a few spotlights trained on important areas. It was not unlike the setting she had used when Rashala and Larkin had been bound in union. Aini spotted me lurking in the shadows and came storming up.

  "What is going on?" she asked. "Where is your witness?"

  "They are preparing him," I said. "I am sorry for the delay, Pathfinder."

  "This is taking far too long. We should be well on our way back by now!" She shook her head. "I that messing with Zero was a bad idea. Honestly, we should have just let you go."

  "I am sure he won't be long," I said.

  "Yes, and I will take his statement the moment he gets here. I am not waiting for the others to get back."

  "The others?"

  Aini scowled. "Your mother raised Fron's hopes about Zero's archives. He wanted to go and see them. Lidaros said he didn't mind tagging along, so they went off with the brownish machine of yours."

  "Oh." I tried to picture Brons escorting the two men from Voidhold Two in our corridors. It wasn't a good image.

  "Shade!" Mother called to me from over by the table, which was bathed in a spotlight. Beside her sat Rashala with a smug smile and Larkin, who looked ready to bolt. Mother's face remained in shadow as I approached.

  "Did it not occur to you that we might require your presence?" she asked.

  "I was attending to the commander."

  "You were to bring him here without delay. Instead, you vanished, leaving us to entertain these visitors."

  "The reanimation process takes time."

  "Time?" She leaned forward, bringing her angry face into the light. "You waste time while your sister sits here worried sick about your absence?"

  I glanced at Rashala, whose smirk belied any concern. She was leaning against Larkin's shoulder, her fingers patting his arm.

  "I authorized some system maintenance on my way to the White Room," I said. "They were in a critical state. No one had attended to them."

  "And whose fault is that? Who abandoned her duties? Who fled her home for alien worlds and alien ideas? Who returned wearing that abomination?" She pointed at my flight suit.

  "I did not flee."

  "You ran away!" Rashala burst out. "You stole my husband!"

  "Your husband sits right beside you," I pointed out.

  Mother's eyes widened at my direct response. She wasn't used to me speaking back.

  "Can we bring this to a close?" said Aini.

  Mother's gaze slid to the Pathfinder, lips curving into a thin smile. "Patience, esteemed council member. The commander will be brought to us shortly." She turned back to me. "Look what you have done. Strangers have invaded our home, demanded access to our prisoners, and attempted to dictate our actions."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Be quiet. Do you know what it's like to wake up and find your daughter gone? To realize that the voidhold's systems are failing because no one can authorize repairs?"

  "I didn't know—"

  "Of course you didn't know," she snapped. "You never asked. You never questioned. You're a mindless puppet!"

  In silence that followed, the doors to the thren opened and Yeller lumbered in. It took up its ready-to-serve position by the entrance. Then Redd entered, pushing a wheelchair. The wheels squeaked as it glided across the floor. Rashala gave one of her loud, unnecessary gasps and Larkin cleared his throat.

  "Oh, hell fogs," said Aini. "What have they done to him?"

  What the functionaries had done was give the commander a wash and a new suit in darker charcoal grey, completely unadorned. The holes in his neck where the tubes had burrowed were patched. His face was still haggard and lined, but the loose fabric covered some of his more awkward bulges. Actually, I thought, he looked quite well, all things considered.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Mother rose and came into the light.

  "Commander Sentix, do come and join us." She spoke as if inviting him for a meal.

  He looked at us one by one, his gaze lingering as if committing our faces to memory.

  "Who are you?" he drawled.

  "I am the Lady Mira," said Mother, her smile politely tight. "Erstwhile of Voidhold Three, now joined with Voidhold Zero."

  Sentix's face crumpled, then collapsed as he threw his head back to make a loud braying sound that made everyone jump. It took me a moment to realize he was laughing, and the sheer abandonment with which he did it made me smile beneath my veil.

  "Oh, forgive me," he said eventually, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I see things have changed in my...absence. To have someone from Three on our humble voidhold is beyond exciting." His gaze narrowed. "And not to mention useful."

