Troll heard the edge of Harrigan's orders even over the Nebari voices.

Good he decided Big H is taking care of his end - now I just gotta make sure I get all of 'em, and herd those I don't get toward the others before unleashing long bursts from both his shoulder guns into the room, making sure he targeted any officers he could see first. He threw angry hornet grenades as well, which only increased the confusion among the Night Watch - a large group of support staff did end up heading toward the others, but Juroch made sure the Sholphaurans were ready, which ensured none of them made it out of the corridor alive.

"Find any functional comms" the Sholphauran Lieutenant whispered "Primarily for the War Commander, his skulker corps officer, myself, and Stalker - but if there are more, we should take them as well". Not many were found, but there were enough for the four initially requested plus one for Hellbolt and Cagg.

"Booby-trap the bodies" Harrigan decided "Make it tricky, make it inventive... whatever you guys can do with what you got".


"Deck 3..." Sholn called in "No signs of life. A few interesting things in personal quarters, which we logged and forwarded to you. That odd male Sebacean has found the galley, if I understand his garbled Scarran speech correctly...".

"Save the fresh... if there is any..." Liz replied, grinning "...but feel free to eat any of the other stuff you can find, assuming anyone's hungry".

"We got pretty much full freezers an' pantry!" Ghost called back happily "They must have resupplied right before crossing the border to the neutral zone! Your man's gonna be pleased we got that if nothing else!"

Liz laughed before adding "Better lay off any booze you find - not that it's likely to be bad, but I tried some of the stuff Hellbolt found on the street and it's surprisingly smooth and stronger than it looks. You won't know how much you had until you can't stand up straight".

"Maybe later, then" Ghost replied "If there's stuff like that, it's not in the general galley" before poking his head outside the galley again.

"Sholn's calling me" he finished, while he threw a few packets to Sholn "We still got a deck or two to go, I think. Call you back".

Liz passed the news on to Commander Solk, who nodded and asked "Are we any closer to our objective of... what was the word your friends used... ah, yes, deviating the ship's computers well enough to gain control?"

"Damn thing's playing silly-fekkiks with me..." Liz muttered - before a burst of static came very briefly across the monitors.

Liz looked at it, then around the room, after which she thought for no more than a few microts before leaping into the command chair and calling "Disengage external antennae! Reboot main system to emergency backup - designate myself as Captain!" in loud but clear Nebari.

"What's going on?" Sholn called over the comm "Corridor lighting went down".

"Had to reboot main comp" Liz replied "Thought this ship would be laid out like Hellbolt said it would be - but it's more like our own. Should have figured Night Watch wouldn't use political officers on their own ships, which means that desk I pulled apart so carefully is likely the security desk and not the political officer's".

"We'll be without lights or levelators until the ship computers have finished rebooting" Sholn told the rest of his group "For reasons known only to the female Sebacean, she restarted the main systems here - everyone put on oculars and activate night-spy mode".

The rebooting caused some confusion and concern among the Kalish, but Liz just smiled and said "Looks like someone was tryin' to jack our systems from outside - considering what we were told's happening aboard the Host Vessel, I'd bet a few crindars at least that this was some Night Watch mucky-muck down at the embassy. It made me rethink a few things I'd seen in the system up to now, too - so I pulled a restart before anyone activated any traps or security drones".

"Good" Commander Solk decided "A problem has been found and dealt with before it became critical".

"Don't thank me just yet..." Liz replied, although she did smile briefly "Might be some damage to the ship yet, we won't know until it's rebooted".


"Any progress to report, Commander Lintaii?" Marshal Fen asked sourly.

"Not any that either of us like, sir" Commander Lintaii replied "I did as you ordered, I attempted to shut down vital systems remotely - but someone aboard deduced what I was doing. Not only have they restarted the ship's computer systems... but they shut down all external communications first".

"Hmm..." Marshal Fen decided, thinking aloud "Something definitely does not seem as expected here... but so far I cannot decide why. So we stick to the contingency plan and retake the Showlon".

The ambassador smiled just a little.

Marshal Fen and his Night Watch are not having things proceed as expected... good! While I don't know the captain of the Host Vessel currently insystem, nor his motivation for attempting to seize control of the ship... it is nice to see my political superiors realise that things will not always go their own way simply because they wish them to.

He thought a little more about his own position before smiling more readily.

For all that there are few of my own people here on Talzenadar IV... I like this place. It is interesting... all the major and many of the minor powers are present... and while some of the other species do make me wary just looking at them, I can do more to advance the aims of our Establishment here than I can elsewhere.

I particularly like these sporting games that have just finished - they are primarily to commemorate the Scarran holiday of Founders' Day, yes, but we can see military and other personnel of other powers that matter and judge our own skills compared to theirs, in addition to conducting more conventional business with people from even more worlds than we usually might do.

He speculated whether he might be able to increase his own fitness so that he could reach the standards required of Enforcers and compete personally in some of the events in the next games for a few microts, after which he nodded and smiled before calling in his aide and asking for the list of his appointments for the day.


"Where do we go from here?" Trannak asked Hellbolt, while the Sholphaurans were laying traps "Are we on the right deck now, or do we need to go down or up another deck or two?"

"This is the right deck unless something's been changed" Hellbolt replied, checking his suit for damage "Not too far now... but we're going to need to be cautious. This entire sector's probably securely held by Night Watch troops and support staff - as this should show".

"Lots of bad guys, yep" Harrigan replied "We keep moving and we get what we want before anyone can interfere, though".

"I hear ya, Big H" Troll added, running over "Looks like the Sholphaurans are good to go... so any time you give the word...".

Harrigan looked over at Trannak, who nodded and ordered "Stalker, Hellbolt, Cagg - lead the way. Troll - you go right behind them. Sholphaurans - watch our flanks and rear".


"Auxiliary links connected to systems inside Night Watch-held areas..." the Showlon's chief engineer reported "... reported signs of a major battle. A large number of Night Watch troops and support staff aligned with them were all killed".

"Are any of our Enforcers allocated to behind-the-lines raids?" Cal Paddan asked, though his first officer replied "Not that far behind the lines, no - I'm reading the same report you are, that's in a Night Watch safe zone".

"The video does not show anything that might lead us to allocate responsibility for this to our people or theirs" Cal Paddan replied "I'm checking the records, such as they are, for ten to fifteen momens beforehand - and either nothing's been recorded or the monitors are jammed".

"Get me three troopers..." Cal Paddan whispered to his first officer once the chief engineer had left "... who can get in there and have a quick but thorough look around. I want to know whether that's our troopers making unsanctioned raids, potential defectors among the Night Watch, or mercenaries hired by either faction - with authorisation or not".


Commander Solk smiled briefly when the lights came back on - but he restrained his curiosity about the state of the ship and their own welfare when he saw Liz watching the captain's HUD and issuing commands to the computers by voice and keyboard.

The overhead screens lit up, which the Kalish were interested to see, after which a ship-wide status report scrolled across them and a verbal account came over the speakers in synthesised Nebari speech.

"That's right, Ghost" Liz said when Ghost commed in to report lighting and climate control coming back online where he was as well "System's back up - right now I'm just trying to find out what still works. Your lot OK down there?"

"All OK" Sholn added, interrupting from his own comm "We lost gravity briefly when you restarted the computers... but my Sholphaurans are all trained for such events, we suffered no side-effects from this. Even the sniper you sent with us is well".

"Ghost's good" Liz replied "I've not been out working with him before - but I did know him and a few of the others back where we all came from".

"Looks like we got troop quarters" Ghost told Sholn as they moved down one more deck.

"Along with training facilities, armouries, and most likely the sick bay" one of the Sholphaurans replied "We don't have the time for a detailed search, this is true... but we should see if we can find the sick bay and possibly an armoury before we move down".

"Bow to stern..." Sholn reminded everyone "deck to deck... until we reach what on a Scarran ship would be the drop deck. I would not be unduly surprised from what we have already seen if military supplies of all kinds - not just weapons - are stored on this deck".

"Some here, some up on the flight deck" Ghost replied, nodding "That's how I'd do it, anyway".


The three troopers Cal Paddan sent didn't speak a word as they did their very best to sneak through the tech levels and climb out as close as they dared to the skirmish site. They spread out, looked around the room, pausing only when one found signs of traps.

"Traps" that one whispered "Whoever conducted this raid assumed that Night Watch would be first on the scene and laid traps to cause more casualities".

"All the bodies seem to have traps laid on them or close by" another added "For maximum casualties, these would be incendiary traps or fragmentation traps".

"Record everything in suit storage" their leader decided "Do not touch the traps. Whoever these people are... ours or some other faction... the fewer Night Watch there are the easier our mission becomes. We have few enough Enforcers trained to special warfare standards... and every time we engage in large-scale battles against the Night Watch we lose more troopers than we can afford to!" before he stood stock-still and listened for several microts.

"Enemy personnel close by and approaching fast!" he hissed "Back into the tunnels - and make it quick!"

The first Night Watch trooper did see feet disappearing but didn't see whose feet they were.

"Never mind that for now" his officer decided "We do what we were ordered to, we find out what happened here - everyone spread out and examine the area and everything in it carefully!"


"I don't see patrols..." Harrigan told Hellbolt "... don't smell any Nebari at all, least not any close by. I'd have thought their CIC would be guarded by anything and everything".

"Don't let the lack of patrols fool you" Hellbolt said warily "There's several kinds of monitors linked directly to the Night Watch facility and there only - and the Night Watch probably control the tech levels around here as well. There should be troops who can reach here in a few microts, even if we can't see them".

