Shig Mosadek was standing at the gate when the airtruck appeared out of the west. Bogarten had already called in, explaining that they were flying on the last reserves of the vehicle’s powerpack and could fall out of the sky at any moment.

The two marines at the gate were people Shig didn’t know, Keeko Ituri and Sasna Firiiki, both women. Ituri was a tall African with ebony skin and tight hair, while Firiiki’s ancestry was Finnish, and showed it in her milk-white complexion, gray eyes, and really blond locks. Both, though soft meat, had taken on the beginnings of what Shig called the “Donovan look,” that wary tension and alertness in the eyes.

“Enjoying your stay so far?” Shig asked as he wound his fingers into the chain link, gaze on the growing dot of the shuttle.

“Been a real introduction,” Ituri told him. “Firiiki and me? We both got flattened by those quetzals when we were out on that first patrol. Then the raid? And the hunt? Had to cut a slug out of Bambo Asanna’s foot when he took his boot off to change socks. Can’t say we’ve been bored, sir.”

“And now the IG’s coming in, and reports are that he’s hurt.” Firiiki pointed at the airtruck. It was braking now, sailing in over the agricultural fields. The down draft was flattening the cabbages, barley, amaranth, and chia, all of which had Terry Mishka waving a fist and yelling imprecations, since such low flying over his crops was unconscionably rude and destructive.

At the sound, Shig turned to find Step Allenovich, the two-wheeled cart rumbling across the gravel before him. The big man’s black eye was fading to yellow-green, and a grim smile bent his wide lips.

“So, the IG’s not feeling well?” Step asked. “Picked a hell of a time to get himself busted up. But Raya’s on the way. Word is Soukup’s going to have to take his turn. Raya’s got a priority case. One of the marines from down south. She’s hanging on by a thread.”

Ituri asked, “She’s going to make the IG wait while she cares for a marine?”

Shig, with a benevolent smile, said, “Of course, if Raya thinks Private Aberash needs the care first. But don’t worry, if the IG is critical, Vik will get him stabilized. Supposedly it’s only broken bones and bruising. That’s assuming Fenn Bogarten’s report is correct.”

Ituri’s face screwed up. “That’s pretty risky, putting a marine’s health before the IGs. He’s Board Appointed, you know.”