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Thewith his hands in the pockets of his trousers There was so in his strong face, and black wavy hair that, despite his age--somewhere north of forty-five--failed to show ray Calirlfriend; he never visited Dunk’s whores Michael had never pressed, theone of supreer," Rand suggested "Tight fit, though"

Michael looked up at the catwalk and yelled, to whoht hear him, "Where’s Patch?"

Patch’s real name was Byron Szumanski The nickname came from the anomalous square of white in his otherwise coal-black stubble Like e; he’d done a stint in thethe way, then worked for the civilian authority as a mechanic He had no relatives, had never married and professed no desire to do so, possessed no bad habits Michael knew of, didn’t mind the isolation, wasn’t a talker, took orders without complaint, and liked to work--perfect, in other words, for Michael’s purposes A wiry five foot three, he spent whole days in pockets of the ship so cramped that another man wouldn’t have been able to draw a breath Michael paid hies Every cent Michael ensfjord

A face appeared above: Weir’s He drew his welder’s e"

"Send so, Rand rapped hiot co down the stairs Michael needed the man, just as Dunk needed him, but their relationship was not an easy one Needless to say, Dunk knew nothing of Michael’s true purpose; he regarded the Bergensfjord as an eccentric distraction, an elaborate pasti more money in Dunk’s pockets That the man had never bothered to wonder just why Michael needed to refloat a six-hundred-foot freighter was just ence

"Great," Michael said

"You want ether? He looks pissed"

"How can you tell?"

Rand moved away At the base of the stairs Dunk halted, propped his hands on his hips, and surveyed the room with an expression of weary irritation The tattoos on his face ended abruptly at his for had done hi department, but he was still built like a tank For entertainment, he liked to lift a truck by its bumper

"What can I do for you, Dunk?"

He had a way of s that et down here more often I don’t knohat half this stuff is Take those things over there" He wagged a e

"Water jacket pu aithout much to show for it; now he had to deal with this "It’s kind of technical Not really your thing"

"Why aames, as if they were five years old "A sudden interest in marine repair?"

Dunk’s eyes hardened on Michael’s face "I’ation to me Mystic’s open for settle Not later Today"

Michael aimed his voice at the catwalk "Has anybody found Patch yet?"

"We’re looking!"

He turned toward Dunk again What an ox the man was He should’ve been strapped to a plow "I’m kind of busy at the moic with the stills, I give you ten percent of the profits It’s not hard to reain "So Michael knew, he was raainst his throat

"Do I have your attention now?"

The man’s broad, pitted nose was inches froo We don’t have to do this in front of the kids"

"You work foret you any more lick"