"Not all the way outside, I do hope," StarLaughter muttered, but DragonStar did not speak, contenting himself with an impatient shove in the small of her back.

As they left the room, Faraday opened her eyes and stared at the empty door.

"Whatever my companions think," DragonStar said as he pulled StarLaughter to a halt in a deserted part of the corridor several twists and turns away from the chamber, "I admit harbouring some doubts about the sincerity of your turnabout. Frankly, I find it astonishing."

StarLaughter's eyes darted about the corridor. It was deserted. The Strike Force were either at ground level to watch the sky, or were patrolling what was left of the complex, either to find if there was anything left that could prove serviceable to DragonStar or to search for any traps and surprises that StarLaughter and StarGrace may have planted.

She sighed theatrically. "You have discovered my secret."

"Oh, for the Stars' sakes, woman! Stop performing these dramatic roles! What is it you really want here? You were lying back in that chamber, although StarGrace was not. What is going on?"

StarLaughter stared down the corridor, her eyes unfocused, silent for the time being.

DragonStar was content enough to let her think, although he still wondered if she was assuming a facade she believed would aid her cause.

"The Demons tricked me," StarLaughter said eventually, quietly, still staring into infinity down the corridor, "and then they tired of me. They said they were going to restore my son to me, but all they did was make use of his —" her voice broke a little, "— dead flesh to create a haven for Qeteb's warmth and breath and movement and soul. Having tricked me, they then tired of me."

DragonStar hesitated, then placed a hand on her shoulder.

StarLaughter did not react. "I escaped, but only barely."

"And?" DragonStar prompted as StarLaughter hesitated.

"And I began to think," she said, "about myself and Wolf Star."

StarLaughter shifted slightly, bringing herself closer to DragonStar's body.

"When we were husband and wife I loved him desperately, completely, with my entire being and purpose," she said after a moment's silence.

"And yet you plotted against him."

She half-smiled, lost in her deluded memories. "We were so mutually ambitious, DragonStar. We could not help ourselves. We became cold and hard and calculating, and somewhere along the way the love was lost. I planned his murder; he accomplished mine instead. WolfStar was ever quick on his feet."

"And now?" DragonStar said very softly. "And now?"

"And now I want him back," StarLaughter said, "as he must want me."

DragonStar drew back from her in complete shock. "You what? He wants what?"

"I want him back!" StarLaughter turned to DragonStar, her face alive with passion and purpose. "As he must want me! Who else can WolfStar ever love? Who else can /? We have made our mistakes, true, but —"

DragonStar laughed hollowly. "You're mad, StarLaughter. Mad! WolfStar will never —"

"Yes! Yes! He must!"

"Wait... have you told Star Grace this?"

"No. She would not understand. All she wants is his death."

"And the other Hawkchilds? They want the same?"

StarLaughter nodded.

"So let me see if I understand this completely," DragonStar said. "You have decided that, against all odds and expectations, your purpose in life is to love WolfStar again —"

"And he me!" she said. "We were born for each other, and we have spent the past several thousand years moving back towards each other!"

Gods, DragonStar thought. The woman is completely insane!

"Let me finish," he said. "You have decided you want to find WolfStar to throw yourself into his arms, while you have managed to convince the Hawkchilds that you remain committed to his death."

"They would accept no other arguments," StarLaughter said.

"True," DragonStar said, "but what will happen if the Hawkchilds realise that you are double-crossing them? Or if you get away with that, what will you do when you all happen on WolfStar?

You want to love him, the Hawkchilds want to kill him. It's bound to be a mess, StarLaughter."

"Leave that to me," she said. "All that need concern you is that I and the Hawkchilds work on your behalf —"

"Until the Hawkchilds realise you're tricking them," DragonStar said a little dryly.

"And who will tell them, DragonStar? Who?" She sighed. "You do not need to concern yourself about me, or the Hawkchilds, or even WolfStar. Help us to find him, and then turn your back. You get what you want, and I will get what I want."

And the Hawkchilds, thought DragonStar? What do you plan to do when everyone finally meets up with WolfStar?

She pressed herself against him, burying her fists in the folds of his shirt, her face upturned to his, her eyes blazing. "WolfStar and I — what a team! We can best the Hawkchilds, and then ... then ..."

StarLaughter lapsed into silence, her mouth open, her eyes moist with emotion.

DragonStar stared into her face, and with a sudden shock realised that she was either completely mad, or absolutely, frighteningly sane.

And DragonStar did not know which he feared more.

"StarLaughter," he finally said. "I need something solid to convince me that I can trust you. For all I know, you are still in league with the Demons."

"What would convince you of my genuineness? The secret to the Demons' destruction?"

"That would help."

She sighed. "I thought you already knew that."

"You thought wrong."

She thought a moment before she spoke. "If there is one thing I have learned about the Demons during my sojourn with them — and Qeteb behaves as do the others — it is that they are one-dimensional only."

" One-dimensional ?"

StarLaughter gave a small smile. "They are boring. Predictable. They are pure evil, true, but that is all they are. Completely one-dimensional. DragonStar, if you want to defeat them, then make them two-dimensional."