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missing out any more than you do.”
    “We’ll just have to make up for the lost time with a juicy target.”
    “I’ll hold you to that.”
    With a nod, Andreas turned to leave the bridge.
    “One more thing,” Rosalyn said quickly.
    “Yes?”  He spoke without turning to face her.
    “Have you found out anything about our new guest?”
    “Novák?”
    “Who else would I mean?”
    “I’ve asked around and pulled in a few favors.  However, so far no one seems to know anything about him.  A few seemed to recognize the name but knew no real details.”
    “Well, keep trying.  I don’t like dangerous surprises.”
    With another nod, Andreas finally left the bridge.  Being a pirate meant freedom of action and movement.  She could do what she pleased, where she pleased - as long as no one caught her.  The price for that freedom was more than a fair bit of chaos.  Contracts could be broken on a whim.  There were no lawyers to force Duda to stick with his original agreement because that original agreement was against the law anyway.  Without a firm hand, loyal crewmembers could turn against their captain at any moment, robbing them blind or worse.
    For the time being, the most annoying was the fact pirates never kept records of anything.  Everything was based on rumor and hearsay.  If Rosalyn was the captain of a legitimate ship, she could simply pull out her pad and get the personnel file of any crewmember she wanted.  In a few seconds she could have the complete history of Tardos Novák.  Unfortunately, pirates didn’t believe in that sort of thing.  If Tardos even had any kind of personnel file, it would be a list of lies and forgeries.  It was the same with every new crewmember.  Most times that was half the fun.  Watching Andreas whip the lot into shape was more entertaining than most 3Ps.
    Rosalyn settled into her chair.  Breaking in new crewmembers was amusing, but it also had a high cost.  Until the new people were completely integrated with the old crew, combat was out of the question.  Only a fool ran into battle without a good crew.  Her father had stressed that repeatedly.  She felt the show more than made up for the lost time, and Andreas was certainly putting on a show with this batch.
    She couldn’t help but laugh to herself at the idea of one of the newcomers wearing something so erotic - on the first day no less.  Apparently, Revel wasn’t the only one hung up on decorum.  Andreas frequently requested that she instate some kind of uniform.  That was out of the question.  Long rows of neat troopers in uniform were the mainstay of the military.  The idea of having her crew resemble that in any way repulsed Rosalyn.  Something exotic or in poor taste was a small price to pay.  That never stopped Andreas from complaining about it.
    Shifting uneasily in her chair, she realized Andreas hadn’t actually complained about Kevin.  Naturally, after her run in with Duda, she expected Tardos to be trouble.  Kevin, on the other hand, was a complete surprise.  More surprising was how gingerly Andreas was handling him.  He had never been exactly subtle.  If anyone jeopardized the efficient operation of her ship, he made sure the wrinkle was smoothed out - forcefully if need be.
    Then again, he had to deal with two of his greatest irritants at the same time.  In the choice between a scantily clad female and a troublemaker, Andreas had chosen the female.  Rosalyn smiled in delight.  Now she knew his weakness, a way she could taunt him that he wouldn’t be able to brush aside.  She’d have to start wearing skimpier outfits.
     
     
     
    Life on a ship wasn’t as glamorous as Tardos had remembered.  Then again, he was just glad to be on one again.  Truth be told, there wasn’t a great deal of difference between a ship and a station.  However, the main difference was a big one.  Movement. 
    He had never really liked staying in one place for too long.  In that way a station was