“That’s a first.”
“You’re all right, Commodore.”
“You’re pretty good yourself, Ace.” We got back to the Gene, and Ace put Ozzie’s Toy away. I headed up to the bridge. My comm rang on the way. “Commodore Wilson.”
“Boss, it’s Scotti.”
“Chesty giving you more trouble?”
“No, but he told me about the mission you want to send him on. How many ships do you want to send?”
“Chesty, of course, probably several freighters to carry the people, even though they will be out for the trip. At least a couple of destroyers, in case somebody decides to poke in their business.”
“I’m guessing you’ll want Gus to be one of those destroyers, so you can put Mr. Mason in charge of the mission?”
“That was what I was thinking. Do you have a better idea?”
“Not at all. I just wanted to make sure I knew what you wanted done. There are two others besides Gus that I can get in fighting shape fairly easily. Will that be enough?”
“If Steve comes against something he can’t handle with three destroyers, he’s got sense enough to run.”
“That settles that. What is your plan for the other ships?”
“They’re all going to need a good going over, aren’t they?”
“Yes, Boss, they are.”
“I’d rather we didn’t do that at Charlie’s Planet, where someone might stumble on to what we’re doing. Phonelia has found a system that doesn’t look good for settlement, but is nice and quiet, and out of the way. I’m thinking I’ll send you out there with the ships, and you can mine the system for whatever you need to fix the ships.”
“You’re transferring me off the Gene?”
“I’m sending you to do a job, and I expect you back, ass-ape.”
“Yes, Boss. Didn’t mean to offend.”
“You didn’t. I just wanted to be clear on my expectations, since you seemed a little confused.”
“Understood, Boss. I’m stuck with you, like it or not.”
“Sally offer you a better deal?”
“Nope, she said I needed to stick around and keep an eye on you.”
“Sounds like her. Did they get you good enough scans to make any progress on the Squirrel sensors?”
“Been too busy to look at them, to tell you the truth. Refitting a whole fleet, on a tight schedule, isn’t a small job, you know, Boss.”
“That’s why I gave it to you. I don’t know anybody else who could handle it.”
“Do you need me to print you up some more of those contacts? Wouldn’t be any bother.”
“Good one. I better get going, I’m sure somebody needs me to do something.”
“Later, Boss.” I finished walking to the bridge, and Saucy announced, “Commodore on the bridge.”
I replied, “As you were.”
Topper asked, “Would you like the conn, Boss?”
“Not unless you’re needing to leave the bridge for something. I just came by to make sure everything was running smoothly.”
“Just fine, Boss. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Preparing to set sail with a ten-thousand-year-old fleet of warships is ordinary. Our perspective has changed in the last few days, wouldn’t you say, Topper?”
“I suppose it has, Boss.”
“Speaking of setting sail, do we have an estimated time of departure yet?”
“Scotti would like to hold off till morning, unless you have objections.”
“Personally, I would like to be back to Charlie’s Planet as soon as we can. Professionally, I’ve worked with Scotti enough to know that if she wants to wait, we should wait.”
“Sounds good, Boss. Anything else?”
“When did we start using the new ration bars? They rock, compared to the old ones.”
“Mr. Sloan, Mr. Regimax Sloan, that is, sent those out on the last supply run before we left Charlie’s Planet. We went ahead and restocked all the small craft.”
“I hope he can keep us supplied.”
“He said a crew was coming out to set up production on Charlie’s Planet, so that we wouldn’t have to worry about an Earthbound supply line.”
“Don’t suppose he mentioned who might be on that crew?”
“No, Boss, he didn’t.”
“I think that’s all I wanted to know about, so I’m going to the galley for a bit, and remember the other three things I meant to ask you.”
“Later, Boss.” On my way to the galley, I saw Jackie helping a bot, who looked to be having mobility problems. I asked, “Headed to Engineering?”
Jackie replied, “I wish. This hardhead thinks he’ll get scrapped if we do.”
I said, “Gene, page Saucy to my location.”
Jackie looked at me. “You called the COB? Why?”
“He’s the oldest bot there is. If he can’t convince this one that he won’t get scrapped, nobody can.”
The old-timer spoke up. “I knew the first bot. His name was A-1, not Saucy.”
I replied, “It was, till I changed it for him. I don’t like having to remember numbers.”
Saucy came running up. “Yes, Boss?”
“Convince this one we don’t scrap bots, if you would.” The old-timer looked up. “A-1, is that you? You’re all patched up.”
“B-1, that’s what these two have been trying to tell you, you old coot. This is Commodore Wilson, our new Boss. He doesn’t scrap bots, even ones that are more trouble than they are worth, like you.”
B-1 stood up straight. “You are the Commodore I’ve heard so much about? The way the bots talk about you, I thought you would be ten feet tall.”
“Sorry to disappoint. I’m the Commodore.”
“Pardon me, Sir. I meant no disrespect.”
Saucy said, “Save that for somebody that might believe it, B-1.”
B-1 said, “He’s right. I’m disrespectful. You probably would be ahead to scrap me.”
“You’re not getting off that easy, buster. I’m gonna work it out of you, and for that to happen, you’ve got to get fixed up.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You can quit that ‘Sir’ crap, too. I am
