按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Then who saved Timmons？〃 asked Cecelia。
〃I did；〃 Heris said。 Cecelia's eyes widened； but she didn't say anything。 〃I had told them I would inspect the system； and they were to meet me … properly suited … at the access bay。 Instead … 〃 She shrugged。 〃I don't know why Iklind didn't wear his suit； or why Timmons didn't wear his helmet。。。 but I will find out。〃
〃Very well； Captain。〃 That was clearly dismissive。 〃I。。。 will expect to hear more from you tomorrow。〃
〃That's not quite all；〃 said Heris carefully。
This time the gaze was direct and challenging。 〃What？ Is something else wrong？〃
〃I realize；〃 Heris said； 〃that you just had this vessel redecorated； and it must have been expensive。。。〃
〃My sister did that；〃 Cecelia said。 〃What of it？〃
〃Well。。。 your main environmental system is overloaded； that's why I was going to inspect the system： it was not functioning to specifications。 Your former captain did not have the system purged and recharged at the correct intervals …〃
〃He must have！ I remember the bills for it。〃 Cecelia called up her accounting software and nodded when the figures came up。 〃There it is： Diklos and Sons； Refitting General； Baklin Station。〃
〃Sorry； milady；〃 said Heris。 〃You got the bill； but the work wasn't done。 I could see that from the sludge tank Iklind had opened； and since then I've had the other moles … environmental techs … check the filter and culture chambers。 It's a mess。 The sulfur cycle's in trouble； and that impacts your nitrogen uptake in hydroponics。 It isn't presently dangerous； but it will require some caution until we reach a refitting station。 My remendation would be to do that as soon as possible。 By choosing a different set of jump points； we can be at your chosen destination only one day after your request〃
Cecelia glared。 〃You didn't find this out before we left。〃
〃No； milady； I didn't。〃 Cecelia waited for the excuse that she herself had rushed their departure； but it didn't e。 Her captain had no expression at all； and after a moment went on。 〃Initially I accepted the log showing that the purge and recharge had been done； and the fresh inspection stickers； you are quite right that I should not have done that。 Logs have been faked before； even in the Regular Space Service。〃 A tight smile； which did not reach the captain's eyes。 Cecelia wondered if she ever really smiled。 〃But I noticed an anomaly in the datastream two days ago； and began tracking it down。 Your moles … sorry； ma'am； your environmental technicians … claimed it was your gardeners' fault。 But the plain fact is； the work wasn't done。 I believe it will be possible to document that； and get a refund from Diklos and Sons； your reputation should help。〃
〃Ah。。。 yes。〃 Cecelia felt off balance； she had been ready for evasions and excuses； and her captains forthright acceptance of blame surprised her。
〃I realize； milady； that one reason you changed captains is that your former one could not keep to your schedule。 But in this instance； I feel that your safety requires an emergency repair of the system。〃
〃I thought；〃 Cecelia said pettishly； 〃that I had specified an environmental system far larger than I'd ever need； just in case something went wrong。〃
〃Yes； milady； you did。 But with your present guests and their personal servants； that limit has been exceeded … and with the degradation of performance of the system； and the lack of refitting capabilities at Lord Thornbuckle's； it would be most unwise to proceed without repair。〃
〃And that will take … ？〃
〃Six days to the nearest refitting facility I'd trust； two days docked； and with a reasonable course and drive performance； we should be； as I said； just one day late at your destination。〃
〃I suppose that's better than the eight days late I had before … which landed me with young Ronnie； because I wasn't there to argue hard enough and loud enough。〃 Cecelia shrugged and said； 〃Oh； very well。 Do what you think best； you're the captain。〃 But her captain didn't leave； merely stood there。 〃What else？〃 she asked。
〃I strongly remend some restrictions in the next six days。 At present we have no shipwide emergency； but I would prefer to prevent one。〃
〃But it's only six days … 〃 Cecelia began； then stopped。 〃You're really worried。〃 To her surprise； her captain smiled slightly。
〃Yes； and I cannot justify it by the data alone。 But although I've been on this ship only a short time； there's a feel of something wrong …〃
〃Intuition in a Fleet officer？〃
〃Just so。 Intuition I have learned not to ignore。 I am instituting quite severe restrictions in crew activities； and strongly remend them for your staff and guests as well。〃
〃Such as？〃
Her captain ticked them off on her fingers。 〃A change in diet to minimize sulfur and nitrogen loading of the system … for six days； the loss of muscle mass or conditioning from a low…protein diet should not cause any distress； and if you have someone with special needs； that can of course be acmodated。 Restrictions in water use； to include the exercise pool since that water is cycled through the same systems； and organic pounds inevitably end up in it。 The。。。 er。。。 gardens will need to be handled as part of the regular environmental system as well。。。。〃
〃The gardeners will love that … ！〃 She thought of her pet equids with a pang。
They would have to go … perhaps she could flash…freeze them； but it was always chancy。 And the beautiful flowers； the fresh fruits and vegetables … they would have to restock or eat preserved food all the way to Bunny's。
〃Sorry； milady； but the environmental tech's excuse for letting the system go outside nominal is that your gardeners had requested a particularly high sulfur effluent for some special crop。〃
〃I see。 So we're to arrive at some shipyard hungry； thirsty； dirty； and bored …〃
〃But healthy and alive。 Yes。〃
Cecelia's heart sank。 She could imagine what Ronnie and his friends were going to say about this。 It had been bad enough already。 For a moment； she was tempted to let go in one of the towering rages of her youth … but she was beyond that now。 She had no energy for that kind of explosion。 〃Very well；〃
she said again。 〃If you will enter the specifications； I will inform staff and the others。〃
〃Thank you； milady。〃 Her captain's face looked as if it might be intending an apology； but she did not then apologize。 She gave a curious stiff nod； and went out quickly。 Cecelia blew a long； disgusted breath and called Cook。 She might as well get on with it。
Takomin Roads occupied a location that made it ideal for refitting deep…space vessels and little else； not even the most ship…fevered spacer would choose for recreation the bleak cold planet the Station circled。 Farther insystem Merice offered sweet shallow oceans； and Golmerrung spectacular peaks and glaciers。。。 but Takomin Roads offered reasonable proximity to four mapped jump nodes； one of them apparently bound to the planet。 Heris had stopped there with a battle group once； and been impressed by the size of the fixtures and the quality of the crews。
The Sweet Delight had munications equipment only just inferior to that of the cruiser Heris had left。 She could pop a message just as they left FTL fli