On the second morning, Caledonia awoke with a plan of action. Before the ship stirred, she rolled out of her hammock and shook each of her companions awake. In the dim orange light of their cabin, she told them everything she’d learned from Tassos the evening before.

“He’s willing to destroy the rig rather than give up control of it?” Pisces asked, eyebrows climbing high.

“I don’t think he expects to survive a struggle like that,” Caledonia explained.

“That’s one way to keep his Bullets in line,” Sledge said, fingers quickly working a braid into his long hair. “No one wants to kill the man who can kill Silt.”

“We need that code,” Oran said from somewhere behind Caledonia, the space between them chilly and distant.

“What are the chances he keeps it written down?” Pisces asked.

“Better than good,” Caledonia answered. “I spent all day with the man, and he may know how to manipulate people, but he keeps notes on everything. His people, his ships, his rations. There’s no way he doesn’t have the code somewhere. The trick will be finding it.”

All eyes turned to the same spot in the room. Nettle, who had been quietly listening until now, smiled. “Sounds like my kind of trick.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say,” Caledonia answered. “Now we just need to create a distraction.”

Moments later, they were waiting on the recreation deck when the first Bullets emerged from their racks. Caledonia waited as more arrived, allowing time for the crowd to grow. When it was large enough, she moved to the center of the deck.

“You sure you can’t think of anything better?” Pisces asked.

“Nothing faster than this,” Caledonia answered.

There were more Bullets now. They moved uneasily around her, haphazardly beginning their own morning routines. When the deck was nearly full, Caledonia stomped her foot to command their attention.

“You’ve all had plenty of time to size me up!” she shouted. “Now, who wants to see if they can hold their own against Caledonia Styx?”

There was an answering rumble of laughter from the Bullets, a pitched glower from Sledge, and a grin of sheer delight from Nettle. Sunlight warmed Caledonia’s skin and she let it fill her with energy like she was a solar scale, soaking up the power of the sun.

“I’ll take that challenge.” The voice was familiar, but Caledonia was still surprised to see Heron push through the crowd. He was on the shorter side when he wasn’t sitting, which put him almost perfectly eye-to-eye with Caledonia, but he was blocky, every joint squared off as though they’d been flattened by many rounds in the ring. “Might be best for you if we end this quick.”

Caledonia answered, grinning, “All my Bullet encounters end quick, Heron. You’d do better to hope for something a little less permanent.”