e said. "Circle them,
Brad, let's see what's on the other side."

Brad took the utility around to starboard, then
topside and below.

Scarf again. "OK, you've looked her over. Now,
what's the problem?"

"The ship has four laser-quads and a couple of
explosive decompressors. She's a heavily armed
attack transport, that's all."

"So what? Can you do the job?"

Kumiko looked at Scarf, her normally soft features
twisted, passive but icy. "Oh, yes," she said.
"I can do it. May take a little time, though."

Scarf leaned back.

"Well, let's not fool around with these jokers. If
they don't cooperate, I'm for back to the Dragon
and let our guns talk for us."

"Listen, Scarf," Brad said, exasperated, "our job
is to disable the armament, not destroy the ship.
Also, if you recall, Drummer wants to get through
this exercise without using force. That's why we're
here: to fix the Sandbox so they and any other
ship commanders of like mind won't get ideas
about resisting us. It's a psychological play that will
make the rounds of the Outer as well as the Inner
Region. It's to our advantage to show we do our job
with minimum fuss. So, let's get on with it."

Brad opened the inter-ship comm-line.

"Calling Sandbox. This is Curtin on Dragon Utility
One, approaching from your starboard. Are you
prepared to receive us?"

"Ready," came back. "Your air lock is number 4,
starboard. Go there now. We will extend umbilical
and catwalk as soon as you're matched up."

Brad guided his craft around and along the Sandbox
to a portal bearing a large painted "4." Slowing
the utility, he closed with the Sandbox, gently
fingering controls until they were matched
precisely to the heavy transport's bearing and
drift.

"Now," he said.

Kumiko hit a switch, and the utility beam-anchor
connected to a triangular plate above the airlock,
immobilizing and fixing the utility to the huge
transporter's axis.

The number 4 clamshell panels drew back and
slipped aside. A yellow and white-striped catwalk
snaked out and suckled up to the utility's hatch.

Kumiko took in the overhead dials and lights.

"On track," she said, and after a moment,
"connected and secure."

Brad closed a bank of switches, opened another.
"We'll take no unnecessary chances," he said. "I'm
setting the thruster to cut in at twenty percent
as soon as we're back in and slam the hatch. Five
seconds and into forty, another three and we
go max. That's for just in cas