"I love this plan." Dex cast an annoyed glance back at Mona twirling about the engine room in the new gauzy black dress. "Rach ain't even filled us in on the details yet." "I know. I'm just saying, any plan where I get a new dress is a good plan." Dex turned back to the layer of exposed wires he was hunched over. "Yeah, well just try not to tear it on anything. Only reason you got that xiao an zhuang's 'cause you ain't got nothin' looks half respectable. This job, we gotta blend in with the upper crust, and we can't do that you lookin' like a meng yi school girl." Mona stopped twirling and crossed her arms. "I don't dress no worse'n most girls my age. You should see what they're wearin' on the Central Planets." "Tha's 'cause th' whole 'Verse is slidin' further and further into filth and immorality, and you ought to be feel ashamed for bein' a part of the problem." Dex didn't change the distracted tone of his voice, didn't even turn around, as he lectured her. Mona smiled. He was like her brother—well, not like her brother, Dash, but like a brother—and there was nothing short of flying that brought her as much pleasure as these teasing matches. "Oh, come on, Grampa, next are you gonna tell me how much better things were in your day? You ain't five years older'n me." Dex didn't acknowledge her, but jut kept on working. Mona grinned. She'd have to pull the ace out of her sleeve. "'Sides, I bet if Mariah dressed like I do, you wouldn't have no objections…" Mona shrieked and laughed, diving behind the doorjamb as the the bundle of insulation strips sailed past her head. Worked every time. "Why don't you go ask to see her little black dress…" Dex was up before Mona could react, and the only thing that saved her from a tickling to make any big brother in the 'Verse proud was Rachel stepping into the engine room door. As Mona skipped down the corridor laughing, Rachel looked at the mess in the engine room in front of her. "Dex, ain't you done here yet? I got Saul bringin' Chafee up right now, I'm about to tell everyone the plan." "I know, but I got some checks I want to run since I'm not gonna be here tonight. Don't want no problems croppin' up 'less I'm here to fix 'em." Rachel sighed and nodded. "Just keep it square. Hobenson's party starts in three hours, and it wouldn't do to be late." Dex cast a forlorn gaze back at the jumble of wiring, sighed, and wiped the last of the engine grease off his hands. As he followed Rachel into the galley, Mona still spinning around the others seated at the dinner table, he caught Mariah's gaze and a thought entered his mind unbidden. He wondered what she was wearing tonight. Mariah scooted her chair to make room for the mechanic, who smiled and tried to make eye contact. Rachel cleared her throat, and the eyes of the assembled crew and passengers swung up to where Saul had ushered in the balding client. "Everyone, this is Mr. Chafee, we're gonna be doin' a little job for him. Mr. Chafee, this is the rest of the crew and our passengers." Chafee's eyes slid across the cramped room as the motley crew greeted him casually. His gaze caught on one, a buxom redheaded woman, who leaned down over the table and blew him a kiss. He was starting to think this might not have been the best idea. "Why don't you have a seat, and tell them everything you told me." Chafee nodded gratefully as Rachel directed him to a chair. He cleared his throat. "I…I am…" He looked up at the captain apologetically, and she gave him a reassuring nod. Chafee sighed. "I am a compulsive gambler. I've been drifting systems almost…twenty-five years now, playing…poker, blackjack, long pai, anything. I've made a fortune or two, I…I've had people threaten to break my thumbs if I didn't pay my debts, but…I've never been in a position like this before." "Position like what?" Something in his tone had made Mona pay attention, and she was now leaning over the edge of one of the couches lining the far wall of the common room. "I…my daughter. Her mother died when she was four, and she's been traveling with me ever since. All those years, I wanted a better life for her, so when I heard about Hobenson, about six months ago, I started heading this way. He seemed like the perfect mark, some rich dan san ming zhi cut off from the real world bragging about what a good card player he was. My reputation got me into one of his games, and I thought I'd just fleece him, but…he…he was as good as he said he was. By the end of the night, I'd lost everything, I was twenty-thousand square in debt, he wouldn't even let me leave the room until I could think of some way to…" By now, Chafee seemed as if he was about to cry. Mariah's hand slid out, coming to rest on top of his. "It's all right, sir." Chafee swallowed and nodded. "I couldn't…I didn't know what to do. When I said there was no way I could pay him back, they…he took my daughter." Saul squinted. "You sold your daughter?" Chafee looked up, shaking. "No, never, I'd rather…she came looking for me after the game, when she walked in, Hobenson's men grabbed her, he said my debt was paid…they dumped me back on the market deck. I've been here over a week, trying to find someone who could help me." "I'm sorry, but how exactly are we supposed to help?" Leo leaned closer to the center of the table. "I mean, the man's a crime lord. We can't just walk in there and take her." Rachel nodded in concession. "No, we can't. But we can win her back." Mariah's eyes lit up in recognition. "That's why you were watching the game in the lounge. You've been looking for someone you thought could beat Hobenson." Chafee nodded shakily. "I think your captain can do it. She's certainly better than I am, probably better than Hobenson, too." "Hobenson's havin' a party tonight. Mr. Chafee says he can get us in. Then I get into Hobenson's keystone game, and win the girl back." Daphne's hand snaked up. "Uh, this is all very noble, and I hate to bring this up, but since no one else seems willing to…what about payment?" Rachel smiled. "Most of the folk comin' tonight are magistrates, dons, corporate types—mostly there to socialize, don't barely know how to play and won't miss any money they lose. Anybody knows how to shuffle a deck could play the tables and walk away with a couple hundred square, easy." Dex shrugged. "Plus there's the job opportunities. Good at cards or not, rich folk always got stuff they need shipped, and like as not shipped quiet…" "…which is our specialty. Look, Hobenson's got a less than fluffy rep, and I ain't gonna order anyone to go in on this. Job don't appeal, just get up from this table and go about your night." Rachel's eyes roamed the table, falling more often than not on Sir Anderson. The nobleman glanced up, suddenly aware that everyone was looking at him. "What?" Rachel smiled. "All right, then. Everyone get into your fanciest digs…" she glared at Daphne, "…fanciest tasteful…" the Companion rolled her eyes, "…and get back here so we can talk assignments." The table slowly broke up, Mariah casually asking Dex what color he was planning to wear, Mona nudging the mechanic in the ribs knowingly, Daphne wondering exactly how tasteful "tasteful" had to be. As Sir Anderson moved for the stairs, his nephew grabbed his shoulder. "Gong bo bo, why are you coming along for this? I've never known you to be one for a sob story." "My dear boy, that man's predicament, however tragic, has absolutely nothing to do with it. For the first time since we left Osiris, I have the opportunity to be in a roomful of people who bathe and speak proper English." Sir Anderson smiled. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."