"Then we need to move quietly..." the Sholphauran officer replied "and when the time comes we need to move fast as well".

"We could use a diversion, I think" Trannak added "It doesn't have to be anything too elaborate... just enough to force a change in plans or the use of emergency procedures. The problem will be these security monitors Hellbolt says are there".

"That's why you got this ol' Troll along for the ride, Cap'n T" Troll said, grinning - and lifting up two large metal objects slightly bigger than meal plates and maybe two denches thick after pulling them from his long duster "I lay down two of Ol' Sturky's specialities of the house an' run like hell - when these go off they'll be far too worried about their corridors melting and the ceilings caving in ...aaand... why general fire prevention measures are about as useful as a chocolate kettle... that we'll be in, out, an' long gone".

Several Sholphaurans shook their heads and sighed in resignation, but their officer said "You need to rein in your tendency to fulfil your missions, Bloodstar or not, by means of wholesale destruction - whoever you are. Right now it's the best option we have - but I wish you'd thought a little more carefully when bringing explosives and brought thermobaric mines instead of whatever this ...Old Sturky, as you call him... gave you".

Hellbolt murmured a little as well, but then gave Troll fast directions to where he thought would be good places to put the mines.

"Use your cloaking shield" Hellbolt cautioned him "If anyone sees you as you really are, it'll give us away and force a retreat - if anyone detects an active cloaking field here, they should assume you're Night Watch".

Troll grinned again before putting the mines back inside the special pockets in his duster and activating his cloaking shield, after which he jogged away.

"Sorry 'bout that" Harrigan told the Sholphauran officer "Troll does tend to think towards mass carnage... I'll get Sturk to have a word with him when we get back, since he an' Troll are good friends as well as Sturk being senior in rank".

The Sholphauran officer nodded, saying "That he is a skilled soldier I don't doubt, War Commander... but I get the impression he doesn't always remember what covert operations really are" before adding "We have a way to extinguish the flames from those mines if we need to, I hope?"

"Dunno if that's possible any way but pumping all the air out" Harrigan replied "Might work with a chemical suppressant that cuts off the air as well, but if I remember what Sturk told me about this stuff then it needs to be laid on real thick and stay on for twenty momens or more. Leave it open to the air and it'll pretty much go all day".

Hellbolt whispered to Juroch for a few microts, after which Juroch made sure everyone was ready to move.

Troll snuck around the corridors surprisingly quietly.

Probably wasn't the brightest idea I ever had... he thought to himself bringing these mines with me on a boarding raid... probably better to use something that just goes bang and doesn't try to melt the sector into a big pile of goo like that strange Sholphauran said. But this is what I got and this is the job to hand - so less random thoughts and more fulfilling orders by incendiary mayhem, I think.

The first mine went up on the ceiling, armed by proximity with remote backup - Troll just looked around after making sure it stayed where he needed it to and grinned briefly, after which he ran to the second location.

Unfortunately a Night Watch patrol was coming back the other way.

Plok! Troll moaned Every time I think things are goin' good, stuff like this happens! No different whether it's North Korea or Tal IV or inside a Nebari warship... so here goes nothing... before shooting the two Nebari he thought most likely to be officers or senior NCOs with his wrist darts, after which he drew his two slappers and set about the rest of the drekh on his own.

"All OK, big man" Troll hissed over the comm after he'd placed the last mine "Was a little less OK than I'd have liked at one point, Night Watch patrol came along - but don't you worry about that any more, they're all dead and mine number two's under the pile of bodies".

The Sholphauran officer nodded grudging approval at this course of action and actually smiled briefly at how he came up with his own way to resolve the problem without needing orders from officers.

"It seems to me..." he told Harrigan and Trannak "... that all we need to do now is wait. When one or both of those mines detonate, our enemy will reveal themselves and then we move".

"Either Juroch or Cagg needs to be with me when we go" Hellbolt cautioned them "Both of them are fluent in Nebari... we can't afford mistakes in speech once we get inside, and there might not be enough room to fit many Scarrans around the consoles".


The Night Watch had sent a larger force to examine the first skirmish site as soon as their scouts reported the rapid exit of the three Enforcers.

The senior NCO called in to his commander the presence of the corpses, though the first scout added "It seems to me, sir, that the bodies were moved - I think the chance that traps have been laid is too high to dismiss".

"Unlikely" his own officer replied, making the scout cringe as he dismissed the warning out of hand - his face went almost purple when the scout actually voiced his protest at the current tactics before their commander. The scout held his hands out to show he didn't want an argument - but he also retreated to the corridor they entered by as fast as he dared without tipping his officer off to what he was doing.

When the officer gestured for two of the other troopers to move the bodies so they could count them all and retrieve idents, the scout's eyes went wide as he heard a wire stretch and a metal pin move - and barely managed to leap down the corridor ahead of the blast from the grenades the Sholphaurans had used to booby-trap the bodies.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" their commanding officer shouted the microt the scout called in.

"It was as I suspected, sir" the scout replied, shaking his head sadly for effect "Whoever attacked this sector and killed our troopers and aligned support staff laid explosives to kill us when we came".

"Hmm..." the scout's commander grumbled "Salvage any idents still in readable condition... and if there's still any equipment in repairable condition, destroy it. The initial scouting party reported Enforcers leaving when they arrived - if they're bold enough to pull off a raid like this, they might be bold enough to come and salvage our equipment. We can't have that".

The scout had to settle for activating the ident destruct on their suits, since he hadn't brought any explosives, after which he returned to his commander as fast as he could.


"Well..." Cal Paddan announced at a conference of senior staff, somewhat unhappily "While we are holding a number of important and essential sectors... our casualty rate has been higher than even the more cautious of us predicted. Despite our overall aims being achieved so far, we have lost far too many irreplaceable troopers..." before he turned to the chief engineer before nodding briefly and adding "...and support staff as well".

"That's true" the chief engineer replied "The Night Watch might not have even close to our numbers... but they're staying mobile, inflicting casualties and leaving fast. Opportunities to inflict defeats on them have been fewer and further between than any of us would like".

"Has anyone found out about the unsanctioned raid in the dorsal aft sectors?" another officer asked "Those who took part deserve a commendation for its execution... and a strong reprimand for doing so without orders, written or verbal".

"Nothing on monitors" the chief engineer replied, grumbling "The interference suggests the use of an improvised multifrequency jammer... or a military antisurveillance device. To be honest, I'm not sure which one worries me more - the skills needed to make a jammer that good out of whatever they could find, or the foresight to bring advanced antisurveillance technology with them".

Several warning lights lit up on the bridge engineering desk and a loud alarm went off - the chief engineer swore and ran over to his console and looked in growing disbelief at what it was reporting.

"Two more bombings in a Night Watch-held safe zone" he told the disbelieving officers "The consoles show fire alarms for almost fifty metras in all directions around the two detonation sites. I don't have any monitor links in that sector, or we might find out more".


Troll's mines went off within a momen or each other - and caused more confusion than even he had hoped for.

"The Enforcers are growing bold indeed if they're attacking sites of interest this close to our main stronghold!" the most senior Night Watch officer growled angrily "We inflict high casualties on them, we prevent them from attaining key objectives needed for control of the ship... a rational leader would either leave in good order with the personnel and equipment they consider irreplaceable or seek terms. Of course, we hold all accessways to the flight deck... so they can't leave... but that's what I would expect them to try, nonetheless".

Three drekh were ordered to leave the stronghold and investigate the bombing sites. Despite being some of the elite among even the Night Watch's well-trained forces, they didn't think to look for signs of active cloaking shields - so Hellbolt got to see a section of the wall dissolve without being seen himself.

"There!" he hissed in his own language "Site of the objective confirmed!" before running as fast as he could for the entryway, Juroch right behind him and Cagg catching up in a few microts.

Cagg threw two angry hornet grenades inside, and after barely enough time for the noise to die down Juroch drew his pulse pistol and moved carefully but speedily through every part of the command centre to kill every uniformed Nebari he could find - Cagg stayed with him, watching his back and killing the few Juroch didn't find, Trannak hunted down any other soldiers in the barrack rooms attached to the command centre with the Sholphaurans, and Hellbolt and Harrigan went to the largest console they could see.

"What I'd like, mister..." Harrigan told him "...is to shut down the entire Night Watch network, then blow this entire complex to shreds after we leave. We don't have the personnel to hold this place and seize the bridge - and we can't afford to leave it operational".

One of the Sholphaurans called Cagg back to Harrigan - once Cagg had the situation explained to him, he nodded and conferred with Hellbolt before the pair of them started shutting down the computers by both skill and the destruction of key components.

"One momen!" Hellbolt called as he worked "Functional computers or not, sooner or later someone will call for orders in person or by comm and then we'll have problems we can't deal with!"

"Troll, back here!" Harrigan ordered, pointing to the ground in front of him.

"You rang?" Troll asked.

"Place any explosives you still have" Harrigan told him "on whatever things around here that look important. We need to secure the bridge intact... leaving this place intact causes more problems than it solves. Sort out with Hellbolt where everything needs to go - and make it quick".

The lighting went to emergency units the microt the computers shut down - after which Troll and Hellbolt placed every mine and demolition charge they had before Hellbolt nodded toward Harrigan.

"We gotta get out of here real fast!" Troll added "I'd say we need to stay off the crew decks, myself - tech levels are tight, but at least we'd be alive to notice".

"Then we have even less time" Hellbolt added "It won't take long before the Night Watch seal the tech tunnels or place guards on the entry points in key locations".

Everyone followed Hellbolt out of the Night Watch facility as fast as they could, leaving the unusual entryway open.


