The noose around Caledonia’s neck cinched all at once. She fought to keep her expression blank, to keep the shock she felt trapped inside. Bunking in town wasn’t part of their plan. When Harwell was last here, they kept clips on their own ships because they didn’t have space to accommodate short stays. Keeping the crew on the ship worked in their favor. It reduced opportunities for discovery. It kept them safe while they carefully and strategically searched out Caledonia’s crew. Staying in town was not in the plan.

Harbor Master Lyall kept talking. “Bullet Gloriana will give you your assignments, schedule of repair, and the shore duty roster. Any other questions, direct them to her. You may disembark when ready, but once your clip sets foot on my harbor, my rules apply. Clips come off, weapons stay on. Keep to your tides, Ballistic.”

“Keep to your tides,” Sledge responded automatically.

With that, Harbor Master Lyall spun on her heel and retreated down the dock, leaving Gloriana and the other four Bullets behind. Gloriana busied herself with her clipboard, not speaking to any of them while she methodically completed her work. Caledonia tried to catch Sledge’s eyes. The plan that had felt solid on their way in had shifted to sand beneath their feet. Her tenuous bit of control was gone, and all she could do now was follow Sledge’s lead, and he wasn’t offering even the assurance of a shared glance.

Lowering her eyes to the dock, she drew a deep breath. Blood. Gunpowder. Salt.

When she looked up, Gloriana was watching her with a firm gaze.

Caledonia forced herself to return the look in that same steady way, forcing her eyes to relax in an imitation of someone under the influence of Silt.

“Your assignments,” Gloriana said, ripping a piece of paper from her clipboard and handing it to Sledge. “Bullet Cade will lead you to Barrack D. We’ll begin shipwork in the morning.” She took up a position at the end of the gangway. “Ready when you are, Ballistic.”

She was going to stand there and mark every Bullet to leave the ship, check their names against the manifest they’d given her, and look into each of their faces. Caledonia took another deep breath to conceal her discomfort. They had no choice but to act as though this was exactly what they’d been expecting to happen.

“Rhona!” Caledonia’s head instantly snapped toward the name, and she was glad she’d chosen something so familiar. Sledge continued with his back to her, a Ballistic giving an order to a Bullet. “Assist Bullet Gloriana.”