Shara had been offered a fine selection of the best carbonised ferrous for whatever alchemy it was that armed the weapon in her arm. She paced the parapet, massaging her shoulder and flexing her hand. Fynn crouched near the edge, as still as the stone carved devilward beside him, staring into the dark. Occasionally he would say something into the handset cradled on his shoulder, the message fed through the wires down to Aurile, who stood by a city map several floors below.

Aylo was fascinated by the way Shara moved. She had a bearing, confidence and poise that made the most experienced of the resistance fighters look like a swaggering child. She was also absolutely deadly, which made him think his next action was the stupidest thing he ever did. �You are a weapon?� he asked, �The gun is built into you.�

Shara looked at Aylo and he wanted to jump over the edge. �Several weapons systems have been built into my body. The electromagnetic accelerator in my arm is the main one, however.� She stretched the arm and spread her fingers, examining them. Aylo imagined her clasping the fist and pointing it at him.

�Why are you the weapon? Why not one of the men?�

Shara made a fist, Aylo thought he saw it arcing toward him. She smiled, letting the arm drop to her side. �Because we knew we were coming to an undeveloped� she gave the word extra emphasis, �society. You would hardly expect a pretty little thing to be the fighter, would you?� Aylo was certain his heart had stopped. He wished he had asked his other question. The previous morning, so he had been told, none of these three could speak the language. First Aurile had learned it, then he had taken the other two aside, put them into some form of trance and made a strange concentrated warbling. After this strange ritual, Shara and Fynn had been able to speak like well taught tourists.

Fynn stood, stretched and walked over. �They wish you downstairs.� he told Aylo, who nodded dumbly and headed quickly for the door. Fynn moved to another corner of the roof and stared out again. Shara returned to her calisthenics.