The chief engineer saw this happening some metras away from the nearest security monitor on the standard system, some metras away - but before he could decide who had just left, the sound of multiple explosions was heard and fire from the incendiary mines nearer the door shot out and filled the corridor.

"The ceiling and floor in that location..." the chief engineer reported with surprise "...is melting. Outside that facility. What it looks like inside no one knows. Monitors closer in that this are destroyed".

"What is that facility?" an Enforcer replied "For that matter... why use a memory-field door? They are extremely expensive and draw a lot of power to change from solid to open states".

"But..." the Enforcers' commanding officer explained "they are almost impossible to see from the outside... " before turning to face Cal Paddan and adding "We should log this location in our personal archives - I believe that facility was the main Night Watch stronghold for vessels of this mass and class. It might be destroyed beyond hope of examination and salvage... but simply knowing where it was is useful in itself. Other friends will need to know".


True to Hellbolt's expectation, a Night Watch force tried approaching the stronghold for orders and resupply - but the intense heat of the fires drove them back.

"Our enemies have succeeded in striking the command facility" their officer told them "We must find the next surviving senior officer and tell them of this event so the contingency plan to seize this vessel can continue".

Ten momens later, Harrigan forced a maintenance hatchway open and squeezed through, after which he looked around for signs of life before calling "Down here, and be quick about it!"

Once one of the Sholphaurans had sealed the hatchway again, Hellbolt activated his helm's LIDAR and took point. No one liked being in the cramped tunnels, even less needing to stay off the supply transit network - but everyone moved toward the bow with as much speed as they felt able to get away with.


"How we doin', you guys?" Liz called over the comm "Any signs of life?"

"Nothing yet" Ghost replied "Got a pic for you, saw this at the top of the stairs" before slumping to the deck and opening one of the ration packs they had taken from the ship's galley.

"OK..." Liz told them a few microts later "If I read this right... there's just the drop and cargo deck below you. If you can, try and find out what we got there... well, interesting stuff anyway".

"Might be a few tanks" Ghost suggested "Nonperishable bits an' pieces that doesn't need special conditions, too".

Once Ghost explained to Sholn what he meant, Sholn nodded and added "We may find armoured combat vehicles, yes - if a ship has any on board, these are always on the drop deck for smaller warships or the flight deck on larger ones. I don't know if you or your friends have seen Nebari combat vehicles before... but it will be interesting to see any if they are here".

Sholn took point himself this time and headed down the ramp between decks, with Ghost behind him.

"Empty, from what I can tell" Sholn told him "I see footprints... people have been here recently... but ships being what they are I don't know how recently".

"Might be an idea to split up an' search this deck" Ghost suggested "You take three an' start from one end, one of your other guys or girls takes the rest of us and starts from the other end - we meet in the middle an' share what we learned".

Sholn's NCO took Ghost and three Sholphaurans and headed to the bow, while Sholn took the rest and headed toward the stern - they moved more carefully now, taking time to examine things they found and confer with others.

"We found twelve vehicles" the NCO told Sholn when they all regrouped "In transport facilities similar enough to the vehicle bunkers we use. We opened one to look at it, but I have not seen a vehicle like this before".

"Then the tools and parts we found must be for these vehicles" Sholn replied, nodding "The maintenance and technical storage area is at the aft end of this deck. There is a large central pillar there - now we have examined the deck, we should examine that and determine if has a use beyond the technically necessary".

Eventually it was decided that this large pillar was the internal side of the clandestine docking collar that connected them to the Host Vessel's hull.

"Good going!" Liz encouraged them "I was wondering where that was! Looks like since we're running on backups I need that disconnected at your end - so don't go anywhere!"


It took almost twenty five momens to find out which of the surviving Night Watch officers was senior in rank and thus held command.

"Despite..." she announced "...our victories up to this point, enemy forces have still managed to hold onto certain key locations and have also managed to destroy our main stronghold and kill our senior officers! Since the Captain and his forces control short range communications and the transmitter for hyperwave comms was disabled by our own forces... I need volunteers to assemble a short-range hyperwave transmitter at the most easily accessible point on the lowest deck and try to make contact with either Marshal Fen or Commander Lintaii at the consulate and request orders. While rapidly-mobile Enforcer units have inflicted setbacks on us even in the short time since the explosions, the change in the territories we hold mean our defensive position is better".

The uncertain situation meant that eventually six entire drekh were sent from their depleted force. Sacrificing stealth for speed, they used the tech levelators as well as the crew levelators to minimise travel time to the vast drop decks on the Showlon - where tech specialists scanned for the best point to assemble the short-range transmitter.


"We got close enough to send in a scout drone" an Enforcer reported to Cal Paddan and the senior officers "The deck plating had melted. Sections of the ceiling had collapsed. We tried sending the drone into the facility itself but the temperature readings went off the scale".

"So the drone is destroyed" Captain Paddan suggested aloud.

"Most likely completely melted" the Enforcer replied, nodding "At least that means that evidence of us examining the detonation site is destroyed as well".

The Enforcers' commander took over, adding "Incendiary agents of this type, not to mention this strength, are not in the armouries of our people, Captain. Either someone purchased equipment in the neutral zone... or foreign forces are aboard this Host Vessel".

It was obvious to anyone that nobody liked that possibility even a little bit.

"Watch the monitors carefully " he cautioned both his senior Enforcers and his bridge security officer "Dealing with the Night Watch is one thing... but whatever their motivations, they are still our own people and we can understand them. What foreign forces might do... even what their objectives might be... I cannot tell".

"Perhaps they are simply here to loot and salvage" one Enforcer suggested "It is well known that our equipment is good... perhaps these forces want to find some for themselves or to sell to others".

"Annoying though that would be" Cal Paddan replied "it is also predictable. If they are here to loot our vessel... then if we can spare enough non-sensitive items to send them on their way satisfied I suggest we do so".

"I'll redeploy some of our remaining Enforcers closer to the bridge in case of emergencies" the Enforcers' commander added "Whether it's foreign salvagers or Night Watch soldiers, people may decide to use these less certain times to head straight for the bridge and force you to give them what they want while Enforcers are busy elsewhere".

"We must keep the unconventional deployment systems safely in our hands" Cal Paddan replied, nodding "Should hostile forces come close to the bridge, we will remove the core systems and retreat by EVA over the hull to one of the Purifiers - since all the Hurricanes are in the flight deck under Night Watch control".


Marshal Fen walked into the ambassador's office for a progress report - less than two momens before Commander Lintaii came in somewhat faster and announced "I have just received word via short range hyperwave from the Showlon... our command facility on board has been destroyed and our most senior officers aboard killed. The senior officer remaining alive requests orders, Marshal".

Marshal Fen fumed silently for almost ten momens before nodding and telling Commander Lintaii "New primary objective - kill Captain Cal Paddan, kill Captain Paddan's bridge officers. If the primary objective cannot be achieved, activate the Showlon's auto-destruct and leave by any means available".

Commander Lintaii bowed briefly, then ran back to the hyperwave communications controls.


Shellek was at the communications desk on the Havoc's bridge when Commander Lintaii passed on the new orders by hyperwave to the Showlon. It took a few momens for the Havoc's computers to break the code, but when he did he immediately called Captain Tareg and Sub-Commander Talannah and passed on the news.

"Amara has been sleeping for maybe three arns..." Tareg explained "I will see if I can wake her, then I will ask her to communicate this news to the senior Sholphauran officer or to Hellbolt, since all of our other personnel aboard the Host Vessel apart from the people of Sholphaur and Hellbolt are changed".

Amara was tired and a little grumpy when Tareg woke her, but she rumbled tiredly before saying "I will try and reach Hellbolt and tell him this news, uncle stony Captain. If I cannot reach him because he is close to our friends with special bits in them then I will tell mama".

"Do this" Tareg told her, nodding "Sit here with me, so you can use all your power to make the connection".

~Uncle grey Hellbolt? ((query, interest))~ Amara called ~New stuff is happening which uncle stony Captain wants me to tell you about!~

~Here ((minor interference))~ Hellbolt replied, thanks to Amara's link, after which Amara explained as much as she could, with Tareg adding things through her when needed.

~((image of a mixed group of people running extremely fast inside a ship))~ Hellbolt sent accidentally, then added ~I'll tell the others, Amara - but we're going to have to run very fast indeed and not stop~ with more clarity before Tareg asked Amara to cut the link.

~Mama? ((curiosity, love))~ Amara called next, after which she told Caseya of these new developments as well.

~Thank you for this news~ Caseya replied ~I will go and disconnect the temporary docking tube and seal the drophatch - should I be needed to retrieve our friends ahead of schedule I can then fly to a new location and do this right away~


"Just got word from special support!" Hellbolt told Harrigan "Looks like someone snuck down and asked for new orders from Marshal Fen groundside via a short-range portable hyperwave transmitter - and he told them to go and kill the Captain and his officers!"

"If they're going to die" Harrigan replied "it won't be till after we've turned the thumbscrews on 'em a bit! We're going to get what we came for!" before passing the news onto the others.

"We're going to have to stay on the crew decks and run for it" Harrigan decided once everyone knew "Hellbolt, keep an ear to the local comm traffic - if you can keep suspicion directed elsewhere long enough for us to reach the bridge, do it! Cagg - help him if he needs it!"

"If we are where I think we are" Hellbolt added "We have approximately two kilometras further to go - and we'll need to run as fast as we can the whole way, without stopping".

The Sholphaurans just shrugged, with Juroch smiling just a little, before Harrigan barked "Stalker, Hellbolt - up front! Everyone else - fall in behind! MOVE!"


