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Horrified by the shouts and calls rattling over the comm from the repair team, he fixed on the nearest monitor, which showed a closeup flurry of elbows and parts of suits, but didn’t give a clear view of any one person.

Frantic for a wide view, Stiles muttered, “I’d really like a look.”

“I’m getting green on all the life-support signals,” Travis said with undisguised relief. “The body of the ship deflected the wash.”

“Lucky angle. I hate to fire when I’ve got men out.” No one paid any attention except Ansue Hashley, whose eyes somehow got even wider at the declaration. Stiles punched the nearest comm link. “Rivet squad, running out of time. Minute and thirty left.”

“Shouldn’t you be out there, Mr. Lightcudder?” Hashly asked. “If you’re in command?” “No, they don’t need me out there.” “Maybe there’s something I can do ….” “Not fight now, thanks.”

“Stiles, Bolt. Strut cradle’s secure, riveted, and caulked. Main injector’s flowing and the sliding bulkhead is jury-rigged over the cofferdam and-Monks, is it glazed? Yes, it’s glazed and chemical-bonded. Ready to retract the caissons and the davit.”

“A whole minute early!” Stiles whooped. “You guys are singing! Back inside before we get another visitation.”

He stood back to listen to the tumble of orders as the rivet team handled their own reshipping. This was when all the hours of brain-frying drills paid off.

“Mr. Stiles, this is Sattier. We saw the crossfire. Do you need assistance ?”

“Don’t worry about us, Captain. Your ship’s the important one here, not ours. Soon as I get my men aboard, we’ll shove off and you can do your job with those Romulans. Congratulations on your first combat rafting.”

“You’re a piece of work, Mr. Stiles. Now I know where you get your reputation.” “All lies. Stand by, please.”

Travis met his questioning gaze as if cued in psychically. “The caissons are boarded, davits coming back in, and all hands will be aboard in another few seconds.”

“Ready on the umbilicals. Prepare to shove off;’ he called through the ship, not bothering with the comm. “Ready one!” “Ready on two!” “Ready four!” “Release four.” “Release four, aye!”

“Slack one. Helm, swing out on number two.” Yikes, he sure had to find out that kid’s name soon. Always happened when they got a new batch of trainees. “Hey, I said slack one!” “Slacking one]” “Haul away, four.”

“Hold it!” Jeremy suddenly called from three compartments back. “Four’s fouled.”

“Hold all lines!” Stiles poked his head through the hatch, but didn’t actually leave the bridge. “What’s the story?”

“Looks like the retractor’s jammed. Must’ve taken a hit we didn’t notice.” “Disengage the line.” “Cut and run from our end?”

“Right, let it float. We’ll pick it up later if we can. It’s not fouled onto Lafayette, is it? Because we’ll have to go out again if it is. They can’t trail a line into baffle.” “No, line’s free. It’s our retractor housing.” “Cut it?

“Aye aye…” They all waited until a loud chunk boomed through the ship’s body. Then Jeremy spoke again. “Line’s detached. We’re clear, Eric.”

“Ship to ship? He watched while the communications kid tapped in, then looked at the screen displaying the nearby plates of the destroyer. “We’re clear of rafting, Lafayette. Bear off laterally. When you’ve cleaned up the mess out there, we’ll reprovision you and the Majestic.”

“Exccellent job, Saskatoon. Bearing off. Shields up. And thanks again, double trouble.”

“No problem. Good work, Mr. Perraton, Mr. White, everybody.”

He turned to the main screen as, with nothing less than heart-stirring dynamism, the great shining gray form of the destroyer peeled off at quarter impulse and drove into the swarm of Romulans.

“This is wondrous !” Ansue Hashley hopped on his toes and spread his hands wide. “You should be in the headlines!” “Nab, no headlines. This is nuts-and-bolts duty.”

“But you should get recognition for this kind of wonderful thing!”

“Do without food and bandages for a while. Helm, hard over. Come full about and give them room to fight. I don