''We'll weld that shut,'' Steve said. ''Put in a major security post here, and install a wall and locked door to all those corridors.''
''Need a gunner behind armor,'' Kris said.
''I'm glad you're having this little talk with me and not my entire crew,'' Steve muttered.
''But I'm having so much fun doing it to you,'' Kris said.
Steve walked into his former Command Post, picked up a phone, and told it he wanted to talk to Ramirez. A moment later she was on-line. ''I need to talk to you about some changes.''
Kris heard, ''No surprise, you're talking to that Longknife girl, aren't you?''
Steve eyed Kris. ''Self same.''
''Where do you want to talk?''
''I'm headed for the Patton. Meet me there.''
Five minutes later, the three of them were going over a full schematic of the station, Steve pointing out where Kris wanted improved security.
''We can do that,'' she agreed. ''We've got some kids working on the harvest. They'd be glad for a sit-down job once a week.''
''Youngsters?'' Kris asked.
''High school and college kids,'' Ramirez agreed.
''Rotating in for one day a week?'' Kris said.
The chief glanced at Steve, then nodded at Kris.
''These folks are going to be the ones who make the call to pull the triggers if things get out of hand,'' Steve said slowly.
The chief sucked on her lower lip. ''And you wonder if kids fresh off the farm could make that call if they are only looking at it one day a week?''
''Kind of like that. Killing someone ain't easy, even if you don't know what an M-6's going to do when you pull the trigger.''
''How about we have them call for help at the first sign of trouble. We could get some adult supervision into the loop.''
Kris shook her head. ''You're assuming that they can call. Strange thing happened to me awhile back. I was being frog walked off my ship by a couple of nasty-looking MPs and I asked Nelly what might be the cause of my unpleasant experience. Nelly couldn't answer. She was being jammed from the net.''
Steve looked at Kris wide-eyed.
''Your pet computer couldn't reach the net?''
''Yes,'' Nelly said from Kris's neck. ''It was most unpleasant and I still do not know what happened.''
''Which leads me to suspect that Greenfeld has a new jammer we haven't figured out,'' Kris added. ''Short ranged but just the thing for putting a couple of green kids out on their own.''
Ramirez spat a nasty word in a language Kris didn't know. ''And they'll send their fanciest to our little coming-out party. Okay, I'll see what I can do. Steve, you get some good comm honchos up here, too. Tell the owners we need their best.''
''That I will. Now, Your Highness, there's been a lot of work on the Patton since you last saw it. Why don't you wander around, get the guided tour while the chief and I talk.''
''About me, behind my back.''
Steve shrugged. Ramirez looked quite interested in what was coming next. Kris shook her head and took the escalator down to the first landing. A young man and woman were pulling sheets of plastic from a pile and walking them up the gangplank. Kris offered them a hand, was accepted, and so boarded her potential command lugging a sheet of white plastic as tall as she was and very wide. There was no ceremony on the Patton's quarterdeck. The place was a madhouse of power saws, drills, and printers.
''Put the sheet down there next to the saw,'' an old fellow said, then took a better look at Kris over his reading glasses. ''Hey, you're not Amy.''
''No, I'm Amy,'' the girl behind Kris said with a laugh, and put her sheet down next to Kris's. ''I don't know who she is, but she offered to lug plastic so I put her to work.''
''Amy, this is the commander of the station,'' the old fellow said, looking like he might have swallowed his plug.
''Well, thanks for the help,'' Amy said, and headed back out for more, not at all impressed.
''Youngsters these days. What are they teaching ‘em in school?'' he muttered, but smiled as he watched the girl go.
''The same thing I think they've always taught,'' Kris said, looking around. ''Who's kind of in charge?''
''That would be Ananda. Heaven knows where you'll find her but the bridge would be a good place to start.''
On the bridge, Kris was directed to the forward 5-inch batteries. She was about to be sent aft to the other 5-inchers when the woman in question did indeed walk in. The single braid swaying down her back showed very little gray on the dark-skinned woman who barely came up to Kris's chest. ''You looking for me?''
''I figured I should check in with you,'' Kris said. ''I'm told there's been a lot of work done since I was last aboard.''
''You bet'cha there has been, young lady,'' the woman said, dark eyes lighting up. ''Just look at this battery. These twin 5-inchers can train as fast as they did the day they were first put aboard. And look at the plaque, there,'' she said, pointing.
Kris did, and saw the use for that white plastic she'd brought aboard. Beneath a quick explanation of what secondary armament was good for on a cruiser, and another short one on how the 5-inch lasers worked, was an additional annotation.
This battery was manned by the Marines of
First Lieutenant Terrence Tordon detachment during
the suppression of pirates during the inter-war years.
He went on to be known as General Trouble
to both friends and enemies.
And big trouble to his great-granddaughter, Kris didn't add. ''Thank you,'' she said to the youngsters looking on. ''Grampa would be proud that his guns are being so well cared for.''
That got happy smiles. When Kris left after getting a demonstration of how fast the 5-inchers could move, Ananda followed. ''Thank you,'' she said, once out of sight of the kids.
''Thank me? For what?''
''For not pointing out that the Patton's secondary battery during the Unity War and the Pirate Affairs were 4-inch lasers. These 5-inchers only came aboard during the Iteeche Wars.''
''Couldn't fight off Puff Balls with 4-inchers,'' Kris said.
''So my mother told me,'' Ananda said ruefully. ''Still, there is something special for the youth, working on a laser that your Grampa may once have touched. It adds something special.''
Kris smiled. ''Your mom fought such a gun?''
The woman beamed proudly.
''That ought to be enough for anyone, but yes, keep letting them think Grampa Trouble worked that laser, and I'll keep not telling them stories about my Grampa that just might ruin everything for them.'' They shared a laugh.
Kris considered the long list of things to do before Hank and his minions showed up, found it very long and, worse, not a single thing she could do just now, and sighed.
''Kris, Penny wants to talk to you,'' Nelly said.
''What's happening?'' Kris said.
''Your old lover boy is calling.''
''He was never my lover boy,'' Kris spat.
''Well, that's how he introduced himself to Jack and Beni just now. Did he do anything you don't know about?''
''Only in his dreams,'' Kris said. ''Put him on.''
''Hi Kris,'' he said in an all-too-familiar voice. ''Too bad you don't have a visual. I wanted to show you the latest in blues.''
Kris was glad she didn't have a visual. She could see perfectly well his perfectly sculptured face, one well-manicured hand waving at a sleeve with a very wide commodore's strip.
''To my eternal regret,'' Kris said, returning the sarcasm.
''My flag navigator tells me we'll be docking at High Chance at noon tomorrow. My sensor crew reports that you don't have your fusion reactor on-line. Will you be able to provide conventional housekeeping services to my squadron?''
''I don't see a problem,'' Kris said, praying she was right.