He walked around the ship, cursing the fogging pstic visor of the protective suit, and finally removed the headpiece. The air was not toxic, just too low in oxygen. And for that he had the mini-SCBA. The fogging pstic was gone, but it only marginally improved his vision. The sun was a faint e dwarf star, barely enough for a habitable zone around it, wide enough that years could not be measured in days with the fingers of one hand. Full sunlight still reminded him of a dark corridor on Cobasian. And it made it almost impossible to see the discolouration of the dark heat shield in the shadows.

  Instead, he walked a bit up the small hill at the side to look at the ship from above. It was the first time he had seen the whole ship. It was so different from all the other ships he had piloted. No utilitarian, protruding shape, desigo fit into most dog adaptors while maximising the load. No, this ship was sleek, almost elegant, a blob with wings and two rudders iail. The 4D emitter structures sparkled as plex patterns of metallids on its top. And he realised how small it was. Most ielr jump ships could fit this ship into their cargo holds. Now he wondered how this tiny ship could get off the p, out of this gravity well. Back to the task at hand, there was no visible damage from the re-entry.

  Beh the ship, one of the natives carried a still-sleeping 'passenger' over his arms, as if it were a child. He carefully pced the 'passenger' on the e pnt carpet o the runway in the dim sunlight ao the owo of the other four prepared a long table with all kinds of food. Poor Lalleli, if only she could get here a! He really wished he could ect her to his pad. Well, first he had to finish his checks. He marked the heat shield iion as passed. Now for the engines.

  All 'passengers' were unloaded before he had finished his checklist. The leader of the natives, Lart, approached him. "One is missing."

  "Sorry, I was actually pressed into service. I was not there when they were brought on board. I have no idea," he delivered his lie. "Actually, I'm not eveing paid," he added.

  Lart looked shocked. "They don't pay you? And you still deliver?"

  "I was drugged, brought to the ship unscious, and it was undocked by AI. When I woke up, the only possible destination for fuel was here. And the legal flight pn is only to Fallerian. So no choice. You alked to a pilot before?"

  "No, most ships were fully AI. But after the crash st year that killed all the passengers," he poio a bck spot on the hill where he had just been, "we asked them for human pilots. But our world is too cold and humans need breathing masks. So the previous two just wao get off as soon as possible and stayed in their ship."

  "They were probably afraid of being identified. But they should have dohe checks. Well, I will report the pany to the authorities."

  "If you report the pany, what will happen?"

  "I don't know. Maybe nothing? But you know, your passengers did not voluhey were sold."

  "Are you sure?" he looked to where the new arrivals were slowly getting up. "Let's ask the new arrivals. Do you want a ride?"

  "No thanks," he stepped aside, "no offence."

  Lart ughed. "Your loss," and then galloped back the short distao where the first newers were standing, wobbly aainly fused. He walked as fast as he could with his mask on, the stant pull of gravity, still feeling cold despite all the walking and the many yers of clothing.

  Lart was just helping another of the newers up onto his new fs. His rade was handing out drinks in rge cups. The newers stood off to the side in groups. As soon as the st of them was on their feet and holding a drink, leader Lart reared up on his hind legs and shouted.

  "Wele to your new home, Cauve. This is the spaceport. Tonight you will be guests in our capital, also called Cauve, just a short walk from here. The week, you must decide where you will work for the wo years of your tract. After that, you either renew your tract or choose a pce to start your own farm, or start or participate in any other business like any other citizen of Cuve".

  The newers began to murmur. But Lart was not finished. He just took a big swig from his mug. "Before we answer any questions, I have one. I heard a rumour that you did not volunteer. Is that true?"

  Most of them looked at the ground. Then a woman raised her hand. "Yes, I signed up for five years of tract bour. An advance payment for my family and a piece of nd to live on after five years. But I am beginning to remember, there was ion of that! Shit, I was a man, my name was, I mean is Per, although somehow I feel it should be Petra. No, I woke up as a girl with too many legs and a botched fake memory." The well-endowed 'girl' threw her cup to the floor, where it just bounced off. Ahrew his cup as well.

  "Stop, we are doing our best to help you. We had no idea. Please listen to me." Lart sounded desperate, though the fiants could easily hahem all. "Stop!" he shouted again at the top of his lungs. And again there was silence. "If you were brought here illegally, you go. The pilot there ressed into servid will sue the pany."

  Oh no. He went to Lart. "No, I 't. This ship is too small. The cargo hold must be filled with liquid hydrogen for take-off. And the crew partment will only hold one human, I could not even fit one of you, no ce, sorry. I will go to Falleria, to the Fallerian officers. And I will try to charter a ship to e here and iigate. That is my promise." He gasped for air, it was hard to speak uhe mask.

  "Yes, you heard the pilot. We were all misled by the pany."

