The blue-green sky of Pomen was partly cloudy, and although the afternoon sun tried to warm the proceedings below, it was a cold day that chilled to the bone. Tiny white flowers, the last remnants of a fading autumn season, dotted the hillside that overlooked a small lake in the foothills of a weathered mountain range. A gentle breeze came in off the water and dried tears on the cheeks of those gathered around a bronze marker and an alabaster urn beside it in the grass.

"…To this we release you. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," intoned an ursine minister as he lightly tossed a pinch of dirt over the marker. "From the dust we came, and to the dust we return. Leonardo Allen Durant, we bid you farewell." He raised his hands, laid them both palms outward on his forehead, and then put them palms-down against his chest with his eyes closed. He recited something in the local language and then raised his head to look at those gathered around.

"The family of Leonardo Durant thanks you for coming to pay your respects," he said to them. He gave a short bow and then gathered his black robes around him to leave. An aged grizzly ambled toward him and then placed a huge paw on the minister's shoulder.

"Thank you, Sire," he said in a gravelly voice. "My son would have appreciated your words over him. Nicely done."

The black bear looked up and nodded. "I'd known Leo since he was a cub, Allen. I remember him as a bright student and an attentive listener in the church, and although I have not seen much of him in recent years, I have fond memories of his kindness. However, I must leave you now, Mr. Durant. I have another service to perform across town."

"Anyone I know?"

"Altaira Adams of the Crell District."

"Ah yes, I'd heard about her accident a couple days ago. Poor girl. That was an awful way to go."

"If you will excuse me, Allen."

"Of course, Sire. Thank you again."

The aged bear watched the minister depart and then he turned back toward the mourners who had already begun to mill around loosely. Low voices comforted those who still cried, but there were others who chuckled softly, recounting some humorous moment in their relationship with his son. Allen Durant inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of the small cemetery. There were no tears in his eyes. Those had been shed three weeks earlier when he had received the news from the captain of the Blue Horizon.

Even when they landed two days ago and presented the local medical authorities with the body of his son they had kept in cold storage, he had not cried, but remained strong for those around him. It was difficult, however, to remain so with a host of friends and family who were open with their emotions, especially since Leo's marker had been set into the earth next to that of his mother, Joan. He swallowed hard and then turned to his remaining son, James, who clung to his fiancée Beverly in remorse. Allen placed a hand on James' shoulder and then drew the man to himself. It was then he allowed himself to cry again.

A group of friends who had known Leonardo huddled together near the headstone marker, none of them saying much. Captain Merlin Sinclair stood behind Samantha, his arms around her gently as they stared mutely at the alabaster urn. Both were dressed in their best garments, and if they had not been standing in a cemetery, onlookers might have thought their sartorial perfection the result of a high-class family. Taro stood nearby between Renny and Tanis, their heads together in quiet conversation, accompanied by Jerry Somner, a local male red fox of the cheetah's acquaintance. A few steps away, Lorelei was on her knees in the grass so she could weep openly on Pockets' shoulders for support.

Maximillian stood a short distance away from his crewmates, his hand holding tight to the hand of a shapely Bengal tigress at his side. Wendy Bengoro's parents had not been able to attend the funeral, but the young tigress had driven two hundred miles from their home on Pomen to meet her friend of the Blue Horizon. They had been near inseparable since they had been reunited. She knew that Max was trying to be strong, but she had felt his shoulders shudder several times during the eulogy.

Standing in a group to themselves was the crew of the Hidalgo Sun. They had arrived several days earlier than the Blue Horizon due to their scheduled delivery, but Merlin had granted them leave to stand by for the funeral. Of the Hidalgo, only two of its crew was familiar with Leo Durant. Jasper Porter stood downwind of the gathering, puffing on a cigar in silence. He had largely ignored his former crewmates from the Blue Horizon, with the exception of a muted reunion with his brother. He did not look as if he mourned the grizzly bear's death, but in reality, he felt nauseated by it. Of those he had served with on board the Horizon, the ill-tempered raccoon had always respected Durant.

He watched Renny step away from a male fox he did not know and approach the Hidalgo's crew. The cheetah said a few quiet words to Sheila and Riki and then moved between them to the back of the group. Patch watched him take Tsarina's hand and lead her down the hill to the edge of the lake. They talked for several moments, and then the jaguar flung herself into the cheetah's arms to bawl onto his shoulder. Renny stroked the fur of her cheeks and spoke words of comfort. Patch grunted to himself with a nod. He had wondered how long it would take those two to get together.

The stoic raccoon had not been the only one to observe the felines' behavior. Carmen Burgess watched them with sad eyes, but when she saw Tsarina start to cry, she felt a sudden lump in her throat. She turned and spoke to Mark Littlefeather, and the human immediately produced a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit coat. The polar bear thanked him, wiped her eyes with it, and then stepped away from the group. She walked across the lawn toward the alabaster urn and then knelt down in the grass beside it.

Samantha knew that she and Durant had maintained a long distance relationship, so she led Merlin away to give the woman a few moments alone. Carmen looked up gratefully as the couple walked toward their friend's father and then she folded her hands together in her lap. She glanced back down at the receptacle that housed the load master's ashes and felt tears escape down her cheek fur. She reached out quietly and stroked the edge of the container as if touching him one last time.

"You were my future," she whispered, "but our plans were not meant to be." She swallowed back a sob and closed her eyes briefly, but more tears escaped anyway. "Why did this have to happen?" she asked as she wiped her cheeks with Littlefeather's handkerchief. "You were going to announce your retirement next month … along with my resignation. We were going to set up a medical office together here in your hometown … and then get married in the spring…"

Carmen covered her face with both hands and cried into them. Her shoulders racked with her sobs until she felt a pair of strong arms pull her into an embrace. She did not look to see who it was, but blindly accepted the comfort as she allowed herself to shed her tears.

"Let it all out, dear," Taro whispered into her ear. "Take all the time you need. He will understand."

Blue Horizon, PA1138

Captain's Journal

My ship feels empty without Durant. I had known him for many years and losing him was like having lost a brother. It hurts. More than I would have imagined. As I write this, I am sitting in the dark in my cabin on board the Blue Horizon, a single candle burning for him on the desk before me. I have released the crew for now, as this is difficult for all of us, and everyone will need time to deal with this on their own.

With Taro, we had no finality that she had actually died. With Renny, it was a slow time of waiting for the inevitable. With Durant, his death is past tense. It's happened. It's done. It was a complete shock to us all. Tanis told me that he had suspected something was wrong for months, but Durant would not allow him to examine him… until it was too late. Why did he wait? That seems to be the question on everyone's mind. He never procrastinated about anything else.

Tanis feels guilty that he went into his quarters and read his mail that day. He feels that if he had gone on to the Infirmary with Durant instead of stopping in his quarters for his smock, he might have been able to save him. No one has blamed him but himself. There is no way he could have known those few moments were crucial, but all Tanis can seem to remember is the final look that Durant gave him, and his 'thanks for everything' comment. It was almost as if Durant knew his time was near.

If nothing else, this has served to strengthen Tanis' resolve to finish his medical training, and he has moved ahead in his plans to leave us for the University of Alexandrius. It was a difficult time to concentrate on hiring a replacement medic for the Blue Horizon, but Renny came to our rescue. He told me that he had a friend on Pomen who was a local doctor that had been looking for a change of scenery. He prompted me to contact him, but even with the increase in business for my company, I cannot match the salary of a fully-licensed doctor; Renny assured me that what I was paying Tanis more than surpassed what his friend was getting in the backwater town clinic he was serving in, but I was dubious.

