The port buzzed with activity. In the heat of the afternoon, wheeled cargo loaders and horse-drawn trailers moved cargo from the three space ships parked on the flat ground that served as a landing pad up the ramps of the loading docks and through the heavy wooden doors of the long sandstone warehouses.

Alongside one of the ships, a delta-winged converted troop carrier named the Nordic Troll, workers carried containers from the cargo bay doors to the loaders parked along the ship’s side.

Aldous Gavigan, the ship’s mechanic, worked to help two dock workers place a large crate in one of the loaders. During the transfer he had been conversing with the workers about the local eateries in town. Once the crate was loaded, Aldous stood up and brushed off his sleeveless coveralls. Producing a rag from his pocket he wiped the sweat from his forehead and yelled toward the dock “Hey, captain!”

The ship’s captain, a worn but rugged-looking man called Nick Gerrin, stood on the raised dock with the dock master reviewing the arrangements for the storage of the cargo. Gerrin looked up. “What?”

“How come Reilly’s not out here helping with the cargo?”

Gerrin replied “Reilly’s doing something in town. I’ve got it covered”.

“Hope it has something to do with getting paid. I still need that induction coil for the engine soon”.

“Don’t worry”, Gerrin replied, holding up one hand, “You’ll get your coil as soon as we get paid. Just take care of unloading that cargo for now. Shie shie (thank you)”.

“Will do, sir”, Aldous returned to his work, grumbling under his breath “That’s what you said after the last job”.

Several of the Troll's crew worked with the workers unloading the ship’s cargo, including the