Gerrin unlocked the Troll’s cargo hatch and stepped outside as the sun rose over the field. Only he, Doc, Aldous and Loomie had stayed on the ship the night before. Reilly had spent the night in town (Gerrin seldom asked what he did), and Anna and Lewis had not come back from Canton the night before. He was a little concerned about this, as Canton wasn’t exactly a tourist destination.

Venturing back into the ship he crossed the cargo bay, climbed the ladder to the crew deck and made his way to the mess compartment, where he found Loomie, in knee-high cutoffs and a t-shirt, heating water for coffee. “Mornin’” she mumbled as she waited for the water to heat.

“Did Anna leave any kind of message last night?” Gerrin inquired.

“Not that I know of” she replied sleepily. “Did you check with any of the others?”

“You’re the first one up.” Gerrin turned to head for the cockpit. “Go easy on the coffee, we don’t know when we’ll get more” he called back.

Gerrin walked to the cockpit and sat in the copilot’s chair, activating the screen. Scrolling through the communications log, he noticed no incoming traffic for the night, other than an automated notice to relinquish the landing pad by noon that day. Gerrin switched off the screen and went to find Aldous sleeping in his quarters. Each of what were now the crew’s quarters had served another purpose during the Troll’s career as a military transport, and Aldous’s had been part of the military crew’s bunk room.

Reaching over Aldous’s bunk he shook Aldous by the shoulder and said “Wake up, Aldous, we have a crew to find.”

Aldous stirred slowly. “I didn’t lose ‘em. Leave the door open, they’ll find their way home when they get hungry.” He rolled over to go back to sleep.

Gerrin pulled the covers off him and instantly regretted it: Aldous liked to sleep naked. Locking