“True.”
“Does he know anything about running a station?” Zoya asked.
“I think the question is more about whether he knows how to build one,” Natalya said. “Honestly, I don’t know. How’s Bean doing?”
“I don’t think he remembers Grinder Eight any more. He’s got the upgraded package from Higbee and he’s marking up the places where we can improve production already.”
“In these prefabs?” Natalya asked.
“Yeah. They’re fabricated in a way to make them easy to deploy, but not necessarily the most effective configurations. He’s optimizing them so that when Higbee’s on their way home, we can make the modifications ourselves. He’s damn good at his job.”
“Do these optimizations make any sense?” Natalya asked.
Zoya shrugged. “He’s working with Roby Helms and Helms thinks the ideas are good enough that he’s taking them back to Higbee with him.”
Natalya sighed. “Sounds like it’s coming together.”
Zoya nodded, pursing her lips, and not looking too pleased by it.
“Still peeved at your grandparents?” Natalya asked.
Zoya finished her beer and crumpled the cup. “Not so much. They’re doing what they think is best.”
“For whom?”
“The company, them.” She sighed. “Me.”
“Any idea how you’re going to handle it?”
“Well,” she said. “First we need to get this project built. We need to get the station operational. The timeline’s not going to be as long as I originally feared.”
“What do you think? A stanyer?” Natalya asked.
“Maybe. Higbee’s projecting that they’ll have the whole thing powered up by February.” Zoya shrugged. “A couple more months of fine tuning and some slack for missed deadlines? A stanyer is doable, probably close.”
Natalya nodded. “I can see that. If they meet their deadlines. What’s the next module coming?”
“The orbital,” Zoya said. “We’ve got the grinder and smelter now. They’re bringing in the housing and office space next so people will have a place to live and we can begin staffing up.”
“What about barge crews?”
“I sent a situation report to Pop-pop day before yesterday. Included how many hands we’re short. We still have all the barges but we only have crews enough for about two-thirds of them.”
“Think they’ll help with that?” Natalya asked.
“I think so. We’re doing the heavy lifting here and it’s not like they don’t have a full personnel department at Big Rock. They’re always looking for help, so we’re just asking for enough people to make up for the ones we lost.”
“For now,” Natalya said.
Zoya nodded. “For now.”
Natalya shrugged. “One step at a time.”
“Yeah. One step at a time,” Zoya said.
Chapter 56
Smelter Seventeen:
2368, June 30
Roby Helms stood in the pressurized control room, the overhead lighting gleaming on his bald head. Natalya listened with only half an ear as he pointed out the superior features of the pre-fab grinder-smelter.
“So, you can see that this manufactured unit—in addition to being far superior to a custom-built unit—is also much more cost effective. Had you been starting construction on the first day we began installation, you’d still be laying the foundations. Now? You have a fully functional grinder with an integrated smelter ready to handle as much raw ore as you can pump into it and output refined metal taking advantage of the zero-g environment. Best of all, the whole process can be controlled from this single interface.”
Zoya nodded, but Natalya knew that look. Mr. Helms apparently didn’t.
“Where’s the slag processor?” Zoya asked.
“Slag?” Helms asked.
“Slag, Mr. Helms. The byproducts from the smelting process. Can we recover the ferrous metal slag from refining copper, for example?”
“Well, er. That is—”
Zoya shook her head. “Never mind, Mr. Helms. We’ll have our engineers look it over. When can we test this unit?”
“As soon as you like,” Helms said, although Natalya didn’t think he sounded quite as confident as before.
“Thanks, Mr. Helms. I understand we’re getting the habitation module next?”
Helms nodded, apparently pleased to be out of the hot seat for the moment. “My colleagues should be here in the next few days.”
“Thank you, Mr. Helms. Will you be supervising that construction as well?”
“I will, Ms. Usoko. I’ve been assigned to see that this installation goes as smoothly as possible.”
Natalya noticed his very slight emphasis on the word “installation.”
“Consistency is important in these efforts,” Zoya said.
“I’m so glad you’re on board with this, Ms. Usoko.”
She held out her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Helms, I won’t keep you any longer. I’m sure you have much to accomplish before the next unit jumps in.”
He looked at Zoya’s hand for just two heartbeats too long before coming to his senses and shaking it. He scurried away down the passageway that led to the airlock vestibule.
“I can’t fault his installation,” Zoya said. “His understanding of what he installed leaves much to be desired.”
“Roby’s all right,” Bean said. “He’s just the installer. The slag skimmers on this unit are integrated in the smelter unit itself. According to the specs, we should be able to recover any slags we want and even create the custom slags needed for making simple alloys like steel without the actual alloy smelter that’s coming later. It’s really a very nice unit. Somebody put a lot of thought into the design.”
Natalya grinned at Bean’s smiling exuberance.
“But not enough to make it perfect?” Zoya asked, her lips twitching as if she might be fighting a smile. “I heard you had some suggestions.”
A vivid blush stroked up Bean’s neck and across his ears. “Well, this unit is built for a basic stand-alone application. The process within those boundaries are very well done. It’s the integration with all the add-ons that cause the difficulty.”
