Cardones’ mouth quirked in a smile at the hoary lower-deck proverb, and she smiled back crookedly.

“At the same time,” she said seriously, “I’ll understand if you have some reservations about accepting the flag captain’s slot.” He started to reply quickly, but she raised her hand. “I’m serious, Rafe. This could turn very ugly for everyone concerned. I believe you’re still junior enough that no one’s likely to be interested in making an example of you if things come completely apart. I can’t guarantee that, though, and I want you to think very seriously about whether or not you’re prepared to run that risk just because I think I’m a female reincarnation of Don Quixote.”

“I don’t need to think about it at all, Ma’am,” he told her. “You’re probably right that no one’s going to be looking to pin the blame on a lowly captain if it all falls into the crapper. But even if they were, I can think of lots worse company to be in. And you’re also right that I don’t remember anyone at Saganami Island telling me they paid us our lordly salaries for doing the easy jobs. If you’re crazy enough to take this one on, I’d be honored to take it on along with you.”

“I knew you were going to say that,” she said. “And I suppose I ought to be a little ashamed for having counted on it. But I’m not.”

“I should hope not. For that matter, it’s probably your fault, now that I think about it,” he replied. “There I was, a young and impressionable lieutenant, and you went and set a completely unrealistic example for me.” He shook his head mournfully. “When I think of how much simpler my life might’ve been if I’d never gone to Basilisk Station with you it just completely exhausts me.”

“I don’t know about simpler, but it probably would have been safer,” she said wryly. “I don’t think it’s all my fault, though. You never were very smart about keeping your head down.”

“Now that’s not fair, Ma’am,” he said severely. “It’s not that I’m not very smart about keeping my head down—it’s just that I’m not very smart. Period.”

Honor chuckled, then lifted her stein in a brief salute. He responded in kind, and leaned back once more.

“Now that that’s more or less settled, Ma’am, where do we go next?”

“I understand that Werewolf is just completing a refit cycle.” Honor made the statement a question, and he nodded.

“Yes, Ma’am. The yard dogs are supposed to turn us loose in about two weeks. I think we’re going to run a little longer than that, though. All of the yard work dropped back to a slower tempo once the peace talks began, and it’s dropped even further now that we’ve formally begun to build down our force levels.”

“I know. And to be honest, I’m not going to be upset if your refit does run a little over. My impression is that things are coming to a head in Silesia, but there’s still some time in hand. I don’t want to lose any time getting on station, but it’s going to take the Admiralty the better part of a month to assemble the other reinforcements we’re supposed to take out to Sidemore with us, anyway.”