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g the bulkhead。 His cheek hurt； his mouth burned。 Anger raged along his bones； but he was still too shocked to move。 Serrano's voice continued； low and even； with one number after another。 Someone repeated them； and he saw hands flicker across control boards。 Just as he got his breath back； he felt the gut…deep wrench he knew from his one training voyage： the yacht was flicking in and out of a series of jump points。
Anger drained away； fear flooded him now。 Jump transitions。。。 they'd been near jump transitions； and if he'd interfered they might all have been killed。 The quick remorse he was never too proud to feel swept over him。 He gulped back the apology he wanted to make … he should wait； he should be sure it was safe。
Then Captain Serrano turned to him； anger on her dark face。 〃Don't you ever e on my bridge again； mister；〃 she said。 Ronnie's eyes slid around the room； no one looked at him。 〃Go on … get out。〃
〃But I … I came to say something。〃
〃I don't want to hear it。 Get off the bridge。〃
〃But I want to apologize …〃
She took a step toward him and he realized that he was afraid of her … afraid of a woman a head shorter … in a way he had not feared anyone since childhood。 She took another step； and his hand fell away from the rail； he backed up。 〃You can apologize to my crew for nearly getting us all killed；〃
she said。 〃And then you can go away and not e back。〃
〃I'm … I'm sorry；〃 said Ronnie； with a gulp。 It was not working the way he'd planned。 〃I … I really am。〃 She came yet another step closer； and he backed up； she reached out and he flinched。。。 but she touched a button on the bulkhead； and a hatch slid closed four inches from his nose。 BRIDGE ACCESS： PRESS FOR PERMISSION appeared on a lightboard above it。 Ronnie stood there long enough to realize that his cheek still hurt； and she wasn't going to let him back in。 Then he got really angry。
〃It wasn't my fault；〃 he told George later。 No one else had seemed to notice； but George had asked about the mark on his face。 〃I mean； it was； in a way； but I didn't mean to interrupt during a jump transition。 She didn't have to take it that way。 Damned military arrogance。 She hit me … the owner's family … all she had to do was explain。 Just you wait … I'll get even with her。〃
〃Are you sure that's a good idea？〃 But George's eyes had lit up。 He loved intrigue； especially vengeance。 George had engineered some of their best escapades in school； including the ripely dead rat appearing on the service platter at a banquet for school governors。
〃Of course；〃 Ronnie said。 〃She has other duties； we have nothing to do between here and Bunny's place but get bored and crabby with each other。〃 He felt much better； now that he'd decided。 〃First thing is； we'll get into the puter and find out more about her。〃
〃You could always give a little kick to one of her drills；〃 George said。
〃Exactly。〃 Ronnie grinned。 Much better。 A good attack beats defense every time； he'd read that someplace。
Chapter Seven
Heris could have believed the Sweet Delight knew it smelled sweeter … or perhaps it responded to the change in the attitude of its crew。 Without the sour…faced pilot； and the inept moles； with the addition of two eager； hardworking newers； crew alliances shifted and solidified around a new axis。 A healthier one； to Heris's mind。 They were not yet what she would call sharp； but they were trying； now。 No one plained about the emergency drills。 No one slouched around with the listless expression that had so worried her before。 Perhaps it was only fear of losing their jobs； but she hoped it was something better。
It had been unfortunate that she'd hit the owner's nephew。 She knew that； she knew it was her fault from start to finish。 She had let them leave the hatch to the bridge open。。。。 On such a small ship； with a small crew； where the owner never ventured into the working partments； it had seemed safe。 She had not noticed when he came； and when he startled her she had silenced him in a way that might have been hazardous … would have been； with some people。 She was ashamed of herself； even though they'd made it through a fairly tricky set of transition points safely。
She called Cecelia as soon as they were through； and explained。 'It was my fault for not securing the bridge …〃
〃Never mind。 He's been insufferable this whole trip； his mother spoiled him rotten。〃
〃But I should have …〃
Cecelia interrupted her again。 〃It's not a problem； I assure you。 If you want to feel chastened； schedule your first riding lesson today。〃
Heris had to laugh at that。 〃All right。 Two hours from now？〃
〃I'll be there。 Regular gymsuit will do for now。〃 Heris finished the necessary documentation of jump point transition； pleted a few more minor chores； and left the bridge to Mr。 Gavin。
〃This；〃 said Cecelia cheerfully； 〃is your practice mount。〃 Heris had expected something like a metal or plastic horse shape on some kind of spring arrangement； but the plicated machine in front of her looked nothing at all like a real horse。 Except for the saddle … a traditional leather saddle … on a cylindrical section that might have been plastic； it could have been an industrial robot of some sort； with its jointed appendages； power cable connectors； sockets； and dangling wires with ominous little clips。 Heris had seen something vaguely like it in one of the wilder bars on Durango。。。。 Only that had been； she thought； a mechanical bucking bull。
The jointed extension in the front； Cecelia explained； acted as the horse's neck and head； allowing the rider to use real reins。 At the moment； the real reins were looped neatly from a hook on one side。 〃There are sensors in the head；〃 Cecelia said； 〃which record how much rein pressure you're using； and feed back to the software。 Yank the reins； and this thing will respond very much like a real horse。 You'll also get an audible tone； to let you know when your rein pressure is uneven。〃 The VR helmet rose from a cantilevered extension behind the saddle。 〃It's set now at beginner level；〃 Cecelia said。
〃I'll control pace and direction； you'll just feel the gaits at first。〃 She stood near a waist…high control panel； which Heris noted had several sockets for plug…in modules as well as the usual array of touchplates。
Heris stared at the thing。 She had not enjoyed the obligatory riding lessons at the Academy that much； and this looked like the perfect apparatus for making someone look stupid and clumsy。 But a bet was a bet； and she owed Cecelia ten hours。 The sooner she mounted； the sooner it would be over。
〃You don't have to use the VR helmet at first；〃 Cecelia said。 〃Why not just get on and off a few times； and let me start it walking？〃
〃Fine。〃 Heris tried to remember just how mounting went。 Left foot in the stirrup； but her hands。。。 ？ On the real horse they'd been taught to grip the reins and put a hand on the neck in front of the saddle； here that would have meant on a pair of gray cylinders like slim pipes。 She put both hands on the front of the saddle and hauled herself upward。 The machine lurched sideways； with a faint hiss of hydraulics； and she slipped back to the deck。
〃Sorry；〃 Cecelia said； trying to hide a grin。 〃I wasn't read