“No criticism implied, Mr. Bean,” Zoya said. “I appreciate your expertise.”
“Well, you’re obviously no stranger when it comes to ore processing either,” Bean said.
“I’ve seen them working once or twice,” Zoya said.
Bean laughed. “I’m sure.”
Natalya looked at Zoya. “So, now we have a problem, don’t we?”
Zoya nodded.
“What problem is that?” Bean asked. “This platform is fully operational.”
“We need to test it,” Zoya said.
“Of course,” Bean said.
“We have nobody who knows how to operate a grinder, let alone a smelter,” Zoya said. “Trusting Helms to do it doesn’t seem like much of a test. I sure as hell wouldn’t trust any test that I would make and, while I trust your engineering skill enough to believe you when you tell me where the slag skimmer is and that it’s up to par, I don’t think you’ll blame me for suggesting that you’re only marginally more qualified than I am to run it.”
He opened his mouth, but no sounds came out. The implications apparently dawned on Bean and he closed his mouth. He sighed. “Point taken.”
“Think Ahokas might be able to do it?” Natalya asked.
“We can ask her but my sense is she’s more of an administrator than technical staff,” Zoya said.
“How about Mr. Regyri?” Bean asked.
Zoya looked at Natalya. “How about it?”
“Who knows. We can ask. He’s due back from Mel’s any day now.”
Zoya nodded. “I’ll drop a message to Pop-pop. We really need some technical personnel.”
“We’re going to need cooks, maintenance people, and at least one closed-system environmental expert,” Natalya said. “That habitat is going to be here in
a few more days. It’ll take a couple of weeks to get into position and set up, but that’s not a lot of time.”
“I’ll mention that again,” Zoya said.
“Any other big stations nearby?” Bean asked. “Besides Mel’s.”
“The Ranch is not that far away as the Peregrine flies. We could probably be at Dark Knight in a few days.”
“Any way to advertise for help?” Bean asked. “Without going there first?”
“If this were the High Line, sure,” Zoya said. “Here?” She looked at Natalya. “Is there?”
“Generally the station nets are all local,” Natalya said. “We could go and ask but it’s anybody’s guess who might apply.” She shrugged. “Dorion came to find us at Dark Knight. We didn’t find that job on the station net.”
Zoya nodded. “True.” She sighed. “I’ll send another message to my grandfather. He hasn’t answered any of them before but it’s getting close now and we don’t have the people we need.”
“We don’t have people, period,” Natalya said.
“Well, you don’t have to do it alone,” Bean said. “You’ve got Natalya’s father. The Ally Wishes is bringing in a load of printer stock, if I remember correctly.”
“First priority here is somebody with grinder and smelter experience so we can make sure this setup works,” Natalya said. “If my father can’t help, he may know somebody who can.”
Zoya nodded but frowned, her eyebrows almost meeting over her nose. “I’m getting a little peeved at the silent treatment from Margary, not that there’s anything I can do about it.”
Bean waved a hand at the control consoles. “This will work. I’d bet on it.”
“How can you be so sure?” Zoya asked.
“If it doesn’t, your grandmother will flay Higbee’s management.”
Zoya stared at him for about five heartbeats, then threw back her head and laughed louder than Natalya had ever heard her laugh since ... well ... ever, really. “Come on,” she said wiping a tear off her cheek. “Let’s go send some messages, then hit up Frewer for dinner. I hear he’s doing something with canned fruit for dessert tonight.”
Chapter 57
Smelter Seventeen:
2368, July 3
Natalya looked at the long-range scanner and shrugged. “We don’t have anybody on the schedule, do we?”
Ahokas shook her head. “Your father still isn’t back from Mel’s but that’s not Star Struck and Ally Wishes had to go to Dark Knight to get the printer stocks you wanted.”
“Any beacon on them yet?” Zoya asked.
“Nope. They should be in range, too.”
“Roll out the red carpet, I guess,” Zoya said.
Natalya looked up at her. “Hunch?”
“Well, it’s either somebody who wants to try to take us down, in which case we should probably make nice—”
“Or?” Ahokas asked.
“Or it’s somebody who wants to help us but doesn’t want anybody to know.”
“Who would we tell?” Ahokas asked.
“Not us.” She pointed at the new parade of ships coming in from the Burleson limit. “Higbee’s here. They’d know.”
“Cloak and dagger?” Natalya asked.
“That’s my guess,” Zoya said. “Do we have an ETA?”
“Plotter says six days, but that assumes a predictable course,” Ahokas says.
Zoya nodded. “It’ll be predictable. If it’s who I think it is, we’re only seeing what they want us to see.”
“What do they want?” Ahokas asked.
Zoya shrugged. “We’ll know in about six days, I guess.”
Natalya glanced at the scanner. “Huh. They just raised a beacon.”
“What? The ship?” Zoya asked.
Natalya nodded. “Wave Hands As Clouds.”
“What kind of name is that?” Ahokas asked.
“It’s a tai chi move,” Natalya said. “One of the martial arts.”
“So are they saying hello?” Ahokas asked.
