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let me say that—” Suud said.
    BANG!
    â€œWhat has happened to this courtroom today?” Judge Quence asked in exasperation. “You will speak only when spoken to, Secretary Suud. Mr. Soughton, please answer my question.”
    â€œGot no such training, sir,” Soughton said. “I mean, Your Honor.”
    Threece Suud started to get up, then thought better of it and sat back down.
    â€œI see,” Judge Quence said. “And what was your occupation, Mr. Soughton, before you joined the diplomatic service?”
    Soughton shrugged. “This and that, Your Honor.”
    â€œThis and that?” Judge Quence asked, incredulous. “What was your most recent place of employment?”
    Soughton glanced at Secretary Suud, who nodded.
    â€œWorking for Carnegie-Frick Ventures, Your Honor,” Soughton said.
    Tycho had never heard of that. He looked at his mother, but her face was impassive.
    â€œThank you, Mr. Soughton,” Judge Quence said. He looked down at the papers on his desk, then peered out at the courtroom and saw that Suud had his hand in the air.
    â€œYes, Secretary Suud?” Judge Quence asked.
    â€œYour Honor, Mr. Soughton’s length of service with the diplomatic corps is not at issue here,” Suud said. “Nor is the nature of his prior employment. His credentials show him to be a legally accredited diplomat of Earth, and those credentials entitle him and any starship transporting him to diplomatic immunity.”
    â€œI understand that, Secretary,” Judge Quence said. “What I don’t understand is why people who have done ‘this and that’ are suddenly becoming diplomats. Is a diplomatic career so little valued on Earth that it’s being taken up as a hobby? No, don’t answer, Secretary Suud. I’ve heard quite enough for one day.”
    Judge Quence scanned the papers on his desk again and rubbed his eyes.
    â€œIt’s all very curious,” he said. “I need to think about it. Mr. Soughton, you are released, as is Captain Wofford and the crew of the Cephalax II . Captain Wofford, you are ordered to transfer your cargo to an orbital warehouse. It will be held in escrow pending a resolution of this case.”
    Wofford looked at Judge Quence in horror.
    â€œBut Your Honor, that’s all my profits for this voyage!”
    â€œI’m aware of that, Hans,” Judge Quence said. “Just as you are aware that Earth and the Jovian Union remain technically at war, and privateering is a legal part of that conflict, whatever Secretary Suud’s opinion of the matter.”
    Judge Quence thumbed through his mediapad for a moment, then nodded and looked up.
    â€œPrincipals in this case are ordered to return three weeks from today,” he said, then banged his gavel a final time. “Court dismissed.”

6
CERES PURSUIT
    W ell, that was interesting,” Mavry said with a smile as the Hashoones sat in a cheap café not far from the admiralty court’s polished wooden doors. Tycho was reminding himself to sip the carton of sugary jump-pop he’d bought instead of gulping it, while Yana was picking at a plate of dried fruit. Carlo blew on a thimble-sized cup of expensive coffee, while their parents warmed their hands on larger, cheaper cups.
    â€œSo we won’t find out if she’s a prize for three weeks?” Tycho asked worriedly.
    â€œMaybe not even then,” Diocletia said. “We’re all in uncharted space here.”
    She rubbed her eyes, frowning, then took a long sip of coffee. Mavry put his hand on her shoulder.
    â€œAnyway, put it out of your mind. There’s nothing to be done about it,” she said.
    â€œYour mother and I have to file the paperwork with the local Jovian Union offices,” Mavry said. “Wait here until Huff gets back, then go with him to the victualing yard and restock the Comet ’s provisions.”
    â€œWhere did Grandfather go,