"The release was real," Kendi interrupted.

"What?" Roon said.

"I really did release the virus," Kendi said. "It's going to hit the ventilation system in about ten minutes. Check the logs and the sensors. You have to evacuate, no choice. Your Madam Chair will tell you the exact same thing. Good thing there are only two ways to get out of here-the main entrance and the airlocks. They won't let you through the main entrance and into the station proper until you clear quarantine, so that means if you want to avoid little X-476, you have to escape through the airlocks. And the Emporium's ship is the only one close enough with the cargo space to hold everyone. We checked the records. None of the other ships in the area can get here in time."

"I have my private ship."

"Not big enough. We checked that, too."

"Then I won't evacuate," Roon said.

"And let all those Silent die? All those valuable resources? What would Madam Chair say to that, Mr. Roon, especially after all the money Silent Acquisitions sank into this project? Sure, you know the real story, but there isn't anything you can do about it." Kendi gave Roon a crooked grin. "Did you honestly think I'd be stupid enough to walk in here all by myself if there were any way I could fail? You've lost, Roon. Time to admit that."

"Escape pods," Todd said.

Roon looked around at him so fast, he put himself at risk for whiplash. "Explain, Mr. Todd. I'm tired of cryptic phrases."

"The station is equipped with escape pods. Evacuate with those and Security can pick them up, no problem. It'll take longer to gather everyone up, but so what? And you can also destroy the Emporium's ship, while you're at it."

Kendi launched himself at Todd. Roon fired his pistol, and white-hot pain wrenched through Kendi's body. He dropped writhing to the floor. Martina screamed.

"Put shackles on him," Roon told the security guards. "And on the Alpha. Don't forget to remove the Father's earpiece. Then get them both to an escape pod and stay with them until you get picked up."

"We aren't going to your ship?" Kendi asked.

"And risk you finding some way to escape and take over? Hardly. I'm done underestimating you, Mr. Qiwele, or whatever your name is. There's nothing you can do on an escape pod except wait, so off you go. The shackles, Guard. Now!"

"Yes, sir," said the male guard, moving to obey.

"No!" Martina screamed, but the female guard clapped a band around her wrist in a single lightning movement.

"Alice," Roon said, "activate sector-wide public address."

"Activated."

"This is Edsard Roon. Due to the medical emergency, we must evacuate immediately." His voice echoed from the loudspeakers as he spoke. "All personnel are hereby directed to move immediately to the escape pods. Repeat: move immediately to the escape pods. Do not stop for possessions. You will be picked up as quickly as possible. There is no need to worry-the virus has not yet reached the ventilation systems. Deltas, remain with your Alphas and Betas. Alice, deactivate public address."

Kendi tried to fight as the guard clamped shackles on his wrist and ankle, but his muscles refused to respond. For a moment he was twelve years old again, torn out of cryo-sleep and shackled in a slave ship. Then he was being jerked to his feet. Pain marched through every nerve, and he was only vaguely aware of Martina beside him.

"Evan," she was saying. "Evan, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were coming. It's my fault. All life, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"We'll speak again, Father," Roon said as the guards hauled them away. "At great and painful length."

The evacuation was quick and quiet. Only the Alphas, Betas, and Deltas actually lived in the Collection's sector. Most of the food service, research personnel, clerical workers, and other such employees were off-shift, meaning only about a hundred people were present and therefore obliged to evacuate. They moved swiftly and without panic to a particular corridor on the outer wall of the Collection, where dozens of small airlocks lay open. When three or four people had filled one of the little, rounded capsules, the airlock cycled shut and a small charge shoved the pod away from the station. Kendi let himself be half-dragged toward one of the airlocks, and he was aware of people speaking in hushed voices around him as they boarded their own pods.

"I'm sorry," Martina whispered beside him over and over. "I'm so sorry."

The guards dragged them, brother and sister, across the threshold of the airlock. There was barely room for the four of them, and they crowded against the pod's rudimentary control panel. A single round porthole looked out into empty space. Already several dozen other pods were drifting away from the station. The female guard cycled the lock shut and her male counterpart hit the activator. A heavy thump, and stars began to move slowly past the porthole. Martina slumped to the floor and put her hands over her face.

The male guard put a hand to his ear. "Yes, Mr. Roon, we've evacuated." Pause. "One moment." He tapped the control panel and a small vid-screen winked to life. Edsard Roon's long, serious face appeared.

"I've boarded my ship, Father," he said. "If you will look out the portal to your left, I'm sure you'll find something worth seeing."

Kendi couldn't help but obey. An enormous hulk of a vessel was drifting slowly toward a clump of escape pods. The words Kalopolis Intergalactic Traveling Emporium of Wonders was painted in large, fancy letters along one side. A much smaller, sleeker vessel rushed toward it and opened fire. A dozen missile trails streamed forward like hungry fingers. Kendi stared as the big, defenseless ship exploded in a dazzling fireball that dwarfed the sun. Debris pinged off the escape pod's hull. After a long moment, Kendi turned to the male guard and held up his hand. The shackle gleamed, silver and heavy, at his wrist.

"Take this thing off me," he said.

"It would be my pleasure," said Prasad Vajhur.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Prasad ignored Roon, and a moment later, Kendi's shackles thudded to the floor. Vidya, the female guard, knelt next to Martina and released her shackles as well.

"I apologize for the slaps," Vidya murmured. "There was no other way."

"Evan?" she said. "What's going on?"

"You silly goose." His throat was thick and hoarse. "You were supposed to wait and let us rescue you."

And then, for the first time in fifteen years, he hugged his sister. Kendi's cheek brushed hers beneath the wimple. The Silent jolt rocked him to his heels, but he didn't let go.

"You're Silent," she whispered. "All life. I'd always wondered."

"I told you I'd find you," he said. Warm tears ran down his face. "I told you I would."

"I remember." She pulled back. "What about Mom? She was sold with you. Is she here, too?"

Kendi shook his head. "We were separated. I don't know where she is. I'm sorry."

"How about Keith? He was in that place with me."

"Taken care of." Kendi got up and swiped at the salt water with one sleeve. "We'll talk soon, once I get the rest done. Don't worry."

"I muted the sound for you," Prasad said. His eyes were a little shiny. "I did not think you would want Roon's shouting to disturb you."