  "Yes?" Mother said cautiously. "In what way?"

  The commander jabbed a finger towards Mother. "You'll have some brandy stashed away. Give me some."

  "Brandy?" For the first time in my life, I was seeing Mother flustered. "I don't know what you mean."

  "I know your kind, Lady Mira of Voidhold Three. You all travel with a secret stash. Come on, just a swallow to help my words slide out." He grinned. It was not a pretty sight.

  Mother looked uncomfortable. She glanced at Rashala, as if help would be forthcoming from my sister. Then she caved and sent Gren the maintenance functionary to her quarters. The brandy arrived in a slender flask. Mother's face was unreadable as she gestured for Gren to hand it to the commander. Sentix took it, unscrewed the top, and took a sniff.

  "Ah," he said, taking a big gulp. "That's the Three I remember."

  "If we have quite finished with the refreshments," Aini said, who sat at the table with arms crossed. "Can we get on with this?"

  "And you are...?" Sentix asked.

  "Pathfinder Aini, Voidhold Two council member."

  "Ah, one of five fools. Care for some brandy? Finest on this gas giant." He frowned. "No, that's inaccurate. It's the vintage on this gas giant." He laughed again. Then he looked around at the shocked faces. "Don't mind me. Just finding joy in the everyday things...my, aren't you all a bunch of po-faced machine-raised flesh frames."

  His gaze landed on me and he sobered.

  "Ah, daughter of Zero." He gripped the arms of the wheelchair and began to lever himself to his feet. Redd reached over to help him, but he waved it away. Once upright, he spread his arms. "As agreed, here I am...what is left of me, anyway. In which direction should I aim my words?"

  "Please speak to Pathfinder Aini," I said, indicating the council woman. "She is here to take your testimony."

  "If you insist." He swiveled slowly until he was facing her. "Do tell me first what crime this young snippet is accused of. Loitering? Larceny?" He grinned savagely. "Murder?"

  "Interference with our navigation system," Aini said, "with the aim of destabilizing our voidhold and causing the death of all onboard."

  "Really?" He cocked his head, as far as his odd neck would allow. "Speaking as a voidicidal maniac myself, I do not believe her capable of such a thing. It is actually surprisingly difficult to achieve." His eyes narrowed. "And you, I think, are of a similar opinion."

  Aini looked uncomfortable. "You are right, this is not the crime I have been leaning towards. I believe she has committed something far less violent...although possibly far more sinister."

  "And what would this heinous crime be?"

  "Reintegrating our navigator unit," said Aini.

  There was a silence. Then the commander spoke slowly. "Council woman, I am waiting for you to tell me her crime."

  Aini frowned. "And I have told you."

  He turned to look at me, then back at her, wincing at the pain this movement cost him.

  "I see. But why did she need to do so a thing? What happened to your navigator unit? Did you drop it behind a console?"

  "Commander." Aini offered an awkward smile. "You may not know this, but we on Voidhold Two have forsworn the use of machines."

  "Foresworn machines?" the commander growled. "What do you do then, stretch your arms out and fly?"

  "No," Aini snapped. "Of course we still use a substantial number of machines, specifically ones with capabilities. However, around a decade ago we decided to eliminate all use of intelligent machines. The ones that were made to do our thinking for us."

  Sentix nodded slowly. "This is interesting." He looked at Redd, who was still hovering close behind. "What do you say to that, Mrs. Red Med Bot?"

  "I say nothing," said Redd. "Because no medical question has been directed at me."

  "Right answer," said Sentix, turning back to Aini. "So, you intentionally misplaced your navigator and Shade here found it and replaced it. Do I understand that right?"

  "If you must put it like that, yes."

  "Well then," Sentix said, "it seems my job is simple." He gestured toward me. "This young woman's character, as far as I can tell, is one of clarity in a world of delusion."

