Sparrow shrugged again. “Seven years of service down the drain, just like that. Only stuff I got to keep were my augments.” And she made a muscle with her arm before dropping it.

“Shit,” said Kira. “Couldn’t you fight the charges?”

“Nah. It happened out in the field during combat operations. The League wasn’t going to ship us back for an investigation. The footage showed me leaving my post and hitting Eisner. That was all that mattered.”

“So why don’t you go in there and explain?” said Kira, motioning toward the hold.

“Wouldn’t do any good,” said Sparrow. She stood. “Why should they believe me? Far as they’re concerned, I’m hardly better than a deserter.” She slapped Kira on the shoulder. “Doesn’t matter anyway. We don’t need to like each other in order to do our jobs.… Now, are you going to get out of my way or not?”

Kira moved aside, and Sparrow limped past, leaving her alone in the corridor.

After thinking for a long minute, Kira climbed up the center of the ship and made her way to Control. Falconi was there, as she expected, and Nielsen too—looking far better than she had the previous day.

She and the first officer exchanged companionable nods, and then Kira went over to the captain and said, “Any news?”

“Not at the moment.”

“Good.… I have a favor to ask.”

He looked at her, wary. “Is that so?”

“Will you come with me to the planet?”

Falconi’s eyebrows rose fractionally. “Why?” Across the room, Nielsen paused reading something on a display to listen.

“Because,” said Kira, “I don’t want to be down there all alone with the UMC.”

“You don’t trust them?” said Nielsen.

Kira hesitated a second. “I trust you more.”

Falconi let her hang for a few seconds, and then he said, “Well, today’s your lucky day. I already arranged things with Akawe.”

“You’re going?” said Kira, not quite believing.

“Not just me. Trig, Nielsen, and the Entropists too.”

The first officer sniffed. “Just what I wanted to do on a Sunday afternoon.”

Falconi grinned at Kira. “There’s no way I’m coming this far and not getting out to see the sights.”

The knowledge eased Kira’s concern somewhat. “So Sparrow, Hwa-jung, and Vishal are going to stay on board?”

“Exactly. The UMC are bringing their own doc. Sparrow still isn’t cleared for duty, and Hwa-jung doesn’t fit in our exos. Besides, I want Hwa-jung on the ship in case anything goes wrong.”

That made sense. Kira said, “Who’s taking the exos then?”

Falconi jerked his head toward Nielsen. “Her and Trig.”

“That’s not necessary,” said Nielsen. “I’m perfectly capable of—”

The captain didn’t give her the opportunity to finish. “Yes, you are, but I’d rather have my crew in armor for this trip. Besides, I’ve never cared for exos. Too restrictive. Give me a plain old skinsuit any day of the week.”

6.

The rest of the day passed in a mood of quiet intensity. The crew bustled around, preparing for the descent to the planet, while Kira reviewed the procedures for preventing contamination while in an unknown (and potentially life-bearing) alien environment. She knew them by heart, but it was always good to read them again before the start of an expedition.