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the Station floating in space, his body bloated more in death than in life. Pleasure washed over her at the thought of Bruno's cruel smile frozen on his face. Then she felt sick for enjoying it, like a greasy film over a soup.
    "Too quick of a death for him," Farrow declared. "A foul shit of man to work with, who cared nothing for our cause."
    "The electroids were a vital part of the plan," Kari said. "Correct? How delayed are we without that shipment?"
    "I don't know," Farrow said. "We only have twenty now, the ones we've scraped together from spare parts. Not shitting enough. And only ten are outfitted with weapons. We need to find new sources. Maybe we can go to the factories directly. Work with the distributors, or maintenance workers. Somebody."
    Spider said, "They'll just backstab us like they did Bruno. You see what happens when you trust them. I say we take what we need. Raid a factory, grab a whole damned shipment ourselves."
    Farrow shook his head. "Too risky. We can't risk the Melisao finding us here."
    "Why? You get spare parts delivered here often."
    "Parts delivered by junker craft," Farrow pointed out, "that were already passing through the area. Nobody notices when they fly low over the sand and dump a few crates for us. Raiding a factory would draw so much attention that we'd never get back here with stealth."
    "We can go at night," Spider insisted. "Kari'll help us. Ain't that right, honey?"
    She ignored him and continued playing with her knife.
    "You're still forgetting the most important part," Farrow said. "Even if we somehow acquired a hundred new electroids, we have shit-all for weapons to outfit them. Nor do we have someone skilled enough to reprogram them all for combat. We utilized Bruno because he did both of those things."
    Bruno did what? To Mira the Station was merely a place for drugs and sin and contraband medical supplies. And freighter trips into the sky. What did he do with electroids?
    "All I'm hearing from you are excuses," Spider said.
    "And all I'm hearing from you are shitting fantasies."
    Spider snarled. "Maybe you should--"
    The tall man at the end of the table raised a hand, instantly cutting off the argument like a blade. "Nothing has changed. Continue as planned for now. When the dump arrives tomorrow begin diverting as much toward new electroids as you can."
    "Akonai, I was planning on using those parts for the refurbished Riverhawks," Farrow protested.
    "Then send more scavenge teams into the desert. There's plenty more to salvage there."
    "After what happened with the last scavenge team," Farrow learning forward, "it's hardly worth the effort. The craft are decades old. The work is slow."
    Akonai spread his hands. "Then do nothing, and when our attack begins your force won't have the necessary strength. The choice is yours." He turned to the others. "I'm traveling into the city. I will return in three days, after which I'll be leaving this miserable sand-ridden planet."
    He turned away from the table, and Mira leaned back behind cover. His footsteps drew closer. Coming in her direction.
    "You can come in now, Mira," Farrow called. "It's fine. Don't be afraid."
    After considering bolting, Mira hesitantly stepped into the doorway. Akonai glanced at her with distaste as she jumped out of his way. The others stared at her. Spider seemed unhappy as she approached the table.
    "Shit in the sand, Spider," Farrow cursed. "You could've removed the ropes, too."
    "You said to cut her loose, so I cut her loose."
    Farrow's lips pulled into a tight line as he pulled out his own knife and removed the two ends of rope still tied to her wrists. She muttered a grateful thanks.
    "Is it true?" she asked. "Bruno is dead?"
    "Couldn't have happened to a better guy," Kari said, tossing her bald head. "It's a good thing you didn't stay at the Station. Fleeing into the desert was probably the safest thing you could have done."
    She hadn't exactly planned it that way, but Mira nodded.
    Spider's braids swung