I wanted to give my diagnostic crew a chance to figure out what was happening before complete anarchy broke out and I lost control. Once the nonessent...al crew was tucked into cryogenic stasis, I ordered everyone to their quarters. The only exception being unless the work they were doing to find a solution to our problem required them to be at a work station. I was in my quarters checking the figures from engineering to see if there were any links between the timing of the first incident and any. Clara and Lily swallow, at least one of them with satisfaction.‘What happens now?’ the latter asks, alert to the possibility of some frightening consequence.‘Relax,’ Jed tells her. ‘Enjoy the music and it’ll happen in its own sweet time. Take care with them and – well – Es are good. Like the song says.’‘What song’s that?’ Clara inquires with cheerful mockery. ‘Something my dad would know?’Jed grins at her insinuation regarding his advancing years. It’s accurate – he was still at primary school. Bases busted open and not a fucker in sight.”Tony caught Pitbull’s eye and stepped aside, beckoning him over. “Boss ... maybe we outta think about runnin’? We could fall back to the deep mines...” he said in a furtive whisper. When he saw the Diablos’ leader bristle, he carried on in a rush, “We’re not defendin’ our turf against a gang, or even some tightass T-Fed fucks...” He leaned in and hissed, “It’s the fucking Kirrix! You’ve ‘eard what they do to people!”Pitbull clenched his jaw shut,. This scene was repeated frequently, until eventually all the cubicles were filled. A few minutes later, a beautiful woman in her early thirties entered the room. She was dressed in a loose linen pants suit, but I'm sure that all eyes were glued to the long snaking whip dangling from her hand. Facing the slaves at large, she raised her arm for silence. A slave directly opposite me, a young and arrogant looking man in his twenties, whistled at her in an obviously lewd manner. A nervous hush.