The Green Man did not wait for Schyler to ask what was going on. He walked up to the threshold formed by the seal between Port Oberon and the Pasadena. Dobbs did not miss the grim look that formed on Schyler’s face. She settled herself back against the wall next to Lipinski, who was staring at the bizarre scene with his jaw hanging open. Dobbs reached up and closed it for him.
“Jemina Yerusha.” The Green Man let his shadow fall across the pilot.
“Yes.” Yerusha propped herself up into a sitting position.
“Registered with the Titania Freers?” He pulled a fold of film out of his pocket.
“Yes.” She tugged at her overall to straighten out at least some of the wrinkles.
He shook the film open. “You’re wanted for questioning in regards to the explosive decompression in the Richard III business… ”
“No, I’m not,” Yerusha replied calmly.
Schyler faced the Green Woman. “‘Dama, maybe you’d do me the courtesy of telling me what’s going on?”
The Green Woman blinked and gathered her professional lines. “The decompression event in the Richard III business module had features which match a pattern of… ”
“What they’re trying to say is that they think a Freer blew out an airlock,” chimed in Yerusha. “They’re trying to get us all tidied into the security can where we won’t upset anybody.” She glowered at the greens. “We were helping. Do you think I’m happy about the fact that I lost an arm and an eye for a bunch of ground-hugging… ”
“There are questions,” said the Green Woman firmly and loudly. “That need to be answered by the personnel on the scene.”
“The AIs recorded the whole thing… ” Yerusha swept out her good hand.
“The AIs cannot be used as uncorroborated testimony.” Green Man clenched the film in his fist.
“Oh right, I forgot,” sneered Yerusha. “We are capable of building intelligence but not of trusting it, or what it has the potential to become.” Her hand curled even more closely around the edge of the wafer case. “What an enlightened, progressive outlook you have, ‘Ster.”
Green Man strangled a sigh. “Let me help you up, ‘Dama Yerusha and we can get this over with.” He shoved the film back in his pocket and held out his hand.
Yerusha’s mouth twisted into another grin. “Unless you’ve got a specific warrant to enter the Pasadena you cannot take me out of here.” She turned her attention to Schyler. “I think that’s the reg, isn’t it?”
“Oh yeah, that’s the reg,” agreed Schyler, and Dobbs couldn’t decide whether his tone was bemused, or just confused. “Unless I decide to throw you out of there,” he added.
At the moment, Dobbs guessed, he was trying to decide who was annoying him worse, Yerusha or the greens.
“Are you refusing to cooperate with security?” Green Woman asked Yerusha pointedly.
“Am I being arrested?”
“No, but you are being stupid.” Green Man took a step forward. “Do you think anybody’s going to stop me if I just haul you out of there?”
“I do.”
Everyone in the hanger spun around. Resit stalked out of the corridor, burgundy skirt billowing around her ankles in lazy waves. She stopped right between the security greens and the entrance to Pasadena, then turned on her heel to face the greens. “I’m Zubedye Resit, ship’s lawyer for the Pasadena,” she said smoothly. “‘Dama Yerusha is under contract to Katmer Al Shei of the Pasadena Corporation, which makes her my client.” She paused to let the entire speech sink in. She folded her arms and tapped her fingers impatiently on her forearm. “Why are you pursuing my client?”
“Not bad, considering she just got here,” whispered Lipinski to Dobbs.
“Slow lawyers get eaten young,” Dobbs replied seriously.
Green Woman looked like she was forcibly swallowing something unpleasant. “Shouldn’t you be praying or something?”
Resit smiled. “It’s only time for the Salatul Jumu’ah, the Friday sermon. That’s optional for women.” She flipped open the flap on her bag and pulled out a film and her pen. “I believed I asked a legal question.” She squinted at Green Woman’s badge and wrote down the number. “Do you really want me to request that the recording of this conversation be transferred to your superior immediately?”
Green Man gave his partner a dirty look. “‘Dama Resit, we just want ‘Dama Yerusha to come to the security module to answer some questions about the … decompression event.”
“They couldn’t talk to me in my hospital bunk either,” said Yerusha to Resit. “They were hauling Freers out of there left and right.”
“Must have been interesting to see,” remarked Dobbs.
“Oh, that it was.”
Resit shot them both a “shut up” glance. “You have the authorizations on hand, I hope?” She tucked her own film away and held out her hand to the greens.
Green Man handed over a pair of films. Resit scanned them. “This does not give you the authority to pursue, detain or forcibly enter.” She handed them back. “I think we all have a complaint to register now.” She gestured towards the hatch to the station corridor.
“You’re not… ” exclaimed Green Woman.
Resit’s grin showed her teeth. “Oh, but I am. Shall we?”
Green Woman’s face flushed darkly. Green Man pointed up at the station camera and she swallowed again. Side by side, they headed towards the station airlock.
“Talk to her, will you?” said Resit to Schyler before she followed the greens out.
Schyler touched his forehead in salute. Then, he turned towards Yerusha and extended his hand. “I really wouldn’t try that again.”
Tucking the wafer case awkwardly under her arm, Yerusha accepted his hand and let him pull her easily to her feet. “Thanks.” She wiped at the sheen of perspiration that had appeared on her forehead. Dobbs knew she’d been right. Yerusha was not in any shape to be up and about. “I’m not about to let security shove me around, Watch. I’m under orders to you, not them.”
“I don’t care what you try to pull with security. I mean with Resit.” He jerked his thumb towards the airlock.
“Oh, marvelous,” Yerusha twisted her neck sharply and Dobbs heard a joint crack. “Another one who doesn’t like Freers?”
Schyler smirked. “Another one who doesn’t like unnecessary wirework. Filing a complaint on your behalf is not going to make her evening, I’d be willing to swear to it.” He stopped and took a good look at the blister on Yerusha’s arm. “Do you want to sit down someplace comfortable?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Schyler looked her up and down. “You’re lying,” he said bluntly. “All right. Since you acknowledge my command, you are ordered to get back to the hospital and have them do something about this.” He waved towards her bruised face and arm.
Schyler pursed his lips. “Lipinski, will you walk her down? I want there to be somebody who can holler for Resit if any other greens decide to pick her up.”
“Sure, no problem,” said Lipinski to the wall. “I’ve only got the whole data hold to reconfigure.”
“And you need to pick up the parts you ordered,” Schyler finished for him. “Good. That works out fine.”
The look that passed between the two men was one that Dobbs decided she would have to learn to read.
Lipinski left with Yerusha and Schyler turned slowly, thoughtfully to Dobbs.
“And you are?” he inquired.
“Evelyn Dobbs.” She touched her forehead in salute. “Master Fool for the Pasadena.”
“Oh, you’re our Lennox C.” Schyler shook her hand. “Impressive entrance.”