Curse of the Iris Read Free

space.”
    â€œI’m going to circle,” Carlo said.
    As they approached, the unknown ship grew from a bright dot into a tiny cluster of bulbous tanks. Carlo swung the Comet wide of the transport, which was a boxy, unlovely craft. Then Carlo wheeled the ship around to approach from above and behind, careful to keep the Jennet’s fuel tanks between the Comet and any guns that might be pointed at her.
    â€œAny ideas?” Carlo asked.
    â€œEither there’s nobody at the helm or controls are unresponsive,” Diocletia said. “Otherwise they’d blink the running lights, or roll the craft, or something.”
    â€œSo we can salvage her then?” Yana asked.
    â€œDepends how long she’s been out here,” Mavry said. “And if anyone’s looking for her. And how much money we’re willing to spend in court.”
    â€œAnd if anybody on board is alive,” Tycho said.
    â€œArrr, that one’s easily solved,” Huff said. “Put a ventilation hole in ’er, wait a few bells, an’ then finders keepers.”
    â€œThat’s piracy, Grandfather,” Carlo said. “It would mean the hangman.”
    â€œAin’t never been afraid of the noose.” Huff snorted.
    Diocletia turned to regard her father, one eyebrow cocked.
    â€œAnd if it turns out she’s Jovian, Dad?” she asked. “Or registered on Mars or Ceres and overdue in port? If I ever forfeit our letter of marque, it won’t be for a rusty ore boat adrift in the Hildas.”
    Huff subsided into muttering.
    â€œBut Mom, what if that rusty ore boat’s full of platinum from the New Potosi asteroid?” Carlo asked with a grin.
    â€œLike that would happen,” Tycho said. “What if it’s full of flesh-eating viruses?”
    The Hashoones considered those possibilities in silence as Carlo came around for another pass, easing off on the throttle and matching the slow drift of the crippled ship. Vesuvia activated the Comet ’s portside cameras, which revealed nothing to indicate how long the ship had been out here. It could have been a day, a decade, or a century.
    â€œBegin docking procedure,” Diocletia decided. “And prepare a boarding party. Follow biohazard procedures—wear full spacesuits and take environmental samples before you go aboard. Carlo, it’s your starship, so you’ll take lead. Tycho, go with your brother. Platinum or viruses—let’s see who was closer.”

2
DEATH SHIP
    T ycho hated spacesuits. It was hard to see out of them, and no matter how often you cleaned them they still smelled like feet. He asked Yana to check his suit seals, ignoring her complaints about being left behind, then clambered down the ladderwell, his breath loud in the enclosed bowl of his helmet.
    Carlo was waiting at the portside airlock with a trio of Comet crewers—Grigsby, Richards, and Porco. All were veterans, their spacesuits adorned with swirls of glowing paint, stickers, and scrawled prayers for safety in the void. Carlo had two chrome musketoons—the weapons traditionally wielded by a starship’s ranking officer during a boarding action—tucked into his belt.
    Carlo nodded at Tycho, then peered through the narrow viewport in the inner airlock door. Joining him, Tycho glimpsed an environmental sampler balanced on a trio of legs, a fan of sensors protruding from its top. Beyond the sampler, a pitch-black corridor led into the derelict ship.
    â€œWe wired up the transport’s airlock and opened it remotely,” Carlo told his brother over his suit radio. “No reaction when we did that.”
    A beep sounded in their ears. Carlo peered at a small monitor strapped to his wrist.
    â€œEnvironmental sampling complete,” he said. “Temperature a few ticks above absolute zero; carbon dioxide’s off the charts. Artificial gravity’s out, of course. But there’s no sign of Tycho’s