Places went to people with interest: the support of a senior officer either because of personal contact or the recommendation of a civilian whose wealth or political influence might be of use to that senior officer. Daniel had neither of those things. He’d distinguished himself when he fell into command on Kostroma, but the swashbuckling manner of his success might itself give pause to an officer considering “young Leary” for an appointment.
The printer’s hum was too faint for those beyond the bar to notice, but all six of the junior officials turned slowly and stared at their chief like rabbits facing a snake. Their motion drew the eyes of the waiting officers, Daniel’s among them.
The chief clerk’s printer had extruded a slip of hard copy. It was a moment before the fact registered on the man. He had to stand to lean over the broad, bare expanse and pluck the document from the output slot. He read it with disbelief, then walked to the annunciator as all eyes in the huge hall followed him.
The annunciator filled his lungs, aware that he had the greatest audience of his career. “Number two-hundred-and-nineteen!” he called.
Good God!
Daniel stood, knowing that his 2nd Class uniform had suffered in guiding and supporting his uncle during the tour of the Princess Cecile. The trousers had rucked up slightly and were sticking to the backs of his thighs; normally he’d have tugged them down unobtrusively as he walked, but now!
He strode forward, his face composed. Corder Leary’s son knew what it was to be on display, certainly. Particularly when Daniel smiled, which was more of the time than not, he looked even younger than his twenty-two years. That didn’t normally disturb him—indeed, a number of women seemed to find it intriguing. Right at the moment, however, he wished he could manage the gravity of a judge.
And he also wished he’d managed to lose the fifteen pounds he’d sworn he was going to scrub off this long time past!
The annunciator took chit 219 and dropped it into a drum on the receiving clerk’s desk. He gave Daniel the slip of hard copy as the usher raised the gate to pass him through the bar.
Daniel stepped through immediately, just in case the usher changed his mind, then paused to read the slip. It was headed with his rank, serial number, and request as offered to the receiving clerk. In the destination block below was the legend:
Ground floor, Room 14
Daniel walked across the administrative section, past the desk of the chief clerk—still standing, watching Daniel with the expression of a man who’s stumbled over a disemboweled corpse—and through the door of polished hardwood at the back. Only when he’d closed that door behind him did he let himself relax with a sigh of relief.
He tugged his pants legs straight. The female usher stationed in the long hallway watched him with cool interest.
“Room Fourteen,” Daniel said, gesturing with the slip of hard copy.
“That’s the Chief’s office,” the usher said imperturbably. “All the way down, right to the end.” She nodded.
Daniel acknowledged the information with a nod of his own and strode down the hallway. There were six doors to his right, all unmarked and closed; the seventh had Director of Personnel stencilled on the frosted glass and was open. Daniel paused, about to step into the small reception room where an assistant communications officer glanced up from behind his desk—
But this door wasn’t all the way down the hall; and the numeral above the stencilled words was 10.
Daniel gave the clerk a smile of apology and continued on. Behind him a group of officers entered from the reception hall and turned in the opposite direction, headed for the stairs to the upper floors.
The usher had said “the Chief’s office.” Daniel had assumed “Chief of Personnel.” He straightened his back and strode onward, completely puzzled and more than a little apprehensive. Well, the RCN expected her officers to handle whatever events they encountered in the course of their duties.
The remaining doors to the right were marked Purchasing I, Purchasing II, and Purchasing III. A pair of civilians came out of the middle door as Daniel passed, calling cheerful farewells to someone inside. Daniel paused, but the taller one bumped him anyway—and bounced back.