“You’re what?” Ann asked with a half-surprised half-angyr undertone after Yong had told her he had to go to Osiris immediately. The other crewmembers, Tomas, the ship’s mechanic, and Lin and Cidney, the two other guns onboard apart from Yong himself had joined him and Ann in the cockpit. He had just shown the crew the Alliance letter.

“I am going back to where I have to be. Alliance says jump, I jump”, Yong said.

“Doesn’t quite seem like you”, Lin said. The young woman had been flying with Yong and Ann for over a year and knew him quite well. “You’re not the type taking orders without questioning them.”

“Well, let’s say there are situations when not asking questions might be the wisest course of action. And I’ve always felt proud serving the Alliance.”

“Yeah, when you was serving them. Didn’t it say they discharged somewhere in there? Dishonourably. What’s that all about?” Tomas interjected.

“Long story. My own fault. I don’t really want to talk about it. Took a stand back then wasn’s worth taking. Suffered a lot from that, lost everything, financially, you know. Forced me to pursue an alternative career.”

“That a ref’rence t’ fallin’ in wiv us lot?” Cidney asked in his ingenuous Dayton Colony brogue.

“You eat some’in strange today, Cid? You might almost think you read minds”, Ann laughed. “Not entirely sure‘t was meant as a compliment though.”

“Look, being reinstated is something of a second chance. Not many there as get one at all. I’d better be taking it”, Yong said, before adding as an afterthought. “Have to think of my folks too.”

“Wha’ d’ya mean, eh? Letter says them’s taken care of, innit.”

“Well, that’s one side of the medal.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Is it really that difficult, stupid?” Lin exclaimed exasperated. “They got Yong’s folks in, say, protective custody. Same as families of most senior officers whose allegiance they aren’t sure of.”

“There’s no question of my allegiance. But you’re right, Lin. That’s what the whole programme is for. Keeping people in line.”