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approached him, a little stiff, he noted.
    “We can't introduce external elements into a product stocking area. There are risks and we must make sure to respect sanitary regulations. No exceptions; the rule applies to everyone.”
    “I understand. I'll go through decontamination first. You have the adequate installations available, I presume.”
    “What are you looking for?”
    The reptilian didn't take this surprise very well. He managed a troupe of around a hundred troopers by supporting himself on two pillars which were dear to smugglers: discipline and logistics. That was how he built his career. And his reputation for efficiency.
    “Answers.”
    Jave requested to get prepared. Naakrit assigned the second Sybarian to him, who led him towards the lower levels.

T he access channel was feasible, but Elaine, imitating the shipwrecked people, standing upright and with her hand at her forehead as a visor, cautiously observed the shady masses which blocked off the entrance to the port at Key West. She made out the chimneys at the top of the superstructures whose bottoms were underwater.
    “Those are cruise ships,” she heard behind her. “Most of them stopped here on the route through the Caribbean.”
    Hector maintained course while keeping an eye on them. He didn't put down his shotgun, she remarked, sitting back down. She propped her chin up with her legs. Her humid rags, which she could no longer stand, stuck to her skin. She dreamed of a shower and dry clothing. Her belongings were now resting at the bottom of the ocean. Still alive, she hadn't come off so bad after such a nightmare of a night. She asked herself what had happened to the people who had stayed on the infested island. Maybe it was better not to think about it. She redefined her priorities: set foot on solid ground, find a place to recover her strength. And personal hygiene.
    The exhausted faces around her expressed more or less the same wishes. Waiting for the approach, she looked over the railing, followed the curve of the deck up until the scarlet stain near the ladder. She had had no other choice but to shoot. In front of her, a man of about fifty observed her. He agreed in silence. Did he want to thank her? Pay his respects to her? Tell her that she had done the right thing? She didn't want to know. Her head swung back and she closed her eyes.
    “You could say that they sunk,” declared a female voice coming from behind.
    “Yeah. They’re blocking access to the harbor.”
    From close up, the black boats, once striking and luxurious, displayed their wounds. Black marks riddled their awe-inspiring sides, followed by rows of exploded windows. These gaping skylights exposed glamorous interiors gone up in smoke. Here and there, she saw incinerated furniture and burnt hangings which swayed in the sea breeze. And above all, there was the smell. That of rotting flesh. Ships such as these transported thousands of passengers. Elaine tore off a ring of the sleeve of her sweater and covered her nose with it. All of a sudden, getting off here didn't seem like a very wise decision. Maybe they were jumping into the lion's den.
    Their savior seemed either confident or in a hurry to get rid of his unwelcome guests. Carefully, he dodged the reefs and maneuvered his boat which glided between the colossal metal structures. He made way between the stern and the prow of two abandoned sea giants. On the other side, the basin represented an even less welcoming scene. Morning's piercing light revealed floating corpses. On board, people offered no comment. The nauseating puffs, brought by an irregular wind, replaced all conversation. A familiar smell rose up from the calm, flat surface of the water, which was exhaling a fetid breath.
    Hector found a section of the quay free of debris and wreckage. In an expert movement, he tilted the helm to the right. He wasn't planning to re-evaluate the nurse's suggestion to leave them here. He responded to the dirty faces addressing