C. J. Cherryh Tripoint (epub) i

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.”“Station schema just came in.” Mischa tapped the screen in front of him, a schematic of Viking station and its berths, same as any such diagram the outsystem buoy delivered them when they dropped into system.He didn’t understand at first blink, or second, since he had nothing reasonably to do with that input or the system that put it up.Mischa said, “Corinthian.Austin Bowe’s in port.”Hit him in the gut, that did.He couldn’t look at Marie.Mischa pointed to a certain berth on the station schema.“They’re scheduled for undock nine days from now, we’re in for fifteen days’ turnaround, and we’ll make dock tomorrow morning.Figure right now that there’ll be ample time after he’s left to do any personal touring you want to do around that berth.I’m giving an absolute order, here, that applies to you, Marie, and you, Tom, and everyone in this crew.No contact, no communication with Corinthian in any way, shape, or form that doesn’t go through me, personally.We can’t afford trouble.I’m sure Corinthian doesn’t want it either.I swear to you, I’m not going to look the other way on this, Marie.On government contract, we’ve no latitude here, none, do you read me clear on that?”“Perfectly clear, “ Marie said.Too cheerful by far, Tom thought.Marie’s calm ran cold fingers up and down his spine.“Bygones can be bygones—unless, of course, Austin Bowe comes onto our dock.”“I don’t like that attitude, Marie.I’ve half a mind to hold you and him and the whole crew aboard until he’s out of here.And nobody’s going to be real damn happy with you if that’s what I have to do.”“And how would that look? You want Viking saying we’re afraid of him?”“Viking, hell.I’ll lay odds no stationer here remembers any problem between us and them.”“I’ll lay equal odds that ships at dock remember.”“This is our business.And it is business, Marie.No personal vendetta of any member of this crew is worth our legal standing, and anybody sane is going to understand that.This isn’t the War.The man’s a senior captain now.We’re talking about our entire livelihood at stake.”“I absolutely agree.I don’t see a problem.”Lying through her teeth, Tom thought again, hands locked behind him, face absolutely neutral.Mischa knew Marie was lying, and couldn’t get her to engage with him.“Bygones, is it? You listen to me, Marie.You, too, Tom.You listen up Government contract and government cargo means we’ve got clearances, we’ve got special ratings, we’re in first on the port they’ve been negotiating for the last twenty years, and the Board of Trade isn’t going to care about excuses.Neither is the rest of the Family.”“We’re in the middle of the damn bridge, Mischa, why don’t we just throw the com open so the whole Family can hear it? Send the kids to the loft and let’s just tuck down and hide in our ship until Corinthian goes away, why don’t we? We know we can’t defend ourselves.Rape’s a lovely experience if you just lie back and enjoy it.God, I can’t believe I’m hearing this!”“Quiet it down, Marie!”“I’m going to do my job, Mischa! I’m not sitting in this ship.I’m not hiding I didn’t commit any crime.I’m not a rapist, in case you got it backwards at Mariner, and I’ve nothing to be ashamed of! If Corinthian wants trouble, they can come looking.If they don’t—”“—if they don’t?”There was quiet all around.Tom stood there remembering, to breathe, and felt a tremor in his whole body when he heard Marie say, quietly, reasonably, “I’ll do my job, Mischa.I’m not crazy, “ and heard the captain say to her, then,“You do that, Marie, you damn well do it, and nothing else.That goes for every member of this crew.”Marie walked out.The captain’s sister, cargo chief, Marie Kirgov Hawkins, challenged the captain to lock her in quarters for the duration—and walked out, with the whole ops section watching.Mischa possibly could have handled it better—but you never knew where you were going with Marie.Mischa could have been easier on Marie—but she’d lied to him the minute she’d said bygones could be bygones with that ship.She’d lied to his face, and her brother, as ship’s senior captain, had laid the law down.Drawn a line Marie Hawkins shouldn’t cross—and that was a mistake with Marie, on a good day.Her son said, quietly as he could, “May I be excused, sir?”“I want to see you.In my office.One hour.I’ve got my hands full right now.You leave your mother alone.You don’t need her advice.Hear me, Thomas?”“Yes, sir.” At least, at twenty-three, he’d outgrown ‘boy.’ Other uncles managed to say ‘son’ to their sisters’ offspring.Mischa never had.It was ‘your mother’ when he disavowed Marie, it was ‘Marie’ when they agreed, and ‘Thomas’ when his behavior was in question [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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