Serena did not envy the volunteer who would climb up there and finish the vital linkages. We don't know exactly when Xavier is bringing the Armada for us, but if you're not done by the time those ships arrive, we may as well not bother. We'll have let him down, along with the people of Giedi Prime.
 
Brigit summoned her engineers for an emergency meeting. We brought enough stimulants along. We can work round the clock, provided we rig area lighting to illuminate the platforms.
 
Do it, Serena said, and press us into service if there's anything we can do. Commander Wibsen was looking forward to a few days of rest, but we'll shake him out of his bunk if we have to, and make him useful.
 
Brigit gave a wry smile. I'd like to see that.
 
Over the next week they worked unmolested. The thinking machines did not know they had sneaked in, or what they were doing. Suffering no more than a few minor bruises, the team completed the most perilous parts of the job. While the task was ninety-percent complete -- at least, according to the plan on paper -- Brigit Paterson said the remaining steps were the most time-consuming ones.