"You look fine, stop fidgeting," Ry said softly as I dressed for my interview. We'd rented a room at one of the many hotels located on Stellar Winds. Lendill had ship's records altered, showing that we'd arrived in a conventional manner. Only we hadn't. Ry had folded us to the Starship Station and we'd mingled with the crowd getting off a ship. We'd brought one large bag each, and I had a new wardrobe, thanks to some quick shopping with Ry. He'd practically flung clothes in my direction, barely giving me time to try anything on before buying it. I gave up after a while and let him have his way.

"You always look perfect," I said, giving Ry the once-over. He did. His interview was on the third floor of Galedaro's, mine was in the kitchens. Just as well; my cooking spoke for me, most of the time. "I'm ready," I turned for Ry's inspection. I'd dressed in a nice suit that would do for any interview. The outfit was made of a deep-green fabric, with a pale-green blouse and short-heeled pumps. Nobody should ever wear high heels in a kitchen. Not if they had any sense, that is.

"Very nice. Wear an apron," Ry grinned.

Jerves Lidris, Zendeval Rjjn's personal assistant, met me outside the hotel's main kitchen. "He'll be ready for you in just a moment," Jerves said, looking me over appreciatively. I wore a ring on my right index finger, indicating my supposed marriage to Ry.

"Would you like something to drink?" Jerves offered politely.

"No, but thank you for offering," I said. He led me to a seat in the hallway outside. I could hear the normal sounds of any kitchen while I sat there. A master cook was shouting at an assistant and at a waiter. I'd heard it all before. Jerves paced a little while we waited, and it was nearly half a click before Zendeval Rjjn walked out, another man beside him. "I'll have the paperwork sent to your hotel this afternoon. Welcome to Galedaro's," Zendeval said. I knew then he'd already hired the man. I was ready to stand and walk out when Jerves grabbed my arm.

"Sir, this is the cook from Tulgalan," he said. The poor man was fidgety for some reason, and I wanted to jerk my arm from his grip. I didn't. Only then did Zendeval Rjjn turn in my direction. He drew in a breath.

"I won't take up your time," I did pull away from Jerves, then. "I see you've already hired someone." I stared Zendeval in the eye. They were dark, those eyes. Black, perhaps. The light wasn't good enough in the hall outside the kitchens to make an accurate assessment. It was the poorest of manners to set up interviews and then hire before all of them were completed. And announcing the hire in front of another candidate was the height of rudeness. Zendeval Rjjn, I decided, was quite rude indeed.

"No, didn't Jerves tell you? I'm looking for a pastry and dessert cook as well." Zendeval was trying to cover his mistake, I could tell. He was giving a partial truth, but only partial.

"I'm sure I can find another place to hire me," I pulled my purse strap over my shoulder, preparing to leave. "And you can wonder then why your customers will come to my restaurant instead."

"No, please, I intend to compensate just as well if I find the right cook," he said. He was saying please, and I didn't think that word came out of Zendeval's mouth very often. "Come, you will make dessert for me. Master cook Crade made my midday meal."

"Then come back in two clicks," I said. "I need some time to prepare a sampling of my work."

"I'll be back in two clicks," Zendeval smiled slightly. "Jerves, take her to the pastry kitchen and see that she has everything she needs."

"Of course, sir." Jerves nodded to Zendeval Rjjn, who walked away. "This way, Mrs. Windle," he held out a hand.

I surveyed the kitchen as I tied an apron on, just as Ry asked. Crates of oxberries, gishi fruit, redberries and a few other items, all fresh and in season, were available for my use. The usual items needed to make pastry and desserts were also waiting. I set temperatures on ovens first and went to work.

"I got out of her way," Perdil, the overworked pastry cook complained to Zendeval a click and a half later. "She asked if I had ice-cream makers. I showed her where those were and went to work on the other side of the room."

"Did it look as if she knew what she's doing?"

"Better than I do," Perdil snorted. Perdil was a dwarf from Liffel II, a world that refused membership in either Alliance. Perdil was a good pastry cook. Perhaps not the best but good, regardless.

"Then we'll both taste what she makes, and you can help decide," Zendeval said.

"I thought Jerves was going to drool on her," Perdil grumbled.

"We'll make sure Jerves keeps his drool away. If we hire her. Come, it's nearly time."

"This is a raspberry and chocolate cake, with a cream center, redberry sauce and fresh cream drizzled over it," I handed a piece to Zendeval Rjjn and another to Perdil, the pastry cook. I had Perdil on the first taste.