"We just managed to intercept a communication from the consulate to someone on this ship" Cal Paddan's communications officer told him "Priorities have changed for them - they have been instructed to achieve their objectives primarily by killing you, Captain, and all of us as well. Should they prove unable to do that, they will activate the auto-destruct and leave".

"A group of Enforcers should escort support staff to where the auto-destruct device is installed" Cal Paddan decided "and defend the site while the support staff remove the device and destroy it beyond salvage. They should do this with care but speed".


"We will move at Force speed, Captain" Juroch told Trannak, nodding "I know you can keep up, our Commander likewise... I believe the people of Sholphaur will keep pace too, but in case they cannot do so easily it might be useful if you could keep them focussed on our overall goals and not their fatigue".

Trannak nodded, telling him "The only real concern will be Hellbolt - he's fit enough, but when you get down to it he isn't Scarran and may not have our endurance. I'll ask the Commander to be prepared to carry him if he can't make it the whole way on his own at speed" before Juroch signalled for everyone to pick up the pace.

The pace was punishing even by Scarran standards. Every so often, when Juroch heard something up ahead even at the edge of his changed hearing, he signalled back to everyone else and they changed course.


The Enforcers and support staff were moving at speed, but used auxiliary power units to reactivate service transit vehicles disabled or sabotaged by Night Watch forces and thus proceed to their own objectives faster than the Irregulars moved to their own. Once they reached the main generator room, they all snuck in as well as they were able to, picking off the few Night Watch sentries present one at a time until they reached their objective.

"If you could fortify this place..." the most senior technician suggested to the Enforcers' NCO "it may make our objective easier to achieve. We can certainly remove each of the modules making up the auto-destruct device... but we cannot do this as quickly as either of us would prefer. Technical limitations".

"I've had to defend worse sites than this before" he snorted "With fewer resources as well. At least we have advance warning" before deploying his troopers to take maximum advantage of cover.

"Remember that other battle we were in" he reminded his troopers "Remember how that other Enforcer told us what to look for so that we might find Night Watch in suits before they find us. Make sure your oculars are working, make sure thermal imaging mode as well as the other modes noted as being helpful work also - charge your batteries now, and keep connected to ship's power as long as you can".


"Damage report" Liz called eventually, and all the Kalish listened as he computer's synthetic speech made announcements and displayed damage sites on a ship's map.

"Bow cannon are down" Liz announced "Completely toast. Two dorsal turrets are showing as working but their guns aren't responding. Most of the close-in defences are reporting as functional. All the comms are down - short-range and hyperwave. Life-support and climate control are good. All three engines are good and most of the manoevreing thrusters and control surfaces as well" before grumbling and muttering in Nebari before she added "We're gonna have to rip this comp right out and replace it once we get back to the Havoc, I'm sure - too much has gone wrong for me to trust it now".

Liz called Sholn for an updated report at his end - but heard Ghost call "CONTACT! Night Watch advancing on our position - dunno how many exactly, maybe fifteen to sixteen!"

"Most likely three drekh" Sholn replied "That means eighteen troopers. Good news for us is that they can only come at us from one direction".

"Do you need my Kalish to assist in the defence of the docking collar?" Commander Solk asked, but smiled when Sholn replied "No, though I thank you for offering. We have a good defensive position - but more people would do more harm than good, at least for now".

"Commander Solk..." Liz called "I'll need you here in front of me, at the helm station. I'll try my best to get us outta here from the command chair - but if I plok up, you take over right away from where you are".

Solk smiled and told the other Kalish to strap into their own bridge chairs.


Hellbolt was going almost purple by the time the Irregulars got to within half a kilometra of the bridge, thanks to the pace Juroch and the other Scarrans were setting.

"We have to go up one deck..." he wheezed, in between trying to breath and avoid coughing his lungs up or thinking about other potential injuries he'd inflicted on himself "...but... but we can go almost all the way... down here...".

"Breathe slowly and carefully..." Juroch encouraged "Eat high-energy rations if you need to, drink liquids that settle your stomach and give you necessary vitamins and minerals. For all that some people permit it... I do not recommend hyperoxygenating tablets or other drug treatments. Besides...increase your general fitness and soon enough you will no longer even think about reaching for them".

"Can't stop for that now..." Hellbolt replied, still wheezing "When we seize the bridge I'll sit and eat then. I wish Liz was here to give me a massage when we get there... but I can't have everything, I suppose...".

Harrigan grinned when Juroch told him what Hellbolt had said.

"It's good to see his motivation's good... but I really am gonna have to talk to him and Liz once we're done here" Harrigan replied.


A light puff... and several hundred metras away, a Night Watch NCO fell to the deck, a hole drilled right through his faceplate and out through the back of his head.

"Looks like platoon sarge is out for the count" Ghost called "Can't see an officer yet - but he can be assured of my personal attention the microt I see him...".

Once this was communicated to Liz and translated, Sholn snorted before telling the Sholphaurans "Take your time... make your shots count. Only shoot what you can kill. The odd Sebacean will primarily target officers and specialist troopers - you will target those who try to take over from the primary command authority. All we need to do is give the female Sebacean and those Kalish friends of hers enough time to ensure the ship is flight-worthy - I assume we will then fly back to the War Commander's Fortress-class ship, and if our forces still aboard the Host Vessel require reinforcement then we will reinforce them".


"Here!" Hellbolt shouted, just summoning enough energy to shout and move at the same time "Up the ramp! We should be almost directly beneath the transitway arrival point for the bridge - since we've manage to avoid and evade official attention so far, there's likely to be heavy resistance between here and the bridge!"

"Hellbolt, get up there and take a look" Harrigan replied immediately, making Hellbolt groan "As long as none of the Enforcers up here can tell the difference between our suits and official ones while the cloak is on we're all good to go".

Once Hellbolt caught his breath and did his best to ignore the pain in his chest and legs, he poked his head up so he could see the platform more clearly - and, blazing pain or not, his treblin hand grabbed a trooper by the neck and dragged him back out of sight before stabbing them under the chin with the knife in his hammond hand.

"One down" he told Harrigan "But these troopers move too well to be regular forces, so we have to move now".

Three Sholphaurans came up alongside Hellbolt and each picked their targets, before puffs of suppressed rifle fire marked the nullification of the first three guards.

"Now!" Hellbolt called over the comm "At least one's either shouted or commed in for orders!"


"We're under attack!" an Enforcer called, running up the approach ramp and interrupting his Captain and officers "At least three dead!"

"Can you identify them?" the chief engineer asked.

"I saw insignia on their upper arms" confirmed the Enforcer, nodding "Not ours"

"Whose?" Cal Paddan asked, sure he wasn't going to like the answer - and was proven absolutely right when the Enforcer's commanding officer said "Special Forces A-teams. Scarrans".

"To arms!" Cal Paddan ordered "Stand by to repel boarders!"

Hellbolt took two hits, and all the Sholphaurans took at least one each - Troll was grumbling about not being able to use his main guns on the bridge, but performed admirably with his secondary darts.

"Take prisoners" Harrigan ordered "We didn't come all the way here just to kill the Captain an' bridge crew, after all...".

Cal Paddan looked at the security officer's desk - where its occupant's head was nailed to the console with one of Troll's slappers, which went through one ear and out of the other before burying itself in the desk - before nodding and asking "Why are you here with these...Scarrans? I am prepared to bargain...to a degree... so if you are after anything in particular then now is the time to tell me".

Harrigan just grinned before saying "That's a sour-looking Nebari face if ever I saw one - and I've seen one or two! Usually after training, admittedly...".

"So that's how you proceeded so swiftly to this point..." the Enforcer's commanding officer grumbled "You found one of us whose desire for pay outweighed his distaste for your ...friends" before he looked more closely at Hellbolt's suit and nodded and added "Well... those suits reported several arns ago were yours, it seems. Up till now the Night Watch thought they were ours and we thought they belonged to the Night Watch... to me they look a touch too bulky, but they seem to work well enough...".

"Best we decide how to get these Scarrans off the ship before the Night Watch use our distraction to retake what we seized!" the chief engineer snapped - after which Trannak said "We might be prepared to solve your problem in that regard... but we require a price you consider very high indeed...".

"We can't do anything about that now anyway" Cal Paddan replied sourly "and since you... yes you, the biggest one... are grinning so much I suspect you came here for the Host Vessel itself".

"Oh, our friends here who don't talk much came for that, you're right" Harrigan replied in his slightly-mangled and unsteady Nebari "Personally... I got other interests. I want that weird doohickey you used to flip your people from down on Tal IV to this ship with not so much as a may-I-please".

Cal Paddan fumed. They want my project! They want to take what I and my backers have spent so much in time and resources, not to mention lives, to achieve outside of Night Watch scrutiny right out from under us! We need that project to advance our aims among our own people - what these Scarran brigands want it for, I don't know! Explaining my long-term aims to these walking reptiles would be pointless - but if there's one thing my Enforcers tell me is that Scarrans are notoriously unsubtle and won't leave without getting what they want or a close alternative!

"If I might consult my bridge officers..." Cal Paddan asked slowly and carefully, still wincing at Harrigan's attempt to speak his language "... then we will decide how we can do that. Our superiors gave us the project you describe and expect results... so we must placate both them and you...".

"You got blueprints?" Harrigan asked "We'll be happy to take the systems off your hands, and you can grab your papers an' rebuild it again without your CO yelling and screaming in your ear for a weeken once you get back".

