= = = = = Chapter #1 = = = = =

	I grinned as another fat snowflake landed on my face, creating a tiny mote of coldness that lasted but a brief moment before melting.  The snow flurry had been in full swing when I had landed three hours ago, but the weather had finally calmed enough that I could pop open the suit's helmet and watch the airy pieces of frozen water drift down almost one at a time.  In over fifty campaigns spanning twenty one solar systems I had never actually seen snow, outside of an entertainment holo, and I was enjoying the late night novelty of it immensely.

	According to the weather satellites the flurries had been raging on and off for several days, but a break was expected to hit in a few hours that would last for the rest of the week.  Glancing at the meter deep pile-up on both sides of the road I wondered how long my new thrill would last.  Oh, it was fine now, with me stomping along inside the questionable comfort of my powered combat suit, my head just shy of three meters above the ground, but that wasn't going to be the case for long.

	[SATCOM-MIN-REQ-3-AUD]

	Acknowledging the suit's E-blip I launched a trace program to independently verify the origin of the incoming communication, a paranoid reflex that I'd developed over the last few centuries, even as I opened a line and said, "Morning Judge Killian.  What'cha doing up at this hour?"

	"Please tell me you're down here to stay."  He sounded young, though with current regenerative gene therapy that didn't mean much, and very tired.  "The last poor sap they sent me was yanked back after three months, and that was almost two years ago.  If I don't get some competent help, and soon, I am going to need a Judge of my own due to voluntary manslaughter."  I winced in sympathy.  With the current state of the war both sides of the government, Military and Ministry, have been feeling the squeeze, and it was likely going to get worse before it got better.

	A lot worse.

	"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Judge, but I just don't know.  In fact, I'll even be honest and say I'm not quite sure why I'm here, other then 'Light Recooperative Duties,' which you already know doesn't mean diddly."  His choice of expletives in reply was colorful and stated his feelings on the matter quite clearly, and made me smile.  I've a soft spot for a man who knows how to swear creatively.

	Done with his quiet venting he said, "Well I'm looking at your Military biography records now, of which I was woken up and handed all of two hours ago, and I don't think I've ever seen such a long and impressive list of places and dates that are flagged as restricted so I can't read them.  Obviously you're good at whatever it is that you do, but are you going to be of any use to ME?"

	"I guess the best answer would be yes, and no, Judge.  I've been a temporary Judge twice on frontier posts, but we both know that is completely different from what I will be doing here, and I have sat on High Council once, as a proxy.  Because of my branch, however, I... don't deal much with civilians.  It's generally considered to be better that way."  Frontier posts were almost always governed in a by-the-seat-of-your-pants fashion, as the local population, resources, and situations radically changed from planet to planet.  When they finally reach a stable and formally established point, however, the serious pencil pushers and politicians come in and it becomes a whole different game.

	There was a long pause before he asked, "And what branch might that be, Ms. Samual Karish?"

	This time it was me who swore, though I kept it to myself.  Opening a second secure line I bounced it off three satellites on its way to the battlecruiser Crusader, where I had been staying up until a couple hours ago, and put in a priority request for Killian's security clearances.  I should have been able to do it locally, but I'd yet to receive the formal clearances to do so, and I didn't want to be caught cracking into Ministry databases the first night I was here.  Not that I think they would have caught me, but with the Military ship in orbit I could bypass all that and get an answer in a mere second or two.

	When that second or two reached ten with no reply I started to worry.  The ship must be well out of the planetary orbit by now, which also meant that it had started moving the second they kicked me out the airlock.  Ten seconds stretched to twenty before he lost his patience.  "I'm waiting for an answer, Karish.  Given the general sketchiness of your biog I rather doubt that your an Eagle, or a Gorilla, so what is it?"  Then, with a sudden sharp intake of breath he added, "You're a Tiger, aren't you?"

