Loose ends and some long-term hope.

Kurgan returns from securing his ship, which he names the Blood Price.

The crew of the Hobson's Choice assists in patching the ship up, then send Karthad ahead alone in it while the rest watch the prisoners on the flight back.

Upon returning to Giju, they are immediately told to stand down by the system patrol, who still thinks they're Nak Po and his pirate/slaver gang. Taken to a military dock on Station 7, they are questioned by security, the prisoners are handed over, and they are eventually released after four days, after the ship's armament of Weakly Acausal Effect weapons are removed.

Doctor Vandur Hale, who stayed behind on Station 4, had met up with Karthad and saw the system patrol seizing the Blood Price. After a few days, he inquires with the crew's underworld contacts, who suggest that the authorities may be inclined to seize the ship and charge the crew with piracy... against pirates. In exchange for some assistance with Tabradoor, a planet that has decided to start shipping its foodstuffs elsewhere, the underworld contacts talk to the prosecutors who let the crew go instead... They do manage to negotiate for a colony-class minifac as a replacement for the weapons seized, however.

The heroes proceed to hire a few crewmembers and accept the mission to the Tabradoor. They also take a bunch of refugees so they could afford to replenish the ship's stores. At the planet, Vandur inquires with the export office while the others work to expedite the refugees and get the minifac working. Apparently there has been a higher bidder -- Clak'Dor VII. After sending a message back to Giju, the heroes decide to head back to Bozu-Zok Quintus to see what they can do to get some of the people freed.

At Bozu-Zok, they find an Oort-cloud comet and get some raw material together to build a bioreactor? for the Standardization team from Aysemius to make some anti-radiation medication for the mine workers. They jump into orbit quickly, contacting Takane Kingston, who agrees to a face-to-face meeting. Once on the planet, they agree to get crewed by a collection of "dead" workers to avoid raising suspicion from Captain Dranson and Lorq J'von.

The names presented for crew are Gurjit Kapani, Kishan Gurai, Ildio Vash, Tara Vash, and the J'taals.

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