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n't know anything about horses。〃
〃Wele aboard； milady；〃 Heris said。 Eight hours late； they would be； undocking； but she felt happy anyway。 Better a good job than a fast sloppy one。 She had inspected the replacements with Mr。 Brynear six hours before； and knew the new system was up to spec。 Her new environmental team knew what they were doing； and Timmons was rapidly learning； he wanted to keep his job。 The disgruntled pilot had plained bitterly about being dumped in the middle of nowhere； Lady Cecelia had finally paid his passage to one of the inner worlds of the system； even though her legal advisor said it wasn't necessary。 Lady Cecelia had told her gleefully about the stormy battle going on between Diklos & Sons； the insurance pany； and her lawyers； she thought she would get her money back； at the least； and she had convinced the union that Iklind's death was probably due to the bad work done by Diklos。。。 so now Diklos had the union on their backs as well。 Lady Cecelia's staff had boarded an hour ago。 Heris had given Bates the staff emergency directives； and he'd taken them without ment。。。。 They would soon begin emergency drills； proper drills； and this would be a proper ship。
〃Thank you； Captain Serrano。〃 Lady Cecelia and her maid came aboard serenely； as if nothing had happened； Heris saw her eyes flicker at the change in uniform。 Heris had squeezed in a visit to a good tailor； and while it was still purple； it lacked the scarlet； teal； and cream trim and about half its gold braid。 The docking access tube still had a thick carpet； but the walls were properly bare for inspection； conduits and tubing color…coded in accordance with Transportation Department directives。
Behind Lady Cecelia； her nephew and his friends straggled in。 Heris watched them with contempt behind her motionless features。 Rich； spoiled brats； she thought。 A waste of talent； if they have any； a waste of the genetic material and wealth it took to rear them this far。 She gave a crisp 〃Wele aboard；〃
and then walked past them out the tube to the dockside。 Bates was waiting in the passage to see to anything more they needed。 She would have avoided the greeting altogether except that she wanted to say a last few words to Brynear。
〃I hear you had a wager with your owner；〃 he said； grinning at her。 〃She making you pay up？〃
〃She'd have let me off； considering the circumstances；〃 Heris said； grinning back。 She liked his sort of toughness； his petence。 He reminded her of the best she'd known； a memory she didn't want right now。 She pushed it out of her mind。 〃But the forfeit's to learn more about what fascinates her … horses； of all things！ … and if I'm to be a good captain for her； I need to understand her。〃
〃If it weren't rude and nosy； I'd ask you a question；〃 Brynear said。
〃It is； and I won't answer it；〃 Heris said； with an edge。 Then she softened。
〃I know what you'd ask； and I'm not ready to talk about it。 Just wanted to thank you for a good job done well in a hurry。 I'm glad we were able to argue our way past your schedule … and sorry to disrupt it。〃
〃You can disrupt my schedule any time；〃 Brynear said。 〃As I would have made clear； if you weren't leaving so soon。〃
〃You can repair my ship anytime；〃 Heris said； smiling。 He was attractive； but not that attractive。 Yet。 The other memories were still too clear。 〃As I did make clear … but I wish we didn't have to leave now。 Thanks。〃
〃You're wele； Captain。〃 He threw her a civilian's version of a salute and turned away。 Heris went back to the ship and thoroughly enjoyed showing her crew that she was as good as the former pilot at undock and tug maneuvers。
〃You shouldn't have insulted the captain to her face；〃 Raffa said severely。
They were two days out of refitting； two days of cool courtesy between Cecelia and the young people。 Ronnie pouted； but she did not relent。 〃Don't put out your lip at me；〃 she said。 〃It was wrong； and you know it〃
〃I didn't know she was there。 I didn't know Aunt Cecelia had approved it。 It's too bad； really。 I never asked to e along on this ridiculous cruise； it was all my mothers idea。〃
〃You'd rather be supervising a loading team at Scavell or Xingsan？〃 asked Buttons。 〃e on； now； Ronnie。。。 this isn't bad。 I admit； I wasn't planning to be home for the season this year … no more than Bubbles … but it's not as if visiting my father were a hardship。〃
〃That's not what I meant；〃 Ronnie said。 He looked around for sympathy； and found expressions that told him he was boring； and boring was one thing they would not accept。
〃Why don't we swim？〃 asked Bubbles。 〃Now that we can use the pool again； a nice swim would be fun。〃 She stretched her long； elegant arms； and wriggled in a way that suggested something other than swimming。
The others agreed； Ronnie knew he should swallow his sulks and go with them； but the sulks were too embedded。 〃Go ahead；〃 he said； when they turned to look back at him。 〃I'm going to try Beggarman one more time。〃 That was the puter game they'd been playing until it palled。。。 and Ronnie never had gotten above the eighth level。
He had no real intention of playing Beggarman。。。。 He wanted to regain the ground he felt he'd lost with the captain。 A private apology should do it； he had charmed his way past fiercer dragons than this。 No woman of her age could be immune to boyish charm。 He showered； put on a fresh jumpsuit； and looked at himself in the mirror。 He slicked his hair： innocence？ No。 It looked as if he were trying for innocence。 He tousled it： mischievous waif？ Yes。 That should do it。 He waited until the others had logged into the pool enclosure。 Then he strolled down the curving passage； slipped through the hatch between crew and staff areas； and found his way to the bridge。 It wasn't that hard； he had memorized the ship plan on his deskp。
The bridge did not meet his expectations。 He had envisioned something like the bridge of the training cruiser。。。。 Aside from that； and the small craft he'd piloted； he'd never been aboard a ship。 He stared at the small room crowded with screens and control boards； the watch seats crammed in side by side； the mand bench hardly an arm's length from any of them。 Something was going on。。。。 He sensed the tension； heard it in the low voices that reported values he did not understand。 He had expected to find silence； even boredom； he had expected to be a wele break in a monotonous shift。 But no one seemed to notice him。 Captain Serrano uttered a series of numbers as if they were important。。。。 But how could they be； out here in the middle of nowhere？ It must be one of her stupid drills or something。
With all the confidence of youth and privilege； Ronnie strolled into the crowded space。
〃Excuse me； but when you've got a moment； Captain； I'd like to speak to you。〃
He spoke with the forthright but courteous tone of someone with a perfect right to be where he was； doing what he was。 He expected a prompt response。
He did not expect the smart crack of an open hand across his face； it sent him reeling into the back of someone's chair。 He grabbed for a support； and found a handy rail along the bulkhead。 His cheek hurt； his mouth burned。 Anger raged along his bones； but he was still too