by E J Randolph
She ate with a good appetite so we were still friends. She hopped into an empty chair and curled into a cushion of gray fur.
Dan strode in and glanced at me. “According to the rules you get to choose breakfast.”
“Waffles and maple syrup.”
John, Ricardo, and Nick walked in.
Ricardo glanced at Pierre “Hey.” His tone had a slightly belligerent tone.
“Hey, yourself.” Pierre responded in a similar manner.
“I still disagree with you.”
I turned to them with a frown. Would the two of them spend the morning arguing over some fine point of naval aeronautics?
Pierre laughed. “You air jocks have a strange notion of close air support. Two meters when no one is shooting, one hundred meters when the flechettes start flying by.”
Ricardo laughed. “But, of course. Can’t let one of those put a hole in our precious rear ends.”
~ ~ ~
I got my plate of waffles and tucked two bites in fast. Some maple syrup dripped, and I wiped my chin. Images from the last few days entered my mind. I rocked back and forth, and a smug smile took up residence on my face. Oh yeah! I stuck it to those prigs in planetary development. The God’s Gracers were getting a chance to succeed. I swirled the next bite of waffle into the honey brown maple syrup, launched it to my face, and got it in without spilling a drop. A second later I dropped my fork on my plate with a clatter. But had I endangered my career? I bit my lower lip. Best to let the guys know. “I may have jeopardized my career the past few days.”
Four pairs of eyes focused on me.
“Remember, I commo'd and said I had to shepherd a trade delegation from God's Grace?”
John nodded. “I remember.”
“They are from an undeveloped planet discovered by a survey ship ten years ago.”
“A generation ship colony?”
“Right. Anyway, whoever in the economic development office is in charge of orchestrating their development is a complete moron, holding them back under some misplaced notions of paternalism. The office tells them what it thinks is appropriate. The office doesn’t ask the God's Gracers what they need or want, and they’re getting frustrated and mad.”
Ricardo smiled. “You decided a change was necessary.”
“Pierre here was my partner in crime. We researched the exploitable underground resources on their planet and set them up with the Gorakian planetary mining enterprise to mine them under a joint venture agreement.”
John's face creased with a big smile. “Couldn’t find anyone better.”
“In gratitude the delegation invited us for dinner.” I waved my hand at Pierre.
He rubbed his stomach. “They fed us simple food with little preparation. The best vegetables I’ve ever eaten.”
“Pierre fixed them up with a buyer he knew, and they signed a contract to sell their produce year round. No one in the Federation bureaucracy knows yet, but when they do find out...” I grimaced.
Nick pulled out his screen. “Can they trace the changes to you?”
“I signed for the purchases, and I altered their normal requisitions. They’re now getting portable ion power packs and full-sized tractors.”
Nick punched in letters and numbers. “Their purchase orders are standard. Just a minute and I’ll have everything matching.”
I looked over his shoulder. “May I see what inappropriate items have been ordered by the development office?”
“Sure.” He handed me the screen.
“Five hundred food fabricators! They don't need those and won't use them even if they’re sent.”
“No problem. I can fix that. Anything else?”
I shrugged and handed him the screen. “Removing the fabricators will cut their order total… maybe too much. Could be a red flag.”
A devilish smile grew on his face. “I think they could use some computers. Get them some of those heuristically programmable types, the ones that can learn by doing and are vocally interactive. Forty will by nice. They can do things like run tractors.”
Dan raised a hand. “How about refrigeration units to cool whole warehouses?”
I nodded at Nick.
He looked through the online catalog. “Found one. A simple unit, maintainable. Get them one hundred. They can buy more after they get paid for their first shipments.”
Something still nagged at me. “I need to commo the God's Gracers. Ask them what they want. Follow my own notions of what the Federation should do.”
The guys murmured agreement.
It was a weekend, so I was able to reach the humble people at their guest apartment.
“Yes.” Hoque’s tone was guarded.
“Kate here.”
“Kate. Nice to talk to you.” His voice relaxed.
“I’m at my spaceship, and my computer expert is helping me alter your order. He’s making sure all the paperwork matches so now the ion generators and the new tractors won't be held up because of paperwork irregularities such as the delivery order not fitting the purchase order.”
“I understand.”
“We’ve decided to add one hundred refrigeration units for warehouses and forty computers.”
He laughed. “You’re wonderful.”
“Thanks. But there is one vital element missing. What do you want? What would you like to request?”
“We sure would like some wrist communicators like you have.” His tone was wistful like a kid asking for something beyond the household budget for Christmas.
Our wrist computers were far more than mere communicators and would probably be far more than they needed. But wrist communicators might work out. I turned to Nick. “Can they have wrist communicators?”
He clicked some keys and ran his gaze down the screen. “I found one. I’m going to throw in a few basketball-sized communication satellites. They have to be strapped to the outside of the cargo ship and dropped off in the proper orbit. I’ll add instructions.”
I held up my wrist computer to my mouth. “Nick found a good one and he’ll set up the satellites they need,”
Hoque was silent.
“Hoque?”
