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〃Yes； but … we really don't have facilities。。。〃
〃Six individuals at a time aboard；〃 Heris said。 〃No more than three offship …〃
〃Only three？〃 the Stationmaster said。 Heris smiled to herself。 She had won。
〃Yes。 They'll be standing round…the…clock watches； and they have a lot of work to do； I would prefer； because of that； to let them get their meals on the Station； rather than also detail a cook …〃
〃Oh。。。 I see。 Lady Cecelia's credit line？〃
〃Of course： the ship's account； with a limit … 〃 She had to put a limit； or both the Station vendors and the crew would be likely to cheat。
〃I would suggest thirty a day per person；〃 the Station…master said。 She haggled him down to twenty； she had already called up the vendor ads and knew her people could eat well on fifteen。
Next she had to tell the crew。 She did not expect much trouble； and they listened in respectful silence； although she noticed some sideways glances。
The new members； who had never been to Hospitality Bay； were glad enough to rotate in and out。 Those who were accustomed to idling away a planetary quartile on full pay might have plained； but remembered the departure of the pilot。 Heris hoped some of them would decide to quit； she knew she could do better。 When she called for volunteers for the first rotation； Sirkin and the newest crew members got their hands up first … exactly what she'd expected。 She had planned shorter； more frequent rotations （over the protests of both Cecelia and the Stationmaster） on the grounds that unused skills quickly deteriorated。 In fact； there were crew members she didn't want to leave in the ship too long。
By the time they docked … without incident： the peculiar looking Station turned out to be well designed where it mattered … Heris had the roster settled； and enough work planned to keep the standing watch alert。 She had scattered her new and most trusted crew among each rotation。。。 and hoped that would keep any remaining smuggler…agents from doing whatever they might otherwise do。 Then it was time to pack her own kit； and prepare to acpany Lady Cecelia's entourage to the planet。
〃You were right；〃 Heris said to her employer； as she came out of the droptube into the central area of the Station。 〃I don't believe it。〃 The ornamental object in the middle had as many eye…teasing impossibilities as the Station itself； and in addition offered the appearance of a stream of water flowing merrily uphill。 That alone wouldn't have been upsetting： everyone had seen inverse fountains or ridden inverse scare rides； since the invention of small
artificial gravity generators。 But this one flowed uphill without a substrate； burbling from one visible guide channel to another through the empty air。
〃It's a holo； right？〃
〃No … it's real； in its own way。 You can put your hand into it and find out。〃
Cecelia looked entirely too pleased with herself。 Heris argued with her mind； and her stomach； and did not put her hand into the water。 She was not going to ask how the illusion had been acplished。 Cecelia grinned。 〃I can tell you won't ask； so I'll give you a hint： Spirlin membrane。〃
Heris was very glad she hadn't put her hand in； it could have been embarrassing。 Spirlin membranes； suspended in water； increased surface tension dramatically。 They were also highly adherent to human skin； which often reacted with the Spirlin chemistry by fluorescing for days after the contact。
〃I。。。 see。〃 Heris looked around。 This area of the Station seemed to consist of gardens designed to the same weird standards as the Station itself and the fountain。 Steps； low walls； terraces with seating arrangements that argued visually with each other … that seemed determined to flow from angular to curved； and back to angular； or； in some cases； to suggest by forced perspective the incorrect size or distance。 Planters suspended at unnerving angles； all full of strange plants pruned to look like something else。 When she looked up； Heris found herself staring into the canopy of another garden； looking down onto the heads of people walking along … she swayed； disoriented for a moment。 Cecelia grabbed her arm。
〃That one is a holo。 I should have warned you … sorry。 Almost no one looks up。〃
After that； Heris had no idea what kind of shuttle they would find in the bay。。。 but although it was more luxurious than mercial or military models； it looked much the same on the outside； and brought them to the surface safely。 Lady Cecelia's party had it to themselves； Lady Cecelia and Heris in the forward partment； the young people in the main partment； and Lady Cecelia's maid and a few other servants in the aft section。 Once well down in the atmosphere； the cabin steward served a full dinner； by the time they landed； shortly before sunset； Heris had almost reconciled herself to being a passenger。
Chapter Nine
〃We hoped you'd be here for the first day； Lady Cecelia；〃 said the gnarled little man at the entrance to the stable block。 They had walked down from the Main House … which Heris had barely seen the night before； after the drive from the shuttle…port … to a set of buildings that looked as large as the house。 Pale yellow stone； trimmed with gray stone around windows and doors； a wide； high arch with metal gates folded back。。。
〃Things happen；〃 said Cecelia。 〃Here … I want you to know Heris Serrano； my guest this year。 She's a novice at hunting； but she's developing a decent seat。〃
〃Pleased； mum；〃 the man said。 Heris felt herself under inspection of some sort； though she wasn't sure what he was looking for。 Apparently she passed； for his thin mouth widened to a smile。 〃Go on in … he'll be waitin' for you。〃
〃Now you'll see；〃 said Cecelia as they came out of the arched entrance into a wide bricked walk that lay between the rows of stalls and a low…fenced dirt enclosure。 Beyond was another archway； across which Heris saw a horse and rider move at a trot in yet another enclosure。
〃Lady Cecelia！〃 It was clear from the rearrangement of wrinkles that this man's face seldom found such a smile。 Lean； tanned； upright； brisk … this had to be the 〃Neil〃 who supervised all the training and the assignment of riders。
〃About time … I've held back two good prospects for you。〃 He glanced at Heris； and dismissed her； waving for someone to bring a horse forward。 Cecelia interrupted him。
〃First … meet Heris Serrano。 She's my guest this year； and I've been giving her preliminary instruction on the simulator …〃
He looked at Heris again； this time with attention； and then back at Cecelia。
〃With full programming？〃
〃What I use myself。 She's a novice； but she's solid as far as she goes。 She's taking meter jumps now； but it's only sim； she needs practice before she goes out in the field。。。。〃
〃And you don't want me to treat her like a boneheaded kid who thinks he can ride because he once stuck on a horse at a gallop； is that it？ Did you think I couldn't recognize maturity？〃
〃No … but I want her to have a good experience。 And I want you to supervise； not one of your assistants； unless you've got better than last time。〃
〃No。。。 they go away when they get too good。〃 His eyes measured Heris again。
〃Of course。。。 size doesn't matter； and all that