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the nice looking new construction foreman on the fore-shift, then she left with him.
    She just couldn't stay silent and let them make such a mistake so she spoke up.
    "Dad, Grandpa, honestly, you don't want to make Mr. Willard Head of Security. If you do it will end as badly as the last one and you'll need a different guy anyway in just a few months."
    Her dad put on that patronizing look he wasn't aware he used with her. "Why Sugar? Don't you like Mr. Willard?"
    "No, I do not like Mr. Willard," she answered without apology. "He's so hateful to anyone he thinks he can safely belittle, that Security will be full of angry people in no time at all. He's such a hopeless bully, that he honestly thinks if he browbeats his people it makes them respect him and work harder. What's more important is this - Do you want a Security Chief, who is too dense to know his wife is running around on him with the cute new construction foreman? Hmm?" she asked, when there was no response.
    She thought her dad was going to choke on the unexpected revelation, but her grandpa just quietly said, "I'll look into it, Steve," as if it was her dad's idea all along to check it out. Later, privately, her grandpa thanked her.
    "Thank you for not treating me like an idiot." She hadn't outright said it was in contrast to the way her father acted with her, or drawn a comparison with her brother.
    "Well, I had to have my nose rubbed in it a few times, before I was able to look at your dad as an adult," he recalled. "You know, he's really quite smart for someone who is not even forty yet."  He smiled to show he was at least partially joking.
    "Believe it or not, he really does remember you figured out it was the Lab Director who hoarded water, when everyone else was looking for a leak. You should have seen his face when we went in the man's apartment and saw the hot tub he had set up. Damn near filled up the whole place," he showed with arms spread wide.
    "I'll work on it, until he really listens to me," she vowed.
    "He will in time Honey. I know you're a really bright young woman," he assured her and he gave her a double handed hug before he ambled off down the corridor.
    * * *
    The platter deliberately clattered on the counter, to break her reverie…
    "Wake up Sweetie - time to stuff your face," Ruby said with no malice at all. She turned away, busy, before April could thank her. April picked a table at the far wall, alone, far from the usual crowd which stayed close to the serving counter. She wanted some privacy to talk with Heather. The noises of dishes and utensils and others chatting close to the coffee machine was low this far away.
    The overhead was all waffle board, with little noise canceling nodes poked down through the overhead near the corners of the room. The walls were carpeted to mute the noise and because it showed wear less than paint, which was so hard to refresh in a sealed environment. Best of all they didn't inflict someone else's taste in music on you here, while you tried to enjoy your meal.
    April invited friends to breakfast whenever she could, but she also had business with Heather this morning. She was putting pats of butter between the hot cakes and had managed a quick bite of bacon, when Heather caught up with her. She hit the seat opposite like a shuttle that missed its docking collar. It was a good thing the table was bolted down solid. Somehow she managed to crash the tray down without spilling her breakfast.

Chapter 4
    Heather was a little older - sixteen and a bit bigger than April. Not that it was important. There weren't many kids near April's age on M3 with who she could socialize, so she was used to older friends and was comfortable with adults. She would have found Earthie kids her own age childish and strange. Heather was the sort you would describe as solid. Not fat, but she had a thickness of frame, which would preclude anyone suggesting ballet lessons. She was solid in personality too, very dependable.
    It was hard