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vicinity whose alarms had gone off had fled around the perimeter of the great
wheel, out of harm's way.
Lani had barely relaxed when another ship rode up too closely on their tail
departing Zedari's restricted space. Ger-shom turned on the rear external
pickups to see a handsome new scout ship visibly dumping velocity, its side
retros firing out into space.
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"Hot-dogs," Eblich complained sourly, slapping off the alarm. "What else did
you get for your birthday, eh?" Gershom shook his head.
"Maybe it's his shakedown cruise," he said generously.
"I don't care. He's a hot-dog."
"We're intact," Gershom said. "And we're on our way."
As soon as the navigation tank began to calculate the first warp jump, Gershom
twisted his head around in his seat to smile at Lani.
"The fruit for Polidice is a premium load," he said happily. "We get a speed
bonus for every day under ten that we can beat. I think I can get us there in
six days flat. And it won't take us a day longer to get back to Poxt, because
by going this way we're missing anomalies that we'd otherwise have to jump
around."
"Good!" Lani said, smiling at him. It was good to see him feeling optimistic.
He grinned back, and patted her on the arm as he stood up.
"Kai, let's go over the manifests, all right? Eblich, the conn is yours. We'll
be aft. Let me know if there's any problems. We jump in about four hours."
"Right," said the co-pilot, punching buttons so that the main controls lit up
under his hands. Lani waited until the other two men were well out of hearing
before she crept forward and sat in the pilot's seat beside him.
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"Eblich?"
"Yes, little one?" The navigator turned his head to smile shyly at her.
"I was thinking. I'm worried about Mama and Papa."
"Uh-huh. What?"
"Well, this run. We should go right back to Mama Shona, and we can't because
of the money Papa needs to get from this cargo, right?"
Eblich settled in his crash couch and tilted his head back to look at the
ceiling. "That's about right."
"But why? When I can pay for fuel or anything with no trouble."
"Gershom and us, we're used to doing for ourselves, dear," he said.
"But just now it's harder," Lani said, trying to frame her question. "Until
things are better, why would it be bad to take money from me? I want to. I
love them. I love you." The bald statement escaped her lips before she could
stop it, and she blushed.
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Eblich turned his head to look at her fondly. "I know, little one. I can't go
against my captain's wishes, but since you ask, I'd say to get in touch with
Harry Elliott at MarsBank."
"Uncle Harry?"
"Um-hm"
"Why? My credit is open. I can pay for things now
."
"Nope. Gershom and Dr. Shona can't take your money direct no matter when.
Nohow."
Lani gawked at him. "Why not?"
Eblich made a decision. He sat up and took her hands between his. The palms
were dry and scratchy, but warm. "Because that's what people think they want
to adopt you for."
"But it's not true."
"Of course it's not, but people think that way. I'm not supposed to talk about
it, so you're not hearing it."
He shot a glance down the corridor, and Lani leaned close so he wouldn't have
to talk loud. "The Child
Welfare Bureau keeps getting nosy-business briefs to keep Gershom and Dr.
Shona from adopting you final, because they think you're a piggy bank the
Taylors can shake any time they're broke. Too convenient. One of 'em's offered
to take you himself so we won't have you." He let her go and sat back, gasping
a little at having delivered such a long speech.
Lani was speechless with outrage. "But couldn't those people want me for the
same reason?"
Eblich, silently, wearing a knowing expression, tapped the side of his nose
with a forefinger.
"So that's it," Lani said, planting her chin in the palm of her hand. "And
they couldn't tell me."
"No."
"So what can I do?"
"Your money's got power you can use. If the captain won't take the money from
you direct, and he can't, then you buy the mortgage from the bank, and you
don't foreclose when the payments are late. You're not giving them a thing,
but then no one's taking anything from them. That's what Harry Elliott can do
for you."
"Why," Lani stammered, feeling delight dawning at the simplicity of it all,
"that's wonderful! It's ideal.
Yes!"
"Glad you like it. We're still near the beacon. You can send a squirt to him
to do it right away."
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"That's expensive!" Lani explained.
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"That's the power of money, lass. You mean business. The bankers'll respect
that. Send to him and tell him what you want. I'll go aft and keep Gershom out
of your way while you do it."
"But I don't know what to say," Lani said anxiously. She felt very small in
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