“Yes, Kate.”
“What do you think?”
“I’m most grateful. How can we ever thank you?” His voice was hushed.
“Just use all these new items. That’ll be thanks enough.”
Mellock got on. “Kate, Pierre, remember, you’ve been adopted as members of our community. You’re always welcome on our planet and in the homes of any one of us.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. “Thank you.”
I commo’d off and glanced around. John, Dan, Ricardo, and Nick grinned, but Pierre’s eyes were wide, and his jaw had dropped.
My chest tightened. Uh-oh! What was going on with Pierre? “Anything wrong?”
He shook his head.
“I have to know.” If he disapproved, what would the bureaucrats at Central do if they ever found out? What about Really Big? Had I done something horrible? Would this get me cashiered out of the service?
Pierre stuck his hands in his pockets and bent his shoulders forward. “I’m having trouble with all this records changing. It’s one thing to set the God’s Gracers up with a gourmet foods buyer and with Gorak in a joint venture. That’s outside the system.”
“But they’ll never be able to do those things without proper tractors and refrigeration units.”
“OK, I’ll accept that, but now you’ve gone beyond necessity with wrist communicators.”
“But don’t you see? Without asking them for what they want and delivering it to them, I’m being as paternalistic as the Federation bureaucrats.” I clasped my hands.
John shifted his weight. “What makes you so sure they don’t need the communicators? It’s their planet. Their life. It may make a real difference in efficiency.” He frowned. “Pierre, you’re just too regular navy. Predictability, stability, following procedures are the sine qua non. We’re brown water navy. We be
nd the rules if it gets the job done.”
Pierre raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m a guest here. Do things your way.”
I took a deep breath and squinted at Pierre. I didn’t know he was so stodgy.
Dan walked over to the food fabricator. “It’s a matter of the higher ethic.”
“What are you getting at?” Pierre’s voice tightened.
“An ancient Earth philosopher argued the highest ethic was to do the greatest good for the greatest number.”
Ricardo bounced in his chair. “Screw over a couple of Federation bureaucrats who’ll never know they’ve been had and do a whole lot of good for a bunch of deserving people. I like it.”
Nick waved his index finger. “At their best, humans are a chaotic system. We introduced a little bit of controlled chaos, but it will produce no one knows how much good outcome.
John walked up to the food fabricator. “Beer anyone?”
We nodded.
He served up a medium dark, full-bodied beer from Central. “I propose a toast. Swashbucklers of the galaxy unite, the desk drivers will never know it.”
I smiled. He was good at using rituals to foster group cohesion and morale.
Pierre smiled and threw back his brew with the rest of us.
But he didn’t return the next day. I plunged into my studies. Maybe he had something he needed to do.
Nor did he return on the second day. I sat in the commons not doing anything. Why did I let myself expect anything? So much for my new romance. I crossed my arms over my chest. The least he could do was call.
Dan came in and got a snack. He sat and dipped his fork into his baked potato. The utensil came out dripping with gooey cheese and bits of olives and onions. He glanced at me. “Hi. I didn’t want to disturb you if you were doing something serious, but I had a question.”
“Go ahead.” I stared at his food, and my stomach growled.
“Do you want some?”
“No, I don't need the extra calories.”
“When the woman got on and talked with you after you asked Nick about wrist communicators.” He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes, Mellock.”
“She said something interesting. Something about you and Pierre being adopted into the community.”
“I remember.”
“Can you tell me about it?”
“Sure.” I told him about the ceremony.
“Tell me exactly what they said.”
I did my best to recount everything I could remember.
“Any other rituals?”
“Yes. A kind of grace before meals.” I told him about that as well.
He sat back. “That’s all very interesting. You say the colony was nearly wiped out by disease?”
“Yes.”
He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his thighs. “It makes sense. The best way to come through that level of catastrophe is by celebrating the goodness of life and each other.” He smiled at me, teeth starkly white against his dark skin.
“The rituals were fun, and I like the idea of being a member of their community. Maybe I’ll go visit someday. It would be interesting to see a whole planet acting so joyful.” Who cared about Pierre. I’d go visit the God’s Gracers. “I’ve been struggling with something.”
“Go ahead.” His voice was gentle.
“What value is a career if you have to avoid doing good just to keep it?”
“Are you asking whether you should have acted as you did for the God's Gracers?”
My mouth twisted. “Yes. It was so clear they needed assistance and would benefit from what I could do for them.”
“You know you did the right thing.”
“Yes, but now I’m worried about Central finding out.”
“You’re asking one of the questions man has asked since the dawn of time. It’s an internal struggle to act ethically in the face of adversity.”
“You have that right, but that leaves me where I started. Wondering how I got so mixed up between doing right and pursuing a career.” I pounded my fist on my side table. “I don’t want a career that requires I give up doing the right thing.”
He smiled. “Right on, lady.”
I smiled at him. But had I convinced myself?
Later at dinner I set my plate down and stared at it for a few moments. “Did I do the right thing?”
Ricardo fluttered his lips. “Oh, don't pay attention to Pierre. What an uptight guy!”
