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."How can you fault captain marcusl for wanting to succeed? He's really very good at it." "In that case." gollanch ended the subject with a shrug of his shoulders." Good, especially as I made my own"-her delightful grin enlivened fine features that tended, in repose, to be sober, if not aloof- "discreet inquiries, since it was obvious my operation is of interest to the fleet.So it is very good of you, really, to be so.so." "accommodating?" gollanch suggested.On consideration, rustin was a very good choice, a better match for this woman than captain marcusi, who had great ambitions for himself-in which he would probably succeed, bar a bad command decision.Rustin was far more interested in achieving the best results from a project than in making certain everyone knew he had had a hand in it.The lad had good ideas and, as the lady Nimisha had noted, excellent engineering credentials.Then, without trying to appear rushed, though the admiral had a full day's appointments-a few of them not as pleasant as this one-he smiled at her."How soon can I send lieutenant commander rustin to rondymense ship yard?" Nimisha rose."He's waiting at my skimmer.I promised him a tour of the yard at dinner the other night.As soon as I could arrange it." she reached her hand across the table and gollanch shook it with both of his, noticing the workmanlike strength of her grasp.Again that almost gamine grin and the twinkle of her gentian-blue eyes."He was the only one who didn't hint.He also was the first to ask me to dance and converse on suitable subjects." "Ah! I will recommend such tactics should similar strategy be needed." "You are a dear, admiral," she said, releasing her hand and making her way to the door.There she stopped, considered momentarily and then gracefully looked back over her shoulder at him."Lieutenant commander rustin may never know all I have in mind as design features, but he will be privy to what would improve the performance of the vegan fleet vessels." at such an outrageous remark, gollanch let out a roar of laughter that brought the officer at the worktop in the anteroom to his feet in surprise."Such condescension is more than we hoped for, lady Nimisha Boynton-Rondymense." "Certainly it's more than you deserve," was her parting shot.it took lady Nimisha some twenty minutes to reach her skimmer, where caleb rustin was standing, looking bewildered.The long planes of his face were slightly oriental, often giving him a vexingly unreadable expression.He was regarding his wrist com as if it had extruded fangs and bitten him.When he heard her steps she was wearing her usual work apparel, including calf-high boots with reinforced toes and soles-he smiled a little hesitantly.His bemusement was still apparent in his light gray eyes, a contrast to the sallow skin and thick black hair.He swallowed."Admiral gollanch's office has just contacted me, lady Nimisha ," he said.And blinked."I've received a promotion, and I'm not due one yet." "Ah, but you certainly couldn't be the naval attache at rondymense ship yard as a mere senior lieutenant," she replied."I'm the naval attache" there was little inscrutability left in the genuine delight and amazement of his expression."Yes, you'll suit me ever so much better than that pushy captain marcusi." "Mar-" caleb tilted his head and let out a roar similar to the admiral's, though she did not mention the similarity.She noticed the discreet design of his body-heir tattoo, not common in the navy; she supposed his family had been awarded prize money, possibly in the last pirate attacks.First families had started the convention of tattooing several hundred years before to prevent the kidnapping of heirs."What occasions such mirth?" she asked."Because marcusi fancies himself as adroit, devious, and charismatic." "He is.Those tactics are useful for a line officer on the fast track to command, but they don't work quite so well on family." "May we speak candidly, lady?" he asked, his expression serious.When she nodded, he went on."Why me? There were many candidates for you to choose from, some who've had commands and more experience." "You." she said, pointing her finger at him, "asked me to dance."Caleb let a small smile pull at his lips while his eyes met hers with equal candor."That was only because I didn't know what else to do to get you away from the others." "Ah, but you conversed with me, too." "What else does one do when one dances?" he seemed surprised.She chuckled.The ingenuous reply did him no harm at all.A man who had the right priorities, training, and certainly some breeding though his tattoo was neither complex nor colorful.She gestured toward her skimmer, indicating they could now leave."How does a body-heir become a fleet officer?" she asked."When that body-heir's sire is also a fleet officer," he replied.As they rounded the little spacecraft, the guard came to immediate attention.He wore the gray and silver of Nimisha's yard livery.Now he gave a smart salute to the freshly promoted commander, as if he somehow knew rustin was no longer a mere lieutenant."Worrick, this is lieutenant commander caleb rustin, who has recently been appointed naval attache to our yard.He is to be treated with all due courtesies, naval and yard.Secure the hatch for takeoff.We'll just go forward and inform control of our imminent departure.Thank you." as she gave the new attache the promised guided tour of the rondymense facility, she also put him through some general paces, including a short eva.There did happen to be a suit that could have been measured for him, since the eva ready room was equipped with quite a range of sizes in spaceworthy gear."put your name on that one when we come back in," she said when they had returned from the inspection of the fiver.At the moment the ship was a skeleton of petralloy rings, tapering to the bow and blunt at the stern: her latest attempt to design the perfect long-distance spacecraft.He seemed totally at ease, automatically clipping on to safety rings with his suit harness and unclipping as they pushed about the skeleton [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]