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Holden, Naomi, and Amos waited in the short locker-filled hallway just outside the inner airlock door for the boarding party to finish cycling the ’lock Naomi looked tall and stern in her freshly washed captain’s unifornetic boots Captain Estancia had skippered the Somnambulist for ten years before the pirate attack that took her life Holden thought Naoal replaceineer’s patch and a bored scowl Even in the ravity of their current orbit around Gany Holden did his best to ery expression

The airlock finished cycling, and the inner doors slid open Six marines in combat armor and a junior lieutenant in an environ boots The lieutenant quickly looked over the crew and checked the on his hand teruessed that this poor junior officer had been stuck with the shit duty of boarding ships all day and was probably in as big a hurry to be done as they were to leave

“Rowena Estancia, captain andSomnambulist”

He didn’t make it a question, but Naomi replied, “Yes, sir”

“I like the na up from his terminal

“Sir?”

“The ship name It’s unusual I swear, if I board one irl they left behind after thatpeople for general lack of creativity”

Holden felt a tension begin at the base of his spine and creep up toward his scalp This lieutenant ht be bored with his job, but he was s them know it up front

“Well, this one is named after the tearful three rin “Probably a good thing in the long teroldfish”

The lieutenant’s head snapped up in surprise; then he began laughing “Thanks, Captain That’s the first laugh today Everyone else is scared shitless of us, and these six slabs of estured at the marines behind him—“have had their senses of humor che with her? I think he’s flirting with her A

The lieutenant tapped so on his terminal and said, “Protein, supplements, water purifiers, and antibiotics Can I take a quick look?”

“Yes, sir,” Naoht this way”

She left, the UN officer and two of the uard poses next to the airlock Aet his attention, then said, “How you boys doing today?”

Theto , ‘I bet those fancy tin suits those boys wear bind up so awful in the crotch’”

Holden closed his eyes and started sending psychic es to Ah-tech gear strapped on everywhere, and the one thing they don’t allow for is scratching your balls Or, God forbid, you get outta alignive the works a shift to create some space”

Holden opened his eyes Theat Amos now, but they hadn’t moved or spoken Holden shifted to the back corner of the roolanced in his direction