Fragments

guards so she could mix in with the crowd.

'Removing rankings, normalizing colours,' Jake said quietly. All rank insignia disappeared from their vacsuits. The deserter line's suits turned light yellow while everyone else's were turned black with the exception of Ayan and Laura's suits. They were singled out in white.

'So you know, all I have to lean on here is the diplomacy and encounter training that I had in the Academy. You might want to pick a few assistants for me, Jake,' Ayan said worriedly.

'Relax, you'll be fine. Give these stiffs whatever they want except for command access to the Clever Dream and the Samson.'

Ayan watched as the ships slowly touched down. As soon as the broad landing feet grazed the ground broad ramps extended and troop doors opened. In seconds there was a hovering skiff pad bearing a woman in a long, green hooded cloak and several heavily armed soldiers around her. Beneath the cloak she wore a dark brown uniform, the breast of the suit jacket was held together with several glimmering silver chains and Ayan could see that the woman wore a silken garment that had many small folds underneath. The uniform was stately, almost ornate. The woman who wore it looked as though she was chiselled from stone, her features were sharp, she was tall and her long blonde hair was pulled back into a tight single braid.

Soldiers baring long rifles and wearing heavy, plated armour topped by darkened, angular helmets stepped onto smaller skiffs and began deploying around the fighters. They look as intimidating as the Triton security teams must to outsiders. This isn't going to be easy. Ayan thought to herself as she fought down rising nervousness.

'I understand why you're singled out, but what am I doing in white?' Laura asked in a low whisper as she watched a squad of fourteen Triton soldiers rush to stand in formation behind them. In the hazardous environment armour, covered in thin, horizontal metal slats, they looked as imposing, if not a little more strange than the Carthan soldiers.

'I think you're here for support,' Ayan muttered back, watching the lead official draw closer by the second. She didn't seem bothered by the rain in the least, even though much of it was spattering against her uniform jacket. 'I'm guessing this isn't a typical reception Jake?'

'No, it isn't, but they’re probably pretty wary these days, considering the way the last couple months have being going.'

'I know, I'll do my best.'

'Just remember what we need. Transportation for the deserters, somewhere we can make repairs, bargain for parts, supplies and a privateering contract would be nice. Stay focused.

Ayan didn't acknowledge that she'd taken his instructions in, the skiff carrying the Customs official stopped within two meters of her.

The Customs Officer's cold grey eyes regarded Ayan passively. 'I am Carthan Colonel Miriam Davies. Before we discuss anything I must inform you that if any more of your fighters attempt to traverse our air or orbital space without clearance before powering up, they will be destroyed. You are also not permitted to use any of these ships for general transportation until we've completed our inspection.'

'I am Commander Ayan, we-'

'Do you understand my instructions?' interrupted the Colonel.

'Aye, you were perfectly clear,' Ayan let her British accent slip more when she was irritated, and the woman hovering in front of her was instantly frustrating to speak with. She'd dealt with commanding officers exactly like her, and consciously decided to keep her temper in check. 'We'll be sure to get clearance for any departures.'

'To be clear, your pilot acquired clearance; he just waited until he broke the hundred meter ceiling before requesting it. In my book, that’s backwards thinking, and people who operate like that don’t go far where I come from. Now what is your business here?' The Colonel said as she coolly ran her gaze across the myriad of ships behind Ayan.

'Our first priority here is to provide these refugees an opportunity to visit a civilized port where they can try and get home, or contact relations.'

'These people don't look like refugees, they're too well dressed, too well taken care of.'

'We took care of them and in return they worked with our staff.'

'There isn't enough room in these ships for these people. Is there another ship we're not seeing? Something outside the solar system or in another port?'

'What you see is all we have left. Most of these people are refugees, we had to make do until we could make it to the nearest civilized system. That led us-'

'Where are your refugees from?'

'We have refugees from Enreega, Pandem and a slaver ship.'

'That leads me to my next question; are you aware that one of these ships was stolen from a Carthan ship yard five years ago? It was last in the possession of a Captain James Gammin, registered to the Palamo, a carrier wanted for piracy.'

Ayan was genuinely surprised, even though she knew she shouldn't be, and she kicked herself for not checking the names of each of their ships in the Carthan Port database. She had only checked the Clever Dream and the Samson. 'I had no id-'

'Clueless. I hope you're not the real leader here. Then again, it might explain why you're so anxious to dump these people off onto the Carthan government. Corporal Lakam, lead a team onto the Jolly Holler and take possession. Assess its flight worthiness.'

Ayan knew the ship she was talking about. It was a forty-two meter long ship in fairly good condition, one of the few ships that surrendered before taking serious damage in Ossimi Ring. 'Colonel, my people have done work on that ship to make it space worthy and have left personal possessions aboard.'

'We're taking that ship, Commander. You're in no legal or tactical position to stop us.'

'Fine, just give us some time to get our things and some of the materials we used so we can use them to repair our other ships.'

The Colonel looked at the long, irregular hauler and nodded. 'I can't see how you could make things worse. You have fifteen minutes, and don't take any fixtures, regardless of when they were added.'

'We're on it,' Jake said over her personal comm. Seconds later most of the loyal crewmembers arranged in lines started running to the Jolly Holler.'

'Begin a high powered sensor sweep of the ships and the individuals here,' the Colonel ordered to one of the soldiers at her side.

He pressed several buttons on a pad affixed to his thigh and nodded. 'The teams are on it.'

'Thank you,' the Colonel turned back to Ayan and asked; 'Now, is everyone here requesting refugee status?'

'No, only the people in that line and that group there,' Ayan pointed to the deserter line and the milling crowd at one end.

'So the majority, I see.' The Colonel seemed to ponder the situation as she looked over the gathering of starfighters and more heavily damaged ships.

'We're also looking to-'

'How did you come to command this group?'

Ayan's temper flared, but she kept it in check — mostly. 'I can't see how that's any of your business.'

'Really?' asked the Colonel, focusing her attention on Ayan again.

'None,' Ayan said flatly. 'We have needs, and I'd like to see if we can be attended to. These refugees aren't without means, only access. Most of them have accounts with reputable banks. They only need secure access to finance their own transport off this moon to a more familiar place.'

'And those who don't have funds?'

'We've provided each with one hundred weight bullion, enough for them to try and get a start. We only need to transport them to a friendly port.'

'I'm afraid that isn't going to happen. I'm denying your people refugee status.'

'What?' Ayan burst.

'The Carthan government can't afford to take in more strays. You'll have to send them to one of the unofficial ports, like Port Rush. It's just over there. It’s a free port, they can do whatever they want there. I hear you can even get banking services for a price.'

'Can we get clearance to begin transporting people there?'