“It’s not him. It’s me. I want to know if I did the right thing.”
John shifted his weight. “Look at it this way. The people you dealt with from God's Grace were the leadership echelon, right?”
“Yes.”
“Absolutely, you did the right thing. Had you not intervened, the resentment the God's Gracers felt toward Central would have continued to build. I don't think it’s at all out of the question or hypothetical to suggest they might have believed there was no alternative to forming an alliance with one or another of the planets that are hostile to Central in order to get what they needed. Now they don't have to. In addition they have a warm spot in their hearts for a certain Central diplomat – you. Any trouble that arises in the future will be more easily dealt with through personal contact.”
I blinked. “I think you’re right. They were bitter and on the borderline of hostile. And, there is the nonaligned planet movement. The Federation sure doesn’t want more planets joining it.”
“Central would have been blindsided had they cut relations.”
Dan chuckled. “The God's Gracers would have been portrayed as ungrateful in Central's media.”
I straightened. “I did do the right thing.”
The guys smiled and nodded.
Ricardo came over and high-fived me. “Way to go, Kate.”
We stood, slapped each others hands, and laughed.
~ ~ ~
The next day male voices shouted and chortled in the passageway. I stuck my head out the commons and glanced toward the main hatch.
Pierre walked in.
Ricardo slapped his raised hands. “What’s this? Slumming again?”
John slapped Pierre’s hands next. “No, no. Must have lost his way, and he’s come back to ask for help.”
Pierre laughed. “You guys got me. It looks like I have to hang around with you pirates for a few more days.”
I stepped into the passageway, and his eyes darkened. “Hello Kate.”
Ricardo slapped him on the shoulder. “Come into the commons. We have to celebrate the fact you’ve found us again.”
Pierre smiled with boyish enthusiasm.
I led the way to the commons. My heart beat a little faster. Pierre was back. Stop! What was I getting myself into?
John strode to the food fabricator. “Any requests?”
Ricardo raised his hand. “Give me a Tequila. Reminds me of home.”
Nick grinned. “You know what I always want. Vacuum distilled, nearly one hundred percent pure, Lunar Clear. Nearly tasteless unless the distillation equipment springs a leak.”
John leaned forward with an exaggerated shake of his head. “You know the food fabricator can’t produce it. You need to have the moon's environment to make it right.”
Nick shrugged. “I’ll take whatever the fabricator thinks is the right thing.”
“That would be a glass of water.”
Nick grinned, and John handed him a glass with clear liquid. Nick took a sip. “Ah.”
John looked at me.
“Give me the Bella Sweetheart.”
For the briefest of seconds, Pierre’s and my gazes locked.
John shook his head.
“It’s the latest local drink.”
“Then we won't have it.
“A Mellow Yellow. Everyone knows that oldie.”
Pierre looked like he was about to speak, but John raised his hand. “For you I have something special.” His fingers flew over the keypad, and he pulled out a glass of yellow liquid topped by a
slice of orange and a bright green paper umbrella. He handed it to Pierre with a suppressed grin.
Pierre studied it. He looked at John from under lowered eyebrows and set the umbrella and orange slice to one side with exaggerated care. He tossed the drink to the back of his mouth and swallowed. “Top that!”
John and Ricardo laughed and tossed their drinks down.
Ricardo slammed his glass on the counter. “What are we going to do today?”
I stomped to the food fabricator. “I guess I have to get my own drink.” I grabbed my drink and took a sip.
John grimaced. “Sorry.” A few seconds later, he grinned. “Let’s go ride the ancient steam engines at the train park.”
Nick stuffed his glass into the recycler. “I like it.”
Dan sighed. “My turn to stay on watch.”
John looked at me.
“I’m coming.”
Pierre turned and gave me a thumbs up. I caught my breath for a quick moment.
The rest of the day, Pierre acted like one of the guys. He seemed happy. They seemed happy. I guessed I was happy too – if I ignored the big empty feeling in my gut. And for the next whole week, Pierre joined the crew of Miss A for fun-filled days as one of the guys. I joined in but a part of me stayed numb. What else could I do? My big romance dream had crashed.
But the day before Pierre shipped out, he asked me to dinner.
I squinted at him. “Don't you mean all of us?”
He gazed into my eyes. “No, I’m asking you.” His mouth curved into a crooked smile. “Besides, I owe you one. I know a place you’ll love. It is a little out of the way on the beach. The food is real, the atmosphere casual, and the music, uh, original.” He rolled his eyes. “That can be either good or bad.”
I tilted my head. “You do owe me a dinner.”
“Uh-huh.”
I dropped my arms. “Okay, I’ll go.”
He shot me a loopy smile and stepped from one foot to the other. “Um, you’ll have to hurry and get ready now. We have to leave right away to get there while they’re serving dinner.”
“It’ll only take me a minute to change.”
In my quarters I looked at the overhead. “Miss A, you won’t believe it. Pierre asked me to dinner.”
“I think that’s nice.”
“But what’s going on? I didn’t think there was anything between us.”