strike? He hadn't even been in command. Captain Hyutu was the one who'd given the order to approach Impris .
And yet, he found himself almost beginning to doubt his own actions. Many had died; and many more had endured, and continued to endure, captivity among the Golen Space pirates. Few if any would escape as Legroeder had. He could only hope, forlornly, that those remaining behind would not suffer reprisals because of his escape.
By the end of his third day of confinement, there was still no word on the beginning of his hearing. Kalm-Lieu was gone, and Legroeder had done nothing about finding new legal assistance. He did spend some time on the com-console, running searches through the RiggerGuild finder service to see if any of his old rigger friends happened to be on Faber Eridani. The closest he found was a stopover six months ago by a rigger he'd known casually ten years before. It didn't look as though he would find help from any friends here.
Faber Eridani! he thought. Why'd I have to pick Faber Eridani? But really, where else could he have gone?
All this mulling was getting him nowhere. He dumped his cup of cold coffee into the sink and returned to sit at the tiny desk beside his bed. He stared at the seascape holo on the wall, a painting of a ship in a storm, and thought, Ghost ship. It wasn't a damn ghost. But who will believe me? Who—?
* * *
"Renwald Legroeder!" A voice outside in the hall.
Legroeder sat up, blinking. What the hell time was it? Morning... he didn't even remember getting into bed, much less going to sleep.
"Rigger Legroeder!" repeated the voice, closer now.
Legroeder stared at the locked door. "Yeah! What is it?"
The door clicked and opened. Vinnie, the tall, skinny guard, stepped in. He was half human and half some kind of Trakon hybrid, built like a rail with bulging hips and shoulders. A weird-looking alien guard dog stood at his side, rumbling from the back of its throat. The guard claimed it was just a purr, but Legroeder had never wanted to test the claim. Vinnie grinned. "Wake you up?"
Legroeder shrugged.
Vinnie chuckled, tugging at a strand of cordlike hair. "An easy life, eh—sleeping in whenever you want? Well, it's coming to an end. Gather up your things. You're leaving."
"Leaving?" Legroeder struggled to his feet. "Why, are they transferring me somewhere?"
Vinnie's laugh sounded like a twang. "The hex, no. You're free on bail."
"Bail? I haven't posted any bail."
"Someone did it for you."
Legroeder stared at him, uncomprehending.
"What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy as a pig in the dew."
"I am happy. Don't I look happy? Who was it?"
The guard unclipped a compad from his breast pocket and consulted it. "Says here the name's Harriet Mahoney. Friend of yours?"
"Never heard of her." Legroeder blinked in bewilderment. "Who is she?" His mind raced through possibilities and came up blank. Could it have been some forgotten affair, from years ago? Ridiculous. He'd only been on this planet a few times, and certainly had never had an affair here.
Vinnie seemed to read his thoughts, and winked. "Well, she's a real looker, if you ask me."
Legroeder frowned, then shrugged. Out was out, so what did he care? He grabbed the duffel bag a kind soul at the Guild had given him, and began to pack. It didn't take long.
"Ready?"
Legroeder shouldered the bag, stepped carefully around the guard dog, and nodded.
"Let's go."
* * *
As Legroeder was being processed out through the Spacing Authority lobby, he peered around for anyone he might recognize. It wasn't until he had passed through the security barriers and filled out six or seven forms without reading them that he heard the name Mahoney again, and turned to see who was attached to it. He followed Vinnie into a small room off to one side of the lobby. An older woman rose from a plastic chair to greet him. Her face, lined with years, was slightly reddish as though sunburned, and her hair was mostly silver,
And yet, he found himself almost beginning to doubt his own actions. Many had died; and many more had endured, and continued to endure, captivity among the Golen Space pirates. Few if any would escape as Legroeder had. He could only hope, forlornly, that those remaining behind would not suffer reprisals because of his escape.
By the end of his third day of confinement, there was still no word on the beginning of his hearing. Kalm-Lieu was gone, and Legroeder had done nothing about finding new legal assistance. He did spend some time on the com-console, running searches through the RiggerGuild finder service to see if any of his old rigger friends happened to be on Faber Eridani. The closest he found was a stopover six months ago by a rigger he'd known casually ten years before. It didn't look as though he would find help from any friends here.
Faber Eridani! he thought. Why'd I have to pick Faber Eridani? But really, where else could he have gone?
All this mulling was getting him nowhere. He dumped his cup of cold coffee into the sink and returned to sit at the tiny desk beside his bed. He stared at the seascape holo on the wall, a painting of a ship in a storm, and thought, Ghost ship. It wasn't a damn ghost. But who will believe me? Who—?
* * *
"Renwald Legroeder!" A voice outside in the hall.
Legroeder sat up, blinking. What the hell time was it? Morning... he didn't even remember getting into bed, much less going to sleep.
"Rigger Legroeder!" repeated the voice, closer now.
Legroeder stared at the locked door. "Yeah! What is it?"
The door clicked and opened. Vinnie, the tall, skinny guard, stepped in. He was half human and half some kind of Trakon hybrid, built like a rail with bulging hips and shoulders. A weird-looking alien guard dog stood at his side, rumbling from the back of its throat. The guard claimed it was just a purr, but Legroeder had never wanted to test the claim. Vinnie grinned. "Wake you up?"
Legroeder shrugged.
Vinnie chuckled, tugging at a strand of cordlike hair. "An easy life, eh—sleeping in whenever you want? Well, it's coming to an end. Gather up your things. You're leaving."
"Leaving?" Legroeder struggled to his feet. "Why, are they transferring me somewhere?"
Vinnie's laugh sounded like a twang. "The hex, no. You're free on bail."
"Bail? I haven't posted any bail."
"Someone did it for you."
Legroeder stared at him, uncomprehending.
"What's the matter? I thought you'd be happy as a pig in the dew."
"I am happy. Don't I look happy? Who was it?"
The guard unclipped a compad from his breast pocket and consulted it. "Says here the name's Harriet Mahoney. Friend of yours?"
"Never heard of her." Legroeder blinked in bewilderment. "Who is she?" His mind raced through possibilities and came up blank. Could it have been some forgotten affair, from years ago? Ridiculous. He'd only been on this planet a few times, and certainly had never had an affair here.
Vinnie seemed to read his thoughts, and winked. "Well, she's a real looker, if you ask me."
Legroeder frowned, then shrugged. Out was out, so what did he care? He grabbed the duffel bag a kind soul at the Guild had given him, and began to pack. It didn't take long.
"Ready?"
Legroeder shouldered the bag, stepped carefully around the guard dog, and nodded.
"Let's go."
* * *
As Legroeder was being processed out through the Spacing Authority lobby, he peered around for anyone he might recognize. It wasn't until he had passed through the security barriers and filled out six or seven forms without reading them that he heard the name Mahoney again, and turned to see who was attached to it. He followed Vinnie into a small room off to one side of the lobby. An older woman rose from a plastic chair to greet him. Her face, lined with years, was slightly reddish as though sunburned, and her hair was mostly silver,
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