It turns out he was right. Upon Renny's recommendation, I contacted Jerry Somner and tentatively presented him with an offer. He accepted the salary and position without hesitation after a quick Com-link interview, and thanked me for the opportunity. By the time we traveled from Fyn to Pomen, Jerry had already settled his affairs and met us at the home of Durant's brother, James. I would have wished for better circumstances to introduce our new doctor to the crew, but he handled our free emotions in stride and was respectful at the funeral. I assured him that he would see us under better times.

Dr. Somner is a red fox, but unlike Taro, he is not Hestran. Renny has told me a little bit about him, but confesses that it has been a number of years since they last ran around together in flight school. He is an excellent pilot and showed enthusiasm when I told him of my requirement that my crew be able to fly the ship in an emergency; he has a passion for flying and even offered to take over the primary pilot's duties. Renny told me that Jerry was quite a womanizer, but to his credit, I have seen no signs of this during our time of mourning. Perhaps Jerry has settled down since he and Renny knew one another in school. I just hope this does not cause a conflict between he and Renny about Taro – the same valid concern I had when Tanis came back to us. He seems introspective, but quite experienced and knowledgeable with current medical technologies. I don't know all that much about his personal background, but there will be plenty of time to get better acquainted once we've launched again.

Just when we'll be space-borne again is still undecided. I've had the home office juggle our schedules around and try to explain our situation to our ever-growing list of customers. I'm almost afraid we'll lose a few to our competitors if I don't get my ships back in operation soon, but I want to give everyone a chance to mourn first… Most aboard the Hidalgo Sun were not that close to Durant, knowing him only as an associate on their sister ship, but Carmen is the one I've been worried about the most.

I suppose I could have brought her onto the Horizon and assign Jerry to the Hidalgo, but in one brief visit onto our ship to let her see if there was anything from Durant's quarters she wanted, she burst into tears just from his lingering scent. I realized then that making her a part of the Horizon's crew would not necessarily be beneficial. She said that since her plans with Durant were now gone, she would remain with the Hidalgo Sun and abandon her thoughts on resigning.

Captain Rezo will be launching his vessel tomorrow to pick up his mail-quota and our overdue delivery of automobile parts from Pomen to Earth, and Carmen has promised me that she will be okay to go. Se has had a long visit with the Durant family, and despite her loss, she is ready to be on her way.

As for the Blue Horizon, I've authorized another three days of downtime for the crew. It feels like it's still too soon to be thinking about hiring a replacement for Durant, but eventually I need my ship back in the air, and I'm currently without a load master for the Horizon, as well as a senior accountant for the whole business. I'm still in mourning, but it's time to move on. The funeral was only yesterday afternoon, but Durant died nearly a month ago. He had a great mind for business and I am sure he would agree with me. I need to get my business back on track.

Leo Durant was my friend, and although he was of a different species, I gladly considered him part of my family. I will miss him.

Merlin Sinclair, Captain

Merlin closed his journal and looked at it with a sigh. He stood up after a moment and blew out his candle, dropping the room into darkness. Time to get to work, he thought to himself. He had to do a little research and then he would need to contact the home office after he talked to Taro.

Rather than stay free in their cabins on the Horizon, the collective crew had rented rooms at a local hotel during their stay on Pomen in Fryerton, the Durant family's hometown. As with their usual planetary downtime, the lupine captain liked to spend time away from the ship. Although the vessel had better Com equipment than most hotels might afford, they were equipped with decent enough systems. Merlin felt he would make extensive use of it today.

He left his office quickly and then rode the lift down to the cargo deck. When he stepped out into the empty hold, something caught his eye. He glanced over at the load master's office and noted that the light was on over Durant's desk; he was sure it had been off when he had come on board earlier. He frowned and made his way to the room. When he stepped inside, he did not see anyone and wondered how the light came to be on.

He reached for the switch, but hesitated when he heard a sniffle. Merlin walked slowly around to the other side of the desk and then leaned over between the desk and Durant's large chair. There, on the floor beneath the oak desk, was Pockets. He had his arms wrapped around his knees and his eyes glistened from recent tears as he looked up at his captain.

"I can't seem to stop crying…" the raccoon whispered apologetically.

Merlin pushed the chair back against the wall and then knelt down on the carpet beside him. He put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a tired smile. "It's okay, Jerad," he said compassionately. "Durant was with us a long time. It will be hard for a while."

"I know, but… I was fine until the funeral."

"Come on out of there," Merlin said gently. "I'm heading back to the hotel. Let's leave this place for a while."

The raccoon nodded somberly and crawled out beside his captain. He pulled a handkerchief from one of the pockets of his familiar coveralls and blew his nose on it noisily. Merlin stood up, helped his chief engineer to his feet, and then led him around the desk to the door. He looked back at Durant's chair briefly and then shut off the light.

The ride back to their hotel was uneventful. Merlin drove the rented passenger van through the streets of the small town without a word and Pockets stared out the window at the passing trees. The quaint houses in Fryerton had been built over a hundred years earlier, but had been taken care of exceptionally well. Durant had been reared in this community, and it was easy to see where he had gotten his easygoing personality. There, life was quiet without being backward. Many of those old homes had the latest satellite multicom systems within their walls and there were recent vintage automobiles all around.

Children played happily in their yards and Pockets noticed that the majority of the population was ursine. If Carmen had gone through with her plan to settle here without Durant, she would have fit in well. She was not xenophobic, but in a medical career, it was always simpler if you only had to concentrate upon the anatomy of one species.

Merlin pulled up to their hotel, a recently constructed lodge next to a large, tree-filled park. There was a small stone amphitheatre at the far end of the recreational area and a cluster of children was gathered at its center stage. The wolf smiled when he saw them, thinking of his sister's cubs. He missed seeing them and wished there was a way he could spend more time around them during their formative years, but as a star captain, he did not see possible. He would have to remember to call Shannon soon. It had been a while since their last communication.

He parked the van and Pockets hopped out of the other side. They walked into the plain lobby of the one-story building and saw Max and Wendy sitting on the couch in the common room. Pockets waved and headed off to his room, but Merlin stopped to visit with the young couple.

"But where did it come from?"

"I pulled it out of yer sister's ear," Tanis answered with a smile as he handed a small copper coin to a child in front of him.

"You did not!" exclaimed the unconvinced bear cub. "I was diggin' in her ear a moment ago and didn't see nuthin' in there before!"

Jerry laughed and his eyes crinkled merrily. "What were you doing digging in your sister's ear?"

The young boy stuck his hands in the pockets of his overalls and shrugged. "I dunno," he mumbled.

Tanis and Jerry sat on the edge of the amphitheatre's stage in the park next to their hotel, surrounded by children. They had been casually discussing the various members of the Blue Horizon earlier. Since Jerry would soon be looking after the physical well being of his new crewmates, he had wanted to know as much about them from their current physician as he could. Children playing nearby had come over to them one by one, curious to see two foxes in their park. For the majority of the kids, it was the first time any of them had ever seen an alien from another world before.

Before long, Tanis was entertaining them with sleight-of-hand illusions, wowing the children with magic! As with every group, however, there were always skeptics.

"You put that coin in her ear!" the cub complained.

Tanis only shook his head and laughed. "No," he said with the first real grin he had had in weeks, "I pulled the coin out of her ear."