	Thirty three seconds and I finally got a reply telling me that Killian was older then he sounded, had been around the block a few times, and was provisionally cleared for most Need To Know information.  The time delay also pegged the ship at the outer edges of the solar system, about to engage their star drive.  Their engines must be screaming.  What the hell?

	"Banshee."

	It was another long wait until I got a reply to that.

	"Ms. Karish, is my peaceful little planet about to be attacked?"

	"Not that I am aware of, Judge."

	"Are we under a Military investigation of some sort?"

	"Not that I've been told."

	"What are you doing here?"

	"That does appear to be the question of the hour, Judge."

	He paused again, and then delicately asked, "Might you have a personal opinion or thought that you could share with me on this?"

	"Light Recuperative Duties, Judge.  I guess it IS possible."

	"In your rather long career, have you ever been put on Light Duty before, Ms. Karish?"

	With a single laugh I stated, "Never, though to be honest six months ago I've also never been so close to being dead, either."  I shrugged inside the suit before remembering that he wouldn't see the gesture.  "Like I said, it's possible."  I personally didn't think so, and the speed in which ship was leaving pretty much confirmed it as far as I was concerned, but I wasn't about to share that with him.  He sounded strained enough as it was.

	"Would it be impolite ask how bad it was, six months ago?"

	"Oh, that's an easy one.  I managed to lose an eye, my jaw bone, and three limbs.  I believe the post operative doctor had described the rest of me as, 'A steaming pile of hamburger that was unnaturally breathing.'  I think he was trying to break it to me gently."  The following silence told me that I'd probably said too much so I added, "I probably won't be winning the skimpy beauty contests anymore, but they did a darn good job putting me back together again.  No worries.  So... what'cha want to do with me?"

	He gently cleared his throat before muttering, "Light Duties indeed."  Then more briskly said, "I'm inclined to just toss you in and see what happens, to be honest.  You're on Chalion, so as of now the whole island is yours.  I'll put together some data and drop it to you in a few minutes.  Is there... ah, anything you need?"

	"Well, a place to stay would be nice.  Maybe an introduction to the people who run this place, so I don't muddy the waters too quick."  Then remembering the cargo container I had jury rigged to the suit after touchdown I added, "And could you please make a formal request for all the paperwork involving my son, Tommi, who will be staying with me.  If someone doesn't eventually take issue with him, I'll be amazed."

	"A little trouble maker, is he?"

	"Oh no, he's a good little boy, and a Graft."

	There was another of those polite little coughs. "You... are not going to make my life easy, are you?"

	"I don't believe that word exists in a Banshee's vocabulary, Judge, but I promise I'll try and learn it, as fast as I can."

	"You do that, JUDGE Karish."  After a moment he then moaned and said, "I have a Judge who is a trained psychic.  I don't know if I'm going to laugh hysterically or have a mental breakdown."

	The connection terminated.

	True to his word I received an data drop a few minutes later, and spent some time reading it as I continued my midnight trek.

	Berenik was the second of six planets in the Selan-Four solar system, and the only habitable one, discovered some five centuries ago.  The planet's entire population was centered on the 119 largest islands that were clustered around the equatorial line.  Due to its unusual elliptical orbit the islands enjoyed a seasonal extreme that ran from fifty degrees centigrade in high summer to sixty below in dead winter, and its days were not quite 22 hours long.  The largest populated island was under sixteen thousand square kilometers in size, with Chalion, at just under two thousand, being half way down the list.

	The planets primary export was a soft skinned acidic fruit called pidigons which, cheaply, had to be hand picked before being exported either as-is, or turned into one of a variety of fruit gels or wines.  A luxury item that kept the planet's native population, of just under a hundred thousand, at a fairly well to do income level.

	During the dead of winter, a period roughly forty days long, is where things got interesting.  As the surrounding oceans have a rather low mineral level it wasn't unusual for many of the shallow low-turbulence waters between the islands to freeze over, creating random land bridges.  Travel over them, however, was generally reserved for the thrill seekers and the desperate.  And then there were the polar icecaps, which were just crazy.

