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！
〃I pay very high salaries；〃 Cecelia said。 〃That ought to mean something； if my name doesn't。〃 She didn't like being interrupted； and she didn't like the implication that her ship was unimportant pared to a mercial liner。
〃It means you get greedy inpetents。〃 Serrano stared her down； Cecelia felt again the power of that dark gaze。 Then her face relaxed and she grinned。
〃Except me； of course。 I wasn't so much greedy as desperate to get a civilian job。 But they did not remend me for a mercial ship because of my background … the big corporations like to train their own people their own way； and find a military background a hindrance。 You've got a very good navigator in Sirkin … she topped her exams； and I'm very satisfied with her work。〃 Cecelia had the feeling that 〃very satisfied〃 from Captain Serrano would have been a dozen flowery adjectives from someone else。 〃But the others； milady； looked on your yacht as a cushy berth where they would be well paid for doing little； and your previous captains seem to have concurred。〃
〃But everything seemed to run smoothly；〃 Cecelia said； trying to remember if she'd ever noticed anything。 Not really。 As long as she arrived where she wanted to； when she wanted to； she had assumed the ship was fine。 It certainly cost enough。 〃And I had the regular maintenance and inspections … I don't know what more I could have done。〃 Even as she said it； she realized how she'd feel if someone said that about a stable in which they boarded their horses。
She had had contempt for owners who didn't know； who didn't seem to care； about the details of stable management。 Apparently she had made the same error with her own ship。
Serrano did not seem surprised； but didn't dwell on the point。 〃You paid for them； you mean。 You had to trust your crew； because you didn't know yourself what to look for。 And I think that for some years you had honest； if less than superb； crew members who did their duties fairly well。 A good captain would have been enough； to provide the initiative and discipline for crew who were petent but uninspired。 But in Massimir Olin； you did not nave a good captain。 I don't know with any certainty； but I suspect that he was looking for exactly such a ship； a small but fast vessel belonging to someone with no knowledge of ships or space； a vessel whose owner might be expected to visit places closed to mercial trade。 You let him choose replacement crew； of course； and when old Titinka had that heart attack； he hired Iklind … from the same agency as the rest。〃
〃But it's quite reputable；〃 Cecelia said。 Her mind whirled。 She had never thought of herself … independent to the point of eccentricity and with no romantic susceptibilities … as anyone's natural prey。 The image of herself as a fat sheep which a wolf might stalk seemed both ridiculous and disgusting。
〃It's the top agency in its field。〃 Implicit in that was the assumption that no Bellinveau would use less。
〃It is reputable；〃 said Serrano。 〃But no agency is immune from penetration。
Where there is blood； the blood…suckers gather： where there is wealth。。。〃
〃I know the saying；〃 Cecelia said。 〃But I never expected it to apply to me … I'm old； unattached and intend to remain that way； my money will revert to the family when I die …〃
〃You are free transportation for your crew；〃 Serrano said。 〃You pay well enough that they know you must have more … you have everything done by top firms。 But I think for Olin it was the places you could go without ment … the places he wanted to go； which you could take him to。〃
Cecelia thought about that； and set it aside。 What Olin's motives had been did not concern her now。 〃You had a point to make about the crew？〃 she asked。
Serrano's twinkle rewarded her for ing back to that point。
〃Yes； I did。 I had intended to suggest some replacements of the least effective after your season of hunting； considering what's happened； I think you have both cause and justification for making some changes now。 Assuming you don't want to start with me。〃
〃Don't be silly！〃 Cecelia said。 〃I don't blame you for any of this。〃
Serrano shrugged。 〃You might well have。 Good captains don't let such accidents happen。 Anyway； you need a replacement for Iklind。 I'm seriously concerned about the entire environmental department； and would suggest you also drop the new juniors； retaining only the survivor of the accident。 Mr。 Gavin I believe to be honest； though totally devoid of initiative； and I think he can be salvaged by some good training。 Your pilot。。。 actually； besides his manner； I have no plaint of his performance。 But he strongly defended Olin's choice of course； in the face of a possible course that would have had you on your schedule。 I suspect his plicity。 We could do without a pilot； I am licensed for that duty； a separate qualification； and the expense of this refitting would explain your dropping him entirely。〃
〃But can we find good crew out here？〃 Cecelia asked 〃Yes … in fact I've asked Mr。 Brynear about that already。 As this is a major repair facility； there are always crews ing through。 Someone is sick； and stays behind； someone is unhappy and jumps ship … not that we want that sort。
Velarsin and Co。； and other firms； hire these temporaries； and their work records here give us something to go on。 Also there are people who start in refitting who want to work aboard a ship； if they've taken their exams； and we interview their supervisors； we can find some good ones。 But it's up to you； milady。〃
Exactly what she didn't want； on her ship。 She wanted it to function perfectly without her having to make any decisions at all。 Just transportation。。。 but of course； there were people who looked at horses as just transportation； and she knew what she thought of them。 〃I've always left it up to my captains；〃
Cecelia said slowly。 〃Are you asking me to interview with you； or …〃
〃If you wish； it might be helpful to you to understand what I would look for in applicants。 But what I meant is that I would not dismiss your employees without gross negligence on their part。 You had some input； I assume； in the size of crew when you started out？〃
〃Well。。。 to be honest。。。 I took the advice of the employment agency even then。
Told them what I had bought； and asked them to arrange a crew。〃 She could see by her captain's expression that this was not the right thing to have done。
She shook her head。 〃I was a fool； wasn't I？ Just like people I've known who've gone broke with racing stables。 It just never occurred to me that the same things could happen here； in a simple little yacht。〃 Serrano's expression did not change； but her eyes softened。
〃You had other things to think about； I'm sure。 Why don't you e along to some of the interviews； at least； and begin to pick up some of the terms？ It will impress applicants； and it won't bother me。〃
〃Fine。 I will。〃 She would learn every screw and bolt on her ship； the way she had once learned the anatomy of horses and every piece of leather and metal on her tack。 How could she have left herself unguarded like this？
〃And don't be hard on yourself；〃 Serrano said。 Cecelia blinked。 Was the woman a mind reader as well？ 〃Remember； I still don't know anyt