The little girl cub with the financial ear looked up at him with wide eyes and promptly stuck a finger in her ear, obviously feeling for more coins. There was a sharp whistle and all the children looked up in unison.

A short brown bear near a school bus at the street waved them toward her and one of the other kids said, "Miss Collins wants us!"

The little skeptic looked up at Tanis and grinned. "Bye-bye, mister foxes," he said and then ran away with the other cubs.

"You really like kids, don't you?" Jerry asked as he stretched and yawned. Tanis turned back to the doctor and nodded.

"Yes, I do," he replied. "They're such a joy to be around and it's easy to make them laugh."

The red fox looked at him with a tilt to his head. "Is pediatrics the field of study you intend to focus on?" he asked.

Tanis shook his head. "I once considered it, but after recent events, I'm thinking more along the lines of cardiology."

"I can see where that would become important to you," Jerry mused, "but you have a nice gift dealing with children. I wouldn't discard that possibility if I had your talent with kids. The little carpet-commandoes are a mystery to me, and I've been a general practitioner for several years."

Tanis laughed. "Well, Doc, ya won't have any of them to worry about on board the Horizon. Max is the youngest ya'll have to deal with, and he won't give ya any trouble at all."

"What's the story with that tigress he's been orbiting? She isn't another new member of the crew, is she?"

"Wendy? No, she's a cute lass he hooked up with while we were recuperating over in Adasa. They've maintained a long-distance relationship ever since."

"Adasa? Oh yeah, the crash Renny told me about," Jerry replied. "I was off to Kantus when you guys were here on Pomen. I didn't get back until you had left."

"We were there three months," Tanis said. "What were ya doing on Kantus for so long?"

Jerry smiled. "One of my kid sisters got married and the whole family helped her and her mate set up their new home. My brothers and I did most of the construction on the place."

"Sounds like ya come from a big family."

The red fox snickered. "My folks had eight kits – four boys and four girls. I was the youngest male and I have two sisters younger than I am."

"Everybody on Kantus?"

"No, we're scattered about the Planetary Alignment, but we all try to get back to see Mom and Dad whenever we can."

"Well, if ya come from such a large group, ya should have no trouble with a crew of eight – so long as ya can stand being cooped up with them inside the ship for weeks at a time with no way to get away from anyone."

Jerry rubbed his chin and nodded. "I'm looking forward to serving on the Blue Horizon."

"It's only a freighter, ya know…"

Jerry grinned. "I know that doesn't sound very glamorous, but after spending several years in a tiny clinic in a backwater town, I'm ready to see new sights. The Horizon may only be a freighter, but to me she's a cruiser and I am anxious to fly her."

"It sounds like ya and I will be trading places," Tanis quipped. "Yer a doctor wanting a job that requires the skills of no more than a medic, and I'm a medic who wants to be a fully-licensed physician."

"That about sums it up."

"Then I wish ya luck," Tanis said. "As for me, I'm looking forward to getting back to medical studies again. I've tried to keep up with new advancements online, but there is only so much ya can learn outside a classroom or a real application." He glanced up and the red fox followed his gaze. A large crowd was moving toward them from the hotel, consisting of the entire crews of both the Blue Horizon and the Hidalgo Sun. He hopped down from the short stage and Jerry followed him to the outer wall.

"I wonder what's up," Tanis mused.

Jerry leaned toward him. "Thanks for taking the time out to talk with me, Tanis," he said in a quiet voice. "I think I have a fair idea what everyone is like from what you've told me, as well as my brief exposure to them over the last couple days."

"I think ya will do fine. Anything else?"

"I tried talking with Dr. Burgess about the crew she oversees with your other ship, but she doesn't seem to want to talk to me."

Tanis shook his head. "Don't mind her," he said. "Taro told me that she and Durant were planning a future together. This has hit her rather hard, so it's not just yerself that she's being quiet with."

"Ah, okay. However, I do have a question concerning your bunny, Miss Lorelei…"

Tanis smirked at his formal use of Lori's name. "Yes?"

"Does she always move in on the new guys so quickly?"

The fennec fox laughed. "Yes, actually. She is a rabbit, after all. What'd she do, crawl into bed with ya?"

"Uh, nothing so bold," Jerry said with a frown, "but I did feel as if I were being propositioned."

"Knowing her, ya were…" Tanis said in a whisper. "However, from what I heard of yer reputation, ya should not mind her free spirit."

Jerry narrowed his eyes at him. "What's Renny been telling you?"

Tanis hesitated for a brief instant. That was not the reaction he had expected. "He said ya were quite the womanizing playboy."

Jerry shook his head with a frown. "He should talk, from the way he's been all over Taro and that jaguar lady, Tsarina."

Tanis laughed. "Renny's been serious about Taro for a long time, but Tsarina has been after him for a while now, not the other way around."

"Ah... Well, Renny has a selective memory.  Yes, I have enjoyed the company of ladies in my time, but I've settled down in recent years. He knows that." He grinned at the tan fox and added, "Spend time in a backwater town where the selection is limited, and you'd settle down too."

"Do ya still like the ladies?" Tanis asked cautiously.

Jerry laughed out loud. "Very much," he replied. "My tastes have not changed, but I don't chase every tail I see anymore. However, I may have to investigate this Miss Lorelei a little closer, if it won't upset any of the guys on board."

Tanis put a hand on his new friend's shoulder. "As I said, she's a free spirit. Yer welcome to give her any attention she will have."

There was laughing and joking from the voices of the mingled crews when the entourage approached the small amphitheatre, filed in through the opening in the wall, and began to sit down among the stone seats. Merlin did not feel like looming over everyone, so he moved to a position below the stage. He stood in the middle so that everyone could see him and Rezo took a seat on the front row. Jerry and Tanis sat down three rows up, next to the red-tailed hawk, Danaher. He nodded to them and Tanis leaned toward him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

The bird tilted his head to the right and blinked at him. "Is a meeting of staffs," he replied. "Merlin-captain says must talk, be short."

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

"Is welcome."

"Hello, Mr. Tanis," said a voice below him.

The medic smiled down into the amber eyes of the tigress that sat beside Maximillian. He put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Hello, Wendy. Is Merlin about to announce that ya have signed onto our ship?"

Wendy giggled and shook her head. "No, silly. I'm just being nosey and decided to sit in on the meeting."

"It would have been rude to leave her back at the hotel," Max added when Tanis leaned forward, resting his elbows on the mechanic's head.

"This will be a short meeting," Merlin said in a loud voice, drawing everyone's attention. The rock walls, seats, and stage of the amphitheatre carried the sound well and he flinched at just how well his voice traveled. He grinned and continued in a quieter tone, "Due to recent events, I'm about to make a few changes to the company and thought everyone should be in on it. This is the largest spot I could think of to hold our meeting. Naturally, we don't have a large vidscreen to stage a teleconference with the ladies at the home office, but Samantha has them online on her DataCom and will relay any comments they may have."

He cleared his throat as he looked over a small paper notepad in his hand and his voice took on a more somber tone. "This is not an easy subject, but one that has to be covered. Due to the loss of Durant…" the amphitheatre went silent instantly, "there are some gaps left in our personnel, and not just in the crew of my ship. Not only was he the load master for the Horizon, Durant was also the senior accountant for the company. All financial transactions for the home office, the Hidalgo Sun, and the Blue Horizon were given to him for tracking in the company books. This included your salaries and pay transfers, as well as parts, supplies, all insurance claims and processes."

