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〃That's true；〃 Heris said； as if she'd never thought of it herself。
〃We supply crews to all sorts of people。 We tend to hold out our best … our cream； as you said … for the positions where it matters most。 It's true that Lady Cecelia is a valued client； and her family is important； but。。。 it's not like that yacht is the flagship of Geron Corporation； is it？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃She's got a fine ship； relatively new； has it refitted at the right intervals； spares no expense in maintenance； travels safe routes at reasonable speeds。。。。 She doesn't need someone who can cope with a twenty…thousand passenger colonial transport； or maneuvering in a convoy of freighters。 Other people do。 And her requirements dovetail nicely； we suggest for private yachts crew who are stable emotionally； perhaps a little sedate … 〃 Lazy； thought Heris； could be substituted for that euphemism。 No initiative。 〃Obedient； willing to adapt to a variable schedule。〃
〃I see；〃 Heris said； intentionally cheerful。 She did see； she did not like what it said about the agency's attitude towards her； or towards her employer。
She was sure Lady Cecelia had never been told that her safety was less important than that of a load of frozen embryos or bulk chemicals。 She had trusted the agency； and the agency had sent her junk。 It had not occurred to Heris before that very rich people could have junk foisted off on them so easily。 〃Thank you anyway；〃 she said； as if none of that had passed through her mind。 〃I realize things are different in civilian life； I'll just have to adjust。〃
〃I'm sure you'll do very well；〃 the voice said； once more wrapped in its silken overtones。 It wanted to be pleased with her； wanted Lady Cecelia to be pleased with her … wanted everyone to be pleased with everything； for that matter。
Heris herself was not at all pleased by anything at the moment； but she knew she would adjust； though not the way the agency intended。 She would pull this crew up to some decent standard； she would exceed the agency's low expectations and make of Lady Cecelia's yacht a ship any captain could take pride in。 Even working with the slack crew she'd been given。 She knew Lady Cecelia wanted as speedy a departure as possible； but the delay her nephew caused gave Heris just enough time to interview each member of her crew。 Those short； five…minute meetings confirmed her original feeling that most of the crew were past whatever prime they'd had。 At least the ship was good： a sound hull； ponents purchased from all the right places。 Regular maintenance at the best refitting docks。 Like the crew； her instincts muttered。 Heris blinked at the screen on her desk； fighting off worry。 Surely Lady Cecelia hadn't been cheated on everything。
Departure： their slot in the schedule came late in third shift。 Lady Cecelia had already sent word that she preferred to sleep through undockings。 Heris could understand that； she did too； on ships she didn't captain。 By this time； the ship's own systems were all up and running； by law； a ship must test its own systems for six hours prior to a launch。
Heris arrived on the bridge two hours before undock； having checked all the aired holds herself； and as much of the machinery on which their lives depended as she could。 Everywhere she'd looked she'd found gleaming new casings； shiny metal； fresh inspection stickers； their time…bound inks still bright and colorful。 It ought to mean everything was all right。。。 and the unease she felt must be because this was a civilian ship； tricked out in plush and bright colors； rather than an honest warship。
Her sulky pilot had the helm； his narrow brow furrowed。 She put on her own headset and listened in。 He was giving voice confirmation to the data already sent by puter： the Sweet Delight's registration； destination； planned route； beacon profiles； insurance coverage。 Heris caught his eye； and pointed to herself … she'd take over that tedious chore。 The lists of required items came up on her mand screen。 Why an officer of an outbound vessel had to confirm by voice the closing of each account opened during a Station visit； each time repeating the authorization number of the bank involved； she could not fathom … but so it was； and had been； time out of mind。 Even on her own cruiser someone had been required to formally state that each account was paid in full。 It could take hours； with a big ship； here it was a minor chore。
〃Thank you； Sweet Delight；〃 said the Stationmaster's clerk； when she'd finished。 〃Final mail or deliveries？〃 Bates had told her that Lady Cecelia had a bag outgoing； the crew's mail had been stacked with it。 She sent Sirkin to take it out to the registered Station mail clerk。 The furniture and decorations of the outer lobby had already been returned and stowed in one of the holds。 When Sirkin returned； the yacht would be sealed from the Station and the final undock sequence would begin。
It seemed to take no time at all； pared to the bigger； more populous ships she was used to。 Her own crew closed and locked the outer and inner hatches； the Station's crew did the same on their side of the access tube。 The Sweet Delight； on her own air now； smelled no different。 An hour of final systems checks remained。 The crew seemed to be careful； if slow； in working down the last checklists。 They didn't skip anything she noticed； although she didn't know all the sequences for this vessel。
〃Tugs in position； Captain Serrano；〃 said the pilot He had been positioning the yacht's 〃bustle〃 to protect it from the tug's grapples。 Yachts were too small to fit the standard grapple arrangements； they carried special outriggers that gave the tugs a good grip and kept the main hull undamaged。
Heris looked at the onboard chronometer： two minutes to their slot。 She switched one channel of her to the tug's frequency。
〃Captain Serrano； Sweet Delight。〃 There。 She'd said it； officially； to another vessel。。。 and the stars did not fall。
〃Station Tug 34；〃 came the matter…of…fact reply。 〃Permission to grapple。〃
〃Permission to grapple。〃 Despite the bustle； she was sure she felt the yacht flinch as the tug caught hold。 A perfect match of relative motion was rare； even now。 Her status lights switched through red； orange； and yellow to green。
〃All fast；〃 the tug captain said。 〃On your signal。〃
On the other channel of her ； the on…watch Stationmaster waited for her signal。 〃Captain Serrano of Sweet Delight； permission to undock； on your signal。。。。〃
〃All clear on Station；〃 the voice came back。 〃Confirm all clear aboard？〃
The boards spread emerald before her。 〃All clear aboard。〃 Fifteen seconds。
She； the Stationmaster； and the tug captain all counted together； but the coordinated puters actually broke the yacht's connection with the Station。
The tug dragged the yacht … still inert； her drives passive … safely away from the Station and its crowded traffic lanes。 Heris used this time to check the accuracy of the yacht's external sensors against Station and tug reports of other traffic。 Everything seemed to work as it should。 She felt very odd； being towed without even the insystem drive powered up； but civilian vessels routinely launched 〃cold〃 and the tug panies preferred it that