“I won’t waste time,” she said. “My name is Maius. My people require your help.”

“Require?” I replied, with just enough anger to let her know what I thought. “And why should I fulfil those requirements?”

“Jiana, the girl your machine so eagerly assimilated, was my sister,” Maius replied coldly. “You assist us, or I turn you over to the magistrate council. It’s been a few years since we’ve had a sacrifice for the Mob.”

She watched in silence as I looked around. I was in the ship, I knew that. Nothing else could be made out of this much metal. It meant, of course, escape would be difficult, even impossible.

“What do you require me for?” I asked.

“We have…difficulties remaining in your atmosphere for long and the Marauders have stolen from us. You must retrieve this item.”

“I might be able to do that. Do you know where it is?”

“Lordun.”

“No way,” I told her. “No way I’m heading for the Marauder’s capitol. It’s suicide.”

“More suicidal than the bomb we’ve placed in your chest?”