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I know you'll get the money in eventually.\\ Nick was smiling again in amusement. //No, you can take as long as you need with that. I'm just calling to tell you that the damage to the ion cannon on the Firedrake Redeemed was more extensive than we first thought. We had to rip it out.\\

Tevvin winced at the thought of buying a new class three ion cannon. "How much..." he started but Nick cut him off again.

//What is it with you and money? Stop worrying, God's with you man,\\ Nick's smile widened for a moment and then he was serious again. //So anyway, after we got the cannon out we found Galacticorp doesn't have any in stock right now. Crazy, right? Soonest they can have one ready is two weeks, and then it would have been another two days to install the thing, and I know you want the Firedrake back as soon as possible...\\

Tevvin began to understand and was suddenly worried. "Nick, what did you do?"

//Well...\\ The engineer broke eye contact and appeared to be looking at his shoes. Tevvin waited, knowing he didn't have to push for an answer. At last Nick looked up and said, //Remember that ESU Star Navy heavy destroyer I bought a while back at a salvage auction?\\

"Yes, you told me about that," Tevvin said.

//Well, I figured it wasn't ever going to fly again, but there weren't any problems with its ion cannon, so...\\

"Nick," Tevvin said, thinking he saw where this was going, "That's a class four ion cannon. That's the only gun ON one of those ships."

//I know,\\ Nick said, //That's what's so cool about it.\\

"It works?" Tevvin asked.

//Yeah,\\ Nick said, smiling again, //Bit slow charging, but I think I can speed that up with a few more parts I have...\\

"I still can't afford that, Nick," Tevvin said, bemused.

//Tevvin, since when have I charged you for one of my experiments?\\

"You never have," Tevvin said softly. "So does this set the repair schedule back any?" he asked.

//Not a bit,\\ Nick said. //One of the other teams finished a job early so I pulled them in. The Firedrake will be ready day after tomorrow.\\

For a moment Tevvin didn't know what to say. He looked at the smiling face of the man who had helped him put a gutted company back together and then gone on to save his life and who once again was helping keep that same company afloat. "I love you, Nick," he said at last.

//Awww... I'm touched,\\ Nick said. //Gotta go now. See you Sunday?\\

"Not sure," Tevvin said. "Have to see if anything comes up."

//Well, later then. Say hi to Kirika for me.\\

"Will do," Tevvin said as Nick cut the link and he was left staring at an empty screen again. He sighed again, more tired but feeling much better. He rested his face in his hands with his elbows on the desk and rubbed his eyes, then looked through the glass door of his office at the four cubicles outside. They were empty, as it was late, but he could see his personal assistant manning the front desk beyond. Past that he knew the wide halls of the spacestation would still be busy.