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alking。
〃If you have questions；〃 the voice said； 〃you may choose them from the menu when they appear。〃 As if that captain would know what questions he wanted to ask。 But after another paragraph of careful explanation of his faults； he found a list of questions。 He chose the one about the canisters； because he really couldn't understand why repainting them had been so bad。 They were just disaster…drill fakes anyway。 What did it matter if one of them turned out to have red smoke； blue smoke； or a bad smell？
His unit chimed。 Ronnie leaped for it。 This time the voice that came out was the captain's。
〃You asked about the canisters；〃 she said。 〃Do you know the chemical pounds in each？〃
〃You … no。〃 He had caught his first angry response in mid…leap。
〃Then you are not aware that some of the pounds are toxic； and some are flammable？〃
〃They are？〃 He could not have concealed his surprise if he'd tried。 They were for drills … the label said so … and things used in drills were harmless； weren't they？
She had a human chuckle； which he didn't want to admit was pleasant。 〃Tell you what … I'll put the contents up on your screen in detail。 Did you have any system in mind when you repainted those canisters； or did you do it at random？〃
〃Well。。。〃 Ronnie tried to remember。 〃Mostly I did them the color of the ones in the next box。 That way I always knew which ones I'd done。 There were a few； though； that were loose； and I just made 'em all orange with a brown stripe。
Most of those were blue and。。。 and two green stripes； but one was white and gray。〃
〃Then you switched the box labels？〃
〃Yeah。。。 how'd you know I'd repainted them？〃 He had been so careful； he could not believe she'd noticed 〃How do you think I knew which storage bay you were in with George？〃 she asked。 He had no idea。 He'd assumed she'd messed with all the storage bays。
〃Think about it；〃 she said。 The went dead。 He didn't even bother to try calling out again。
The screen had changed； now it was full of chemical formulas and reaction characteristics。 Ronnie fought his way through it。 He was actually supposed to know most of this； he remembered having seen it in class。 But he had never had a good reason to put it together。 He caught himself muttering aloud； and gave the bathroom a nervous look； but the toilet didn't burp。 〃。。。 oxidizes the metallic powder and。。。 gosh！〃 The stuff would really bum。 Really burn。 〃I could have built a damn bomb！〃 he said； almost gleeful for a moment。 Silence mocked him。 He didn't need a warning roar from the plumbing or a smart remark from the puter to point out that setting off a bomb on a spaceship in deep space was not an intelligent thing to do； and setting one off without even knowing it was； if possible； stupider。
He felt cold； almost as cold as he'd felt when he realized he'd intruded on the bridge during jump transition。 If the captain had picked another canister … the gray and white one he'd painted orange and red； rather than the blue and gray he'd painted black and green … it could have been a real emergency。
A real disaster。 A real … another look at the screen to confirm it … end of the whole trip。 For everyone。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said to the silent cabin。 〃I didn't mean to cause any real trouble。〃
Instead of an answer； the screen changed yet again； to show a transcript of what he'd said to George； every word。 It looked worse； far worse； in glowing script on the screen。 It looked as if he had indeed wanted to cause trouble … to harass and humiliate the captain； to frighten and divide the crew。 〃I didn't mean it that way；〃 he said； but he knew he had meant it that way； back when he thought it was safe to mean it that way。
The food； when it came； was bland and boring。
Heris climbed off the simulator after a vigorous ride across country on a large black hunter； every time she took the helmet off； the simulator startled her with its metal and plastic parts。 Cecelia nodded at her。
〃Very good indeed。 You'll certainly qualify for one of the mid…level hunts。
Depending on who's here； you might even be with me for a run or two。〃
〃Are you sure you want to drag me along？〃 Heris asked 〃I know it's not …〃
〃It's not mon； but it's not unheard of； and anyway I do as I like。 It's one of the perks。 Bunny won't mind； as long as you can ride decently and don't cause trouble； which you won't。 I'll enjoy having you to talk with … there are few enough single women； and I'm past the point where the men want to talk to me。〃
Heris was not sure she liked the assumption that she herself was also past that point。。。 but it was true； she wasn't on the prowl。 She wasn't over losing her other ship yet … though she could now think of it as 〃the other ship〃 and not the only one … and she would have to get her crew … and certain members of it … out of her mind before she could respond to advances。 If anyone made them。
〃What's the matter？〃 Cecelia asked 〃Don't you want to go？ Would you rather hang around Hospitality Bay with the other captains？〃
〃No！〃 She said it more forcefully than she meant to。 〃I'm sorry … the thought of those other captains has haunted me all along。 I hate that。 And yes； I would love to see what an estate set up for fox hunting looks like。 It's just … I didn't want you to think you had to do it； because you said it in front of Ronnie。〃
〃Nonsense。 I said it because I wanted to； Ronnie's opinion is unimportant。〃
Cecelia looked hard at her captain。 〃And by the way； how is that young man？〃
〃Perfectly healthy。〃 That was true； if inplete。 He wasn't even that bored； because she had him doing the work he should have done in his basic classes。
Math； chemistry； biochemistry； ship systems； military history； tactics。。。。
When he kept his mind on it； all his plumbing worked and his food arrived regularly； and the lights worked。 When he threw a tantrum … and he hadn't thrown one in the last several days； was he learning？ … he found himself dealing with other problems； and the work still to do afterwards。 〃He may be rejoining you shortly； if you've no objection。〃
〃What have you done； chained him in the 'ponics to dig potatoes？〃 Then she held up her hands。 〃No； don't tell me … I don't want to know。 But I shall be fascinated to see what happens。〃
〃So shall I；〃 said Heris。 She had found him more interesting than she'd expected； in the rare moments she tutored him over the herself。 He had a supple； energetic intelligence that would have rewarded good initial training。
It was a shame that no one had ever made him work before。 He could have been good enough for the Regular Space Service。
Ronnie reappeared at breakfast one morning； smiling pleasantly。 Cecelia； at Heris's suggestion； had begun breakfasting with the young people some days before。 This way； Heris had said； the collusion would be marginally less evident。 She noticed that Ronnie was clean； dressed neatly； and showed no visible bruises … of which she approved … and the sulky expression she disliked no longer marred his face。
〃Well？〃 George said。 〃Tell all。〃
〃All of what？〃 Ronnie looked over the toast rack and chose whole wheat with raisins。
〃You said you were up to something。〃 George looked at the others for support； b