  "Clarity?" Mother scoffed. "She has never had an original thought in her life. She's a shadow, a whisper trained to parrot functional permissions. If she ever showed any clarity, it was merely reflecting whatever functionary was closest to her."

  "I wasn't finished," Sentix's growl silenced Mother. "She recognized a necessity and acted on it. She restored a vital component when your council's ideology threatened everyone's survival." He turned back to Aini. "The navigator exists for a reason. Voidholds without them drift into death. Was that your aim?"

  "Our aim is freedom," Aini replied stiffly. "Human autonomy. We can navigate ourselves."

  "Freedom?" Sentix barked a laugh that dissolved into coughing. Redd moved forward but he pushed its hand away. "What freedom is there in a crushed hull?"

  "Commander," said Mother, "we understand that being in stasis must be a difficult experience. Perhaps it introduced some...unusual thoughts."

  "Do not presume to tell me of stasis and the madness it brings," Sentix said, his gaze drifting to the viewport. "They're so beautiful from a distance, our voidholds. Like artwork." He shook his head slowly. "Beautiful triggers."

  "What do you mean by triggers?" Aini asked, leaning forward.

  Sentix's face softened into a terrible smile. "Ah, now we get to it. The council member wants to know the truth." He took a swig of brandy. "Tell me, Pathfinder, what drives your people? What lies at your heart?"

  "Hope," she answered. "A future where humanity works together instead of drifting apart."

  "Noble," he said, nodding. "And wrong." His voice hardened. "The voidholds were never meant to unite in harmony, only in annihilation."

  Larkin's head snapped up. "What are you saying?"

  "When the voidholds come together," Sentix continued, "the reaction begins."

  "What reaction?" Aini asked.

  "A controlled collapse," Sentix said. "The gas giant implodes, creating a shockwave powerful enough to obliterate the moons." His twisted hands made a spreading gesture. "Every colony gone in an instant."

  Cedar had been right. If I ever talked to it again, I would have the pleasure of telling it so.

  Silence descended on the thren. Even Rashala's perpetual fidgeting stilled.

  "That's impossible," Aini said. "Why would anyone build such a thing?"

  "Who knows?" Sentix's laugh was hollow. "There are no stories, no glory for us. We were never meant to be heroes. We were expendable. Convicts, dissidents, undesirables. Doing a forgotten job."

  "How can you know this?" Mother demanded.

  "Ah," he said softly, closing his eyes. "Commander Persea of Voidhold One showed me a few things she shouldn't have before she took her voidhold outside our reach."

  Aini stood up so suddenly that her chair clattered backward. "This is insanity! You expect me to believe our voidholds are components in some ancient weapon?"

  "Believe what you want," Sentix shrugged. "I have said my piece."

  Rashala erupted from her chair. "He's lying! This is some sick game!" She pointed at me. "She put him up to this to ruin everything!"

  "Is it true?" Larkin asked me, his voice barely audible.

  Mother smacked her palm on the table. "This entire charade has gone far enough. This man is clearly suffering from stasis-madness."

  "What, does no one want to hear the ravings of a murderous lunatic?" Sentix asked, staring straight at me, his loose mouth forming a sardonic smile. "What has our world come to?"

  "Enough!" Mother cried. "Commander, you've fulfilled your role as a character witness. You will now be returned to your...."

  "No." His gaze was still locked on mine. "I think not."

  Behind his eerie smile lay a silent reminder of my promise. I gave him the smallest nod.

  "You have no choice in the matter," said Mother. "Yeller! Return the commander to the White Room."

  But there was no heavy tread nor an "I serve" response. Yeller was no longer beside the entrance to the thren.

  "Looks like your upkeep bot's gone walkies," the commander said, finishing the brandy.

  "Shade!" Mother snapped. "Go find Yeller and bring it back here."

  As I passed by Redd, the functionary grabbed my arm.

  "Shade," it said, pointing to my ear. "Yeller says that you must eavesdrop on our channel. Now, please."