Talyra was still several hours from leaving the outer recovery region when Eirenne found the first name connected to the reserve site.
Aurelian had expected another shell company. Instead, Eirenne placed an old personnel record on Black Crown's main display.
"Varos Pell," she said, bringing up the man's employment history. "Former Orison senior recovery officer. He left the yard eleven years ago."
Aurelian studied the photograph. Varos looked to be somewhere in his sixties, with short gray hair and the tired expression of someone who had spent most of his life around machinery. "Why did he leave?"
"Officially, disagreement with the Recovery Council."
"About what?"
"Expansion." Eirenne opened several older records beside his file. "Varos argued that Orison had become too dependent on stripping existing wrecks. He wanted the yard to restore abandoned industrial sites and begin rebuilding old support ships instead."
