I had nowhere to go. Bert, Fang, Bill, and the captain all had jobs to do. I had nothing.
After eating alone in the dining room, I wandered to the bridge. Fang and the captain were there, as always. I went to my seat against the wall and sat quietly.
Fang watched the navigation screens and from what I could discern, anything outside of the ship. Captain Stone watched information appearing in front of her concerning the ship, fuel consumption, air quality, duty rosters, and a thousand other items, any of which could devolve into danger if ignored or not corrected.
I realized that unlike in my only experience, which was living on Roma, repair problems could be delayed. Workmen could schedule repairs, no matter the kind required. A building owner needed to know nothing of heating, cooling, or ventilation to understand they were malfunctioning and schedule a repair.
In contrast, we were in a small ship in a huge, empty place. There was nobody to call for help. If our air turned sour or toxic, we either corrected it or died. It was that simple. However, with that realization, came others. If the heating failed, we would freeze. If the food replicators failed, we would starve. The list seemed endless. There were a lot of ways to die.
I spoke softly so I didn’t interrupt too much, “Captain, when you have a few moments of spare time, can we talk?”
Her chair spun until she faced me. “If there is an emergency, alarms will sound. What’s on your mind?”
“Me,” I admitted, ignoring what looked like a grin on Fang’s wide face. “Everyone has a job but for me.”
“I see. Feeling a little left out?”
“Useless is a better description.”
She chuckled more to relax me than because of humor. She said, “The admiral and I discussed you at length, you know. Of course, I never mentioned your unique abilities, but you may want to hear her assessment.”
“I’d rather hear yours.”
“First, we will start with hers. You spoke when needed, corrected me without embarrassment a few times, added significantly to our plans, and offered suggestions for the joint venture we readily adopted.”
I was taken aback. The admiral had rarely spoken directly to me.
Captain Stone continued, “All of those are her words, not mine. Those are the reasons she requested you be allowed to consider joining her staff.”
“Her staff? Me?”
“I refused on your behalf, however, I assured her I would tell you of the offer and if it is your choice after our mission, you may accept.”
I was stunned.
She spoke again, more gently, “The offer did not include Bert or Bill. And of course, not Fang or me. To have you on her staff, she might be willing to transfer one or more of them to positions. The choice is yours.”
I searched for any trace or hint that she wished to be rid of me. I said, “Captain, my new home is with you. I want to be part of the crew of the Escolta but not as a freak with a mind-trick as my only contribution.”
“I hoped you’d say that but had to present the offer in the best possible terms. Now, to address your future directly. In my opinion, the five of us on the Dreamer are a team. A good one. Within a year or two, we’ll be something to contend with.”
She paused to allow me time to gather my thoughts. My breath came easier.
She said, “So, allow me to share my tentative plans—for after we complete this mission. The Escolta has a crew I’m proud of. We have gone from me being a young, inexperienced owner-captain, to a successful trader with large bank accounts on several worlds. It seems I’ve fought and won a war. What else is there?”
I knew all that but didn’t have any idea of where the conversation was going. A glance at Fang found him looking at me with only two pairs of eyestalks, but his left flipper was held high, and a pseudo-thumb pointed upward. He approved of where the conversation was headed.
“I’m bored with buying and selling. Or shipping. I want more,” she declared. “This venture could be the start of it. Bert estimates the salvage on the Dreamer to be far higher than I expected. My First Officer on the Escolta is more than ready for full command and he often acts as captain in my stead. Lately, I’ve worried that she might leave me if a command position came available on another trader.”
She was talking about her crew and her future. I’d asked about me. Where did I fit in? What could I do?”
Captain Stone sensed my impatience and reclined her chair slightly. She said, “I was not much older than you when my father died and left me with the Escolta and a tiny crew with few resources. I floundered for a few years. It was hard and that shouldn’t happen to you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Everyone had a job but you. Those were your words. Well, my input is that if my First Officer captains the Escolta, I am free to purchase another ship, which it now seems I can afford. I will captain it but will need a good first officer. If that suits you, I’d be honored.”
I leaped to my feet, rushed the few steps to her, and gripped her in an unbreakable hug. I didn’t know what a first officer did, but it sounded important. I could learn. Fang cackled with joy and Bert sent a series of happy pings our way.
Once she extracted herself, Stone scowled falsely and said in her sternest voice, “First Officers do not choke their captains with hugs. Lesson number one.”
“What’s lesson number two?” I asked.
“Learn everything about starships. I’ll provide you with material to study. You will learn more about