"We cannot release the systems to you" Cal Paddan replied, shaking his head slowly and doing his best to appear as being a captain attempting to mediate against the odds "Not completely, anyway. We can certainly offer copies of the blueprints to you, and if you fulfil your promise to solve our problem with the Night Watch for us then my superiors will understand our bargain even though they certainly will not like it".

It took another half-arn, but eventually Trannak convinced Cal Paddan to allow technical staff to inspect the systems in addition to giving them full blueprints.

"My only other concern..." Cal Paddan added, smiling thinly when the Sholphauran officer glared at him "...is the lives of my people. What you do with the Night Watch is no concern of mine, especially if it involves what I believe you Scarrans call nullification - but both my superiors and I would prefer that my Enforcers, support staff, and officers return home alive".

Harrigan grumbled again, muttering "Worse than American senators on TV debates, will it ever stop..." in English before consulting with Trannak, Hellbolt and the Sholphauran officer before eventually coming up with an idea - which he whispered to Hellbolt.

"My commander has an idea he would prefer I present to you, Captain" Hellbolt said in his fluent Nebari "He says that in return for inspection rights on your special project systems, copies of blueprints, and seizure of this Host Vessel for our allies... we will not only rid you of the Night Watch but also allow you to leave with as many of your people as you can fit in both remaining Purifiers and as many of the Hurricanes and shuttles as you might need. My commander might appreciate a small number of Hurricanes left behind to examine... but he is prepared to put that wish aside in return for succeeding in our larger objectives".

The chief engineer hobbled over to his captain before whispering "While it pains me to surrender our ship, especially to Scarrans... this is a better deal than I expected we'd get. Since we've taken quite horrendous casualites in the tech tunnels if not in the crew decks, we should be able to get everyone to safety if we use every Hurricane in flyable condition and the two remaining Purifiers".

"You can go get the other two down on Tal IV if you can get 'em without Night Watch stopping you" Harrigan interrupted, deliberately mangling his Nebari speech more than necessary just to make Cal Paddan and his officers visibly cringe "We don't mind a bit. Your probably got most of tomorrow before the Night Watch start shoving people back aboard after the post-Games celebrations finish".

Cal Paddan raised an eyebrow speculatively, and his Enforcers' commander said "Something I hadn't counted on, Captain. If these people refuse to help the Night Watch keep the Purifiers for themselves, I should be able to get a small force to each ship in time to fly them back out here - assuming we get out of our current predicament alive, anyway".

"Well?" Cal Paddan asked "It's not like you haven't bled us dry already, Scarran - allowing us the other two Purifiers for ourselves will ease our own logistical problems and may even allow you to have those Hurricanes you expressed an interest in if we don't need them to put people in".

"What concerns me..." the Enforcer's commander added, more firmly "...is how we're going to save the people we have here! Bloodied they may well be, but the Night Watch won't give up just because Scarrans have seized the bridge! What are you going to do about that?"

"D'you hold environmentals?" Harrigan asked - when the Enforcer's commander nodded, Hellbolt told him "Get everyone possible inside EVA suits, armoured or not - and fill their air tanks. When you give the word, I activate every blast door in the ship, penning the Night Watch in - then we pump all the air out of of the tech tunnels and crew decks".

"Not here though, in case you weren't aware..." the Enforcer's commander started to explain, but Harrigan just kept going and added "Now the Night Watch command bunker's a scorched husk we can control security from your deceased comrade's desk here. We'll bring up all the remaining monitors, after which we open enough doors for your lot to make their way to the flight deck and docking collars - better do it quick, though. Air tanks don't last forever".

Cal Paddan nodded and flicked one hand to his chief engineer and then his Enforcer's commander.

"In progress" he told Harrigan "Now we must wait".


"Looks like that's it, at least for now" Ghost called as he reloaded his rifle "That lot's dead on the decks - so I'd suggest getting out of here before anyone else comes calling".

Liz looked around the bridge at the Kalish - each one nodded and smiled, and when Commander Solk nodded and called "All OK" Liz gave the order to seal the docking collar.

"Seal it shut!" Sholn called to his troops "I'd prefer it if you didn't seal it with torches... but if you have to then you have to".

"Don't need to do that!" Liz called when Sholn reported in "You understood enough of the systems to do a manual seal and that was tight enough for the lock bars to register as sealed as well. Get to some kind of seating and strap down - this'll be fast and rough!"

Once Sholn reported that everyone with him was securely strapped in, she looked aroud at the Kalish again.

"Standing by on the helm" Commander Solk announced "We should get this done now, so we can return to your home ship with our prize and make ready to come and assist your Sholphauran allies if required".

Liz looked at her controls briefly before activating shipwide comms and calling "Popping the collar... releasing the landing pad mag-clamps... up, up, and away!" - then shoving the throttles as far forward as she dared. The Tempest shot away from the Showlon faster than Liz thought it would, but she just pulled the nose over and let this play to her advantage, looping over and calling "Get me a course back to the Havoc! Big or not, I can't see it from here - can't see Tal IV either!"

Once Commander Solk managed to work his way through the navigation system under Liz's guidance, he set a course and said "That should get us to Talzenadar IV, Liz - if I understand the markings on the electronic charts, I simply followed the major shipping lane to what I think is high orbit".

"That'll do nicely!" Liz replied, not setting the autopilot but testing the manual flight controls as she followed the suggested course by hand "Once we're closer the Havoc can guide us in - as long as we call in first, or the main guns will smear us all across the system!"

Commander Solk turned in his chair and watched Liz test her controls, matching her actions to the ship's responses as best he could.

She has some talent Commander Solk decided Perhaps she has even gained certification on smaller craft. Her efforts should, I think, be commended to the War Commander when he returns, I think - though not too strongly, for her own good.


The Night Watch knew they had suffered a major reversal when hazard containment doors as well as blast shields slammed shut all over the ship.

"Lifepods!" one quick-thinking junior officer shouted "Any who can reach them, pack in as many as seems practical and head for our sector of the port below! We may be stuck here in the neutral zone for some time until we can be retrieved, but better that than dead! MOVE!"

"Let them leave" Cal Paddan told Troll, who sat at the security console "The vast majority of Night Watch are still aboard. Your Nebari comrade should poll all surviving crew via Enforcers' comms for readiness".

Hellbolt did just that, with Cal Paddan listening in - and the Nebari captain smiled and nodded with resigned but real satisfaction when Hellbolt said "Looks like everyone you have that still lives is ready - we might get some Night Watch clever enough to ditch their old uniforms and blend in, but you can sort that out yourselves later".

"Atmosphere is evacuated!" the chief engineer announced, looking over a Sholphauran' shoulder to read his former console "Follow my directions as I give them - we open the doors to the docking collars first, and once we load the Purifiers with supplies and people we should have just enough time to get everyone else to the flight deck!" before turning to face Harrigan and adding "Perhaps then we can return an atmosphere to that location, at least...".

"Less talking and more working, mister!" Harrigan barked "We're not getting paid by the arn - and I know the governor's gonna call me on the carpet over all this before the day's out. So the sooner we're done, the better".

Asphyxiated Night Watch bodies were found regularly, and live Night Watch shot somewhat less frequently, as gatherings of crew and troops rushed toward the docking collars and boarded the Purifiers. Of supplies not already present, only sealed rations were taken - each Purifier reported in when it was fully loaded.

"Slightly overloaded, as it happens..." Cal Paddan replied drily when Troll told him the news "But not dangerously so for the journey we need to make. I'll assist my chief engineer in directing you which bulkheads to open to direct my crew and troops to the flight deck - once all access points report as ready, your comrade here will return atmosphere to the flight deck so we can board Hurricanes without needing those suits. My remaining most elite will help me make the project systems ready for transport aboard one of the Purifiers still at the port".


As lifepods made successful if rough landings at the port, Night Watch from the embassy immediately came to the landing sites and transported the survivors back to the embassy for questioning.

Marshal Fen was not happy at all when they confirmed the Showlon was lost, and actually screamed with rage when two troops said they had heard Scarran voices over listening devices.

"THOSE-" Marshal Fen screamed, sufficiently angry he actually used the word meaning 'abomination' in reference to Scarrans "COMMANDEERED OUR HOST VESSEL?! IT'S BAD ENOUGH ITS CAPTAIN WANTED TO SEIZE IT FOR HIS OWN ENDS - BUT NOW THEY HAVE THE PINNACLE OF OUR MILITARY TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR HANDS - INTACT?!"

"Regrettably so, sir" the last unfortunate victim of his anger replied "I must say that First Lieutenant Teng performed above and beyond the call of duty in ensuring as many of us as possible made it to lifepods before bulkheads and hazard containment doors were sealed remotely"

"Best we keep this to ourselves, sir" Commander Lintaii suggested quietly, once the survivor had been ordered out of the room "I suggest we call back to either Nebari Prime or Tallus II for two additional Host Vessels, fully loaded, whose crews are known to be more stable - we can then return to a large and secure facility under Night Watch command and question the survivors at length".


"Get our ride on the comm" Harrigan told Trannak "Once the captain's boys an' girls are making ready to leave, it can land inside somewhere out of the way as long as the pilot stays aboard and the doors are sealed".

"Better it remain outside" Trannak replied cautiously "but close - then once all the captain's friends are away, it can land and we can make our own preparations here and elsewhere".

Cal Paddan grumbled a little at this discussion, but then started giving bulkhead numbers and pointing to displays to direct Troll in which doors to open and when. At Cal Paddan's order, they moved fast but steadily for all flight deck entry points both in crew levels and tech levels - and when he called "Ready!" in his own langauge, Troll re-established the atmosphere in the flight deck first and then the rest of the ship outside the bridge - once the atmosphere was stable in the flight deck, Cal Paddan reached over to activate the containment field himself before ordering "The doors - now!"

