“I’ll add mine to the pile and see what it comes to,” Stella said.

“What interests me,” Ky said, “is that you and Rafe seem to have been doing the same thing for different employers. You really didn’t know he was ISC?”

“No. I can’t believe he never told me. And where he came up with that sob story from—”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ky said. “How reliable do you think he is, really? How much of that attitude is surface?”

“I would trust him to be who he is,” Stella said, “but I’m not sure any longer who that is. Stick to the terms of a partnership, yes. Actually care about anyone? I’m not sure.”

“We’ve got a tough task ahead, Stella. We can use all the allies we can find, but we need them to be allies. Or at least acting from enlightened self-interest.”

“He’s smart,” Stella said. “I would say his self-interest is paramount, but intelligently adapted to circumstances. Reliable within limits. Within those limits, absolutely.”

“What do you know about his expertise?”

“What you’d expect from someone involved in corporate espionage. There’s not a lock—physical or electronic—that he can’t open, few if any databases are secure if you turn him loose for an hour, and he has a remarkable collection of contacts in multiple systems. If he’s telling the truth about being Dunbarger’s son, then I suspect his actual illicit earnings are much lower than he’s claimed. The opposite of crooks—he’s hiding his legitimate income.”

“Anything more I should know?”

“That personality,” Stella said. “I’m sure you noticed—he’s used to having women fall at his feet.”

“I won’t,” Ky said.

“He hasn’t really turned on the charm yet… don’t believe it when he does.”

“Did you?”

“Ouch. Yes, off and on. He still has an effect on me, and I’ve seen him with others.”

“I wouldn’t worry,” Ky said. “Except that from everything you say, Jim and Lee both won’t be able to keep him from snooping all over the ship. It will take Martin.”

“Tell me about Martin. He scared me.”

“Ex-military; he was at the legation on Belinta. And he’s got supply experience, so he took on managing cargo in place of… of Gary.”

“Impressive. You find him comfortable, I expect, because of your time in the Academy. Are you going to offer Rafe a partnership?”

“I’m thinking about it. Reservations?”

“No. Not if you’re careful with the terms. Want advice?”

“I asked, didn’t I?”

“Then let me review the terms before you offer. Or I can do a draft for you.”

“Do that, Stella. Use my desk, if you’d like.”

“And figure out how to get that implant in and functioning,” Stella added as Ky was on her way out the door. “You’re going to need it.”

On the bridge, Lee had a dazed expression and Jim was scowling. Rafe, in Ky’s seat, lounged as if he owned the ship.

“Excuse me,” Ky said, with an edge to it. “That’s my seat.”

“Sorry,” Rafe said. “Where do you want me?”

Under control, but that wasn’t something she could say. “There’s a fold-down seat over there.” She pointed. “Lee, anybody offship?”

“No.”

“Good. Nobody goes off until tradeshift tomorrow. Division reports?”

“At your station, Captain. Nothing much; we’re down to the dregs for trade, though. MilMart’s holding that advanced suite for us, but they’ll require a deposit to hold it past the end of tradeshift tomorrow.”

“By then I’ll have an answer for them.” Ky looked at the division reports. Quincy’s had the most data. She had listed all the suitable ships for sale or lease, with costs including provisioning.

“Who’s doing your dockside security?” Rafe asked, breaking her concentration.

“We are,” Ky said. “Remotely.”

“What system?” he asked. “I’m not just being nosy; I’m remembering that a Vatta ship in dock at Allray was blown.”

“You know how it was done?”

“No. Outsiders, is what I heard, but I’m not entirely sure—it’s one reason I wanted to leave. But remote systems can be… confused.”

“Co-opted, you mean,” Ky said. “We have mil-grade systems, installed by my own crew, as of two days ago. Does that satisfy you?”

“Almost,” Rafe said. “Perimeter design?”

“Adequate,” Ky said, “according to what I was taught. Do you have suggestions, Ser… Dunbarger?”

“Please don’t use that name. Not even here. I’m sure your crew are all perfectly loyal—” Rafe shot a sidelong look at Lee, who looked studiously blank. “—but it would be a great embarrassment to me. Besides, it’s not euphonious.”

“Vatta is not exactly music of the spheres,” Ky said.

“It has a certain earthy rhythmicity,” Rafe said. “Dunbarger, on the other hand, sounds like something you’d remove during plastic surgery. Call me by the name Stella knows, or Murchison, which I used last. Or you could just call me Rafe.”

“And you could,” suggested Ky, “just answer my question. Have you suggestions for perimeter design?”

“Three independent systems, optical spider hooks set at one-meter intervals, each system capable of alarming the others, but not of damping an alarm. Broadband scanning, full chem and bio suites, a watch officer who knows how to interpret the output. Independent power sources, of course, and secure lines…”

“I think you would find my perimeter design adequate,” Ky said. “That’s pretty much what I’ve got. Anything else?”

“Anti-tamper?”

“Of course.”

“I didn’t see it when we came in,” Rafe said.

“You weren’t supposed to,” Ky said. “But it’s there. And we also have hull-based systems active. Our shields stink, but at least we’ll know what hits us.”

“I begin to hope you will offer me a partnership, Captain Vatta.”

“I begin to think I might. But we have business to discuss. Perhaps you will return with me to the rec area?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Jim, check with Sera Vatta in my cabin and see if she needs you for anything. Consider yourself at her disposal.”

“Is that wise?” murmured Rafe, following Ky down the passage.

“Jim will do adequately,” Ky said. “And Stella has better taste.” She waited to see what he would answer, and when he didn’t she added, “She found you, for instance.”

His brows went up. “A compliment?”

“Recognition of reality. Don’t preen.”

“I never preen… well, I suppose I do, but only for cause. So, Captain, what shall we discuss?”

“Your potential contribution to my mission,” Ky said.

“I would have to know what it is, to know what I might be able to contribute.”

“To survive, first. To assist other Vatta ships and family members, like Toby, when found. To discover who our enemy is, and why they attacked us. And then to destroy them.”

The brows went higher. “That’s a substantial mission for one person and one—forgive me for being blunt—small, old, and apparently slow ship.”

“Precisely why I’m seeking allies,” Ky said. “I’m not crazy enough to think I can do it all alone. You claim to have expertise relative to ISC’s current problems, which I cannot but think are related to ours.”

“I think you’re right on that,” Rafe said, with perfect seriousness. “When do you think it started?”

“I know when I hope it didn’t start,” Ky said. “And that’s when I got involved with that attack on the ansibles at Sabine. I think it possible that the organization, whatever it was, that planned that attack was sufficiently annoyed with my interference that it retaliated against my family.”

“I can relieve your mind on that,” Rafe said. “Your actions would be seen as typical of Vatta, and Vatta had already been perceived as entirely too close to the ruling cliques at ISC. Your high officers, for instance, were close to Lew Parmina…”

“Yes.”

“Lew is my father’s choice for a corporate heir. He has many enemies inside the corporation, and outside as well. He’s old-line ISC, very much in favor of the status quo. The innovators hate him.”