“I think they’re just trying to blend into the scenery. A ship with no name looks a lot fishier than a ship with an incomprehensible one,” Zoya said.
“But you know what it means,” Ahokas said, looking back and forth between Natalya and Zoya.
“We’re about to meet one of our teachers, I think,” Zoya said.
“Somebody from the academy?” Ahokas asked.
“No,” Natalya said. “Somebody who wrote the books.”
Chief Stevens positively beamed as she came through the lock and into the marshaling yard. She held out her hands to Zoya. “Nice to see you again, Ms. Usoko.”
“Welcome aboard, Chief.”
“Thank you. I trust you’ve not had any more problems with interlopers?”
“Not so far, Chief,” Zoya said.
The chief looked at Natalya. “And you, Ms. Regyri. It’s so good to meet you at last. You’ve caused quite a stir, I don’t mind telling you.”
“Me, Chief?”
She nodded and shook Natalya’s hand in both of hers. “Indeed you have. It’s not everybody who can get away with murder.” She grinned and winked.
“But I didn’t—”
The chief cut her off. “Less said the better. I know all about it.” The older woman leaned in closer. “You’ve come a long way in a very short time.” Stepping back, she said. “You both have. Is that a Higbee grinder and smelter unit I saw on my way in?”
“It is,” Zoya said. “Alleged to be fully operational.”
“Alleged? Don’t you know?”
“We don’t have anybody here who can run it and certify it’s running correctly. I’ve sent a report to the main office, but we haven’t had a reply yet,” Zoya said.
“The wheels of industry take time to grind,” she said. “I’ve faith in Usoko Mining to get this put together again. I’m counting on it, in fact.” She glanced around the compartment. “If you’ve a few moments, I wonder if you’d join me aboard? I’ve some things I’d like to discuss.”
“Of course,” Zoya said.
The chief smiled and re-entered the lock.
Natalya and Zoya followed her in and down the short passageway. Natalya heard the lock lever closed behind them.
The chief turned and stepped into the combination mess deck and galley. “Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” Zoya said.
“Thank you,” Natalya said. “Love a cup.”
Stevens waved a hand at the table and benches bolted to the deck. “Have a seat. I’ve a fresh pot.” She gathered three mugs and a carafe from the galley counter and joined them, putting the mugs on the table and then filling them.
The rich, almost chocolaty aroma of good coffee wafted across the table to Natalya.
“Anybody need anything? Sweetener? Creamer?” the chief asked.
“Black is fine with me,” Natalya said, helping herself to one of the mugs.
“None for me, thank you, Chief,” Zoya said.
Stevens took her seat across from them and took a sip of coffee. She loosed a self-satisfied sigh and cupped her hands around the heavy white china. “So,” she said. “Thank you both.”
“For what?” Zoya asked.
“For rounding up this gang of ne’er-do-wells. They’ve been plaguing the Toe-Holds for a couple of stanyers now. It was just luck that they tried to run an operation in our back yard. It was just bad luck that they screwed up and blew themselves and your people up at the same time.” She shrugged. “That was a terrible blow. One that exposed the group’s methods and people.”
“You knew about them?” Zoya asked.
“We knew about them. Knowing about them and being able to track them down here in Toe-Hold space are two different things. Over the eighteen months prior to losing USM17, we learned that six different stations had suffered significant monetary losses from a well-organized gang. The actual methods varied except for one key piece. Every one of them was threatened with annihilation if they failed to comply.?
?? Stevens stopped to sip her coffee. “We knew it was a nuke. A pretty dirty one at that. Every station we contacted said they believed the threat credible based solely on radiation levels. None of them had enough time to find the device, so they chose to comply.”
“How many failed to comply?” Zoya asked.
The chief sighed and shook her head. “We don’t know. At least a few. Our investigation found at least four relatively stable stations had gone silent for no apparent cause in the same eighteen-month period. There wasn’t a lot left, but enough to know what happened here wasn’t normal.” She shrugged. “There are probably more we don’t know about. Toe-Holders aren’t required to notify anybody when they start up operations so we don’t actually know how many there are working in the dark out here.”
“So that’s why the bounty payment?” Natalya asked.
“Yes. The guys you gave us unraveled more than we’ve been able to discover in over a stanyer. They’re not completely shut down yet, but it’s only a matter of time and the key pieces all came from you.”
Zoya sipped her coffee, then looked across the table at the chief. “So, what brings you to our work in progress today?” she asked.
Zoya’s tone made Natalya look over at her.
“Yes,” the chief said. “I do have a reason. Two actually.”
Zoya nodded. “We owe you. What do you need?”
The chief grinned, her eyes crinkling almost closed. “Actually, dear girl, I owe you. Owe you both, but I have one request and then a favor.”
“If we can do them, of course,” Zoya said.
“The first is the big one,” the older woman said, looking down into her mug.
“You want the Mindanao?” Zoya asked.
Stevens looked up, eyes wide. “Yes, actually.”
Zoya nodded.
Natalya looked back and forth between them. “I didn’t see that coming.”
“Evidence,” Zoya said. “There’ll be traces on the ship that the right forensics can uncover. It’ll be helpful to find and prosecute the people who’ve been doing this.”