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vilian vessels routinely launched 〃cold〃 and the tug panies preferred it that way。
According to them； some idiot was likely to put his finger on the wrong button if he had power。
When they reached their assigned burn sector several hours later； the tug captain called again。 〃Confirm safe sector Blue Tango 34； permission to release。〃
〃Permission to release grapples；〃 Heris said； with a nod to the pilot and Gavin。 The tug retracted its grapples and boosted slowly away。 〃Mr。 Gavin： insystem drive。〃 The pilot； she noticed； was retracting the bustle； and checking with visuals that the lockdown mechanisms secured properly。
〃Insystem drive。〃 The yacht's sublight drive lit its own set of boards。
〃Normal powerup。。。〃 Heris could see that； she let out the breath she'd been holding。 They'd done a powerup as part of the systems check； but that didn't mean it would powerup again as smoothly。
〃Engage；〃 she said。 The artificial gravity seemed to shiver as the yacht's drive began a determined shove； much stronger than the tug's。 Then it adjusted； and the yacht might have been sitting locked onplanet somewhere。
〃Mr。 Plisson； she's yours。〃 The pilot would have the helm until they made the first jump； and during jump sequences thereafter。 Heris called back to the tug： 〃Sweet Delight； confirmed powerup； confirmed engagement； confirmed oncourse。〃
〃Yo； Sweetie … 〃 The tug captain's formality broke down。 〃e and see us again sometime。 Tug 34 out。〃 Heris seethed； then； at the pilots amiable response； realized that 〃Sweetie〃 was probably this yacht's nickname； not an insult。 After all； even Service tug captains called the Yorktowne 〃Yorkie。〃
So； she thought； here I go。 Off to someplace I've never been so my employer can chase foxes over the ground on horseback； and I can spend a month at Hospitality Bay making friends with other captains in the Guild。 Somehow the thought did not appeal。
Heris had heard about cruise captains： unlike the captains of scheduled passenger ships； they were expected to hobnob with guests； flattering and charming them。 She would not cooperate if that's what Lady Cecelia had in mind。 She would make it clear that she was a captain； not an entertainer。 She would eat decent spacefilling meals in her own quarters； since the ship offered no separate wardroom for ship's officers。
Cecelia had heard about spacefleet captains from her sisters： cold； mechanical； brutal； insensitive （which meant they had not worshipped at the shrine of her sister Berenice's beauty； she thought）。 She enjoyed her meals too much to invite a boor to share them。
That first evening of the voyage proper； Heris ate in her cabin； working her way through a stack of maintenance and fitness logs。 The crew cook provided a surprisingly tasty meal； she had been prepared for bland reconstituted food； but the crisp greens of her salad had never seen a freeze…dry unit； she was sure。 She missed having a proper wardroom for the officers' mess； but the officers on Sweet Delight； such as they were； were not likely to bee rewarding dinner panions。
At least Lady Cecelia had not stinted on fresh food or on the quality of maintenance。 Heris nodded at the screenful of data。 Not one back…alley refitter in the lot； if the lady was bent on hiring inpetents； as Heris had begun to suspect； she did so from some other motive than mere economy。 The bills would have paid for refitting a larger and more dangerous ship than the yacht； but Heris supposed part of it went into cosmetics； like the decor。
Which reminded her； she must explain to Lady Cecelia the need for tearing out that plush covering the umbilicals。
She ignored the gooey dessert for another stalk of mint…flavored celery； slid her tray into the return bin； and called up data from the next refitting。 So far … she refused to let herself contemplate all the future days … nothing had gone very wrong。 This life might be bearable after all。
〃I suppose you want us to dress；〃 Ronnie said。 He lay sprawled in the massage lounger； his admittedly handsome body still dripping sweat from his workout on the gym equipment。 Cecelia eyed him sourly； she wanted a massage herself； but not on the clammy cushions he would leave behind。 When she'd chosen the luxurious zaur…leather upholstery she'd assumed she'd never have to share it。
The saleswoman had mentioned the potential problem； and she had shrugged it off。 Now she felt aggrieved； as if it were anyone's fault but hers。
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃I do。 And be prompt； good food doesn't improve by sitting。〃
〃Thank you； Lady Cecelia；〃 said Raffaele。 She appeared to be George's panion； slight and dark … though not as dark as Captain Serrano。 〃These young men would never dress if you didn't make them； and we can't if they don't。〃
〃Why not？〃 She was in no mood to honor custom； she watched the girls share a glance； then Raffaele tipped her head to one side。
〃I feel silly； that's all。 My red dress； and the boys in skimps？〃
Cecelia chuckled in spite of herself。 〃If you're going to feel silly just because some lummox doesn't live up to your expectations； you'll have a miserable life。 Wear what you want and ignore them。〃
Another shared glance。 One of the girls might have been more tactful； but Ronnie burst out first。 That's what you do … and that's why you never married and live by yourself in a miserable little ship！〃
Cecelia stared him down。 〃That's why I have the money and position I do … independent of any alliance … to do what I want … and that's why I was available to help you when you got yourself into this mess。 Or perhaps you don't know that the first suggestion given your father was that you be packed off on an ore…hauler to Versteen？〃
〃They wouldn't have！〃 Ronnie looked almost horrified enough。
Cecelia shrugged。 〃They didn't； but largely because I was available； and could be talked into it。 If your mother … well； never mind。 But my point is； that if I had been a conventional member of this family； and married to some appropriate spouse； I would hardly have been free to take you on。 You persist in regarding this as some kind of lark； but I assure you that most men … grown men； such as your father and his friends … consider your breach of the lady's confidence a disgrace； even apart from its political implications。〃
Ronnie reddened。 〃Now；〃 she went on。 〃Go make yourself fit for civilized pany at dinner； all of you。 That includes you young women。 I do not consider the sort of clothes you wear to parties with your own set adequate。〃
She actually had very little idea what kind of clothes they wore to parties with their own set； but had a clear memory of herself at nineteen to twenty…three。
When they had left； Cecelia felt the cushions of the massage lounger and shuddered。 Entirely too clammy； she aimed a blow…dryer at it； and decided on a short swim。 The pool's privacy screen； a liquid crystal switchable only from within； closed her into a frosted dome； onto which she projected a visual of overhanging forest She set the pool's sound system； and eased over the edge to the opening bars of Delisande's Moon Tide。 A choice others would consider trite； but she needed those long rolling phrases； those delicate shadings of strings to ease