"This cake is exceptional," he mumbled around a mouthful. Zendeval was nodding immediately over the cake, so we moved down the stainless-steel prep table and I offered them the oxberry pastry, with cream and a light frosting.

"Oh, my, this is even better," Perdil was extremely happy, stuffing nearly half the pastry in his mouth. I didn't stop him; most dwarves could eat any other race under the table.

"Excellent," Zendeval said, nodding.

"And this," I pointed to the third item I'd prepared, "this is the most expensive dessert you'll ever serve." I scooped out a big portion of the fresh ice cream I'd made and put it on the first plate, then placed a second scoop on the other. "This is black chocolate cake, thinly sliced, with fresh oxberries and raspberries, a sprig of mint and a scoop of gishi fruit ice cream." I handed both plates over with a flourish.

Nobody else made gishi fruit ice cream. I'd worked on it over the past twenty years, and it was served after every harvest on Kifirin. Except for this year. I'd learned how to make ice cream at Niff's; Lissa allowed me to have the recipes, and I'd developed the gishi fruit ice cream after I'd grown the trees. The thin slice of dark chocolate cake was extremely rich, so the berries and ice cream lightened it to just the right taste. Each of the plates my tasters held could bring at least three hundred Alliance credits, easily.

"Oh, my uncle's beard," Perdil breathed a sigh and then kept eating.

"Does anyone else serve this?" Zendeval asked, taking a second bite of the ice cream.

"None that I know," I said. "I developed the recipe."

"I want this served tomorrow evening; we have special guests coming for dinner," Zendeval said, finishing off his ice cream. "How much of this did you make this time?"

"Only enough for six servings, since the gishi fruit is so expensive," I said.

"I want the rest of it," he said. I handed the small container over. "I'll have your contract ready in a click. Jerves, show her to one of the suites on the fifth floor."

"Here," I handed one of the oxberry desserts to Jerves; he'd not gotten to taste, although he'd been standing there most of the time, watching Zendeval and Perdil eat.

"This cake is marvelous," Perdil was still eating as Zendeval walked out of the kitchen with his container of ice cream.

"What's this?" Nedrizif stared up at Zen when he set the small container of ice cream on Ned's desk.

"The best ice cream you'll ever eat. And the most expensive," Zen smiled at his cousin. "Here, I brought a spoon for you." He handed the utensil over.

"What kind of ice cream?" Ned loved ice cream, and dipped his spoon in for a generous bite.

"Gishi fruit ice cream,&quo Cce d lot; Zen said as Nedrizif rolled his eyes in pleasure at the taste.

"Here is your schedule; you'll work from fourteen bells to twenty-four bells each day, unless Mr. Rjjn specifies," Jerves handed over a small comp-vid that held my schedule. "Every other Eight-Day off—you'll switch with Master cook Perdil. You'll get First-Day on the other weeks." I nodded; that was standard if you had two pastry cooks. My shift would cover the hours when dessert was likely to be served, I noticed.

Jervis had shown me to a nicely appointed suite on the fifth floor of the business wing, completely furnished and with room service available since I worked in the kitchen as a master cook. Most other employees didn't get that. The pay was good—what a master cook might expect at Desh's, and for a pastry cook, that was very good.

"We'll supply aprons with our logo, and launder them. Yours should be ready and in your locker tomorrow when you report for work. Mr. Rjjn expects enough of the gishi fruit ice-cream dessert to feed fifteen people tomorrow evening. We'll be offering it as an exclusive to special guests first, and then place it on the premium menu for an additional cost. Mr. Rjjn wants you to sprinkle edible gold flakes on the chocolate cake and charge even more for it. It truly will be the most expensive dessert available." Jerves was smiling widely.

"Then you need to make sure you get some of it next time," I said.

"Mrs. Windle, do you cook other things as well as you make desserts?" he asked.

"Perhaps you can be the judge of that, if you'll come to dinner some night when I'm off," I said. I was hoping Ry and I could get information from Zendeval Rjjn's personal assistant, without making it obvious.

"Just tell the kitchen what ingredients you want, and they'll supply it. At least they won't have to cook it and carry it up," he said, nodding enthusiastically.

"I will. How much is Mr. Rjjn planning to charge for the dessert?" I asked.

"Five hundred credits," Jervis said. "And he says it's worth every bit of that." I could tell that Jerves was upset that he hadn't gotten to try that particular dessert. "Now, this will allow you to eat at or visit any of the clubs or restaurants," Jerves handed a chip necklace to me. "And Mr. Rjjn mentioned that he would like for you to visit the other four clubs and restaurants that he supervises, to let him know how their dessert menus rate. In your opinion," Jerves added.