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have been prepared to do, even for a handsome amount of credit. “You know I'm only kidding, big guy. Webb, this load is almost enough to make me like you again.”
    “ What did I tell you, Hugo?” Webb smiled “No one stays mad at us for long.”
    “ Hugo?” Dolgorukov looked up, realisation slackening his face. “Kaleb Hugo?”
    Hugo froze. He glanced around his crew but they were looking at him, faces suddenly still. “Yes,” he said carefully.
    Dolgorukov ran a hand over his balding pate and took a breath. “I... I thought I recognised you.”
    “ Anton” Webb started, voice low.
    “ No,” Dolgorukov said, holding up a hand. “No, it's fine. You want to hire ex-Service that's your choice. I'm not one for poking my nose where it don't belong.” Webb snorted. “Not when it's not in my interest anyway. It's just...” He looked at Hugo again. If anything his skin was even paler. Hugo felt panic fluttering in the bottom of his stomach. “I know it didn't work out too well for you but...I knew some miners on that satellite...on X4-18. Whatever else happened, you saved a lot of lives that day.”
    Hugo let out a breath and managed a nod, his throat tight. Dolgorukov ducked his head, looked from him to Webb and his smile was back.
    “And anyway,” he continued, more brightly, “you know what they say. Better the sewer than the Service. And they don't come much more sewer than this lot.” Hugo glared at Webb, expecting a sly remark but his commander wasn't looking at him. “I would stay mad at you, Zeek,” Dolgorukov continued, “but you've saved my bacon. I've been out of burn connectors for weeks and I've got a dozen folk clamouring for gravgen units.”
    “ I thought Harvey brought you stacks of those from Haven?” Webb asked.
    “ Haven't seen hide nor hair of that one for months,” Dolgorukov replied, thumbing through the manifest.
    “ You haven't?” Webb asked, frowning.
    Dolgorukov shrugged, handing Rami's panel back to her. “Don't ask me, Webb. That girl's a law unto herself.”
    “ Where do you want this?” Bolt said, patting the crate.
    “ Over in the store, thanks,” Dolgorukov said, pointing.
    Bolt started to steer the lifter in the direction of the large metal structure on the other side of the yard, giving Webb a pointed look as he passed.
    “Oh, Anton, alright if Bolt grabs some resistance straps? We need to replace the ones in Father and he's picky about these things.”
    “ Help yourself,” Dolgorukov said, tapping more commands into his own scratched panel. “There should be a couple in the store. Webb,” he said, not looking up. “Can I have a word?”
    Hugo didn't miss the quick glance the point threw at him. Webb seemed to catch it too.
    “Yeah, sure...”
    The two men wandered off a little distance, heads bent together and started muttering to each other in Hungarian.
    “Should I be worried?” Hugo asked.
    Rami came up beside him and shook her head. “I don't think so, Captain. We'll be on our way soon.”
    Hugo nodded, glancing around the cluttered yard and forcing himself not to shift on his feet. Bolt returned, straps in hand. Hugo saw Dolgorukov nod and pat Webb's shoulder.
    “Now clear off,” the point said in a louder voice, turning to pace away. “I need to get working on these gravgens.”
    “ No rest for the wicked, Anton,” Webb called after him. Hugo watched Webb as he watched the short man disappear into the store. Then he looked back. “Let's split.”
    They clambered back into the Jeep and Webb started the engine.
    “What did he want to talk to you about, Commander?” Hugo said as they pulled back out onto the busy groundway.
    Webb glanced up into the rear-view but whether it was to catch Rami's eye or to check the traffic Hugo couldn't tell. “He wanted to ask me whether having you as the captain was likely to screw up the deals we have with the Service reps that get us engine parts.”
    Hugo pondered for a moment. “Will it? For all they