'Ullii!' Nish wailed, but she paid him no heed. He strained against bonds he could neither see nor feel.

The Matah flicked those long fingers and Nish was himself again. She inclined her head towards Tiaan. Moving as if he ached in every bone, he untied Tiaan's ropes. He looked frightened and she took fleeting pleasure from it.

'What is this talk of betrayal?' the Matah asked.

'Ask her!' Nish spat. 'She sold our world. Tiaan brought an army of constructs here through a gate.'

For an instant the Matah's self-possession left her. She clutched at the glass to support herself.

'Constructs? Through a gate? Is that why the mountain shook yesterday? Explain, humans! Who are you and where did you come from?'

Tiaan gave their names, then began on a halting explanation. 'I was an artisan at the manufactory near Tiksi -'

'You're a long way from home, artisan.'

Tiaan acknowledged that. 'I made controllers for battle clankers, which are armoured war carts driven by eight iron legs -'

'I know what clankers are. What about your controllers?'

'Mine were the best.' Tiaan said it without pride. 'I could see the field more clearly than anyone, and I was better at tuning the hedrons. I began to have strange crystal dreams. I dreamed that a young man cried out for help, because his world was exploding with volcanic fire. His name was Minis.'

'Minis!' the Matah said sharply. 'That is an Aachim name. An ancient one.'

'Aachan was dying,' Tiaan said, 'and Minis with it.'

'And so will we because of your folly,' said Nish. 'Why could you not do your duty like everyone else?'

'I was doing my duty,' she replied coldly, 'until you and your slut Irisis had me thrown out of the manufactory, and all because I refused to bed you.'