"This was not meant to be a warship at first, I think. It was meant to rescue people, and those nearest to them, from certain death. Striking back at the Ohm seemed to have been a later plan.

"Perhaps," she paused and stared deep into the rippling water, as though hoping to see some image of what could have been in it, "perhaps we would have been put on some safe world - if there is such a thing - to try and rebuild our lives. But here and now, for a lot of people, what they are fighting for is not just memories of their worlds, but real people, awake or in the pods.

"I wouldn't mind more support personnel myself, actually. Lone heroes with amazing powers are great one at a time, but in groups they seem to want - not to group."