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understanding with both the Deep Space Corporation and the Independent Traders Association; they’d underwrite some of our expenses in exchange for a detailed report on trade prospects within this sector.  The ITA, in particular, was very interested in making contact with human settlements, believing they would serve as a way to defeat the trade cartels that dominate a number of sectors.  That was two years ago.”
     
    “Before the Battle of Earth,” Hoshiko commented.
     
    “Barely,” Ryman agreed.  “We only heard rumours until we got a message packet from home ... anyway, by that time, we had managed to make a few contacts with human settlements, including a number of communities on Amstar.  They were quite friendly to us, Captain; my crew enjoyed their times there.  It’s one of those worlds where hundreds of different races rub shoulders frequently.  It was a good place to gather intelligence as well as pick up trade tips and make new contacts.
     
    “But we couldn't stay on Amstar, so we more or less made it our home base as we wandered the sector, buying and selling trade goods of all descriptions.  Most of the cartels collapsed when the Tokomak withdrew ... life was good for independent freighters, particularly as the cartels had forgotten how to turn a profit.  We were actually taking on apprentices from Amstar, all human, and thinking about investing in more ships.  I was looking forward to the future when we landed on Amstar once again, three weeks ago.  But things were already changing.”
     
    He shuddered and lay back on the bed.  “Amstar is - was - ruled by a cooperative council, set up by the Tokomak when they colonised the world,” he explained.  “Every race with more than ten thousand sentient inhabitants was allowed a seat on the council, including human settlers.  It worked fairly well as no one wanted the Tokomak to take direct control of the planet or turn authority over to one of the races that serve as their bully-boys.  Most races did what they wanted as long as other races weren't involved.  But a week after we arrived, the Druavroks launched a coup.”
     
    Hoshiko took a moment to consult her implants.  The Druavroks were listed as one of the bully-boy races, like the Varner; a race that served as enforcers for the Tokomak and, in exchange, were allowed to lord it over everyone else in their sector.  There wasn't much else in the files, save for the observation that the Druavroks were a lizard-like race that laid eggs and had a major population problem.  She would have been surprised if anyone on Earth had given any thought to the Druavroks.  They were six months away, after all.
     
    “They snatched control of the orbital defences, then took the council building and declared themselves the sole rulers of Amstar,” Ryman continued.  “That alone wouldn’t have been so bad, but they insisted that everyone else had to ritually submit to their rule or face the consequences.  The submitted have no rights, Captain; the Druavroks think nothing of eating their slaves or butchering them for fun.  A number of other races flatly refused to submit; the Druavroks bombed isolated settlements from orbit, then sent in ground troops to cleanse the cities.  They’re bent on committing genocide on a colossal scale.”
     
    Hoshiko sucked in her breath.  “And what happened to you?”
     
    “We were down on the planet when they took over,” Ryman said.  “They told us - Kenny and I - that we had to submit or face the consequences.  I submitted, while making contact with some of our friends.  We smuggled over ten thousand refugees into the spaceport, loaded them onto the ships and took off.  They opened fire on us once we were in the air, so we went FTL as soon as we could.  The drive was badly damaged, but we made it out.  We’d heard there was a human presence at Martina ... I decided to gamble and run for help.  And when we dropped out of FTL ...”
     
    His