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exile. His mother petitioned, as well, and had the advantage of being able to return to Acclarke City from the colony where, once she had learned where her son was being incarcerated, she had attempted to supply a few of the elegancies of life for her son. She pursued the claim with all possible vigor. Not that Lord Vestrin had been deprived in any way, for he inherited a considerable estate from his sire: funds so secured that the young heir would be unable to break the trust management and control the sizable principal, but an allowance that would let him maintain a suitable lifestyle.
    “He’s the vindictive sort,” Lady Rezalla said, “which characteristic he must have inherited from his dam’s bloodline. Rehabilitation can only do so much—since body-heirs are not permitted by law to undergo the more drastic psychiatric treatments. Her other children display such pettiness from time to time. We’ve all noticed it.” She then dismissed them as beneath her notice.
    Lady Rezalla’s attorneys were the acknowledged masters of their profession and instantly joined with Lord Tionel’s to prove that the bequest was of long standing. In fact, when Lady Rezalla thought back over the years, she placed the transfer of the property to the very week in which Lord Tionel had made his casual remark about leaving his business to his blood-daughter. The Acclarkian courts refused to hear Lord Vestrin’s appeal. He had been granted a substantial fortune as befit a body-heir. Since Lord Rondymense’s bequest of his Ship Yard went to a blood relative, there was nothing to contend.
    Lady Vescuya ranted and raved on about such iniquity to the point where she became a social liability to those who had once professed friendship for her. Certainly no hostess would commit the solecism of inviting both Vescuya and Rezalla to the same function. When a new scandal rocked Acclarke City’s First Families, the untimely death of Lord Tionel and its subsequent problems were forgotten.
    It wasn’t until Admiral Narasharim herself called at the Boynton-Chonderlee House to see Lady Nimisha that Lady Rezalla began to appreciate exactly how much “managerial” instruction Lord Tionel had given his blood-daughter.
    While Lady Nimisha was being summoned, Lady Rezalla offered hospitality and tried to discover why an admiral would need to seek out her daughter.
    “Lady Nimisha has finished the latest calculations on the femtosecond processor and, since I have meetings on the surface myself, I thought to spare her an unnecessary trip to Headquarters.”
    “The femtosecond processor?” Lady Rezalla asked, trying to sound as if she knew what the admiral was talking about.
    “Yes, she’s been experimenting with storage fibers and she’s come up with exactly the right composite to handle almost incredible electron transfers. Of course, having the latest Josephson junctions has been of inestimable assistance in solving that problem.”
    “Yes, it would, wouldn’t it,” Lady Rezalla said, smiling graciously.
    A brief knock was followed by Nimisha’s entrance into the room.
    “Here you are, Admiral,” and she passed over several of the tiny round disks that generally held quantities of information Lady Rezalla thought were quite remarkable. “I do apologize, my mother. But this is very important,” she said.
    “We have a little time in hand for you to complete your toilette before we leave,” Lady Rezalla said with only the slightest hint of reprimand.
    The admiral was on her feet, shaking Nimisha’s hand and grinning. “I’ll see you tomorrow with the test results, shall I?”
    “I wouldn’t miss it, ma’am,” Nimisha said, and guided the admiral to the door, which the RM opened with a deep, respectful bow. “It won’t take me long, my mother,” Nimisha said gaily as she shot up the stairs to her room.
    “You must tell me more about these . . . seconds . . .” Lady Rezalla began when they were settled in Nimisha’s skimmer