Free Exiled to the Stars by William Zellmann

thawed slightly. "What kind of weapons?"
    Ron shook his head. "Nothing sophisticated, sir. I don't think we'd have the skills, yet. For right now, I was thinking that billy clubs would be easy to turn out on a wood lathe. You know, the kind with the extra handle sticking out the side? I figured the computer might have information we could use to train with them."
    Captain Angelo nodded. "It does." He turned a narrowed gaze onto Ron. " Just batons? Nothing lethal?"
    Ron hesitated, and then shrugged. What the hell. He'd already told the Captain everything. "Well, sir, I've heard that that kind of club can be lethal."
    The Captain nodded, and a slight smile touched his lips. "They can, in skilled hands. And frankly, I'm not really worried about a few thugs getting their heads broken." He fell silent, merely looking at Ron appraisingly for a long moment. Finally he sighed deeply.
    "All right, Creding. I'm going to believe you. It is my responsibility to try and get as many colonists as possible to a new world. As you have already mentioned, the real undesirables, the criminals and the revolutionaries, stand in the way of that responsibility. I need allies. People like yourself who are dedicated to making the best of the situation.
    "Yours is not the only dorm that is organizing and getting rid of its criminals. You might contact Dorm 3 and Dorm 12 on your deck. You're too scattered to unite, but a mutual assistance agreement might be a good start.
    "Weapons are a rather sore subject. For years the Captains have tried to get EarthGov to supply stunners that could be issued to dependable colonists, but EarthGov reacts violently to any suggestion involving armed colonists unless it's on a hostile planet.
    "And even the Captains realize there are drawbacks to armed colonists aboard ships. For one thing, any weapon that can be issued to a colonist can be stolen from that colonist, or taken from his body. However, I do like your baton idea. If your militia trains with the weapon, it can be used in a surprising number of ways, many of them defensive. And any thug who steals one is unlikely to be skilled enough to challenge someone who is skilled."
    He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk. "All right, Creding. You will get your side-handle batons, say twenty to start, and the computer will be authorized to use VR techniques to train your militia in their use. I am also giving you a special communications code for use with the computer. It won't connect you to me, but it will permit you to leave messages for me. I am interested in helping your dorm and the others I mentioned. Actually, I'm waiting for them to use the computer as you did. I'm afraid that if they lack that much imagination, they will have little chance of preserving their independence." He straightened. "Now, I really must get back onto the bridge. Is there anything I can do for you immediately? Besides the batons, I mean?"
    Ron nodded. "Well, sir, uh, Dr. James lost her supplies when we fled Dorm 17. Is there any chance you can replace at least some of them?
    Captain Angelo frowned. "Hmm," he began, "We have had three fatalities so far. Perhaps I can override the ship's schedule and issue some of their supplies. That would be a one-time thing, you understand. She is not the only one who has had their supplies stolen, and the ship does not carry spares to help them all."
    "I understand, sir. We will appreciate anything you can do. And you can be assured that Dorm 7 will support you against any of the criminals or revolutionaries."
    After a few minutes' more conversation, Ron was escorted back to the dorm by what he was sure was a roundabout route. The Captain was taking no chances.
    Ron's report generated a lot of excitement, though it was made only to Cesar, Raymond Koh, and Vlad. All were impressed that he had actual, ongoing contact with the Captain himself, but Cesar rejected the idea of contact with the other dorms.
    "It's too soon," he said. "We need to get