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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 flight； and it would arrive well before them； given the necessary deceleration of the yacht。 Mr。 Gavin； still gray around the gills from her lecture and Iklind's death； and the very close shave with Timmons； presented her with his estimate of the work to be done； down to the specifications for every ponent fastener。 She took that estimate to the moles themselves； and when they would have initialled it without discussion she insisted on going over every item with them。
〃I'm sure Mr。 Gavin is right；〃 the junior kept saying； with nervous glances at the other。 She had hardly met Ries before the emergency。
〃I'm not。〃 Heris was past worrying about Gavin's reputation with the moles； she was far more concerned with getting the yacht safely to refitting； and back out as quickly as possible。
〃I guess you want us to look up this stuff in the manual。。。。〃 said the senior mole； Kliegan。
〃I want you to do your jobs；〃 Heris said。 〃If you are not sure； of course you must look up the specs。〃
〃Well； I do； but。。。〃
〃Then is this correct； or not？ Don't hedge about； mister。〃 She wondered； not for the first time； how Lady Cecelia had survived so many years with inpetents manning her yacht。 Did rich people not even know the difference？
She supposed not。 A shiny surface would satisfy them； even if it covered decay。
〃Yes；〃 he said； after a moment。 She nodded； she would hold him to it。 At the end of this voyage； she would suggest to Lady Cecelia … no； she would insist … that she replace the least petent of the crew。 In fact； with Iklind dead； perhaps they could find someone petent at Takomin Roads。
The refitting specifications all went into the message capsule； along with Lady Cecelia's credit authorization。 By the time the Sweet Delight had e within a light…hour of the Takomin Roads； the refitters had had time to ready their equipment； unpack the necessary parts； and shift their workload to acmodate a rush job。
Or so they should have； Heris thought。 The first message she received began by explaining how impossible it would be to do the work at all； and the next （a day later） argued that it could be done； but not within the time limit she had specified。 Heris took none of these to Lady Cecelia； refitting was her responsibility and she knew already that a yacht owner； like an admiral； doesn't want to hear about problems that can be solved at a lower level。
Besides； arguing with refitting had been a normal part of her duties as a cruiser captain。 Those who didn't argue went to the bottom of the stack and got leftover parts。
She fired back her own messages as fast as the uncooperative ones came in； pointing out Lady Cecelia's holdings in the panies whose ships formed a large part of Velarsin & Co； Ltd's work。 Alienating a major shareholder could have a negative impact on future contracts。。。。 she ignored； as beneath her notice； the long list of other work that would run overtime if Lady Cecelia's were done。 The refitters capitulated； finally； in the last message received a half…hour before docking； when a Station tug already had a firm grip on the Sweet Delight's bustle。 Heris watched the docking critically； she had no real confidence in their pilot； and luckily no need for it … the Station's AI had no glitches as it eased them to Berth 78。
〃I hope you're satisfied！〃 growled the bulky man in a dark gray shipsuit uniform when she called Velarsin & Co。 〃Shifted a dozen jobs for you； we have。 Gonna lose a bonus on one of 'em。〃
〃I shall be satisfied when our work is plete； correct； and prompt；〃 said Heris。
He snorted； half anger and half respect； just like every Fleet Yard superintendent she'd ever known。 〃I have your specs；〃 he said。 〃They're as foul as you claim your bilges are。〃
〃I'm not surprised。〃 Heris smiled at him。 〃We had nonconformance at the last maintenance； before I took this ship； it's my guess it hasn't met the original specs in years。 When will your crew board？〃
〃They're waiting at your access；〃 he said。 〃And me with 'em。 I want to meet the captain of a private yacht that can bend the rules upstairs。〃
〃Fine；〃 said Heris。 〃I'll be there in five minutes。 I have to inform the owner。〃
The owner； when Heris called her； sounded stiff and resentful。 〃I still do not understand； Captain Serrano； why we could not have stayed aboard。 Surely； with the umbilicals to Station Environmental； we don't need to worry about contamination aboard。。。。〃
She had explained before； she explained again； patiently but firmly。 〃Milady； even the best refitting crews cannot access the system without an occasional leak。 It will stink … and worse than that； you might be exposed to hydrogen sulfide or other toxic contaminants。 It is safest to seal the crew； staff； and owner's space … the vents themselves … which means no circulation at all。
All the working crew will be in protective gear； as I will be while I supervise。 It takes only one good lungful of sewer gas； milady； to kill you。〃
She did not need to say more； Lady Cecelia gave a delicate shudder。 And she had already arranged for the appropriate law enforcement division to take over Iklind's body； along with the meager evidence。 〃The crew is waiting； milady； and the sooner they start …〃
〃Very well。〃 It was crisp and unfriendly； but not an argument。 〃And where are we staying？〃 The real problem； Heris thought； was that Lady Cecelia had never been here before and wasn't sure of acmodations。 As well； those brats were probably whining and dragging their feet 〃You； milady； have a suite at the Selenor； where the shipping line executives stay。 There's limited space； and I had to book the young people into a different hostelry on another level。 I realize that's inconvenient …〃
This time a trace of warmth in her employer's voice。 〃I can survive that。 Meet me for dinner； then； I'll want a report。 Twenty hundred； local time。〃 Six hours； they'd just have started； really。 Heris had counted on supervising them closely all through the first shift。 But she could e report； and return quickly。 She would not have to stay for a meal； she was sure。
〃Of course； milady。 I'll be at the maintenance access as you leave； please have Bates call when the staff has cleared the ship。〃
〃Very well。〃
Heris gave her crew a stern look。 〃Mr。 Gavin； you and Environmental will suit and observe the first shift。 The rest of you are booked into transient crew quarters less than fifteen minutes from here； I expect you all to stay available。 We'll have at least two crew aboard the ship at all times； and you'll rotate。〃 A stir； no more； they knew better than to protest by now。
〃Have you confirmed Station air supply to every partment？〃 she asked Gavin。
〃To all but the owner's quarters； ma'am；〃 he said。 〃I was going to do that as soon as milady left the ship； puter says it's fine； but。。。〃
〃Do that； then； while I go meet the refitters。 Lady Cecelia is debarking now。〃
She followed the crew off the ship； and met the crew chief of the refitters in the maintenance access。 He and his workers already wore pressure suits to protect themselves