“This is Auditor Jhene! The visitors’ crates! They’re atta—” The transmission ended in a burst of static. Maius raised a hand to signal the Auditor guards on the bridge—and then all lights went out.

Maius instinctively dived for cover behind a control dais—and was wise to do so, for as the amber emergency lights flickered on, the Lorduns drew their sidearms and opened fire. I knew we should have insisted they disarm, Maius thought, drawing her pistol. But the rest of the Council overruled me, lest we “insult” them.

Half the Auditors were already down, taken by surprise, but the others had drawn the energy carbines from their concealing robes and were returning fire.

As Maius looked out from behind the dais, she was struck by three things. First, the Lorduns seemed very undisciplined; they were firing wildly and without real effectiveness after the surprise of the first volley. Second, Neely was no longer with them.

Third, a stray bullet.