Hellbolt just grinned at Troll as he opened the doors. Quite a number of Enforcers and crew reported air tanks being at marginal levels or even nearly empty by the time they entered the flight deck, with many reports of relief at both being alive and more so at being able to take their helmets off coming in.

"Load emergency supplies!" Cal Paddan ordered "Food and medical supplies must go with each craft!" before ordering his Enforcers' commander to send troops to commandeer the remaining Purifiers at the port.

Several Hurricanes were cleared to leave - almost forty five momens later, the Sholphauran officer called in the presence of the two ships making the transition from atmosphere to open space.

"Some casualties" came the report of the mission leader "Only one death. Both ships safely under our control, Captain".

"The Showlon has not moved" Cal Paddan replied "Return here and make your landings at the unoccupied docking collars so personnel and supplies can be loaded. We all have a long and uncomfortable journey ahead of us - and the sooner we start it the better".

"Here..." Cal Paddan said, on the flight deck, when everyone had moved there "... are the blueprints you require" before gesturing to where a number of Enforcers were manhandling a number of what looked like computer cores along with a number of less identifiable machines to a maintenance levelator "Those are the original systems, which are being moved to one of the other Purifiers now docking at an unoccupied collar. Remaining personnel and necessary supplies will then be loaded aboard those ships and we will be far away from here as soon as we can make that happen".

"Stalker, comm your guys and update them" Harrigan told Juroch "We need a prize crew so you can get this back to your place ASAP - and techs to kick whatever passes for damage control around here into line so all the bodies can be put through disposal or popped off into one of the suns".


"We hear, Stalker" Captain Tokk replied when the call went through "We thank you, the War Commander, and your friends for assisting us. We received word that you have achieved your secondary objective of seizing the smaller Night Watch vessel you found as well".

"We'll scour the cores for good stuff on that, too" Harrigan said "an' give you that before you go home. Dunno if you'll find anything nice on that you won't get here... but it's something, anyway"

"I am here, Trannak" Caseya replied happily "Your mission was sucessful? You are all well? What is the inside of that ship like?"

"We succeeded" he replied, rumbling softly "A few injuries to the Sholphaurans, none of which were life-threatening - to be honest, Hellbolt's in more trouble from being subjected to Force Strangler fitness standards heading to the bridge. He's going to sick bay for checking when he returns home, whether he likes it or not".

That actually made Cal Paddan laugh, if briefly.

"You are, I think" he laughed, turning to face Hellbolt "in more trouble than I am!" before joining his Enforcers on the maintenance levelator.

Harrigan and the other Irregulars, along with the Sholphaurans, returned to the bridge on the maintenance transit system.

"We're ready" Hellbolt called, slightly slowed by the effects of strong painkillers "Say the word and I'll release the collars".

"Standing by" Cal Paddan replied, from the bridge of one of the Purifiers "Our personnel are loaded along with necessary supplies. Once we pass the forward flight deck entry point, I will expect to see our smaller craft being cleared to join up with us - after they do that, we all leave together".


Talannah had to open the deck doors to the treblin side flight deck and then guide Liz in making the landing. Commander Solk helped with the more important manovreing, but since all the controls were labelled in Nebari - which Commander Solk couldn't read - Liz still ended up doing most of the hard work herself.

"Plokplokplokplok..." Liz moaned as she slumped in the command chair "I need food and I need sleep... if Big H allowed drink aboard, I'd have a few as well...".

"I do not know if there is alcohol kept in secure storage" Commander Solk replied "But I am sure your Commander would understand if you asked for some if there is any such thing aboard" before calling his own ship for specialist computer technicians.

When they arrived, he ordered "I need a complete copy of all data contained in the archives of this ship for the War Commander and for ourselves. Do not examine that aboard the KV-3 - we will wait until we return home and do so in more detail on a more powerful system not connected to outside networks".


Caseya had landed the Harbringer on the Host Vessel's own flight deck by that point, and was wandering all around the much-emptier flight deck looking at the few ships left behind.

"I see many Cyclones, Commander" she told Harrigan happily when he arrived to greet her "I see a much smaller number of odd-looking larger craft. I also see more conventional cargo shuttles. I do not see bulk or assault landers".

Hellbolt smiled before telling her why that was the case - Caseya promptly bombarded him with questions over how this was done and how long Nebari people had been able to do this on large ships, and Harrigan was surprised when Hellbolt said "A millenia or so by now, if I remember my military history correctly. You Scarrans would have been able to do it as well by now, or at least be a lot closer to the necessary breakthroughs... but the last time you managed to get close enough to seize a Host Vessel of the current type it was the one I was on, so the remaining crew and Enforcers armed the auto-destruct and left. That's where I got most of these scars - I was lucky to get out alive".

A number of Strykers with Sholphauran markings made landings within a few momens, and out of one climbed Captain Tokk himself.

"Interesting...interesting..." he murmured softly as he looked around the flight deck, after which he asked about the lack of small craft - but he nodded when Harrigan explained the conditions Cal Paddan set for agreeing to vacate the Showlon.

"We have some to examine" Captain Tokk replied "Enough to find out interesting things, that much is certain. I hear from the second team that some damage was sustained to noncritical systems before the smaller ship they commandeered could be brought fully under their control - the same did not happen here, I hope?"

Harrigan commed Liz and Commander Solk for an explanation now that hostilities had ceased - once he had a brief report, he nodded and said "It's all good here, from what I can tell - if you really want to keep the standard software then do it, but I'd suggest installing a standard blank OS for larger warships before rebooting the system here as well. Considering how big the system is here, it might take a day or so - so bring this thing and your own ship up beside the Havoc if it makes you feel safer".

"We will hide in your sensor shadow" Captain Tokk confirmed "and we will not approach on the normal shipping lanes. Unless general operations for you dictate otherwise, will will station this commandeered Host Vessel as well as our own ship under your own in close formation".

"That works for me:" Harrigan replied "Sing out if you need my guys to help with other stuff, I'll go back and see what my guys brought back for me now, I think".

Captain Tokk stayed on the flight deck, giving orders to the small number of Kalish and Scarrans who had flown over from his own ship - Harrigan watched for a few microts before twirling his hammond index finger around in a circle above his head before calling "Come on, you lot - time we got back aboard the Havoc again".


"Well..." Captain Paddan told his officers "Despite having suffered losses far higher than any of us expected, we have nonetheless learned some interersting things... namely that the new mark of sneaksuits observed in action both aboard our former property and on Talzenadar IV were made by the same force that commandeered the Showlon".

"Before we were forced to evacuate..." the Enforcers' commander added "I examined the meagre footage we managed to obtain of the attacking force and its members. Besides learning that one of them was one of our people, I also learned that the insignia displayed by some of them was not that of any official Hierarchy unit or force grouping - it is, I believe, from a seemingly large and well-supported rebel movement named the Blood Hand. I was not able to learn details about it beyond its name".

"Something worth investigating at a later date, perhaps" decided Cal Paddan "We should proceed outsystem camouflaged among normal civilian traffic, and once we are well outsystem we can proceed at maximum safe speed to our first layover point for resupply and such medical care as any of us may need".


Hellbolt immediately took a transit car over to the treblin flight deck as soon as he could stagger out of the Harbringer and onto the hammond flight deck - where he saw Liz still slumped against one of the Tempest-class ship's landing pads. He looked at the outside of the ship a bit, still proud that his own people could make such a craft as this, before sitting beside Liz and wrapping his arms around her before murmuring to her in his language.

"I'm still awake, mister..." she laughed quietly "Just dog-tired. Since ship time tells me Third Meal's been and gone, I'd been hoping you could cook something for me in this ship's galley... we still got some fresh in there, you know...".

"Hold on, the pair of you..." Harrigan shouted as soon as he entered the treblin deck, before quietening down as he approached and adding "I know you two want to wind down... but I'm putting both of you on notice that we'll be discussing arrangements about a permanent attachment for the two of you after First Meal tomorrow. Since that amounts to engagement under human culture... if you both agree to that I'll call Cap'n L over here so Liz's Dad can hear about it from you two".

Liz smiled before throwing her arms around Hellbolt's neck - he turned his head enough to grin briefly at Harrigan before kissing Liz passionately for a half-momen or so.

When Lazarus finally arrived, along with Koronna and young Anton, he asked "So this is what you got for us, Liz? Who did the flying getting it here - you or Commander Solk?"

"A bit of both, Dad" Liz replied, still in Hellbolt's arms "I got the departure all sorted out... but Commander Solk did the tricky bits this end getting us landed without breaking stuff".

"You two..." Lazarus called, grumbling a bit and pointing at Hellbolt "You both know the rule we got here... what's going on...".

Harrigan updated him about that situation as well, after which he talked to both Liz and Hellbolt at length and without stopping for almost twenty momens.

"I'm glad you're settled enough here, Liz..." he eventually decided "to make a permanent attachment to a nonhuman - it took me long enough, you know that, and I was wondering if you'd ever unwind enough to handle it while I could look forward to grandkids".

Liz blushed almost bright red at that, though Hellbolt whispered briefly to her which moderated the blush to a brief giggle. Young Anton looked up at both of them, asking what was happening - he thought about it for a while, then nodded and said "You will be like mama and papa, then. I will wait and see new small people when they come and tell Harek and my other friends about them" before looking up at the new ship and asking Liz about it.

"Since Dad's here" Liz decided "We can all go in together. We can run the galley on backup comp easily, no problem there - but the less we have to rely on emergency systems before installing replacement software and doing a cold restart the better" before bending down to look at her brother and asking "You want to come an' see inside the new ship too, Anton?"

