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distance between our two ships. Are you abandoning us?”
    Joanne came forward again, that faintly smug smile still playing on her lips, even as she tried to look sympathetic.
    “It’s not like that, Maurice. Check the FE contract. We’re not one crew anymore, we’re two. Check the manifest net. You haven’t done too badly out of the deal. You got most of the cargo; take a look in the holds.”
    “Fuck the cargo,” Saskia called out. “You’re running out on us.”
    “I don’t think it works that way,” said Joanne. “Look, I’m sorry. We’ve got a contract to take the Stranger to where he wants to go. After that there’s nothing to stop us meeting again, is there?”
    There was silence inside the lounges of both ships. Edward twisted his fingers around one another, uncertain of what to say. It was Craig who spoke up first.
    “Saskia,” he called, “look after Edward. You too, Maurice.”
    “We will,” replied Maurice dismissively.
    Craig gazed at him coldly. “You’d better.”
    “Hey, Maurice!” Armstrong was calling from his usual place at the table, still rubbing up his panga. Maurice merely gave him a wave of the hand. The scene on board the other ship suddenly shrank and the Stranger took its place.
    “Now,” it said, “I’m sorry to butt in like this, but you will have plenty of time to talk later on. I just wanted to straighten a few things out.”
    “Like what?” said Saskia.
    “Like making sure that I really deliver on the last part of our deal. I don’t want the FE software dropping out on me. It may be nearly obsolete, but I still use it occasionally.”
    “Yeah,” said Maurice, brightening up suddenly. “You mentioned other exchange mechanisms before…”
    “I will sell you information about those, if you are still interested,” said the Stranger. “But first let’s sort out your systems. Maurice, I’m pleased to see you operating the ship. You should have been doing that from the start. If you hadn’t spent all your time sucking up to Armstrong…”
    “I wasn’t sucking up. He was just a good friend.”
    “Whatever. I have fulfilled my obligation to you. Saskia, I see that you are acting directly. That is good, you have taken my advice. Here is the last part: you should not be commander of the ship.”
    Saskia’s eyes narrowed. “Then who?” she asked. “Miss Rose?”
    The Stranger laughed. “I have already spoken to Miss Rose. Her role is her own business.”
    Saskia frowned. “Well, who else?” Her jaw dropped. “Not Edward!”
    “That’s my advice, take it or leave it. So, I have fulfilled all my obligations. Now I should say good-bye.”
    Him? Commander of the Eva Rye ? Edward was too scared by what the Stranger had just said to think about Saskia’s reaction. She was nearly choking with anger.
    “Say good-bye! Is that it? You have ripped the ship in two and left me with…”
    … with this crew of failures, thought Edward. He didn’t care. She was right. Him, a commander?
    Still, Saskia managed to stop herself saying the words just in time. She breathed deeply and shook her head. “What should we do next?”
    “Go on trading, of course,” said the Stranger. “That’s what it means to adopt FE software, isn’t it?”
    An icy stillness took hold of Saskia. Edward tiptoed back to the kitchen area and safety.
    “Fine,” said Saskia at last. “Okay, fine.” She forced a smile to her lips. “Well, thank you, Stranger, for doing business with us. I look forward to meeting you again.”
    “Hold on,” said the Stranger. “I might be able to put some business your way. Would you be interested, Edward?”
    “Would I be interested?” said Edward, licking his lips. The teapot felt hot and heavy in his hands. In the viewing field, the Stranger had twisted four glassy lenses in his direction.
    “I think I should make the decisions here, don’t you, Edward?” Saskia’s voice was cold and thin. She had stood up now to stare at the