Station Day 35
Tinsori Light
As predicted, the second wave arrived in bits and bobs. One shift might see the arrival of three ships, while the next four saw none.
Vinsint Carresens, however, did not allow this irregularity to hamper what she saw as her duty to bring Tinsori Station up to spec as quickly as possible.
The workboat had inspected the seals on the breach section, and was in the process of reinforcing several identified stress points.
Teams were out on the docks, installing toolboxes, upgrading connections and wiring, cleaning long-abandoned decks. There was a cleaning crew in the ’ponics room when Jen Sin and Lorith came by—he having insisted that she tour with him, in order to see the upgrades and improvements with her own eyes.
Asked if they might bring the room back up to spec, the crew boss had shaken his head.
“Somebody fragged the whole system. Room’s gonna hafta be rebuilt from the walls in. Which don’t sound like good news, ’til you take a look at how old those rigs were. Even if we could bring ’em back, it’d be better to install new. Better yields, smaller footprint, more efficient.”
“So, we will have fresh fruits and vegetables again,” Lorith said, with such apparent pleasure that the man grinned at her.
“That’s right, Light Keeper. You just stand back and give us room to work. We’ll get you sorted out right.”
They finished their tour in the Spinward Arcade, by chance meeting Ren Zel and Vinsint Carresens by the stone wall.
“Truly, there are many changes,” Lorith said gazing around at the busy, bright-lit plaza. “And so many people about. Are they all quite safe?”
Vinsint Carresens gave her a nod.
“That’s well asked, Light Keeper, but you don’t need to worry about us. We’re taking all of our measurements three times, and if there’s any little thing that seems off, we’re callin’ in a consult. That’s in the operating rules, that every team leader has.”
“And if the consult decides that the situation is dangerous,” Lorith asked. “Then what is done?”
“Then, it gets kicked to me, and I bring it up to the light keepers, just like I’m gonna do now, about the repair bays.”
Jen Sin felt the blood drain from his face. He had not put the repair bays on the list of work to be done—and for a very good reason.
“No one has—attempted the bays, I hope,” he said. “I ought to have been—”
Vinsint Carresens held up a hand.
“No blame to anybody. Wasn’t on the list, but we figured to take a look, just to make sure what we have, in case somebody turns up in need.”
She paused. Jen Sin found himself speechless, and Lorith was the same.
“What do we have, I wonder?” Ren Zel said. “Having just come on-station myself, I have not yet had the felicity of the repair bays.”
“Pardon me for bein’ forward, but those bays ain’t nothin’ you wanna get up close and personal with. My recommendation is to seal ’em tight ’til the experts from the Yard get here.”
“And ships in need?” murmured Jen Sin.
“We might call on Korval’s Yards to send a portable outyard for our use,” Ren Zel said.
Vinsint Carresens nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. Won’t be anything like a full shop, but oughta be able to patch most mishaps good enough to get ’em to Beacon Yard. Anything really bad that raises this station, crew can meditate on how lucky they are to be alive, and maybe pitch in with the needful.”
Jen Sin shivered, which unfortunately caught Ren Zel’s eye.
“Cousin?” he murmured in Liaden.
“A small foolishness—I’m prone. Disregard it, of your kindness.” He looked to Vinsint Carresens. “What will you require from the station, in order to fully seal the bays?”
“We’ll get ’em locked down,” she said. “Station has the right to inspect, naturally.”
“I will do that,” Ren Zel said, smiling at her. “Let us go together.”
She nodded. “I’ll drop you a note.”
“What is that?” Lorith asked suddenly, nodding toward the low wall.
Jen Sin turned to look.
There was a garden inside the enclosure.
A small garden, to be sure, and very difficult to distinguish from a random pile of growing medium, but Jen Sin had plagued Jelaza Kazone’s gardeners in his childhood until he had been put to work. He recognized purpose and design in the disposition of the materials.
“It is a garden,” he told Lorith. “One’s cousin Anthora is keen on flowers.”
“So keen, in fact,” Ren Zel said wryly, “that she asked Station to provide the locations of similar garden areas throughout the station. Anthora swears she will see them all in bloom. She has already sent to Gordy on behalf of this plan.”
“So, should a jungle arrive, we are forewarned,” Jen Sin said.
Ren Zel grinned.
“Precisely.”
“Looking forward to seein’ what that becomes, myself,” Vinsint Carresens said, with an easy nod to Lorith.
She might have said more, but her belt-comm buzzed. She glanced down at the screen and sighed.
“Wanted down on Dock D,” she said. “Before I go—we got word Virago’s closing in on the station. Figuring to be docked and ready to unload the caf in two station days, max. Oughta go quick, and nothing we need any special help with. Just a heads-up.”
“Thank you,” Jen Sin said.
“No worries,” Vinsint Carresens told him, and turned away, raising a hand briefly in farewell.
“Well.” Jen Sin looked to Ren Zel. “Will you write to Korval’s yard master, Cousin?”
“Certainly,” Ren Zel replied easily. “Is there anything else I may do for you?”
“I am quite out of tasks that need doing at the moment,” Jen Sin admitted.
Ren Zel turned to Lorith.
“Light Keeper, is there aught I might do for you?”
Lorith frowned at him, her large eyes narrowed as if she was looking into too bright a light. “Only make certain that all these people are kept safe, please.”
“I will make that a priority,” Ren Zel said.