"I will come in and see" Anton replied immediately, nodding "I will tell Harek and my friends about that, too. I will remember interesting things and then I will tell them about it. After that, they will all want to come and see it themselves".

"But we go in first, mister" Lazarus reminded his son gently, smiling.

"We go in first, papa" Anton replied, rumbling quite loudly and more than a little smugly.

Hellbolt grinned a little when he saw Anton stare at him as he helped Liz to her feet - Liz grinned back before telling her brother "You look like Dad when you do that, Anton!" before telling Hellbolt "Come on, then, everyone - there's a hatch near the bow on both sides, we can go in that way".

Once everyone was inside, Ghost started whistling a little as he led the way up through the decks to the galley - Anton poked things and asked about them whenever they got to a room he thought looked interesting, so reaching the galley took longer than Liz had expected.

"So they paint 'em this colour to help the crew think straight and keep calm?" Lazarus asked, and Hellbolt nodded and replied "The Host Vessel should be much the same, Captain - at least outside the Captain's quarters, the officers' lounge and the enlisted-ranks club, and engineering spaces".

"This is the galley, uncle Ghost?" Anton asked, looking up at the adult human "This is it? Where is the food? Where is it cooked? Where do people sit and eat?"

"We just sat around here, mister" Ghost replied, waving at the chairs before pointing to the food preparation area "when we stopped for rations. Kitchen's somewhere back there... didn't really look at that, just at the freezers an' such so we knew if there's food in 'em".

Young Anton looked up with more interest then, asking "There is food? I haven't had Nebari food before - what is it like? Can we have some? Can we have some now?"

"I still hurt like the Host Vessel landed right on top of me..." Hellbolt replied, wincing a little as he stood back up but only cursing once (and that in his own language) "...but I'll go and see what we have. I can't make anything too fancy, but it'll be nice... so let's see what we have...".

Liz helped him make enough of a simple dish for those present to sample - both Hellbolt and Liz smiled when young Anton tasted the food and rumbled quite loudly.

"I like it" he decided, nodding "I will tell Harek and Amara and my other friends, and then they will want some too".

"They can ask" Koronna reminded her son "when your uncle Hellbolt is certified fit for duty by the doctors, Anton. If they ask nicely, then your uncle can make them Nebari food if he is not needed for a mission. Until then, you should remember what it is like and tell them about it tomorrow at First Meal".

Anton paused for a few microts, then nodded before asking his father if he should call Nrakal or Moratha to come and collect Hellbolt right then.

"Do that" Lazarus told him, nodding "Use the emergency call function on your comm if you can't remember the code for the docs' personal comms or their quarters".

Hellbolt grumbled a bit, but Anton ignored him and tapped out Nrakal's personal comm code on his own small comm.

"Need a med-ee-vac, nice doctor" Anton announced, fumbling the unfamiliar word a little "Uncle Hellbolt hurt himself helping get the new big ship for whisper friends. Papa and big funny man say you need to come and get him and take him to sick bay. Papa say he need med-ee-vac an' he need it now".

Once Nrakal managed to get their location out of young Anton, he called "On the way!" before discomming.

"Nice doctor is coming" Anton told Hellbolt, walking over and looking him in the eye "You sit down until he get there, uncle Hellbolt. He bring stuff and carry you to sick bay where you get well again".

Ghost went down to the entry hatch when Nrakal and Leasa arrived, answering the few questions he had answers for on the way up to the galley - when young Anton saw them, he called out "Uncle Hellbolt is here, doctors! He is here! Mama and papa and I make sure he didn't run away, doctors!"

"It probably isn't strictly necessary..." Nrakal said "...but you're going on the stretcher right now and we'll get you to sick bay for a detailed examination. For now you're restricted to the ship on medical grounds until I've figured out how badly you injured yourself and repaired any damage".


"It looks like Cal Paddan and his supporters had planned recent events for some time" Commander Lintaii suggested to Marshal Fen "They knew, it appears, that they would not be able to bring the entire crew around to their cause... so the units sent down to provide security for us and for the athletes were units not aligned to them".

Marshal Fen wondered briefly if Cal Paddan had the foresight to send troopers loyal to him anyway, in order to provide information at later dates, but didn't say so right then.

"Very well..." he told Commander Lintaii "I have word from Nebari Prime, two Host Vessels are coming... one of ours, and one from the Enforcers whose captain and crew are more stable".

"How long do we need to wait before they arrive?" the Commander replied "Any more than a few days and the extra personnel will strain the embassy's supplies to a dangerous level".

"I anticipated that" the Marshal told him, grumbling a little "The Host Vessel under Night Watch command is carrying supplies for this consulate as well. Both vessels should arrive in a little less than three days - so the warships of other species will have left by that point as well".


"Be wary and cautious" the captain of the Night Watch Host Vessel NHV-4846889 told his counterpart on the other Host Vessel as they approached the outermost navigation markers around Tal IV "Marshal Fen told us that Scarrans were involved in the seizure of the Showlon. I don't know if those same Scarrans are still around, nor how much influence they have with public authority on this world - but we aren't here to exact retribution. We're here to collect the athletes and security staff from these sporting games that were just held here, along with Night Watch refugees from the Showlon".

The other captain nodded.

"Two Host Vessels aren't enough for combat against a Scarran battlegroup, that's true" he replied "Whether there's reasons beyond military ones for bringing both our ships I don't know".

The Night Watch captain thought for a few microts, considering how appropriate it was to reveal that information, before saying "Even if no one here knows exactly what happened, they most likely know that it did not go well for us. We must present a unified front for others to see, which is why your Host Vessel is here as well as my own, and we must show to all that we consider our people worth retrieving".

"About that..." the captain in Enforcers' uniform asked "How should we proceed? I recommend..." before detailing at length what he considered the best plan.

"Marshal Fen reported that the Showlon was made to wait at midsystem markers" the Night Watch captain replied, holding one hand up briefly "We can certainly try to approach to high orbit, it will reveal interesting information about the people Marshal Fen says have control over system security on the governor's behalf... but we should be careful. If we are targeted, we fall back to midsystem markers and retrieve our people using both your Purifiers and my own".


Captain Haresh was sitting in his own command chair and passing news of recent events back to his own planetary governor.

"Very interesting..." Governor Temmin replied, smiling a little "Commander Solk is to be commended for securing a copy of all data on this smaller vessel for us in addition to the large War Commander. Might the War Commander be more amenable to selling or bartering for that Switchblade-class destroyer now he has something to replace it with?"

"I will ask him" Captain Haresh assured him, nodding "I hear that these unusual Scarrans the War Commander knows... Sholphaurans, I believe they are called... are preparing a copy of the data files from the large Nebari vessel they commandeered for us as well. Technical blueprints for the ship, when they reconstruct them, too".

"Thank them for this" Governor Temmin decided, thinking fast "From what you tell me, they treat Kalish people better than the Hierarchy generally does - they should know we are thankful for what they are providing for us, since we know they will value our thanks. Thank the War Commander for providing those new small craft to study when you next talk to him, also".

A siren went off in the background.

"I must go, governor" Captain Haresh announced apologetically "That was an alert siren from the Cry Havoc. Two Nebari Host Vessels with escorts have entered the system and are approaching our position at notable if not full speed".


"Contact!" Alphak called from Urana's lap, at the navigation desk "Big ship for grey people, uncle Commander! Two big ships!"

"On screen!" Harrigan called - when he saw that not only were there two Host Vessels but also a number of additional Purifiers beyond the eight expected he called "Sound General Quarters! All hands to naval combat stations!"

"Smaller ships as well, Alphak" Urana told her son as she worked "The big ships have special landing places for four each... but there are more here than just those".

Alphak looked, rumbled, then counted them before reporting his count to Urana.

"Well done, Alphak" Urana told him in praise "You found them all. We should tell your brother and your friend Feltano you did this, yes?"

"We tell them, mama" Alphak replied, nodding but not taking his eyes off the large screens.

Talannah passed the contact on to captains Haresh and Tokk, after which she called "Standing by" from the gunnery desk.

"Alphak, come with me" Dern called from the treblin bridge entry ramp "We will go and tell your friends what you have found while your mother and the others work here".

Alphak looked up at Urana - when she nodded, he climbed down and ran over to Dern, after which the two of them left the bridge.

"Host Vessels..." Harrigan called "What's going on? Muse be real important for two to turn up in my back yard with a bunch of little helpers...".

"We are here to conduct the business of our people" the captain of the Night Watch ship replied "More specifically... we are here to resupply our consulate and see to the safe return and medical care of a number of people currently hosted there. Should you be concerned with security in this system... please direct us to suitable placements at high orbit so we can start".

"No one gets past midsystem when they got really big stuff on board" Harrigan replied promptly "Dunno if your guys dirtside told you that before. I don't care if that ginormous bow cannon's offline or powered up... governor says that just it being there is enough to make your Host Vessels wait at midsystem".

"Keep going" the Night Watch captain told his helm officer "Come to dead stop just a touch closer than midsystem... I want to see what these people do when we do not perform as requested" before communicating the same order to the other Host Vessel.


"Both Host Vessels are proceeding at a pace, Commander..." Keyah announced "...that suggests to me they will come to a halt a short distance our side of midsystem markers".

"They do that, Cap'n K..." Harrigan called to Karroch "...an' you power up everything you got an' lock 'em up - but don't fire just yet. They gotta know the rules apply to everyone".

