Marsh stared at his screen as the Willow finished docking. The docking process was once a routine event, but now it seemed strange. No freighter had been allowed to dock since before the Willow set out.
He’d taken all possible precautions. Almost every guard he had was down in the docking bay. Some would go into the Willow and ensure it was safe, but most were there to hold back the crowds of friends and relatives desperate to see their loved ones. These were the same people who had regarded the arrival of every ship with fear, yet they seemed blind to the possibility there could be Tainted aboard the Willow.
Marsh went over his impressions of those on the Willow once more. They seemed tired and strained, but that was natural after their journey. They appeared to be in good spirit