  Most of the newers were still fused or in semi-hibernation, swaying on their fs. But four, led by the woma for Lart. But when they saw the size of him and his panions, they ged their target to him, seeing the pilot as a representative of the pany and ign his previous statement.

  But Lart was faster. He cut in front of them and grabbed him, throwing him onto his back. He y ft, clutg the fur on his broad back as Lart galloped towards the ship. He had his eyes closed, which made him even more aware of the undution of the wide strides. He opened one eye again. They were almost at the ship. "Sorry about that," Lart said, lifting him almost two-thirds of the the dder with his hand. He quickly climbed the st few steps while Lart pushed the dder up.

  "Don't," he called to Lart, "the dder will automatically retract with the hatch."

  "OK, I uand. I will tact you ter about refuelling and cargo. You best stay on board for now. I am very sorry about all this. I assure you that volunteers built this y. Our parents knew what they were volunteering for. And actually, being so small and wobbly, I could not imagine living like this."

  "Nor could I," he said.

  Lart chuckled. "You're a good guy. Close the hatch."

  He nodded and closed it. The dder retracted with a whine where Lart had probably bent it, but it still worked.

  Lalleli was waiting for him at the inner airlock.

  She hugged him. "You're safe!"

  He patted her back. "Sorry, let me get out of this suit and I'll tell you everything. But don't worry, I think you get out tomorrow if you want. Lart is a good guy. Only the pany isn't."

  Out of the suit, and after putting the breather inteioold her what had happened, and the live feed did not tell.

  * * *

  They ate soup and watched as all the newers finally followed Lart and his panions. The sun was already low, so it was uhey would return tonight. Due to their quick departure after the long discussion, the table and some of the food were still there. Lalleli would also prefer to relieve herself o the runway before using the ioilet again.

  Unfortunately, Lalleli would not fit through the inner airlock. The lo the cargo hatch en. But the pressure differential was huge, so the whole would have to be veo outside pressure. And he would have to sleep with a breather.

  He sighed and ordered Bckbeard to vent the imosphere. He took the sed breather and waited.

  It took a long time, almost 0500, to vent. To pass the time, they watched the LHX iank filling instrus on the s, more out of desperation than y. This had to be doomatically, as they had no cold suits or any of the tools mentioned in the instrus. But watg passed the time.

  "Pressure equalised," the AI announced.

  "Bckbeard, thank you, stop the instru video."

  The s went dark.

  He stood up, went to the hatd unlocked it. "I 't move it, I need your help."

  Lalleli stood on the side of the lock. And then she pulled. Her arm muscles swelled impressively. Then there was a fine breeze and the hatch slowly opened. Now open, she pushed the heavy hatch with ease. Whech was half open, she had to slow it dowly until it touched the wall. And then the way out was clear. She raced ahead, quickly disappearing dowill open ramp and to the side of the runway. He was much slower anyway, being out of shape. By the time he reached the ramp, she was back, almost jumping for joy.

  He smiled weakly, the air was already bitingly cold and dry. The e sun was a small, deep red ball just above the horizon.

  "e on," and she was already running towards the table.

  "Bckbeard, do we have any outside lights?"

  "Yes, shall I turn them on?"

  "Bckbeard, yes, and leave the cargo hold lights on as well."

  "firmed. Have a nice evening."

  It looked like Lalleli was going to have one. She was happily tasting the leftovers, trying to decide what to eat first. He felt bad when he saw how fast she ate. She must have been starving. That robably why they had greeted the new arrivals with a buffet.

  The food quickly diminished.

  As the su, it was getting dark fast. The thin atmosphere did not scatter enough light for a proper twilight, very different from Fallerian.

  Lalleli ate until it itch bck. The only light came from the ship's external lights and a few stars above. Both too dim to be more than a bea to help them find their way back.

  He was shivering, despite three yers of clothing. "Please, we go? It is so dark and cold out here. The food is not going to spoil. With these freezing temperatures, it will be the same tomorrow."

  "Oh?" She just turo him. "You're right, it is dark. Just go on, sorry, I'll get a few st bites of this and then follow."

  He hurried back to the ship, up the ramp and into the . He could not close the hold, so he had to wear the mask inside. He went to the toilet and then to his . "Bckbeard, you pressurise just my sleeping ?"

  "Yes, close the hatch. It is designed as an escape pod, so yes, it has its own life support. To opech again, you must wait until 0010 to avoid bubbles f in your bloodstream."

  Great. No more sudden trips to the toilet. He closed the hatd immediately warm air rushed in.

  "Bckbeard, ok, wake me up at local sunrise and start the slow depression at the same time."

  "firmed. You remove the mask now."

  He took off his trousers and jumper too and was asleep in moments. He did not notice Lalleli's return or her knog on his hatch.