"One Host Vessel has a symbol similar to that Hellbolt told us is on Night Watch uniforms painted on its bow" Keyah added "Since Hellbolt is now permitted out of the sick bay, he should come and identify the symbol and the Host Vessel for us".

"That means it's under total Night Watch command" Hellbolt confirmed once he arrived "Not just what we saw on the Showlon... the whole ship. All the crew and soldiers are theirs".

"The other one?" Harrigan asked, to which Hellbolt said "Normal markings from what I can tell... so it's standard Enforcers. The Night Watch captain will have overall command, though".


"We hear, War Commander" Captain Tokk replied from his command chair "Both the Host Vessel and our own are stationed safely under yours. I have Reapers on standby on my flight deck should they be required".

"I doubt it, Captain..." Talannah replied on her husband's behalf "but we appreciate it nonetheless. Why they're here is really none of our concern - as long as the two Host Vessels stay behind midsystem markers".

"Very well" Captain Tokk replied "We will remain on a cautious alert for now".


Within microts of both Host Vessels passing midsystem markers, the Night Watch's gunnery officer called "Hostile sensor emissions, Captain - targeting both of our Host Vessels! Energy spike from high orbit suggests multiple heavy weapon emplacements coming online!"

"We told you..." Harrigan warned "...to stay on the other side of midsystem markers if you got real big guns aboard. Get back over the line real soon and we're all friends again... stay this side of it and we'll consider your intentions hostile".

"They can detect us this far outsystem" the Night Watch captain told his bridge officers "but detection range usually extends beyond firing range for all ships, as we know. If whoever is there does intend firing on us, we will see them move towards us. Record everything for the archives from this microt on, if you aren't doing that already".

"We are simply here..." the Night Watch captain told Harrigan "...to conduct the business we revealed to you before. Why have we been targeted?"

"You wanna do that, that's fine by me" Harrigan replied "But your big boys wait at midsystem and you send in those Purifiers I see floating around with you - send 'em in with escorts if you like, just as long as your Host Vessels do what they're told".

"It is as Marshal Fen told us" the Night Watch Captain told his bridge officers "We will be permitted to collect remaining Night Watch personnel and allied support staff from the consulate - as long as neither Host Vessel comes closer than midsystem markers. We will do this..." before telling his comm officer "... but advise the Captain aboard our other Host Vessel that should he wish to carefully test their resolve then he may do so".


"One Host Vessel is retreating in good order with escorts" Keyah announced "whilte the other still continues insystem".

"Call Captains Haresh and Tokk, tell them to slip out behind us an' move around the dark side a bit" Harrigan told her "If we gotta fire, we'll have to move a touch closer - which might reveal their locations to people we don't want to know them".

Once that was done, Harrigan told Caseya "Bring us around... point the bow toward the closest Host Vessel... then head out toward them slowly".

"Karroch..." Harrigan added "If that one still moving doesn't stop and go back... let me know when he comes close to firing range and I'll warn him off again. If he doesn't listen... fire a warning shot across his bow".


"Very large craft moving further insystem" the Night Watch navigation officer called "We're too far away to identify it with sensors. It's turning to face us... and is heading toward the Enforcers' Host Vessel on an intercept course".

"That is that enormous ship named Cry Havoc" Marshal Fen explained when the Captain called him "Its captain is odd and extremely trying... but make no mistake, he takes security here seriously and will fire if he feels he has to. He does have a somewhat misplaced sense of ethics sometimes... so your comrade vessel may get a warning before he targets vital systems...".

"Last warning!" Harrigan barked over open comms "Get that there Host Vessel back across midsystem markers or I consider your intentions hostile - and blast it!" before telling Karroch "Cap'n K... fire a warning shot across his bow. Don't hit him, just frighten him a bit".

"Interesting..." the Night Watch Captain said "This time, at least, our comrade got a warning shot across the bow. How... nice".

"Shall I ask their captain to return to keep formation beside us, Captain?" the comm officer asked.

"Do so, do so" the Captain decided "We won't learn more about this odd and extremely large Cry Havoc Marshal Fen told us about without letting it fire on the other Host Vessel - so call them back".


"It is retreating" Keyah reported "Course projection suggests it intends to keep formation beside its comrade in the Night Watch".

"Good enough for me" Harrigan decided, after which he added "Caseya... once they get there, get us back to high orbit. Karroch... if they try any funny business while we're heading back, you still got aft guns".

"The Night Watch senior officer was most likely testing us" Hellbolt said once they returned to high orbit "Marshal Fen probably told them about us as they came in... the Night Watch officer let the Enforcers with him take the lead and see what we'd do. Well, what you'd do, Commander".

"That's politics for you, mister" Harrigan replied "Back home, a shot across the bows of a warship like that means diplomats get called on the carpet an' it's one step less to open war... over here, it's just one more way to show you're unhappy".

"Acknowledged, War Commander" Captain Tokk said when Harrigan commed him and told him the news of recent events "I will deploy Reapers to watch the Nebari deployment, but my ship will remain beside our prize where it is for now. The Kalish captain has offered to stay midway between your ship and mine so he can support either of us if required".

"Looks like Captain Haresh is looking to make a few new friends" Harrigan suggested to Captain Tareg over the comm.

"Quite likely so" Tareg replied "The people of Sholphaur would be receptive to him, having some of our Kalish aboard our ships as both technical staff and at other positions. Many, if not all, Scarrans among the people of Sholphaur can speak the Kalish language - at a conversational level, most of the time. Not fluently like Juroch".

"If they want to make their own deals with Cap'n Haresh and his people, that's fine" Harrigan replied "Wheelin' an' dealin' an' makin' fat piles of money's what this world's all about, after all. Just remind them about the governor's rates for taxes...".

"Understood, Captain Tareg" Captain Tokk replied when the call went through "I received your document detailing taxes levied for doing business here as well... oh yes, in case we make deals with Captain Haresh while insystem".


Since the Nebari made their landing at a busy time of day, a lot of people stopped what they were doing to watch. The Delvian, Jah-Raas, paid close attention to each ship that he saw from his shop, noting identifying numbers and signs along with any names if they were printed on the hull, while taking care of his normal business as well. While people knew soldiers when they saw them and thus stayed well clear, there was a lot of chatter anywhere where large numbers of Nebari were seen.

"We have noticed this as well" Commander Lintaii told one of the embassy staff in the comm centre when the situation was explained to him "Normally I would not encourage open contact with an unknown population... but I think that should any of the troops wish to talk to local personnel then they should do so. In case any one wishes to take images of our people with them or with family members... request copies for our own archives, but otherwise permit such behaviour without restriction".

"What if businesspeople wish to make contact with senior officials for commercial purposes?" the duty comm operator asked "This is a commerce planet, after all - and those soldiers currently landing will be the closest representatives of our people there are to many".

"Should that happen..." Commander Lintaii decided "...then anyone contacted for such dealings should make contact with the Trade Attache here at the consulate. That's why we have a Trade Attache, after all...".

At the Nebari's rather packed consulate, everyone was pleased to hear a landing had been made to retrieve their recent guests.

"Everyone... get anything you brought with you..." Lieutenant Feng announced "...and be ready when our people arrive. I doubt they will wait any great length of time to collect us, they will have orders of their own and I'm sure all of us prefer that our return to the worlds of our people is not postponed any longer than necessary, yes?"

"An interesting way of putting that, Lieutenant..." Marshal Fen said, startling her "An effective one, though. People are moving with speed to collect their few belongings and be ready when the expedition comes to retrieve them".

"We all know we will be questioned when we return to our worlds, sir" Lieutenant Feng replied "Those of us part of front-line Night Watch combat units already knew that when I spoke of it to them, while the support staff who ...travelled... with us accept being questioned as inevitable even though I expect few like it".

"A commendation will be given to you when we return" Marshal Fen decided, nodding "You reacted with speed and saved a number of our special troopers along with valuable support staff whose loss would both cause setbacks militarily and embarass us politically".

"Night Watch troops at the motor pool gates!" came a call from one of the embassy guards "There's vehicles outside, quite a few - but none of them look like they're moving, so anyone going with them has to go to them!"

"Prepare everyone to depart" Marshal Fen ordered "I will collect Commander Lintaii and meet you at the motor pool gates and we will proceed together".


"Looks like that's all of them..." Hellbolt said, on the bridge, some time later "Eight Purifiers, loose formation... looks like they're taking turns docking, all the survivors that made landfall are going aboard the Night Watch's ship".

"Yep, looks that way" Harrigan replied "Glad we sorted this out without having to blast 'em even a little bit. Still surprised the governor hasn't called to ask about the disappearance of the Showlon, though".

"It's not in the interests of the consulate staff" Hellbolt reminded Harrigan "or us, that knowledge of that event spreads too far. If the governor finds out from his own sources then he finds out... but we should not be in any hurry to tell him, I think".


"Well, then..." the governor told his staff at their regular meeting "For the most part the gamble we made hosting these sporting games paid off more than any of us could have foreseen - even more people came through here to buy and sell than usual, there were tourists from many worlds, and of course when you get military crews who've just reached a hospitable world after several monen aboard a large warship...".

Everyone laughed at that - crew from every vessel permitted landfall had spent freely and frequently at both pleasure establishments and anywhere and everywhere else that caught their eye.

One of the administrative staff slipped away after the meeting once she was sure no one as watching her.

"A report was not expected so soon..." her Peacekeeper handler told her, surprised.

"I've included such sensor logs from insystem satellites as I could get hold of" she replied "All of that, plus what little I heard from a few others I know, led me to believe that the Nebari Host Vessel named Showlon here for the sporting games either broke ranks with its political masters in the Establishment or was seized by forces as yet unknown".