Birch nodded. "The younger officers moved to Dismolle. The older ones were put out to pasture."
"Sorry."
"I got a payout. It wasn't that bad."
"You'd rather be serving though, right?"
"Of course. I always wanted to make Captain, maybe rise to second-in-command at some station or other. I'm sure I could have made a difference."
Harriet nodded, and she was about to reply when Alice fired up the after-burners, making conversation impossible. Harriet thought they were going fast before, but it had been a leisurely stroll compared to this. The engines howled, pressing her into her padded seat, and she could almost hear windows breaking for miles around as they tore across the landscape.
Barely ten minutes passed before the engines throttled back, the sudden deceleration pushing Harriet against her harness.
"Chirless ahead," said Alice. "Should we land at the spaceport?"
Birch leaned forward. "Can we land close to the shop?"
"Checking now." Alice examined a display. "Yeah, there's a park round the corner. We can set down there."
"Make sure you get clearance," advised Harriet.
"Already on it." Alice tapped her headset. "Arnie, can you get authorisation?"
"Negative. They're insisting we land at the spaceport."
"Tell them we're the Peace Force, and it's an emergency."
"I have done so. They are refusing to permit a landing within the city limits."
"Fine. Tell them we're landing with or without clearance. And tell them I'll send a team to arrest the lot of them once we're done with the crooks."
Birch glanced at Harriet. "She's good at throwing her weight around, isn't she?"
"A little too good," said Harriet.
"They've granted clearance," said Arnie.
"Good. Find the park and set down. Oh, you'd better buzz the area first."
"An excellent suggestion. That will clear any humans from the landing zone."
Harriet pictured locals running for cover as the fighter jet dived on them, and winced. She'd been hoping for some kind of official reception once the case was solved, reaching out to the sister city with an offer of protection and friendship. Instead, the reception was more likely to be angry locals with pitchforks and placards. The Peace Force hadn't been to Chirless in two decades, and at this rate it'd be another twenty years before they were invited back.
Still, at least there wasn't a local Peace Force branch to deal with. She'd heard legends of turf wars which would have put real wars to shame, with some commanders treating their officers like private armies.
They were over the city now, and Harriet caught glimpses of the buildings. There were more apartment buildings than she was used to, high-rises of thirty floors or more. Dismolle was more spread out than Chirless, the dwellings mostly built on large plots of land. Here, it seemed people preferred to live in close proximity.
The jet swooped between two rows of buildings, turned sharply and flew back over the same area, engines thundering. If there had been anyone down there, thought Harriet, they'd certainly be clear by now. If they hadn't run away, they'd have been blown out of the park by the ship's wash.
They turned once more, then set down with a gentle bump. Alice was already on her feet before the engines switched off, jogging down the steps to the airlock. Harriet and Birch undid their harnesses and followed.
Alice hauled open the hatch and pushed the ladder down, using both hands to drive it towards the ground on its runners. Once it was secure she stood back and nodded at Birch. "You go first. This is your city."
"I doubt they think so," said Birch, but he looked pleased all the same.
Harriet followed him down, and she stepped off the ladder in the middle of a park. There were big trees at one end, with a fountain and play equipment nearby. Several people had gathered to watch the jet's arrival, and Harriet waved reassuringly. She was tempted to call out 'Take me to your leader', but she pushed the thought away quickly. "Peace Force!" she shouted. "We're on an urgent mission. Sorry for the inconvenience!"
"That'll shock them," said Birch.
"What, the Peace Force showing up?"
"No, the Peace Force being polite. They're more used to ducking our weapons fire."
"That's okay," said Alice, "At least they know we come in peace."
Harriet snorted, then turned it into a cough. "Which way, Dave?"
He glanced around, getting his bearings, then pointed. "Along there. High street's round the corner."
Alice and Harriet set off at a run, leaving him puffing in their wake.
"What do you think we'll find?" asked Alice.
"Nothing, with any luck. Hopefully it's a false alarm, and a wasted trip."
It wasn't. As they rounded the corner they saw a sleek ambulance with flashing lights, pulled up outside a grocery store. The doors were open, and a couple of paramedics were tending to a figure lying on a stretcher.
— ♦ —
Harriet sped up, and as she got closer she saw the elderly man on the stretcher was conscious, although his face was bruised and swollen. As she approached, he saw her uniform and groaned. "Oh, great," he muttered.
"Peace Force," she said, as one of the paramedics glanced round. "What happened?"
The woman looked her up and down. "Couple of thugs. Some kind of hold-up."
"Can I talk to him?"
"Yes, but not here. I want to get him to the hospital."
"I keep telling 'em I'm all right," said the man on the stretcher, his voice weak. "Stop making such a fuss. I've had worse than this, believe me."
At that moment Birch arrived, blowing hard.
"Oh wonderful," said the man. "Sergeant Birch, as I live and breathe. Are you here to lock me up, copper?"
"Lefty Rose, you old crook. Been breaking into safes with your face again, I see."
"What, this? Just a couple of young idiots." Rose took a breath, then coughed. "In my day, I'd have taken 'em both."
"Sir, I really must get my patient to the hospital. We need to—"
"Give us a few seconds," said Harriet. "We have to catch these guys before they attack anyone else. Your patient may be our only lead."
Birch nodded in agreement. "So, Lefty.
