Niko was the one who started the story, but early in Dabry said, “Begging pardon, sir, I believe you’ve left something out,” and seized the narrative, only to have Atlanta in turn grab the story at the moment when she’d stepped out of the crate, describing how she’d felt, standing in the ship, lost and alone, not knowing where she had come. Soon after, the Thing itself interjected something of a disquisition explaining why it had insisted on taking them to Scourse, which led to Niko apologizing to Takraven for having demanded the password and threatened him.

“You see, I had all of them depending on me—” she began, but Takraven raised a hand and waved it.

“No,” he said, “I’ve got a temper and I regret in turn that I let it get the best of me and complicate all your lives. That was petty of me. I’d like to think I’m a bit better about dying with grace, particularly given it’s not really dying. So never mind about all that and continue on.”

A subdued Talon told him instead about how Lolola had taken control of the ship, and then retreated in order to allow Skidoo to describe the pirate haven, which she did with a great deal of dramatic detail, up to the point where Atlanta had been taken from the room. Picking it up again, Atlanta supplied an account that did not quite match what Milly had told the captain, and caught Niko looking at her sidelong in a way that promised they would be discussing that later.

Each of the pairs told their journey to the ship on the way, and Niko finished with an account of their battle to the ship that gave the pastry chef full props for her artistry with combat.

“Wouldn’t want to face her in an empty corridor,” she said finally. “That’s all I’m saying.”

Dabry told the rest of the flight and the entrance into Q-space, although not without some interruptions and speculations about what had happened to the IAPH and the pirates overall, particularly Tubal Last.

Takraven listened, wide eyed. He was an excellent listener, nodding and making interested noises at times. He didn’t ask anything about the parts that they had edited out, such as who exactly Atlanta was, or the fact that they presented her as a cousin of Niko’s, although she noticed him studying her thoughtfully more than once over the course of the story.

Niko ended it all by saying, “And then of course we knew we had to return the ship to you.”

“Mmm,” Takraven said. “Yes, I suppose that you did know that. It’s a valuable ship.” He leaned back in his chair, glancing around at it. “It seems like you all have had quite an impact on the ship. Have you enjoyed yourself, Thing, with all this racing around and destroying pirate havens?”