The Fortress in Orion by Mike Resnick Page B

into a shooting match with Michkag’s fleet.”
    Circe was the next to arrive, ordering her vehicle to use its extensions and deposit all the food and medicines she’d purchased into the ship’s hold.
    â€œSeems a waste, since we’re just going to be moving it again,” she said. “But the alternative was to order the vehicle to remain here, and that would attract too much attention.”
    Pandora arrived an hour later. When Snake didn’t show up, they ate dinner without her. After another few hours, Pretorius got to his feet.
    â€œShe must have been caught,” he said. “I’d better check the local jails and see if I can buy her out or if we’ll have to break her out.”
    â€œDon’t bother,” said Circe.
    He turned to her. “Why not?”
    â€œShe’s on her way.”
    â€œYou’re sure?”
    Circe nodded. “And she’s furious as hell. I could read that emotion from miles away.”
    â€œBut she’s all right?”
    â€œI don’t detect any pain, just anger.”
    Pretorius opened the hatch, they waited another two minutes, and finally Snake climbed up the stairs, a bag over her shoulder.
    â€œYou okay?” asked Pretorius.
    â€œThere’s a department store I want to blow up!” she snapped.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œI figured they were taking in more than any other store in the area, so I stayed in the restroom until closing, then cracked the lock on their business office, jimmied the safe, and pulled out wads of cash—Coalition cash.”
    â€œSo why are you so late and so mad?”
    â€œI was just about to leave when four employees unlocked the door, pulled up chairs around the desk, and began playing cards. I knew if they saw me they’d report it, and there was no way I could make it back to the ship, so I hid. They couldn’t have bet the equivalent of fifty credits between them, but they acted like guilty kids getting away with something because no one knew they were there. I was hiding in a fucking file drawer for five fucking hours until they left!”
    â€œDamned good thing you’re a contortionist,” said Ortega.
    â€œWell, I am one very pissed-off contortionist, let me tell you!”
    â€œHow much did you come away with?” asked Pandora.
    â€œHow the hell should I know? I had to hide before I could count it.”
    â€œFelix,” said Pretorius, pointing to the sack, “do the honors.”
    Ortega knelt down and reached into it. “There’s a lot here,” he said. “Hope it’s not all low denomination.”
    It wasn’t. When they were through counting and recounting, Pretorius got to his feet.
    â€œOkay, grab your gear and let’s go steal a ship. We’ve got to be off the planet before that store opens up in the morning, because there’s no way the authorities’ll let anything take off once they find out that we robbed them of the equivalent of seven million credits.”
    â€œI should have swiped another million for my trouble,” muttered Snake.

12
    â€œSo what’s our name?” asked Snake as they took off in the new ship.
    â€œIt translates as Victor ,” replied Pandora, “which is an odd name for a ship with so few armaments.”
    â€œWhat race does it belong to?”
    â€œUs, now,” said Pretorius.
    â€œI mean, who built it?” said Snake.
    â€œA race that called itself the Dreen,” said Pandora.
    â€œCalled itself?”
    â€œThey’ve been extinct for about twenty years, according to my computer,” answered Pandora. “Evidently the Kabori pacified them a little too vigorously.”
    Djibmet looked upset but said nothing.
    â€œSo who was the most recent owner?”
    â€œA Torqual,” said Pretorius. He shook his head in wonderment. “Must have spent every voyage bent damned near in half.” He tapped the hull above him.