Walther the First Officer, and Dr. Hendrix the Astrogator. Max concluded that whatever it was he was about to be tried for, it could be nothing trivial. But he remembered to say, “Steward’s Mate Third Class Jones reporting, sir.”
Captain Blaine looked up. “Oh, yes. Find a chair.” Max found one, sat down on the edge of it. The Captain said to the First Officer, “Under the circumstances, Dutch, I suppose it’s the best thing to do—though it seems a little drastic. You agree, Hal?”
The Purser agreed. Max wondered just how drastic it was and whether he would live through it.
“We’ll log it as an exception, then, Doc, and I’ll write up an explanation for the board. After all, regulations were made to be broken. That’s the end of it.” Max decided that they were simply going to space him and explain it later.
The Captain turned back to his desk in a manner that signified that the meeting was over. The First Officer cleared his throat. “Captain…” He indicated Max with his eyes.
Captain Blaine looked up again. “Oh, yes! Young man, your name is Jones?”
“Yessir.”
“I’ve been looking over your record. I see that you once tried out for chartsman for a short time in the Thule? ”
“Uh, yes, Captain.”
“Didn’t you like it?”
“Well, sir.” Max asked himself what Sam would say when confronted by such a ghost. “It was like this…to tell you the truth I didn’t do much except empty ash trays in the Worry—in the control room.” He held his breath.
The Captain smiled briefly. “It can sometimes work out that way. Would you be interested in trying it again?”
“What? Yes, sir! ”
“Dutch?”
“Captain, ordinarily I see no point in a man striking twice for the same job. But there is this personal matter.”
“Yes, indeed. You can spare him, Hal?”
“Oh, certainly, Captain. He’s hardly a key man where he is.” The Purser smiled. “Bottom deck valet.”
The Captain smiled and turned to the Astrogator. “I see no objection, Doc. It’s a guild matter, of course.”
“Kelly is willing to try him. He’s short a man, you know.”
“Very well, then…”
“Just a moment, Captain.” The Astrogator turned to Max. “Jones…you had a relative in my guild?”
“My uncle, sir. Chester Jones.”
“I served under him. I hope you have some of his skill with figures.”
“Uh, I hope so, sir.”
“We shall see. Report to Chief Computerman Kelly.”
Max managed to find the control room without asking directions, although he could hardly see where he was going.
9
CHARTSMAN JONES
The change in Max’s status changed the whole perspective of his life. His social relations with the other crew members changed not entirely for the better. The control room gang considered themselves the gentry of the crew, a status disputed by the power technicians and resented by the stewards. Max found that the guild he was leaving no longer treated him quite as warmly while the guild for which he was trying out did not as yet accept him.
Mr. Gee simply ignored him—would walk right over him if Max failed to jump aside. He seemed to regard Max’s trial promotion as a personal affront.
It was necessary for him to hit the slop chest for dress uniforms. Now that his duty station was in the control room, now that he must pass through passengers’ country to go to and from work, it was no longer permissible to slouch around in dungarees. Mr. Kuiper let him sign for them; his cash would not cover it. He had to sign as well for the cost of permission to work out of his guild, with the prospect of going further in debt to both guilds should he be finally accepted. He signed cheerfully.
The control department of the Asgard consisted of two officers and five men—Dr. Hendrix the Astrogator, his assistant astrogator Mr. Simes, Chief Computerman Kelly, Chartsman First Class Kovak, Chtsmn 2/c Smythe, and computermen Noguchi and Lundy, both second class. There was also “Sack”
Captain Blaine looked up. “Oh, yes. Find a chair.” Max found one, sat down on the edge of it. The Captain said to the First Officer, “Under the circumstances, Dutch, I suppose it’s the best thing to do—though it seems a little drastic. You agree, Hal?”
The Purser agreed. Max wondered just how drastic it was and whether he would live through it.
“We’ll log it as an exception, then, Doc, and I’ll write up an explanation for the board. After all, regulations were made to be broken. That’s the end of it.” Max decided that they were simply going to space him and explain it later.
The Captain turned back to his desk in a manner that signified that the meeting was over. The First Officer cleared his throat. “Captain…” He indicated Max with his eyes.
Captain Blaine looked up again. “Oh, yes! Young man, your name is Jones?”
“Yessir.”
“I’ve been looking over your record. I see that you once tried out for chartsman for a short time in the Thule? ”
“Uh, yes, Captain.”
“Didn’t you like it?”
“Well, sir.” Max asked himself what Sam would say when confronted by such a ghost. “It was like this…to tell you the truth I didn’t do much except empty ash trays in the Worry—in the control room.” He held his breath.
The Captain smiled briefly. “It can sometimes work out that way. Would you be interested in trying it again?”
“What? Yes, sir! ”
“Dutch?”
“Captain, ordinarily I see no point in a man striking twice for the same job. But there is this personal matter.”
“Yes, indeed. You can spare him, Hal?”
“Oh, certainly, Captain. He’s hardly a key man where he is.” The Purser smiled. “Bottom deck valet.”
The Captain smiled and turned to the Astrogator. “I see no objection, Doc. It’s a guild matter, of course.”
“Kelly is willing to try him. He’s short a man, you know.”
“Very well, then…”
“Just a moment, Captain.” The Astrogator turned to Max. “Jones…you had a relative in my guild?”
“My uncle, sir. Chester Jones.”
“I served under him. I hope you have some of his skill with figures.”
“Uh, I hope so, sir.”
“We shall see. Report to Chief Computerman Kelly.”
Max managed to find the control room without asking directions, although he could hardly see where he was going.
9
CHARTSMAN JONES
The change in Max’s status changed the whole perspective of his life. His social relations with the other crew members changed not entirely for the better. The control room gang considered themselves the gentry of the crew, a status disputed by the power technicians and resented by the stewards. Max found that the guild he was leaving no longer treated him quite as warmly while the guild for which he was trying out did not as yet accept him.
Mr. Gee simply ignored him—would walk right over him if Max failed to jump aside. He seemed to regard Max’s trial promotion as a personal affront.
It was necessary for him to hit the slop chest for dress uniforms. Now that his duty station was in the control room, now that he must pass through passengers’ country to go to and from work, it was no longer permissible to slouch around in dungarees. Mr. Kuiper let him sign for them; his cash would not cover it. He had to sign as well for the cost of permission to work out of his guild, with the prospect of going further in debt to both guilds should he be finally accepted. He signed cheerfully.
The control department of the Asgard consisted of two officers and five men—Dr. Hendrix the Astrogator, his assistant astrogator Mr. Simes, Chief Computerman Kelly, Chartsman First Class Kovak, Chtsmn 2/c Smythe, and computermen Noguchi and Lundy, both second class. There was also “Sack”
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