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forget those words today. He chose not to say them. He couldn’t say them and mean it. He was being honest, and even Jager wouldn’t blame him for that. You don’t know what Jager was like, always putting him down, never—”
    â€œJager was a hard man, I know, but he was also fair. If he put Gabriel down, it was because the boy had already let himself down, was already a grief and a disappointment. Today’s shameful exhibition wasn’t the first. What about all the other times he failed—the times his father wanted him to study commerce and navigation at school, and he refused? Or else he failed the exams deliberately. Gabriel’s got a good brain in him—he must have, he’s Jager’s son—but he’s self-willed and defiant and aimless. What’s he going to do with his life—play around with plants and microscopes, and read books all day?”
    â€œHe doesn’t play around. He passed exams withhonors, in biology and anatomy,” said Lena. “His tutors say he’s gifted in certain—”
    â€œGifted? The only gift he’s got is his inheritance, which is in grave danger of being thrown away. He’s not wasting his life on biology. He’s got a great vocation ahead of him, and he has to take it. There are twenty ships out there owned now by him, and he has to learn to manage them. There are trade centers in major ports all over the Empire, all his now. Until he’s old enough, Jager’s shipmasters will carry on, but the time’s going to come when the business has to be taken over by someone in the family. That has to be Gabriel. And if he’s not properly trained for it, he’ll throw away everything his father ever built up. I won’t stand by and watch that happen. Jager broke his heart over that boy. He often said the only disappointment in his life was his eldest son. He was going to send Gabriel to the Academy this year to study business and navigation, in a last attempt to make a decent son of him. I’ll see that wish is carried out.”
    â€œWhat about Gabriel?” cried Lena. “What about his wishes?”
    â€œHas he got any?”
    â€œI don’t know. I don’t know what he wants. But I do know he doesn’t want to take over the family business.”
    â€œEvery other lad in Navora would give anything to have what Gabriel’s got. He’s going to be grateful for it, Lena, if I have to beat it into him. If he stays here, you’ll spoil him. He’s coming to live with me, and I’ll see that he studies the right things at the Academy and is fit to inherit everything his father left to him.”
    â€œWhat about Myron? Or one of the others?”
    â€œMyron wants to join the army; you know that as well as I do. The others are too young; too many years lie between now and when they would be qualified. The family business goes to the eldest son, Lena. You’re not selling it.”
    â€œI don’t think it’s any concern of yours.”
    â€œDamn it, it is my concern! I loved my brother, Lena. When we were boys together, he used to say he would own a fleet of ships and travel all over the Empire to bring back riches to make Navora great. He sweated blood to make that dream reality. I won’t stand by now and watch you sell it to some greedy investor in a foreign country, who doesn’t give a damn about Navora. I won’t let you sell it because a spunkless brat cares nothing about shaming his family name and his father. If you won’t knock sense into him, I will.”
    There was silence, and Gabriel heard heavy footsteps crossing the room toward the door. He fled, taking the stairs three at a time. In his roomhe slammed shut the door and crouched against it, breathing hard, fighting back tears of helplessness and hate and rage.
    A long time he stayed there, dreading the sound of footsteps. But none came, and after a while he crossed the room