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Once Lady got close enough we could read the registry. Canopus Rising , one of the Vestral Company’s ships. But she wasn’t bright and pretty anymore. Somebody had kicked Canopus Rising in the butt and kept kicking.
    “Engines slagged,” Chief Engineer Vox grunted, pointing to the image. Somebody had hit that part of the Canopus with heavy artillery while the engines were running, adding the suddenly unleashed power of the ship’s own engines to the destruction the weapon wrought.
    I exhaled as a slim hope vanished. “What’re the chances any parts in those engineering areas are salvageable?”
    “Zilch.”
    I brought us as close as I could. We were still picking up faint leakage of heat and gases, so whatever survival space the crew must have rigged up still existed. Whether there was anyone left alive in it was another matter. “Dingo, take the lifeboat over. Take three sailors along to help.”
    “You’re not going yourself?”
    I gave Dingo a level stare. “I have to stay with the ship. And keep the Captain informed.”
    “Ah, yes, so you do. Can you walk with me to the lifeboat?” I went along, knowing Dingo wanted to say something where we couldn’t be overheard. “Kilcannon, there’s a chance they’re still alive, and if they’re still alive, there’s a chance they’re in bad shape, and if they’re in bad shape then there ain’t much you or I can do for them.”
    I pretended to study the read-outs on the lifeboat access. “And?”
    “Do we haul ‘em here and wake ‘em up enough to know they’re hurting so they can die?”
    I took a deep breath, thinking. “Yes.”
    Dingo shrugged. “You’re the boss.”
    “Dingo, it’s up to the saints whether or not they die. I won’t make that decision for them.”
    Another grin. “The saints don’t like to be crossed, do they? Ah, here’s my crew. Strap in.”
    I reported to Captain Weskind, then went back to the bridge and watched the lifeboat match velocity, roll and tumble to the wreck. Whatever his limitations as a man of culture, Dingo was a sailor’s sailor who knew how to drive even a lumbering lifeboat.
    I’d learned patience on many long watches between the stars, and I needed it now. I knew Dingo and his crew were working their way inside the wrecked ship, but Lady couldn’t afford fancy communications and tracking gear. All I could do was watch the lifeboat where it rested on the hull of the Canopus and wait.
    It took an hour. “Ahoy on the Lady , this is Third Officer Dingo.”
    “This is Kilcannon.”
    “We got ‘em. Six souls. They’re all walkin’.”
    Six sailors. Maybe Vestral would cough up a reward. “Anything we can use onboard?”
    “Nah. The bastards who done ‘er in stripped ‘er good. All we’re gettin’ out of this one is happy points with the saints.”
    “Most likely.” Perhaps ten more minutes passed, then the lifeboat detached from the wreck and made its slow way back.
    I was at the access when they arrived. Curiosity aside, protocol demanded it and I wasn’t going to let any company sailors say the Lady hadn’t done things right.
    Two officers, three able spacers, and one woman who wasn’t wearing a crew coverall. The senior officer extended his hand to me. “First Officer Chen. We’d about given up hope.”
    I shook his hand and smiled politely. “I’m glad we were able to help.” Behind Chen, the junior company spacers were gaping around in obvious dismay at the condition of the Lady . The other officer and the woman showed better manners.
    Chen gestured to his companion. “Third Officer Constantine.” Constantine nodded her head, giving me a grateful smile.
    Then Chen pointed to the woman who wasn’t dressed like crew, but before he could speak she came forward. “Halley Keracides. Thank you, Captain.”
    I shook my head. “I’m First Officer Kilcannon. Captain Weskind couldn’t be here. She sends her apologies. What happened to you all?”
    Chen grimaced. “When we came out of