"Something has them stirred up at the port," Risha, the pilot, said. She glanced over her shoulder at Dreik.
"Nothing showing up on our passengers," Dreik said.
"I told you it wouldn't, not until next week at the earliest," Sikura said.
"And I told you and your friends to stay out of my cockpit," Dreik said.
"More Gypsy secrets?" Sikura asked. "We've all seen cockpits before and yours isn't anything special."
"It's more I'm tired of your sick sense of humor," Dreik said. "Get out."
Sikura stepped back, into the short hall that led past two cabins and into the galley of the ship. Herrison and Manson played dice on the floor in a corner. Linnea stood near the sink, twisting her hands nervously. Paltronis sat at the table, stripping and cleaning weapons. She glanced up at him.
"We are at Hawkmoor, as promised," Sikura said. "I got that much before Dreik kicked me out."
"Now the only question is whether we can find what we need here," Paltronis said.
Manson picked up the dice and rattled them in his hand. "Another transport?"
"Information first," Paltronis said. "You don't have to stay with me. This would be a good place to jump ship." She sent a pointed look at Linnea.
"We promised to help you," Sikura said. "We're still in Imperial territory. You've got the connections to get us out."
"And into even deeper trouble." Paltronis snapped the barrel back on the rifle she had just cleaned.
"You need help," Herrison put in. "You promised us action. Eventually. Since the Patrol wasn't going to let us see it again ever." He shrugged, his point made.
"You aren't getting rid of us that easily," Sikura said.
"This is personal, as I've told you repeatedly. I am not working for Lowell. This isn't going to get you a medal."
"And I said I believed you. You aren't going to dump us here, Paltronis."
"It might be best if you stayed." She lifted the reassembled rifle and sighted down the barrel. Sikura moved out of the line of fire. She set the rifle aside and picked up the next one.
The sound of atmosphere came faintly through the ship's hull. Linnea was the only one who looked up nervously.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Paltronis said.
"Dreik's kicking us off here. What are your plans?" Sikura sat across from her, watching her wipe down the rifle parts. They gleamed with bluish oil.
"Find what ships are in port and then decide."
"And go where, Paltronis? Your friends are long gone from Tireo."
"Where do you suggest I go, Sikura? What do your friends tell you?"
"Lowell's gone. He walked out of his office and never came back. He's listed as a deserter. They posted a reward of half a million credits for his capture. I thought you might like to know."
Her hands froze on the rifle. "You couldn't have just learned that. You had to have found out at our last port, four days ago. Why didn't you say something?" Her voice was hard and flat.
"Because it was too dangerous on Heisenberg. If I'd told you, you would have done something stupid, like digging for more information. They were sniffing after you there."
"Then why wait until now to tell me?"
"You still work for him, don't lie to me. Where are you meeting him?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play me for a fool, Paltronis. You arranged this a long time ago, months ago. He had it all planned."
"You're an idiot, Sikura. And I don't like idiots."
The ship landed, jarring them. The barrel of the rifle rolled off the table, landing on the floor with a dull clang.
"Then tell me the truth, Paltronis. What is your plan?"
"Leave her alone, doc," Manson said. "You agreed to follow her, you shut up and follow orders."
"That isn't the way it works, Manson," Sikura said. "Technically, I outrank her." He fixed cold eyes on Paltronis.
She snorted. "Don't try intimidating me." She let it drift off as Dreik's crew moved through the room. She snapped the rifle back together as Dreik entered.
"You're getting off here." He gave her a strange look, as if debating whether to tell her something or not.
"That was our agreement," Paltronis said. She collected her weapons, bundling them together. Manson and Herrison put the dice away and helped her. "How soon do you want us off?"
"Within the hour, if you can," Dreik said.
"Trouble?" Paltronis asked.
They all ignored Linnea's squeak.
"Possibly. There's a ship in port that usually spells trouble with a capital T."
Paltronis froze, a blaster half in the duffel. She pinned Dreik with a cold stare. "What ship?"
He studied her back. His fingers flipped in a complicated signal. She frowned, unable to catch the meaning. Dreik sighed.
"The only ship Shellfinder registers, flying under her own beacon. The Phoenix Rising is in port."
Paltronis laughed. She shook her head as she finished packing the blaster away. "Lady Fate smiles on us all sometimes." She stood, slinging the pack over her shoulder and gathering up two of the duffels. "Thanks for the lift, Captain Dreik."
"Don't come back soon." He stepped aside, letting her out of the galley.
Herrison and Manson followed her without hesitation, lugging the rest of the weapons. Sikura flapped his mouth a second before grabbing Linnea's hand and tugging her after them.
Paltronis paused only long enough for them to gather personal belongings from the cabin Dreik had cleared for them. She shifted her weight impatiently until they joined her on the landing field.
It was late night, two hours before dawn planet time. The port was mostly dark. She counted less than five people in the area, most yawning sleepily near the end of their shift. She looked over the field, at the ships. The familiar curve of the Phoenix rose not too far away. She only hoped someone would be awake when she arrived. She couldn't tell if there were lights near the ship or not.
"That should be it," Sikura said as he joined her, lugging two duffels. Linnea trotted behind him.
"Are you sure the two of you don't want to stay here?" Paltronis asked.
Linnea glanced at Sikura. "I'm going where he's going," she said firmly.
"And I already said I wasn't leaving."
"Because you're curious," Paltronis said. "You're as bad as some other people I know."
"All set," Manson said. Herrison was just behind him.
"Let's move," Paltronis said.
She led them across the field. One worker, high on a refueling crane, stared at them, watching them until they passed out of sight. She twitched her shoulders nervously.
They approached the Phoenix from the back. The cargo hatches were shadowed and dark. She gave the shadow plenty of room, skirting it to stay in the dim light of a nearby security pole. She wasn't surprised when someone stepped out of the shadow. She'd half expected it. She was surprised by who was standing watch at the back of the ship.
"Ginni?" she asked, uncertainly. She hadn't known the girl very well.
"What do you want?" Ginni answered. She fingered the weapon at her hip.
"We're here to ride to the rescue," Sikura said.
Ginni reached for her com button. She was calling for reinforcements. "We don't want help," she said as she pushed the button.
"I think you do," Paltronis said. "Tell Clark hi for me, will you?"
Ginni flicked on a light, shining it in Paltronis' face. Paltronis stood still, though her instincts screamed at her to stay out of the light, keep her night vision intact. The light flicked off.
"It's Paltronis," Ginni said into her com as Paltronis blinked blindly. "Do you vouch for the others?" she asked Paltronis.
"They're with me," Paltronis said.
"They'll have the hatch open for you," Ginni said, melting back into the shadow of the cargo bay doors.
"Trouble?" Paltronis asked.
"They want Jasyn back on Council. She doesn't want to go. Gypsy business," Ginni said dismissively.
Paltronis couldn't help her grin. She headed around the ship for the hatch. The boarding ramp was down. The hatch cycled open, spilling light over her group.
"Cici?"
She couldn't mistake that voice. She dropped her packs and duffels and stepped into the light. "Beryn," she answered, suddenly shy and awkward.
"You don't know how good it is to see you," Beryn said as he caught her in a hug that was more than friendly. She returned it. "Who are your friends?"
"I see you brought your own arsenal," Lowell said from the hatch. "That should help things."
Paltronis couldn't help laughing as she introduced her friends to each other. Beryn never let go of her hand and she didn't care that the others noticed. No one said anything, not about that.
She would have been happy, she could have been, except Dace was still missing.