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there were only two military ships here. I’ve caught a third in Station Omega’s shadow.”
    “Can you get readings?” Lily asked sharply. “Give me what you’ve got.”
    A pause while Yehoshua transferred coordinates.
    “And we’ve got movement,” he added suddenly. “I don’t like this.”
    Lily cursed, hard and abrupt. “Weapons bank up,” she snapped. “Full alert. That’s the Boukephalos . Why didn’t we pick up any comm-traffic from them?”
    “They weren’t broadcasting!” Finch protested. He paled, but quickly regained his color when it became apparent that the captain accepted his explanation.
    “Weapons bank at full,” said Nguyen from his console. “But I’m registering considerable power drain on our reserve power.”
    “We try to bluff,” said Lily. “Open channels, Finch. I want a standard query to the Boukephalos .”
    “Hold on.” Finch punched his channel focus and made adjustments. “I’ve got comm coming in. Switching to speaker.”
    “This is Comrade Vanov commanding the Boukephalos .” The voice came loud and brassy. Finch hastily adjusted the volume. “We are in control of this system. You are in illegal possession of a government vessel. Surrender into our custody immediately.”
    “Vanov?” muttered Yehoshua. “I don’t remember any Vanov.”
    It took Lily a moment, but as the silence lengthened—the Boukephalos waiting for a reply—she suddenly recalled a short, heavyset man with too-small eyes. “Hoy,” she said in an undertone. “He’s the one who killed Senator Isaiah and threw Robbie’s body in the ocean.”
    “Killed who?” asked Pinto sharply, startling her because she had not thought he could hear so well, strapped into the pilot’s console. Mercifully, Finch did not repeat her comment to him.
    “We’re down forty percent on weapons,” said Nguyen from the bank. “At this rate we’ll lose either our engines or the power to do any damage.”
    “Cut weapons to minimum coverage. Finch, tell Jenny to get her troops in gear for possible boarding.”
    “Another incoming,” replied Finch.
    “ Forlorn Hope . If you do not reply to this broadcast, we will be forced to fire on you. Who is in charge?”
    “Pinto, give us a course that will allow us to drift right under them without their being able to catch us. Mule, we need the nearest window. We’re going to bluff and run. Finch, relay the message to the Boukephalos saying that we are prepared to surrender and asking for terms. Make it as long-winded as possible.” She tapped the com for Engineering. “Blue. We’re leaving the system. How much power do we have?”
    “But Captain”—Blue’s voice came back sounding nervous as well as tinny—“by my calculations we can only accommodate two vectors safely. And a third—I wouldn’t risk it.”
    “Get us one now, Blue.” She tapped off. “Pinto, Mule. Can you get us a vector that tight and unexpected? If it comes to a real chase, we can’t outrun them.” She fingered the com again, reaching her cabin. “Bach, I need you on the bridge.” Flicked it over even before hearing the robot’s whistled assent.
    “I’ve got their conditions,” said Finch. “Surrender of the vessel. The following persons to be taken into custody by Comrade Vanov: Lily Heredes, the physician Hawk, Eugenie Keos Amharat and her biological son Gregori, and Quincina Aliasing Feng. All other mutineers to be judged on a case-by-case basis. Eugenie ? Is that Jenny? And Feng? Isn’t Senator Feng the praetor of the Senate?”
    “Finch.”
    He stopped talking.
    “Any other condition?”
    “Weren’t those enough?” he asked testily.
    “Captain,” broke in Yehoshua, “I have a detach from the Boukephalos . A large shuttle, I believe.”
    “Course?”
    “Looks like it’s headed this way. I can’t estimate intercept time yet. It’s broadcasting on a scrambled code in our direction.”
    “If they fire on us, it’ll be from the Boukephalos . And I don’t