He cleared his throat again and looked around the solemn faces that stared back at him. "In a regular freighting business such as ours, all the accounting work would be handled from a central office, rather than a small desk on one of the ships. I should have offered Durant a desk job at the home office as soon as we'd established it, but it never occurred to me. Leo Durant was my friend and accountant, and had been with me for nearly ten years, and although the home office was originally his suggestion, nothing was ever said about moving the accounting department there."

He cleared his throat and fidgeted with the notepad in his hands. "As everyone has expected, I will soon be interviewing applicants for a load master for the Blue Horizon. Taro and I will take care of that, but for the role of senior accountant, I want that position based at the home office, as it should be. I've already been in contact with the SPF, who will help screen the security credentials of the applicants for such a sensitive job, as well as coordinating with the ladies of the home office. Until such time as this position can be filled, Samantha and Danaher will be responsible for the accounts on their respective ships, and I will handle everyone's pay myself. Captain Kegawa will relay the pay vouchers I set up for the crew of the Hidalgo, so that no one will be overlooked in getting their pay. Likewise, Rezo and I will handle any insurance issues that come up, but hopefully that's something we won't have to deal with for a while."

He put his hands in his pockets and then looked straight at Taro. "I've also been thinking of implementing another of Durant's suggestions, one that could help our delivery schedules, but there is someone I need to talk to first before I announce what it is. Any questions?" No one said anything for several long moments, but Samantha quietly answered something the ladies at the home office wanted clarified. Merlin pulled one hand from his pocket and then gestured toward the fennec fox seated next to Danaher.

"In other news, I'm sure everyone knows about the boost that Tanis received concerning his career, but in case anyone from either ship has somehow missed out, Arktanis TeVann has been accepted by the University of Alexandrius to continue his medical studies." Half-hearted clapping echoed around the amphitheatre, but Merlin noted some of the faces brightened to have the subject moved away from Durant. "He will be leaving us tomorrow afternoon, so you'll want to say your good-byes to him tonight. Also, for those who have not met him yet, Dr. Jerry Somner has graciously accepted our invitation to serve as Medical Officer." There was more clapping, a little livelier. "Tanis has been filling him in on all your dirty little secrets…" The crew of the Horizon groaned collectively, but Merlin grinned. "…so you'll want to get in on his good side."

"Please replace the needle syringes with a new air-hypo!" Pockets said plaintively over his shoulder at the male fox. "The last time we all got sick, Tanis took too much pleasure giving us shots!"

Jerry knew he would have to have a sense of humor working with this crew, so he looked down at the raccoon with a sly grin. "Treat me well," he said to him, "and I'll consider it." There were more chuckles in the crowd, and Merlin knew the ice had been broken. They still mourned the loss of Durant, but for the moment they had something else to think about."

"Do we get to initiate the new guy?" Renny asked with a grin.

"What do you mean by initiate?" Jerry wanted to know.

"We could all line up with wooden paddles and have you run past us!"

"Hey, that sounds like a good idea!" Max quipped. "I'm all for it!"

Jerry looked down at the German shepherd seated in the row before him and said in a voice loud enough for all to hear, "Pockets, your helper mechanic had better stay healthy. He gets a needle the next time he gets sick – him and Renny, both!"

"Hey!" the cheetah exclaimed.

Wendy punched Max in the arm. "You deserved that," she teased.

"Captain Sinclair?" another voice called out. Everyone looked down at the first row to the red panda that had sat quietly during the recent exchange.

"Yes, Rezo?" Merlin asked.

"You said you had something you were going to implement in the business to help our schedules," the short captain replied. "Can you tell us anything more than that? My ship leaves to pick up our shipment to Earth tomorrow morning and I'd like to have an idea of your plan before we leave."

"I'll let you know as soon as I can," Merlin said with a sideways glance at Taro, "but I need to talk to someone first."

"How long will that take?"

 "As long as necessary, Captain."

"Can't you make it quick?"

Merlin gave the panda a dark look. "I will let you know when I have—"

"Listen, we don't have much time, so if you think you have someth—"

Merlin took three long strides and stopped abruptly in front of the diminutive red panda. He towered over Rezo, his fists clenched and lips curled back in a snarl with a low growl in his throat. "Mind your place, Captain," he said in a menacing tone.  "I will tell you when I am ready to tell you, and not before! Got that?"

Rezo held up his hands and cowered. "Y-yes, sir…" he squeaked.

Merlin stared down at him with piercing amber eyes, daring his subordinate to argue with him further.

Taro stood up from her seat next to Renny and Tsarina and made her way down to the front. She walked directly to the wolf and whispered something in his ear. He growled lowly, but then nodded toward her and gestured briskly toward the stage. Without a word to the gathered crowd or another glance at Rezo, Merlin led the vixen to a large evergreen tree that grew at the side of the stage and then bent his head low toward her.

"What did you need to ask me about?" Taro asked quietly, her green eyes smiling warmly at him. She clasped her hands behind her and leaned in toward him.

Merlin sighed and gave her an embarrassed smile as his anger melted away. "I was going to wait until this evening and take you out for dinner to talk to you about this."

"That sounds serious. Were you going to propose to me?" she asked with a wink.

Merlin chuckled softly. She sometimes had ways to diffuse his anger. "It is a proposition," he replied to her smile, "but not what you think. On at least a couple recent occasions, Durant suggested that I purchase another ship for the business to help out with the workload."

"We have been getting more requests for our services than we've had time to do, even with both ships," Taro agreed with a nod of her head, "but you don't need my permission for that, Merlin."

"Not for that," he agreed, "but a new ship will need a captain and I would like it to be you." Her eyes grew wide and he added, "It's a big responsibility, and comes with a significant raise in salary. I think you're perfect for the job."

Taro swallowed and hesitated. "Thank you, Merlin," she said after a long moment of thought. "I'm flattered that you thought of me, but if it's all the same to you, I would rather stay on board the Blue Horizon."

Merlin tilted his head to the side, as if unsure he had heard her correctly. "You don't want your own command?" he asked in a near whisper.

Taro chuckled. "Of course I do," she admitted, "but I have higher aspirations, Merlin. I'm aiming for the flagship of your fleet! If you and Sammy ever decide to settle down somewhere and raise some pups, or you decide to retire from command of the Blue Horizon, I will gladly accept promotion at that time."

"You're the third person who has suggested that I step down and raise a family," the wolf said with narrowed eyes. "You all just can't wait for me to leave, can you?"

Taro stared back at him in surprise, but then recognized the twinkle in his eyes despite his scowl. She laughed and gave him a hug in front of everyone. "Don't let it bother you, boss," she said. "If you don't step down for another lifetime, I'll still be there beside you. Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid you'll have to find another captain."

Merlin smiled at her and then turned back toward the crowd that had begun to murmur amongst themselves. The two of them walked back to the center of attention and then Taro made her way back to her seat. The wolf glanced at Rezo briefly, making the red panda cringe, but then he looked back out over the expectant faces.

"Due to our increasing workload," he said in a voice to carry, "I am going to add another ship to our company." He held up a hand to silence the sudden conversations and regain their attention. "Since Captain Kegawa was too impatient to give me the chance to ask her formally over dinner, I just offered the captaincy of the new ship to Taro," he said with a smile. A few claps started up, but the wolf held up his hand for quiet again. "She turned it down, however. It seems she intends to eventually challenge me for control of the Blue Horizon." There were a few chuckles at his choice of words.

