'How curious. What's your name?

'Aaron.

Her laughter surprised him. 'What? he asked.

'Number one, eh? How lovely'

Aaron's answering grin was forced. 'I don't understand.

'If you wanted to list terrestrial animals where would you start?

'Now you've really lost me.

'You'd start with the aardvark. Double A, it's top of the list.

'Oh, he mumbled. 'Yeah, I get it.

'Aaron, she chuckled. 'Someone had a sense of humour when they sent you here.

'Nobody sent me.

'Really? She arched a thick eyebrow. 'So you just sort of found yourself at this historic event, did you?

'That's about it, yes.

She dropped the copper band back down over her eyes, and shook her head in mock-dismay. 'There are several of us here, you know. I don't believe that's an accident, do you?

'Us?

Her hand gestured round at the crowd. 'You don't count yourself as one of these sheep, do you? A believer? Someone who thinks they can find a life at the end of these dreams Inigo so generously gifted to the Commonwealth?

'I suppose not, no.

'There's a lot of people watching what happens here. It's important, after all, and not just for the Greater Commonwealth. If there's a Pilgrimage into the Void some species claim it could trigger a devourment phase which will bring about the end of the galaxy. Would you want that to happen, Aaron?

She was giving him a very intent stare. 'That would be a bad thing, he temporized. 'Obviously. In truth he had no opinion. It wasn't something he thought about.