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switching carriers, so their luggage was delivered to the dock. April didn't bother, but Gunny broke the Tongan customs seal on his bag and put on a belt with a matched brace of 10mm pistols and a magazine carrier. He was after all on duty.
    "Isn't that a decompression hazard?" the  body guard near them asked, worried.
    "Not with low velocity frangible ammo." Gunny didn't tell him the left gun held armor piercing, just in case. He'd really try not to use that one.
    The flight crew arrived early and opened up the shuttle. Two ladies, both middle aged and both with that smooth tight face and easy movement that said they had life extension therapy. April couldn't put a name to them, but she'd seen both before. They had on the gray uniform with a stylized rocket logo of Larkin Lines. April was happy to see that, they ran a tight outfit.
    They filled the luggage locker full as most orbit to orbit travelers didn't have the volume of bags they'd brought up from an Earth visit. The musician's body guards looked happier now, being able to pick their seats. Then they sat for awhile because there were three paid seats empty and they had ten minutes until their published departure time.
    It was down to the last thirty seconds before two kids hit the hatch fast and utterly confident like birds landing on a fence. The older one, the boy of about ten crossed over his sister and stuck his head in the hatch to the flight cabin. "Our dad is coming." He assured the crew. "He just can't move as fast as us so he told us to go ahead. They didn't like his papers getting out of the North American Sector and wanted to argue."
    April's face clouded over in a frown. "Are they aware you are boarding a Home vessel?"
    "I don't think they ever got around to talking about where we're going, not while we were there, dad seems to be on the don't fly list," the boy told her. "We just jumped past them through the gate and what are they going to do? They can't keep up with us either and it looks really bad to try to Taser a couple kids." The little devil grinned at playing that advantage.
    "It's stupid ," the little girl declared. "We've been up before. We're the same people."
    April got out of her couch, "The three of us," she informed the crew woman, "are the partners of Singh Industries, with who Larkin Lines does a great deal of business. I'd appreciate it if you would declare a ten minute hold to local control. We will indemnify you for any loss or fines you receive for the hold."
    "I'm quite aware of who you are. I've seen you speak in the Assembly. We will tell local control we are holding until our passengers board and hang our weapons boom out in case they don't understand we are upset," she hurried back into the crew space.
    "Thank you," April called after the crewwoman, she turned to Gunny, "I need a pistol," she demanded, open hand out.
    "I made sure your bag was on top," Gunny said, getting up and going to the locker. "Get your own, because I intend to go with you."
    "You are not obligated to guard me when I seek trouble." April admitted. Gunny already had the customs tape cut and spread the bag open. April pulled out an aikuchi and stuck it in her waist band and then the laser, not bothering with a holster, just taking it in her hand.
    "I want to."
    "Thank you," April said. The brother and sister still hanging by the crew hatch looked shocked at this turn of events.
    The lights flickered and there were various sounds as the vessel detached from station utilities, which wasn't normal with the lock hanging wide open. Gunny closed the bag and stuffed it back in the locker. "You kids take a couch and belt in. When we come back we may want to leave quickly and you are one less thing we need to sort out."
    "Yes sir," they said in unison and moved quickly to the furthest open seats.
    Gunny went out the lock, with April close behind. There were two customs and immigration agents approaching down the mast with a man between them.
    "Are my kids