"That decision having just been made, I will be conducting a series of interviews for another captain and a whole new crew over the next week." He looked at Rezo. "Go ahead and make preparations to launch as planned. I will inform you of the details once the new sister ship has been purchased, staffed, and put into operation." He turned toward Samantha, who continued to hold her DC in her lap.

"Taro and I will be coordinating things for the new personnel with the home office every step of the way, so there's likely to be some overtime in your near future, ladies." Samantha listened to the unit for Cindy's response and then gave Merlin a thumbs-up gesture.

Merlin put his hands in hsis pockets and then looked over the faces of both crews. "We've had a rough time in the past few months, from the situation at Nalirra, the terrorist attacks on the Hidalgo Sun, the home office, injuries to Mark Littlefeather and Renny Thornton, the business on Fyn with the Basilisk, the passing of a friend, and to changes in the business and its personnel. However, as always, it is time to move on and get back into a routine. The Hidalgo Sun will be leaving tomorrow morning and Tanis will be departing the same afternoon, but the crew of the Blue Horizon will be here on Pomen just a little while longer."

"Vacation time?"

The wolf shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not, Pockets. While Taro and I are conducting interviews here and through the home office, you and the others will be shopping for a new freighter to add to our inventory, and then getting it stocked with standard supplies and tools for routine flight. I want the ship ready to fly by the time I've hired the last person, so they can launch shortly thereafter. We're nearly a month behind schedule on our entire timetable due to recent events and the new ship is going to help us make it up."

"What are you going to call the new ship?" Riki asked.

Merlin shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't really given it much thought yet, but there's still plenty of time. I might have one that would work, but I would need specific permission from someone else before I can use it. You'll all be informed when it's all done, unless Captain Kegawa is in need of that information right now as well." He glanced at Rezo, who averted his eyes. "I'll have an all-way conference call between the home office and three ships to introduce everyone when it's time."

The lupine captain stood there and looked at his employees for a moment, and when there were no more questions, he raised his hands and said, "Okay, that's all I have. You are free to do what you need to do. Captain Kegawa, I want to speak to you before you go."

Rezo got up and stepped forward as everyone else dispersed. Many from both crews cast sidelong glances at the two captains as Merlin led the red panda toward the stage. When they stopped beside the rock wall of the platform, Rezo turned and looked up at his boss.

Merlin remained silent and did nothing but watch the rest of the people leave, but when a couple from Rezo's crew tried to linger to listen in, he cleared his throat and gave them a stern stare that told them to leave. Once the final body was out of the area and heading back toward the hotel, the wolf turned to face the red panda.

"As someone with authority over others," he began in a low, throaty voice, "you should realize that you placed yourself in a precarious position by challenging me openly." He snarled, bared his teeth at the cowering panda, and stuck his nose into Rezo's face. "Want to challenge me now?" he growled.

"N-no, s-sir!" the short captain stuttered. "I-I didn't m-mean…"

"Then tell me what you did mean, Kegawa." Merlin asked harshly, his words echoed around the amphitheatre. "Insubordination won't be tolerated, especially by a captain who thinks he's above his employer!" He growled deeply in his throat and opened his mouth to say more, but then he noticed just how small Rezo's pupils had shrunk in fear. He swallowed his tirade and straightened up, but never broke eye contact. "You have almost paid off your loan on the Hidalgo Sun," he said in a quieter voice. "If you wish to terminate your employment with me, Captain, you and your crew can take the ship so you can start up your own business. I will sign off on the loan and we can forget the rest of what you owe me."

Rezo swallowed twice and then finally blinked his eyes, which had gone dry. He dropped his gaze and stared at his feet. "N-no…" he said meekly.  "We've d-done much better working for you that we did on our own. I… I apologize for my public outburst. Please forgive my impatience."

Merlin stared at him a moment, unblinking, and then he nodded. "Apology accepted, Captain." He motioned the panda to follow him to the stone seats and then the two of them sat down. "This has been a trying time for all of us," he said in normal conversational tones. "Even though it has been nearly a month since I was beaten, I'm still sore in places – and then I've been wrought with emotional pain over my friend's death." He looked over at Rezo and sighed. "I admit that I've always been testy when my authority is challenged, but this was not a good time to try it with me."

"I'm sorry," the red panda said again. "As you said, we're behind schedule and since coming to work for you, I've been afraid of losing any of our customers to a bad schedule as I did before you came along and rescued me twice. I'm more than ready to get back to work, sir, but I didn't mean to usurp your authority. I won't let it happen again."

Merlin gave him a nod. "I accept that," he said, "and I believe you're right. Get your ship ready for an early launch tomorrow, Captain. Pomen Air Command should have no trouble granting you launch privileges from the local airfield. We're far enough from standard air traffic that you should be able to take off as soon as you are ready."

"Thank you," Rezo said in genuine appreciation. "We'll leave at dawn."

Wendy leaned in and gently pressed her lips against Max's as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The canine pulled her close and returned the kiss with closed eyes. They stood like that for a long moment outside the entrance to the hotel. The Bengal tigress had spent several days in a hotel room next to one Max shared with Pockets, but now it was time for her to return home. She had just begun pre-medical school and could not afford any more time away, but she had become fond of him and she was reluctant to leave the star-stranger.

"I wish you could come with us on the ship," Max said quietly when they finally parted.

"I wish you could come with me back home," Wendy replied. The young couple smiled at one another at their exchange and then the canine pulled her close in a warm hug.

"Be sure to write to me and let me know how your studies are going," Max said. "I want to hear about everything."

"Likewise," the tigress replied as she stared into his ice blue eyes. "I know you'll be starting your online college courses soon. It won't be the same as actually attending a campus, but you'll get the education you want." She held up his left hand and then tapped his stubby middle finger with one of hers. "I'll let Dad know you're now interested in a prosthetic finger. He should get back with you on it soon."

Max nodded and then gently put a hand on either side other head. He peered back into her yellow eyes and said, "I'm going to miss you, Wendy," he said. "A lot."

"I'm going to miss you too, Max," she said. The tigress gently licked the side of his muzzle and then turned away.

Max put her suitcase in the back seat of her convertible as she climbed into the front seat. She started the engine and then looked back at him. "Take care, sweetheart," she told him. All he could do was give her a sad smile and then she put the car in gear.

Max watched his feline girlfriend drive away and did not take his eyes off of her until she turned a corner far up the street.

Merlin rubbed his eyes as Taro entered the last of their notes into the datapak on the desk before her. They had rented office space for a few days to conduct interviews and the last applicant had just left to await their decision in the reception room where Jerry and Samantha kept an eye on things.

"Well, what do you think?" Taro asked with a yawn.

Merlin looked over at her and shook his head. "I wouldn't have believed there were so many out-of-work, ex-freighting personnel in the area. How many have we interviewed this morning?"

"Twenty three," the vixen replied after consulting the datapak. "Unfortunately, all of them fit the qualifications you have for the position."

"I guess it comes down to their personalities, then," Merlin muttered. "Which one do we want sealed up in the ship with us for weeks at a time?"

"Are you asking me, or thinking aloud?"

Merlin rubbed his eyes again. "Thinking aloud," he answered, "but I want your opinion, too."

"Okay, in that case," Taro said with a smile, "I would say it's a toss up between these three: Conroy, Legrand or Kodai." Merlin looked at the notes she pointed out to him and reread them.

"Hmmm… the mastiff… is he one of those?"

