''Oh no, nothing to bother about. I am told Turantic has again raised the safety standards for its fleet, and some minor installations will be made. You are sailing on the safest ship in space, ma'am. Next month, it will be even safer.''
The woman seemed satisfied, or maybe she was more interested in having her wine goblet refilled. Kris made a mental note to have Nelly check out this story. It had the ring of something intended to satisfy civilians. It sounded thin to a Wardhaven Navy Lieutenant on active duty.
There was dancing after dinner, and none of the junior officers that lined up to keep Kris moving around the dance floor complained a bit about her lack of skill. One or two even offered to show her the steps she admired in passing other couples. Not a bad way to spend an evening… if you had nothing better to do with your life.
Kris was returned to her door at eleven sharp by the ship's Purser, who was also escorting his wife back to their cabin. ''If there's anything, absolutely anything you need,'' the woman assured Kris, ''you have only to ask. A starship is quite capable of providing everything from a needle and thread to what those fussy Engineers call a major sub assembly.''
''Thank you so much,'' Kris gushed and entered the door Jack stepped forward to open. It was quite a rush to be pampered, flattered, and stroked all evening.
If only her feet weren't killing her.
As Kris was about to collapse on the couch, Abby shouted from the dressing room. ''Don't you dare do that to that dress.''
Kris immediately snapped to attention. ''But I sat all evening at the dinner table.''
''That's different. Come on in here and let me get you out of that before you destroy something valuable.''
''It couldn't cost that much.'' Kris defended herself. Abby quoted a price that was two months' pay for a Lieutenant.
''You're kidding.''
''Kid, whatever made you think beauty and glamour came cheap?''
''Never paying for it,'' Kris said as she stepped out of the suddenly respectable dress. Mother had provided Kris's wardrobe for most of her growing up. Kris slipped out of Abby's glamour rig, put Nelly around her neck but didn't jack in, and pulled on a robe. ''Nelly, did Mother make withdrawals from my trust to cover the cost of my wardrobe?''
''She did before you began managing it yourself in college. Do you want a full historical report?
''No. Not right now. This ship is going into the yard once it reaches Turantic. Has Turantic 4 recently changed the safety regulations for its flag shipping?''
There was a brief pause. ''Yes, Turantic is requiring all ships be fitted with additional capacitors to assure that the fusion containment fields in the engines do not fail. They are also requiring additional and improved life pods.''
''Are many ships breaking their voyages?''
''The law has a very short deadline. There is an unusually high number of Turantic ships presently in the yards and more scheduled for dock work in the immediate future.''
With a thoughtful ''Hmm,'' Kris returned to the sitting room.
Jack had put away his monkey suit and was in slacks and a shirt. ''You enjoy yourself this evening?''
''Beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick,'' Kris said, quoting one of her great-grandfathers. ''Nelly, show us what you've found out about the Turantic flag merchant fleet.''
The screen across from the couch converted a portion of itself from scenic waterfalls to work area. Ships by tonnage were arranged by At Turantic, In the Yards, and Scheduled for Yard Work in 30 Days or Less. It amounted to half of the fleet.
''Remind me to buy shares in Turantic ship repair docks,'' Abby said, coming to take a seat in a straight-backed chair.
''Nelly, show the rest of Turantic's fleet by thickening up the shipping lanes they are presently using.''
The lovely waterfalls vanished as the whole screen switched to show human space, a three-hundred-light-year-across ball. No surprise, the part farthest from Turantic was bare. Bigger surprise, there were major blank spots close in as well.
''Nelly, show United Sentients space in red.'' Lanes went red. They were also very light on Turantic shipping.
''Show other developing alliances,'' Jack said.
''They warned me you guys were kind of paranoid,'' Abby said.
''Sometimes a well-developed sense of paranoia can keep you alive,'' Kris answered without glancing away from the screen. Turantic shipping had disappeared from three others of the budding alliances. There was no lack of shipping around Greenfeld. ''Damn, am I walking into another Peterwald thing?''
Jack studied the map for a moment, looked like he might say something, then shrugged and glanced at his wrist unit. ''You want to spend some gym time now while the gear isn't mobbed?
Kris eyed the map a moment longer, then headed for her room. She found workout clothes without help and dropped off Nelly. As she met Jack at the door, Abby joined them, a workout bag over one shoulder. ''I gotta be in shape to run if they start shooting at you, dear.''
The gym was all the pampered set could whim for. There was every sort of way to work off supper. Before Kris said anything, Jack managed to challenge Abby to a handball game or maybe it was the other way around. With a frown, Kris decided to hold to her persona. The gym had three Pleasure Pods. On the outside, it looked like a black box. Opened, it might pass for a mother's womb. Once closed, it could gently massage any muscle you asked, or give you a thorough yet painless workout.
''How may I service you?'' a pleasantly male voice asked, leaving Kris wondering what the usual use of this machine was.
''I need to work off supper,'' Kris gushed, pure Princess.
''Let me see what I might suggest,'' the voice said, and Kris felt an electric tingle start at her toes and quickly pass up her legs to her back, and exit through her fingers. ''You are in very fine tone, miss. May I suggest a gentle workout and warm massage?''
''I'm in your capable hands.'' After a few minutes of the machine gently stroking her legs and arms, Kris was about ready to say something like, ''Show me what you got.'' But the pulling and pushing on her body suddenly picked up, and the real exercise program kicked in. A few minutes into some serious work on her arms, legs, abs, and several other muscle groups Kris never knew she had, she was struggling to keep her breath as bad as at OCS. Twenty minutes later, the cool-down phase began. The machine released Kris just as Jack led Abby from the handball court.
''Your prior employer taught you a few moves I've never seen,'' Jack said, a bit breathless as he reached for a towel.
''You know those decadent Earth folks, nothing better to do with their time than make an art out of what real working folks would call just clean fun.'' If there was sarcasm there, Abby hid it behind a pleasant smile for Jack. Too damn pleasant for Kris's taste. ''You had some good moves, yourself,'' Abby said, hiding her face behind a towel.
''Passable. Enjoy your massage?'' Jack asked Kris.
Kris wanted to know the score. Jack was good; Abby couldn't have beaten him. Both busied themselves with towels. No way would Kris ask what they did not offer. Instead, Kris rotated her shoulders. ''Very relaxing. We ought to get a box like that at Nuu House. I think I shall sleep like a babe.''
And she did.
Operating on ship routine, Kris slept in. Abby brought her breakfast only moments before noon. How the ship's company knew to serve her left Kris wondering just how much privacy such slavish luxury left her, but she kept her curiosity to herself. A different officer showed up to escort her to dinner. Most of the people at the Captain's table were new; the chair at his left hand was reserved for her tonight.
Her efforts to direct the topic of conversation toward tidbits of shipping information somehow got lost in the shuffle of table conversation. One of the men had just come from Finlandia. The other men wanted to know if there would be war between Xyris and Finlandia. That traveler shrugged. ''The rhetoric is there. Both have got good cause, or so they say. Who knows?'' he said, patting his lips with his napkin. ''Whatever they do, it won't be good for business.''