"Why?"
There was no reply, and Harriet frowned at her sister. "Alice, stop messing about. Ben looks like he's seen a ghost, and there's no way you had time to fly to another planet. You couldn't have even reached the orbiter in the time you were gone, so what happened?"
Slowly, as the ship crossed the city, Alice told her. As her sister explained what happened, Harriet listened without interrupting. When Alice finished, she squeezed her arm. "It wasn't your fault."
"I know."
"I mean, you don't have to feel guilty."
"I don't." Alice glanced across the cockpit. "Why do you think I pretended the ship had landed? Why do you think I told her about the refueling? I knew she'd follow me to the hatch."
"Yes, but—"
"But nothing. My plan was to get the hatch open and push her out." Alice shrugged. "She saved me the bother."
"Alice! We're supposed to uphold the law, not go around executing people."
"She was a criminal. And you should read the stuff on the Peace Force that Bernie makes me study. Did you know we can do whatever we want?"
"Not on this planet," said Harriet firmly.
They were both silent until Alice cleared her throat. "So, are you going to arrest me?"
"Of course not. Darting fell out of the ship. If there's any comeback over this, Ben was there as a witness."
"What if I'd pushed her out? Would you lock me up?"
"No, because I don't believe you'd have done it."
"Just wait until next time."
Privately, Harriet hoped there wouldn't be a next time. "I'm glad you're safe, anyway. I wasn't sure I'd see you again."
Alice smiled at that. "It'd take more than some has-been crime boss to get rid of me."
Harriet would have said more, but at that moment the Chirless station came into view. This time they weren't carrying Bernie, who'd declared she'd had enough of criss-crossing the planet clinging to a ladder. Instead, the big robot had taken a cab.
Arnie approached the building at speed, flared above the rooftop, and set down in the middle of the landing pad. Alice got up and made her way past the people jammed into the cockpit, and once the hatch was open they filed out and took the ladder to the ground. Harriet was left on her own, still sitting in her seat. She could see the others talking animatedly as they crossed the roof to the stairwell. She watched Birch approach Ben, giving him what had to be a pep talk, and she smiled at the sight. Birch was a treasure.
"Arnie," she said suddenly. "Do you keep in-flight recordings?"
"Yes. Voice, vision and data."
Harriet hesitated. Part of her wanted to listen to Alice's final confrontation with Darting, to verify her sister's story. On the other hand, she was afraid what the recording might show. What if Alice was lying? What if she pushed Darting out of the ship, then forced Ben to back her up? Then she decided to take Alice's word for it. "Arnie, delete today's data. All of it, including any backups."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"Data and backups erased."
"Thanks Arnie." Harriet got up and made her way to the rear of the flight deck. She took the steps down to the airlock, where she paused to look at the open hatch. Alice's story had a ring of truth to it, but for a split second she wished she'd confirmed it with Arnie. There would always be that nagging doubt.
Then she shrugged, and took the ladder down to the rooftop.
— ♦ —
By the time Harriet reached the ground floor, the others had already started tidying up. Flint got Caldavir to help him with Scrap, who was still hidden where Harriet had left him. They set the robot on a table, and when Harriet saw Flint's expression, she went over to speak with him. "I promise you we'll get him repaired. He helped to save us, and I won't forget that."
"Thanks," said Flint, with a brief smile. "I know he's just another robot to most of you, but I don't know what I'd do without him."
Harriet saw Birch, and called him over. "Do you still have a number for that robot guy who fixed Bernie once? Jeremy, wasn't it?"
"Sure." Birch eyed the damaged robot laid out on the table. "Want me to give him a call?"
"Yeah. I'd like Scrap fixed as quick as possible. Today, if he can manage it."
"I'll see what I can do." Birch went off to speak with the robot tech in private, and Harriet went to find Ben. He was sitting on the stairs with Alice, the pair of them looking into space and saying very little. "Ben, do you need a lift home?"
"No, I'll get a cab." He got up, then looked down at Alice. "You wanna hang out some time?"
"I guess."
"Bye then."
"Bye."
Ben left, and Alice groaned. "God, that was awkward."
"I think he likes you."
"That's why it's awkward." Alice looked over her shoulder. "I think Dave wants you."
Harriet glanced round. "All right, back in a minute." She walked over to Birch, who still had the commset in his hand. "What's up?"
"The robot. Jeremy can take a look right now, if we can get it there."
"Where?"
"Near Dismolle. He's got a place on the outskirts of the city."
"Alice will have to fly us there." Harriet looked around the office, then made a decision. "We can't leave the station in this state, and there's something else I have to do before we go home. Tell him Alice will bring the robot over there now."
Birch spoke into the commset, then put it away. "Okay, I told him thirty minutes."
"Knowing Alice, she'll be there in ten."
"I'll get someone to help carry. We'll put the robot in the airlock."
"Don't put him too close to the hatch," Harriet advised him. She told Alice what was going on, and when she went to speak with Flint he insisted on going along for the ride.
"I want to make sure they do a proper job," he said, resting one hand on the robot's crushed chest plate.