"Yes, that was Damien Legrand. He's the one who used to work for the Leaway Moving Company of Tanthe. You were thinking about him?"

The wolf nodded. "He seemed to be the most relaxed when he came in here, and probably the most experienced as well. He certainly knew how to make quick mental calculations for weight distribution in the cargo bay of an Okami freighter." 

"Do you want to speak with these three once more before making your decision?"

Merlin studied Taro's notes and then glanced at the clock. "No, I don't think that will be necessary," he replied. "It's almost time to take Tanis to the airfield to catch his shuttle, so we won't have time right now. Besides… I think Mr. Legrand is probably the best of the lot." He stood up, stretched, and then fluffed the fur on his tail where it had been pressed into the back of the chair for so long. "Go ahead and thank all the applicants for their time and send them all away – except Legrand. I'll need Samantha to do a local background check on him, and I want Jerry to give him a complete physical this afternoon. If our new doctor gives him a clean bill of health, he's got the job. "

"Okay, I'll take care of the other applicants while you speak with Sam and Jerry."

Merlin touched her lightly on the arm when she stood up; she looked at him curiously. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The lupine captain sighed and then gave her a weary look. "Durant was the one who always sat in on interviews with me," he answered. "It felt strange not having him in here today… and stranger yet to be interviewing applicants for his job. Thanks for sitting in with me. I don't think I could have done it alone this time."

Taro gave him a warm smile. "I understand what you're feeling, Merlin," she whispered. "You are welcome."

Tanis turned to look at his former crewmates and he gave them a friendly smile. With all the events of the past weeks, there had not been much time to get with each person as he had originally intended, but now time had run out. He had just checked in his luggage and the lot of them had followed him to the spaceport terminal, talking animatedly amongst themselves. Everyone fell silent as he met each pair of eyes. Some smiled back at him, while others looked remorse at his leaving.

He started to say something to his extended family, but he could not seem to get the words across his tongue. He set his carry-on bag on the floor at his feet and struggled with the words. Taro took the initiative with a smile and kissed him on the lips. Then she pulled him to her in a warm embrace. He closed his eyes briefly and took in her scent.

"The shuttle for Merriam Flight 1621 to Alexandrius is now boarding," an electronic voice said from the facility's overhead speakers. "Ticket holders may now begin boarding flight number sixteen-twenty-one, bound for Alexandrius."

Tanis forced himself to pull away from the vixen and then he looked at the other faces around him. "Never say long goodbyes," he said hoarsely. "That's what my Gram always used to tell me, but now it looks like I have no choice. I have to go now."

Samantha stepped forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek and then Lorelei pushed her way forward to do the same. Pockets and Max moved in simultaneously to shake his hand and he wound up taking them together with a grin, one on each hand.

Jerry eased up beside him and offered his hand as well. "Good luck, Tanis," he said. "Study hard and the rewards will be worth it."

The desert fox nodded as he shook his hand and then turned to Merlin who had appeared at his other side. "Tanis," the wolf said quickly, "all the work you've done with us is well appreciated. Thanks for everything."

"Thanks, boss," the fox replied with a smile. "It's sure been interesting working for ya."

"Yeah, but I'll be the one to miss you the most," Renny said. Tanis looked up into the eyes of his friendly rival and suddenly felt moisture rimming his own. He had enjoyed sparring with the cheetah, but regretted their recent arguments.

"Thanks for putting up with me," he said in a choked voice. "I know I've been a pain lately, but…"

"Forget it, Tanis," Renny said with a grin as he embraced him. "I'll probably get bored without you ruffling my fur. You take care of yourself."

"This is the final boarding call for Merriam Flight 1621 to Alexandrius. Ticket holders must board the shuttle now."

Tanis looked apologetically to his friends. "I have to go…" he said. Before anyone could give him any further well wishes, he picked up his carry-on bag and sprinted toward the terminal. He handed his ticket to the clerk by the door and then disappeared without a look back.

Merlin's crew gathered by the large tinted windows and lingered a while until the shuttle launched toward the primary transport vessel in orbit. Nobody said anything as the crewmembers of the Blue Horizon turned and walked out of the terminal, several of them with eyes that were not dry.

Tina Winters lowered her head and tail submissively, but looked at the vidscreen with steady yellow eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair," the white wolf said with genuine appreciation. "I know you have done a thorough security check on me, and I want you to know your finances will be safe with me."

Merlin's face stared back at her with a warm smile. "Welcome aboard, Ms. Winters," he said as he reached up to adjust a new nautical hat between his ears. "Once Cindy's set you up with a desk at the home office and has activated your account on the company system, contact me and we'll arrange to transfer the company books and records to you for immediate processing. You will have the home office accounts, as well as those of the Blue Horizon and the Hidalgo Sun. My chief engineer has located another Okami-class freighter for the company, but I don't think you'll be in place before we process the financial paperwork on it. I'm afraid you've got your work cut out for you – likely some long hours of overtime until the transfer has been completed."

Tina nodded and looked at him with a confident gaze. "I understand the situation you are currently in, sir, and I will try to get settled in as quickly as possible. I'm used to working long hours, and I'm sure I can help you get everything in order in short time."

"Very good, Tina. You were highly recommended and I'm glad to have you on the team. My company is informal, so you don't have to call me Mister Sinclair now that you're a part of us."

"How do you prefer to be addressed, sir?"

"First off, you can drop the 'sir' when you talk to me. You can call me Merlin, captain, boss, or anything similar. I'm sure you'll find other creative names for me after you've worked with us for a while, but I'll try to treat you as fair as I do the others."

Tina smiled. "I think I can handle that, boss," she said.

"Excellent. Please put Cindy on the line. I'll have her process your employment papers and then get you set up with a desk for your work."

"Right away." Tina got up from Cindy's desk and walked to the door. She stepped out, saw the mouse, and gave her a pleasant smile. "Captain Sinclair has accepted my application," she said. "He wants to talk to you about getting me set up."

The grey mouse brushed a stray lock of hair over one ear and then smiled widely. "Yay!" she said merrily. Cindy gave her a quick hug and then moved past her into the room. Tina chuckled, straightened the hem of her dark grey dress, and then walked down the short hall of the office to the front room. A smaller mouse with an extraordinarily large coffee cup sat on the edge of the receptionist's desk, idly chatting with a lithe sparrow.

Keri looked up at the white wolf and said, "You look pleased. You must have gotten the job!"

"Yes, Miss Petrie, I did," she replied. "I'm to start as soon as Miss Allport can get me set up with an office."

"That's great news!" the sparrow said in a rushed voice. "You're going to like it here."

"I'm sure I will, Miss Pon," Tina replied, "but it looks like I'll be quite busy at first jump."

Penny snickered and waved a hand casually at the wolf. "You can stop already with the formal names, dearie! I'm Penny, this is Keri, and that's Cindy in the other room."

Tina gave her words a nod. The informal atmosphere of this small company would take some getting used to. It was nothing like the offices of Merrick Enterprises where strict business protocols were observed, but she was well aware that the increasing business of this little freight transfer company would keep her busy for a while. She also knew that a background check on her normally would have found little-to-no information on her time working for Harrison Merrick, but the SPF was thorough and obviously found some sort of records that had not been destroyed along with the rest of Mainor. Harrison had employed numerous accountants, but despite being one of many, she had distinguished herself professionally, and she had been recognized for her skill with numbers and data. She had been on a visit to her family on Dennier when the Kastan super-weapon destroyed her employer's headquarters and homeworld. She had been working small, unrelated jobs ever since. She was glad to have the opportunity to do accounting again, even if for a shipping business with only three ships and two dozen employees. Sinclair had told her that his late accountant was a stickler in maintaining the books, so perhaps there would be no discrepancies to deal with.

