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I’ll have to do something special for Harry.
    Meriel rose and chugged a juice pack. She shook her head. Maybe I should have left them alone. Then they could adapt to the separation rather than giving them hope of getting back together again . Now they miss what we lost, and it stops them from finding happiness where they are, especially Harry. He was young enough to bond with a new family, and I keep tempting him with something I can’t deliver .
    She went back to her console and pulled up the calendar that showed everyone’s birthdays. Now, where will the kids be on Harry’s birthday ? It was one of her duties to get at least one other family member at every birthday celebration, or something special if no one could be there. But Meriel never thought of her own birthday.
    ***
    Doc Ferrell’s call caught XO Molly Vingel by surprise.
    “Can we do this later Doc?” she asked. “I’m updating the ship’s logs.”
    “Exec, I need Hope’s confidential file,” Ferrell said.
    “Why?” Molly asked.
    “I think she’s off her meds, and that means she’s dangerous.”
    Molly paused. “The Jolly Roger cleared her, Doc.”
    “It was conditional,” he said. “She’s a loose cannon, and if she goes off, it will reflect badly on my tour here.”
    Molly remained quiet.
    “Do this, or I resign,” he said.
    Captain Richard Vingel, Molly’s husband, leaned in from the adjoining ready room after hearing the word resign and raised his eyebrows.
    Molly scribbled untreated narcissist in her log and held it up to show the captain and then returned to her link. “OK, Doc. Then keep this confidential, and focus on her performance,” she said. “You stir up her past, and I’ll write you up—with prejudice. Your tour will be over. Clear?”
    “Clear,” Ferrell said and Molly switched off her link.
    “You don’t trust him?” the captain asked.
    Molly leaned back in her chair. “Nope,” she said. “He’s the league’s pick. We had to take him or the insurance would break us. I’m trolling for a replacement.”
    “Shame that Doc Griffin had to leave so suddenly.”
    “Death in the family, he said, but I’m not sure about that. Griffin is older than dirt and should have outlived all his relatives. And he didn’t seem to care about losing his tour bonus either. He was just in a big damn hurry to leave.”
    “Let’s find out where he went. Put a flier out for his whereabouts,” the captain said and left.
    ***
    Dr. Ferrell opened a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a drink while waiting for Meriel’s file to appear.
    “Open private journal. Create new record,” Ferrell commanded his link. “Title Meriel Hope. Ship ID. Subtitle summary of confidential file review. Entry. Time stamp.”
    When the link chimed, he used hand motions to project the data on the wall to scan the file.
     
    ET/2177:38:57 Enterprise Independent News Wire: LSM Princess (GCN 13442:88), family merchant ship, found near Enterprise outer beacon, Procyon system with only one survivor from an unexplained tragedy. Unfolding.
     
    Well, that’s pretty sketchy . He did a quick search on comp with Princess and survivors and turned up only the same article.
     
    ET/2177:38:59 Global News Network:
    LSM Princess attacked in deep space by unknown assailants. Unidentified surviving minor in protective custody. Station authorities deny rumors of piracy…
     
    They buried the story ten years ago. That would have made her almost twelve .
     
    ET/2177:105:19 Meriel Hope:
    Daughter of Esther and Michael Hope. Born ET 2165:85. Residence: family merchant ship Princess until attack ET.2177:37:10. Princess severely damaged and recycled. Details sealed by order superior court 4, Enterprise, to protect minor.
    ET/2178:102 Meriel X: foster child in protective custody of Enterprise Station. Released to unidentified merchant vessel, Cargo-0 trainee.
     
    Huh. Unidentified vessel. Witness protection? he thought. So what did she witness? The next item was a news