“Six weeks, sir. Three weeks aboard a star ship bringing me out to Perseus Alpha VI, a week at the planetary base there, and two weeks aboard the cruiser ,.. um, SW4-J188, that is. The crew called her Old Lardbucket … after the captain, I think. Oh, I mean, six weeks since I received my commission…. I’ve been at the, uh, academy for four years.”
“You got through the academy in four years?”
“That’s the regulation time, sir.”
“Yes, I know.”
The ship eased out of its berth. There was a moment of free fall, then the drive engine came on and weight returned to the passenger cabin.
‘Tell me. Lieutenant, how did you get picked for this assignment?”
“I wish I knew, sir,” Hector said, his lean face wrinkling nto a puzzled frown. “I was working out a program for the navigation officer ,. , aboard the cruiser. I’m pretty good at that … I can work out computer programs in my head, pretty much. Mathematics was my best subject at the academy.”
“Interesting.”
“Yes, well, anyway, I was working out this program when the captain himself came on deck and started shaking my hand and telling me that I was being sent on special duty at Acquatainia by direct orders of the Commander in Chief. He seemed very happy … the captain, that is.”
“He was probably pleased to see you get such an unusual assignment,” said Leoh, tactfully.
“I’m not so sure,” Hector answered truthfully. “I think he regarded me as … well, some sort of a, um, problem. He had me on a different duty berth practically every day I was aboard the ship.”