like that farther downâthe deeper precincts were a dim, frigid labyrinth prowled by gangs that preyed on the poor and broken residents. Tycho wondered how many able spacers a press gang would find down thereâthe upper levels seemed like a muchricher hunting ground, their tunnels thronged with men and women whose plentiful tattoos and rolling gait indicated they made a living aboard starships.
The Hashoones reached the treatment center without incident, and the doctor inspected Yanaâs shoulder, which remained blistered and an angry red. She peered at the burn through a full-spectrum monocle, then nodded with satisfaction.
âMy compliments to your shipâs surgeon, Mistress Hashoone,â she said. âA couple hours of platelet regeneration should restore full mobility. Iâm afraid it will scar, though.â
âOccupational hazard,â Yana said with a shrug, and the doctorâs eyes jumped to Carloâs right cheek, creased by a laser beam aboard the Hydra four years earlier. Tycho felt a twinge of regret that he had no scars of his own.
The doctor wrapped Yanaâs shoulder in a cuff connected by tubes to a humming machine. Yana grimaced as the cuff tightened and the machine began to whine.
âThe discomfort will fade in a few minutes,â the doctor said, then excused herself, leaving the siblings alone.
All three of their mediapads chimed. Tycho managed to dig his out before Carlo. He eyed the screen, then pumped his fist.
âMom wants engines lit at 0930 tomorrow. I canât wait to get out of here.â
Carlo made a face.
âWhat?â Yana asked. âI know youâre as ready to getout of here as we areâyou didnât even run piloting sims this morning.â
âOh, I want to get out of here. Itâs what weâre getting into that worries me.â
âYeah, I sure hate privateering,â Yana drawled as the machine continued its work. âToo much excitement for me. If only I could sit on my butt in an old mine, flying a pretend ship and ringing Parsons for more tea.â
âVery funny,â Carlo said. âObviously the situation in the Cybeles is unstable. Hereâs my question: Will our sending a bunch of unreformed pirates there make it better or worse?â
âWeâre not the ones who created the instability,â Tycho said. âEarth did that, with its provocations.â
âProvocations responding to provocations, as itâs been for centuries.â
âYouâve always been great at explaining why weâre wrong, Carlo,â Yana said. âYou ever think about why that is?â
âBecause you two give me so many opportunities to practice?â
âHa. Cute, but no. Itâs because criticizing is all you can doâyou never bother coming up with answers of your own.â
âOf course I do,â Carlo said. âI just donât feel like sharing them with you.â
âI donât think thatâs it,â Yana said. She leaned forward, eyes narrowed. âQuit playing games, Carlo. We allknow the solar systemâs a mess. If youâre so smart, how would you fix it?â
To Tychoâs surprise, their brother smiled.
âBy making peace with Earth. A real peace. One that takes everything into accountâour interests, Earthâs, and those of the outer planets.â
âDoes that include the Ice Wolvesâ interests?â Tycho asked.
âThe Ice Wolves are part of everything, yes.â
âAt the moment Iâm against making peace with them,â Yana snapped.
âI thought you were all about freedom and self-determination,â Tycho said.
âI was until they tried to kill me.â
Tycho shrugged. âWell, if youâre going to take it personally . . .â
Yana glared at her twin brother, then turned back to Carlo. âSo your answer is we surrender.â
âOf course not,â Carlo said.
John F. Carr & Camden Benares