“He’s late”.

Gerrin glanced at the worn set of clocks on the wall over one of the bartering stands. “It happens sometimes”, he commented as he and Wilkins nursed the drinks they had ordered to hold on to their table.

“Often?”

Gerrin glanced around. “More than I’d like, but not enough to be a problem”. Returning to his drink, he decided to change the subject. “By the way, anyone see Doc this morning?”

“Yeah, she was up and around”.

“How was she?”

Wilkins looked at him carefully. “’Bout the same as I could tell. Why?”

“She seems to be spending a lot of time around the still this trip out, that’s all”.

“Well”, Wilkins mused, “that last job kinda shook something up in her”.

“I’ve noticed”, Gerrin nodded. “She say anything about it?”

“Not to me”, Wilkins shook her head. “She gets snappy if anyone pushes it”.

Gerrin considered this for a second. “Keep an eye on her. This could get unsavory”.

Wilkins looked at him. “PTSD?”

“You never know”, Gerrin surmised. Running out of conversation, they turned their attention back to the worn screen in front of them and a broadcast of what looked like a second-run comedy about a rich family living on one of the core planets.

Forty five minutes had passed when Gerrin turned toward the clocks above the one stand and announced “This has gone too long. Something’s not right”. Pulling out his comlink, he called “Loomie, you there?”

Loomie’s voice answered after a short delay. “Right here, cap’n. What’s up?”

“Have you heard anything from Reilly?”

Loomie sounded almost bored. “No, we’ve been getting cargo unloaded. Why?”

Gerrin exhaled. “He hasn’t checked in yet”.

“He say he would?”

“Yeah”.

After a pause Loomie mused “That’s not like him”.

“Ya think?” was Gerrin’s annoyed response. “Keep an ear open, we’re going to have a look around here”.

“Be careful”. Loomie sounded concerned.

“That’s the plan”. Gerrin switched of his comlink and downed the last of his drink. “Let’s go find him”.

“Where?”

Gerrin looked arou