"You may call me Tina," she replied with a smile.

Cindy walked out of the back room and pulled on a light jacket. "Okay, Tina, let's go pick out your office furniture!"

Merlin looked up at the emerald green paint job of the SS Rambler and nodded appreciatively. Damien Legrand stood beside him and whistled his own approval. The mastiff was a new member of the Blue Horizon's crew, but the load master appreciated being included checking out their new sister ship all the same.

Renny, Pockets and Maximillian had found the Okami freighter in a metropolitan city on the other side of the mountain range, and it was in perfect condition. The raccoon had been thorough in his inspection of the vessel, including a lengthy crawl through the access passages beneath the hold and in between the ship's double hulls. Although just a year old, it had not seen many flights. Its owner had purchased the freighter to start up his own shipping business, but had fallen into ill health before he could establish himself in the market. It had been up for sale for the previous three months, but Pockets had been the first to contact him about it.

"We got it for ten thousand credits less than what we paid for the Hidalgo Sun," Pockets told him cheerily, "and it's in better condition. Mr. Rambles was fond of his ship and took care of it."

"How much flight time is on its engines?" Damien asked with a quick glance at the Blue Horizon parked next to it on the small tarmac.

"One trip to Ganis and back, and two hops across Pomen," the engineer replied. "It's been in a flight hangar the past few months, so it has even been out of the weather."

"Want to take a tour, Uncle Merlin? Mr. Legrand?" Max asked with a gentle wag of his tail.

"You can call me Damien, son," the mastiff offered with a smile.

Merlin chuckled. "It has the same floor-plan as ours, doesn't it? I wouldn't imagine it looking any different."

"Well," the young canine answered with a shrug, "the carpet and the walls are different colors than ours, but yeah, it's the same layout. There's more stuff on the recreation deck, though."

Merlin put an arm around Max's shoulders and nodded with a smile. "All right, take us on a tour. Before we put a crew on her and send them out, I should take a look around at least once." Pockets and Legrand fell in step behind them as they headed for the ship, and were met at the airlock by Renny.

"Sorry about that," the cheetah said with a grin. "I had to test out the ship's facilities."

"Everything in working order?" Merlin quipped.

"The plumbing is in good shape," he replied with a smirk.

"Yours or the ship's?" Damien asked.

Renny looked at him with wide eyes and then grinned. "Both!" he answered. Max laughed aloud at the joke and Merlin chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Do we have a name for her yet?" Renny asked as he brought up the cargo bay lights from a control by the airlock. Aside from bright yellow reflective alignment lines painted on the floor, it looked identical to the Horizon.

"Since buying it was originally his idea," Merlin replied, "I wanted to call it the Leo Durant in his honor, but I wanted his family's permission first. However, Allen Durant asked me not to do it. He just wants to let his son's name rest, so I agreed to honor his request."

"That's understandable," the navigator said. "So what name did you come up with?"

"The Mooncrest," the lupine captain answered.

"That name sounds familiar…" Pockets muttered as they arrived at the forward lift. He thumbed the button and then looked up at his captain. "Wasn't she a legend somewhere?"

"That's right. Noiré Mooncrest was instrumental in bringing the rediscovered colonies of Kantus together by forming the Planetary Alignment. I'm hoping this additional ship will help keep the business together as well."

"Okay, she has a name. Now all she needs is a captain and a crew," Renny mused.

The door to the lift opened and they stepped out into a corridor of green carpet and light grey walls. The lights came up immediately and Merlin looked up at the recessed light panels with a nod. "I hired the Mooncrest's captain this morning," he said casually, "but Taro and Samantha are conducting interviews for the rest of the crew until I get back."

"Who's the new captain?" Max asked.

"A buffalo by the name of Abner Corwin," the wolf replied as he headed for the bridge. "He's a retired…"

"…a retired freighter captain who prefers life in space," Renny finished for him.

Merlin stopped in his tracks and looked back at his navigator. "How did you know that?" he asked in amazement.

"That's how Corwin describes himself," Pockets replied.

Renny, Max and Pockets all grinned at the wolf. "Did Taro tell you what happened on Nalirra while you were off on Tanthe getting seduced by the princess?" the cheetah asked.

"You were seduced by a princess?" Damien asked with wide eyes.

Merlin twitched an ear and narrowed his eyes. "Let's just try to forget the incident on Tanthe," he muttered. "If you're talking about the covert operation dealing with Tanis' records prior to the Roppa War, yes, she told me about it. What does that have to do with Corwin?"

"He was the captain of a Prairie-dog freighter called the Sandburr that was stuck waiting to unload just like we were with the Blue Horizon. His ship was destroyed when the Tanatans attacked the warehouse."

"I played cards with his crew on his ship while we waited," Pockets added.

Merlin nodded. "Corwin mentioned losing his ship on Nalirra, but never said anything about meeting up with the Horizon. Good, at least a few of you know him already." They stopped in front of a familiar blue door painted with a golden sailing ship's wheel. It was a trademark on all Okami freighters, harking back to the days of water vessels.

The door opened before him and the bridge lights came on as the small group moved inside. "Navigator," Merlin said to the cheetah as he moved to the center seat, "get on the Com and contact the Pomen Air Command and see if you can secure permission to launch into an orbit of one hundred fifty miles, duration two revolutions, and then a return to our present position."

"Sure, boss. What reason do I give them for this flight plan?"

"Tell them it's just a test run of a new ship. I want to make sure it's really flight ready before we put Captain Corwin's people on board."

Renny grinned at him and then gave him a crisp salute. "Aye, aye, Cap'n!"

Later that afternoon, Merlin returned to the office they had rented for their interviews. The test flight of the Mooncrest had gone without a hitch and all systems seemed to be in perfect working order. Pockets confirmed that the ship had not been in service long enough to develop any bad quirks and seemed impressed with the condition of the engines. They had spent the past hour in low orbit over Pomen, taking the ship through several scenarios and then finishing out the ride just marveling at the beauty of the world below them.

He had left Max and Pockets with the ships to change the security codes throughout the vessel while he and Renny returned to the office. Damien left them at the entrance to seek out a bite to eat. The wolf and the cheetah stepped inside the front door and removed their flight jackets in unison. The front room was filled with more people than there were seats, and all of them looked up when they came in. Lorelei was half asleep in a chair by the door, the clipboard in her hands leaning heavily toward the floor.

"Good evening," Merlin said to the assembled crowd as he slid Lori's clipboard back into her hands. Several smiled courteously back at him, but it was apparent most of them had been there all day and were getting tired. He passed through the crowd and then moved toward the back room.

"Hey!" exclaimed a short bulldog, "Yer gonna hafta get signed in by the door and wait like the rest of us!" Merlin stopped and turned to look at the canine. Renny rolled his eyes with a sigh and watched the wolf walk over to the dog.

"I don't have to sign in, sir. What is your name?" Merlin asked.

"Walter Maverick, what's it to ya?" the dog said haughtily. "I've been here all day an' yer not takin' cuts! Ain't no one da likes of ya going to jest walk right in!"

Merlin stared at him for a moment and then looked up at Renny with a twinkle in his eye. "Mr. Thornton?"

