The drop ship It’s Been A Long Week fell from the Fucker like a lead brick. The descent was smooth at first, there being no atmosphere to kick it around, so Alice rechecked her gear. Eight straps tied her into the ejection seat, and the emergency-launch wire bobbed over her right shoulder. The seat was a smart composite that remolded itself to balance loads. She hated it, the crawling sensation was too much like being groped by an old man.