“Yeah. It was part of what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m not sure it’s appropriate for a member of the detachment to take separate quarters.”
“Am I a member of the detachment, Chief? That ain’t what my orders say, it’s one of th’ things that got me crosswise with Chief Joshua in the first place.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I thought not. Me’n Todd got orders to Llapaaloapalla, not to the detachment. Dreelig detailed us to work with the rest of you, but Prethuvenigis could cancel that any time you like.”
“Might not be a bad idea. Get it on paper.”
“Hunh. Anyway, Heelinig’s around forty an’ got two kids, she ain’t interested in romance, this was more in the way of a housewarmin’. Dhuvenig was there, and the Captain stopped by for a minute. So did Prethuvenigis and a couple of his people, and some folks from the Engineerin’ Department I get on with. We had ourselves a right nice party.”
“I’m sure you did. So?”
“So I was late gettin’ there. I reckon you know why.” Warnocki looked at him, and Peters nodded, and grinned with more than a bit of irony. “Yep. I spent a quarter of an hour standin’ at parade rest with my hat on, listenin’ to Master Chief Joshua chew me out for assumin’ above my ratin’ and outside my rate, by talkin’ on the radio to the airplane drivers.”
“I knew the Master Chief was put out—”
“Yeah. Well, Chief, you can pass the word, that shit has just come to an end.” Warnocki regarded him steadily, and Peters grimaced again and went on, “The situation ain’t real clear. If we was aboard a Navy ship and out of contact with the World, ain’t no question, I’d still be in the Navy and subject to orders ‘til we got back to port and somebody cut separation papers, right?”
“Right, but—”
“Yeah, but… if we was in port, or somewhere within reach of a civilian facility, I could just ask for separation there. The Navy’d owe me time and a half on my base pay and transportation home, right?”
“Right… shipping over is not an option you’re considering, I take it.”
“Hunh… ain’t no way the Navy can buy me a ticket home, and I don’t think Bolton could sign my separation orders if he wanted to. So here’s the way it is, Chief.” Peters took a deep breath. “You post a watch bill with me on it, you’ll find me there, in proper uniform and walkin’ my post in a military manner. Comes a duty stint, you’ll find me at my station and executin’ my duties best I know how. You got somethin’ else for me, you tell me what it is and I’ll hop. But I have moved out of the enlisted quarters and I ain’t goin’ back. Stop by if you’ve a mind to. Your name’s Edward, ain’t it?”
“Yeah.” Warnocki looked up, the ghost of a grin quirking the left side of his mouth. “I generally go by ‘Ed’.”
“And I’m John.” Warnocki nodded, accepting that and the implications, and Peters continued, “But I do not care to speak to Master Chief Petty Officer Leon Joshua now or at any time in the foreseeable future, and the next time he wants to call me on the carpet he can use the mirror in the head instead.”
“He’s not going to like that.”
“Foamin’ at the mouth’s more like it, don’t you reckon?”
Warnocki’s mouth quirked again. “Probably.”
“All right… he’s likely to think of writin’ me up, and if he don’t, Commander Bolton might. If they do that, you tell ‘em I ain’t gonna stand a Summary, and there ain’t nobody on board impartial enough to sit a General Court. Write it up an’ I’ll sign it, and we’ll sort it out when we get back to Mayport or whatever.”
“Absent without leave?”
“Or insubordination, or any of half a dozen things.” Peters bit his lip. “I ain’t lawyer enough to know what they’re likely to think of.”
“They might try to make it treason.”
“‘Clingin’ to our enemies, givin’ ‘em aid and comfort’,” Peters quoted. “Aid and comfort’s about right, Chief, but you reckon the folks back home’re gonna be anxious to call people who can fly in space enemies? The spooks are another story, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”
“You may have burned it already,” Warnocki mused. When Peters nodded at that, he took a deep breath and looked at him straight on before continuing, “All right, I’ll pass the word. I may soften it some. I don’t want to give Chief Joshua a heart attack.”
“Nor me, but if it happens I can find him freezer space.”
“That’s cold.”
“There was room for Todd. I just don’t give a shit any more, Chief.” He thumbed his buckle, pulled the belt off, and fiddled with the controls. His suit began fading from Navy blue to its default light tan. “I’ll see you later, Chief. I’ve got zifthkakik watch third ande, but right now I got business with the XO, and I need to get as much of it done as I can before I go on watch.” By the time he was done speaking his suit had taken on the blue-and-white zerkre pattern.
Warnocki spread his hands and shrugged, but didn’t speak, and Peters turned. “Let’s go,” he suggested to Heelinig, who had stood by, watching, as he and the Chief conferred.
“Yes… what was that about?”
“There’s some question about my status. The situation can’t be fully clarified for some time; there are several others whose input is important. This was a preliminary discussion.”
“Your status with us is clear,” she told him, smiling a little.
“I’m grateful that something is… for now, something that was said earlier has suggested a concept to me. Can we speak to Dhuvenig? If there’s one thing we have a sufficiency of aboard Llapaaloapalla it’s labor, and if there are enough hacksaw blades on board…”
Peters chose the east-facing bedroom and carefully closed the door to the other. Not having Todd at his elbow felt strange—the blond sailor would’ve been remarking on the forested valley filled with light and shadow, or the luxury of the room, while checking how the light switches worked—but at the same time it was as if somebody had opened a door, or taken down a fence. Todd had enjoyed the sights and experiences, but the thought that he might not be able to go back had worried him badly. Without that pressure, Peters occasionally sweated a bit at the memory of chewing out a Senior Chief, but still felt… relieved. Standing on a precipice, wondering if he knew how to fly. He had begun to suspect that he’d do better than anyone had expected, including himself.
“Get a nice place,” he’d been instructed. “You can afford it.” He’d done that. The suite was done in pale greens and golds, with filmy curtains drawn back from wood-sashed windows and little knicknacks here and there. A sideboard of polished blond wood with swirly grain bore a glass carafe of purple liquid and glasses on a doily marked with a glyph that meant “drinkable”. He poured a glass and tasted it. Mint and a hint of violets… he’d been in the Navy before he was old enough to buy alcohol legally, and had developed a sailor’s habits, teetotal at sea and binge on shore. This was too good to binge on. He held it up to the light to examine the color, then took another sip.
Knock! knock! came from the door, two short raps. “Enter at will,” he said loudly, the Grallt formula for “come in,” without turning, and listened as the door mechanism worked.
“This is very pleasant,” said Prethuvenigis. “The view reminds me of your home planet.”
“That’s because the trees are green,” Peters observed. “Have you tried this? I consider it quite palatable.”
“No, but I will.” He took the glass, waited as Peters poured, and took a sip. “You’re correct, that’s certainly taken from the higher order squares. Aren’t you concerned about biochemical effects?”