	I, of course, was arriving at the beginning of the winter season.  Lucky me.

	On the governmental end each island is supposed to employ its own Ministry appointed Judge, tasked with the basic ceremony and business transaction oversight, investigation of general accusations and crimes, act as local mediation, and pass summary verdicts on non-capitol offenses.  An appeals process, deferring the case to a higher up Judge, also existed.  From all appearances it looked like Judge Killian was the only judge presiding over five islands.  No wonder he'd been sounding tired.

	The island of Chalion itself had a persistent population of near two thousand, and a seasonal growth of almost 200% during the farming half of the year.  It had three small towns with the original names of Port, where I had just gotten dumped at, Midtown, where I was currently headed, and Uptown.  The local bureaucracy consisted of an elected Mayor and a general council of eight.  The local constabulary numbered nine, spread out between the three towns.  Included with the data were all the necessary comm codes that I would need, for all of them, as well as the town halls, record offices, clinics... and one Chris Fenris, a local who ran a year-round repair center in Midtown.  Apparently Judge Killian was using him as a local ear for when he wasn't around.

	I made a mental note to myself to look the man up as soon as possible.

	[SCONTACT-SSE-58KPH-NNW-S1-P5-E6-H0]

	Slowly, so not to jostle the two hundred kilo cargo container strapped to the suit's back, I stepped off the road into the snow to let the vehicle I'd received the E-blip on pass.  It was the third I'd seen tonight, and I idly wondered whom was out so late, and why.  When the skimmer slowed, and then came to a stop a dozen meters behind me, I turned about and waved a giant armored hand before yelling, "Hello!  Know how much further Midtown is?"

	...never seen a construction suit like that one before...what the hell she doing out this late...hope May is asleep when I get home... The man's surface thoughts slammed into me, and I closed my eyes with a groan.  Wonderful, first individual I've spoken to in person on this whole planet, and he's a broadcaster.  One of those rare individuals whose mind screams out to anyone capable of listening.  And he was bloody loud, too.

	Popping his head out the driver-side window the man ...Earnest... yelled, "Midtown be another ten kilometers or so.  Got people expecting you at this hour?"  ...don't look like a tourist...maybe Frank's going to start winter construction like he keep talking 'bout...

	"Not yet."

	"Hmm... well, my farm be 'bout half that far, on your left, if you need a place to park and get some shut eye."  ...ain't using that shed for anything else right now...wonder if I can talk her out of a few credits in the morn...could tell May I was out helping a new arrival...wonder if I can sneak out to Calista's again tomorrow night, she's got some nice...

	"That would be lovely.  I should get there in about 30 minutes."

	Earnest waved as he drove past, and after stepping back onto the road I continued on, hoping I wasn't about to make my first of what will assuredly be many future mistakes.

	And praying I wouldn't have to listen to any more about Calista's abundant anatomy.

	It was closer to twenty minutes when I found both the farm and Earnest, along with a woman whom I assumed was May, his wife.

	...told her I wasn't at Calista's, next time she might even believe me...handles that suit pretty well, wonder if she's ex-military... "You can park it anywhere's you like out front here.  May fixed you up a spot in the commons for the night."

	Hoping I wasn't about to give any offense I replied, "Someplace off the main road is grand, but I was intending to sleep in the suit.  Wouldn't be the first time, and I don't want to miss a call I might get in a few hours."

	...not a very trusting sort... "Suit yourself.  Come morning you're more then welcome to breakfast with us, if you wish."  ...must have everything she owns in that box...always get the desperate ones come winter...  Shooing his wife back into the house, who gave him a dirty look in the process, Earnest closed and locked the main door.  Thankfully the increased distance made keeping his thoughts out of my mind possible.

	Hunching down I settled the cargo container on the ground before triggering the cable release, at least temporarily freeing me of it, and then checked all the environmental controls to make sure all was good.  With that done I closed up helmet and suit and, after setting up a seven o'clock local time wake-me, fell immediately to sleep.