"I love this plan."

Dex cast an annoyed glance back at Mona twirling about the engine room in the new gauzy black dress. "Rach ain't even filled us in on the details yet."

"I know. I'm just saying, any plan where I get a new dress is a good plan."

Dex turned back to the layer of exposed wires he was hunched over. "Yeah, well just try not to tear it on anything. Only reason you got that xiao an zhuang's 'cause you ain't got nothin' looks half respectable. This job, we gotta blend in with the upper crust, and we can't do that you lookin' like a meng yi school girl."

Mona stopped twirling and crossed her arms. "I don't dress no worse'n most girls my age. You should see what they're wearin' on the Central Planets."

"Tha's 'cause th' whole 'Verse is slidin' further and further into filth and immorality, and you ought to be feel ashamed for bein' a part of the problem." Dex didn't change the distracted tone of his voice, didn't even turn around, as he lectured her. Mona smiled. He was like her brother—well, not like her brother, Dash, but like a brother—and there was nothing short of flying that brought her as much pleasure as these teasing matches.

"Oh, come on, Grampa, next are you gonna tell me how much better things were in your day? You ain't five years older'n me." Dex didn't acknowledge her, but jut kept on working. Mona grinned. She'd have to pull the ace out of her sleeve. "'Sides, I bet if Mariah dressed like I do, you wouldn't have no objections…" Mona shrieked and laughed, diving behind the doorjamb as the the bundle of insulation strips sailed past her head. Worked every time. "Why don't you go ask to see her little black dress…"

Dex was up before Mona could react, and the only thing that saved her from a tickling to make any big brother in the 'Verse proud was Rachel stepping into the engine room door. As Mona skipped down the corridor laughing, Rachel looked at the mess in the engine room in front of her. "Dex, ain't you done here yet? I got Saul bringin' Chafee up right now, I'm about to tell eve