"Yes, Mr. Sinclair?" Renny replied with a smirk.

"Please escort Mr. Maverick off the premises. He won't be selected for the job he is applying for."

"What?" bellowed the bulldog. "Who do'ya think ya are?"

Merlin shook his head and smiled with brandished teeth. "I'm the owner of the business who decides who will be working for me," he replied in a firm tone.

The bulldog's eyes went wide and he sputtered as he tried to issue an apology, but Merlin tilted his head toward Renny. The cheetah stepped up beside the man and gestured toward the door.

"Please leave," the navigator said in a clear voice. "It will be easier if you walk out on your own."

Maverick looked mad at first, and then hung his head in embarrassment. He turned and walked out the door without another word. When Merlin looked up at the faces around him, he was greeted by smiles all around, as if letting him know that they were worthy of employment. A large wolf near the fireplace gave him an abbreviated salute, and Merlin nodded in return.

"Excuse me, folks," he said with a pleasant smile. He turned and walked toward the back room. Samantha sat behind a small oak desk on her red floating pillow and grinned up at him when he stopped beside her near the hallway. He leaned over, gave her a quick kiss, and then looked at the laptop in front of her.

"Thanks for getting rid of him," she whispered in his ear. "He's been on everyone's nerves all day."

"Only too glad to help. After the last time he contacted us, I knew I didn't want him anyway."

"You know who that was?

Merlin nodded. "Remember the last time we were on Pomen conducting interviews? It was for Taro's job. Walter Maverick was the name of the guy who got rather upset when I told him I wouldn't hold off all other interviews for the four weeks it would take him to travel here from Kantus."

"Good memory," Samantha replied. "I hadn't remembered him."

"His name stuck in my brain," the wolf replied. "What else is going on?"

"Corwin came in a little bit ago. He's back there with Taro now."

"How far along are you?"

The Border collie looked up at him wearily. "Just about everyone in this crowd has been in to see Taro and Abner, but there are still a few left. These people have been here for a long time, waiting to find out if they will be chosen." She glanced back at the crowd and added, "The funny thing is that most of them already know one another. I hadn't thought Pomen would have yielded so many local applicants for nine jobs, especially in this part of the world."

"Times are hard," Merlin admitted with a nod of his head. "Our company has been doing well, but there are still a lot of folks out of work following the Siilv War, even this long afterward. Losing Mainor put a lot of people on the streets, whether they were from there or not." Samantha looked up at him with a strange expression on her face. "What is it?" he asked.

"You won't believe who's back there with Taro right now…" she said quietly.

"Oh?" he replied. "I take it that we know her?"

"Him," Sam corrected. She opened her mouth to continue, but then looked up quickly at someone coming up the hallway behind the wolf. Merlin saw her diverted attention and turned. He narrowed his eyes and snorted.

"Armando Jensen…" he said in a low voice. He stood up to his full height, but only came up to the Mainoran lion's shoulders.

"Hiya!" Armando looked pleased to see the wolf, but Merlin only sighed. The room was full of potential employees and the last thing the wolf wanted was a public confrontation with an old competitor. Before the lion had a chance to say more, Merlin took him by the arm and led him back down the hallway. Taro and Abner looked up from the notes they were comparing when the two of them entered the room. Merlin cast them a brief glance, but then turned his attention back to the feline.

"Armando," he said quietly, "what are you doing here?"

The lion looked embarrassed and stuck his hands in the pockets of his slacks. He was dressed in nice clothes and his mane had been well groomed. "I came in for the interview," he said meekly. "I need a job and freighting is the only thing I really know. Listen, Captain, I know we've been at odds in the past, but I promise to be a hard worker if you hire me."

Merlin crossed his arms and studied him a moment. "We treated you rather badly the last time you hooked up with us," he stated in a neutral tone, "and you still came back looking for a job?"

Armando nodded. "You'n me had some bad blood between us and I figure you were getting it out of your system by taking it out on me. I don't blame you," he said. "I might have done the same if you'd been on my ship. I'm willing to forget all that."

Merlin nodded and found that his old hatred of the feline just was not what it used to be. Perhaps seeing him humiliated had been compensation for their past conflicts. He still was not sure he trusted Armando, but at least he did not hate him anymore. He glanced over at Taro and Corwin.

"You do the standard background check on him?" he asked. Armando brightened up. That question alone told him that his application might actually be considered.

Taro nodded, but it was the buffalo that answered. "What he told us seems to check out," he said in a gravelly voice. He absently scratched his chest beneath the blue robe-like garment he wore. "After he was released from Nalirra—"

"Nalirra!" Merlin exclaimed. He turned back to Armando and dropped his arms to his sides. The lion nodded to him. Merlin gestured to the chairs in front of Taro's desk; he and the lion sat down. "How did you wind up there?" he asked. "How did you get back out?"

Armando shrugged his shoulders and then put an elbow on the desk. "Something got mixed up somewhere," he began, giving the explanation he had given to Taro and Corwin earlier. "MPs from Nalirra came for me, claiming I had tried to infiltrate their military, and put me under arrest."

"You infiltrated their non-feline military?" Merlin asked incredulously.

"No," Armando replied. "I had no part in their conflict with the Tanatans, but somehow they thought I had given it a try. I'm not sure who turned in my name, but I wound up being taken to their planet in chains and manacles. They tossed me into a stinking prison somewhere in a tropical jungle and I stayed there until the Tanatans beat them down in their war and found me in my cell." He glanced over at Taro, but she did not look sympathetic.

"At first they thought I was one of them that had been captured," he continued, "but after their doctors checked me over, they decided I was not from Oe'Tanata, but was not from Nalirra either. They found nineteen others like me imprisoned, and after they set up their own government in place over the occupied planet, they put us on a transport out of their system and sent us here to Pomen; we were processed as ex-POWs and released. I've been here about three weeks, looking for work."

Merlin leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his knees. "What are the conditions on Nalirra?" he asked.

"Pretty bad," Armando answered with a frown. "Oe'Tanata is punishing the people of Nalirra for kidnapping their emperor's little daughter and they've hit them hard. Every warship and private craft capable of getting to orbit was destroyed, and even the low-altitude aircraft were blown up so no one could escape. Major industries were eliminated and now the Nalirran population has to depend upon the Tanatans even for food and medicine. It's not likely Nalirra will be a part of the PA again for a long, long time, if ever again. I'm not siding with Oe'Tanata," he added quickly, "even if they did save me from rotting in that prison, but they're in the right in this war. Nalirra's leader is the one who initiated the whole mess, but the Tanatans sure put an end to it. Unfortunately, it's the Nalirran population who are still paying for it."

"Has anyone from the media talked to you yet?" Taro asked.

"The media? No, why would they?"

"There's been no word from Nalirra since the Tanatans conquered it," the vixen said. "INN would probably pay a lot to interview you. They've been trying for months to get any information out of the Roppa system on what's going on there."

Armando shook his head. "Don't wanna talk to them," he said. "Maybe some of the others who got released with me might talk, but I'm just glad to be back in the PA. All I want is a job to do some honest work." He looked at Merlin's steady gaze and dropped his eyes. "I told you how I lost my ship," he said in a quiet voice. "I blew it with my own business, but I've learned my lesson. I'm lousy with a company of my own, but I promise I'll work hard if you hire me."

Merlin looked over at Corwin, who nodded to him, and then to Taro, who pursed her lips. He stood up and then said, "I'll take your applica