You’ll have to learn the general outline of the human model and the details of every major project in your sector—that’s about half of the IIS projects. I’ll keep the other half. But you’ll have time, because you’ll pick them up one by one over the next few years.”
Van wondered if he’d ever learn half as much as Desoll already knew, but the man did say he had a few years. Van would need them. Of that, he was certain. He was also more certain, even if he had risked Desoll’s anger, that the man had a definite need for him that went beyond what had been explained. He just wished he knew what it might be.
Chapter 49
On threeday, a week and two days after Van had arrived in Cambria, the Elsin approached the Aerolis complex—built within and around a nickel-iron asteroid in the outer belt of the Perdyan system.
Aerolis prime, Coalition ship Elsin, requesting clearance and docking instructions.
Elsin, welcome to A-prime, cleared to beacon.
Understand cleared to beacon this time.
Desoll used delicate puffs on the thrusters to ease the Elsin toward the beacon, set on a spindly tower rising from the asteroid. Van scanned the net and monitors to study the ship that was locked to a second tower, the ship that was to be his to command. The fusactors were down, because there were no EDI emissions, but even without an energy corona Van could tell that the other ship was powerful, just from the design, and from the size. Desoll’s docking was smooth, as if he’d docked to asteroid towers so often it was second nature.
A-Prime, Elsin locked and powered down to station-keeping.
Thanks, Elsin. Jynko’s at your lock.
Stet.
Desoll slipped from the command couch, looking aft toward Eri and Alya, the other tech who had appeared with Eri when she had joined them at Perdya orbit station two. “We’ll be doing the inspection. Don’t know how long it will take.”
Eri just nodded. So did Alya.
Both Van and Desoll wore space armor, but carried their helmets. They were met just outside the Elsin’s lock by an angular Belter wearing a vacsuit, with its collapsible helmet clipped to his equipment belt.
“Director Desoll. Said it would be you.”
“Who else?” Desoll gestured to Van. “This is Commander Albert. It will be his ship.”
“Mason Jynko, Commander.” The angular Belter nodded. “You two ready for the inspection?”
“We’re ready.”
“Have to use the main lock at the base of tower two.” Jynko turned and hand-over-handed his way down the tower corridor.
Van and Desoll followed.
The exterior inspection was, in a sense, perfunctory, although the three inspected the elongated spheroid carefully, using suit lamps and a handscanner that Desoll had produced. All the exterior inspection proved was that everything was there.
Then they returned to the lower main lock, took off their helmets, and went up the tower and into the ship. Once inside, they began with the mech spaces. Van noted that Desoll paid particular attention to the accumulators and the supercon lines linking the fusactors to the accumulators and the jumpshift generators. The lower interior was spotless.
The living spaces were on the same pattern as those of the Elsin, with two crew cabins, and two spare cabins—except that the wooden veneer in the commander’s spacious cabin was a light blond wood, and all the trim was an off-white, making the new ship even lighter in feel than the Elsin. That was something that Van appreciated greatly.
Finally, and last, they entered the cockpit.
“Now…the board’s the way you specified…minimum of manual controls, and we installed the link systems you provided, according to the specs. Your other director’s been out here more’n a few times, checking on things. Signed off on the shipnet.”
“Yes, Nynca’s very good on detail,” Desoll said with a smile.
Van settled into the command couch and began the powering-up, using the full maintenance checklist, taking his time, and going over every single item, checking all the links, all the routines and subroutines. All the links were clear, clearer than he had felt in any other ship.
All in all, it took almost two hours. Neither Desoll nor Jynko said a word, although Desoll clearly followed Van through everything.
Finally, Van looked across the cockpit. “Maintenance check complete. Everything checks.”
“What do you think?” Desoll smiled.
Van could only shake his head. “She’s…beautiful. She’s more than that…”
A faint grin appeared on Jynko’s face.
“What are you going to name her?” asked Desoll. “We’ll need to know.”
Van had thought about it. He’d thought about naming it after his sister, but that wouldn’t have been quite right. He’d finally decided. “Joyau. It’s an ancient word for ‘jewel.’ I think that fits.”
Desoll nodded. “Short and appropriate. I’ve always disliked commercial ships with names like Starflight Hope or Princess Regina…You understand what I mean?”
Van did.
“We’ll put Joyau on the acceptance form, then,” Jynko said.
“After Commander Albert completes the power trials out-system,” Desoll added.
“Of course. Only one jump and back.” Jynko rose. “You going, Director Desoll.”
“I’ll ride second seat, and we’ll call over one of the techs.”
“Fine.” Jynko nodded. “I’ll have everything ready when you return.” He grinned. “Don’t be too long.”
Once Jynko left, Desoll looked to Van. “Your tech.”
“You have one in mind?” Van lifted his eyebrows.
“Would you mind if I assigned Eri as your tech, at least for a time?”
That surprised Van, although he hadn’t seen any overt affection between the two. “No…if that’s all right with you.”
Desoll laughed. “Eri’s been a friend, never more than that, and she’s already raised one family. She’s told me that she’s not about to raise another, or train another husband. She will consent to training another commander.”
This time Van laughed. “I trust I’m trainable.”
“She thinks so. So do I.”
“I’m sure she knows things that I don’t.”
“She should, and that’s the idea.”
Van was sure of that.
As Desoll linked to call Eri, Van ran through the links again. For a time, he’d thought
