The second dli flashed in as the chiefs emerged, turning around to salute toward the bow, then back. Warnocki went ahead down the gangway and Joshua turned to glare at Peters. “Got it all figured out, do you?” he asked, eyes intent.
“That’s what I’m supposed to be here for, Chief,” Peters replied.
“Sure is,” the chief allowed with a sharp nod, then squared his shoulders, tugged the brim of his hat to bring it straight, and walked erect down to the deck.
“Pleasant greetings,” Dreelig told him calmly.”Welcome aboard Llapaaloapalla, Chief Joshua.” Peters and Todd had spent some time describing a chief’s uniform, and had made sure the Grallt knew the name. First impressions…
Chief Joshua performed a snappy salute, which Dreelig returned with his lifted-arm gesture. “Glad to be here.”
Dreelig smiled, and Peters could see the chief flinch; he and Todd had forgotten how odd that expression looked until you were used to it. “I hope you are still glad later, Chief,” the Grallt said. “We will be together for some time.”
“Yes, we will, if all goes well,” the chief admitted, looking away, then forcing his eyes back. “Now if you’ll excuse me, sir, I need to get this evolution a little better organized.” He glanced at Todd, mouth set, and shook his head. “I want to get everybody briefed in before we start turning them loose. Last thing we need’s a bunch of people straggling around.”
Dreelig shrugged and smiled again. “You know your business better than I. Please proceed.”
“Aye,” the Chief said, and turned to the loose gaggle of sailors, now beginning to be augmented by the first of those from the second dli. “Listen up, people,” he said, voice cutting across the babble. “Form up, section leaders get your people together. Let’s start looking a little military here.” He looked at Peters, who was standing by the hatch, advising on procedure as the sailors emerged, then turned to Todd. “See the short fat First Class ET over there? That’s Kellmann, he’ll be your section leader. Might as well get on over and join your section.”
“Aye, Chief,” said Todd, and set off briskly. Well, back in the Navy, I guess, he said to himself. The third dli came in, enough faster to generate a couple of twangs, as he approached his new boss. Kellman glanced briefly at the younger sailor, then gave his attention to the approaching ship, and Todd, having seen a dli land before, took time to look the other over. He was a little old for a First Class, probably just before getting promoted to Chief in the normal order of things, swarthy and black-eyed, with heavy straight black hair, neatly parted.
“You must be Todd,” was his greeting once the dli settled and began taxiing over. “I’m Dan Kellman.”
“Kevin Todd.”
“You’ve already been aboard two weeks, I hear.”
“Yeah, Peters and I were sent up here to get things ready.”
“Heard that. How’d you get along?” Kellman waved at the Grallt spectators.
“Real good,” said Todd seriously. “They’re good folks.”
“Glad to hear it.” Kellman paused, looked Todd in the eye. “I’m maintenance section leader for 97, the Hornets. You got any particular job you want?”
Todd considered. “I was plane captain before, Mikmacs. Like to do that again.”
“Got any trouble dealing with women?”
“Women, Hell.” Todd shook his head. “Those are officers.”
Kellman barked a short laugh. “OK, you got it. The rest’ll draw straws, but I’ll put you on the skipper’s bird, you’ve got the seniority.” He shook his head. “TO’s real simple, mostly blank, I’ll get you a copy.” He waved at the crowd of sailors. “Come on, they’re getting formed up.”
Peters had again taken it upon himself to serve as greeter and initial orientation for the third dli-load of sailors. Now they were all on the deck, and he stood up straight, shook his head, and came slowly down the nonskid to join them. Chief Joshua intercepted him at the step. “Get with Chief Warnocki, he’s going to be Chief of the Deck and acting Air Boss. He’ll give you a unit assignment.”
“Aye, aye, Chief,” Peters replied smartly enough, keeping his face straight with an effort. His thought paralleled Todd’s: Back in the Navy, I reckon. Looking the group over confirmed the impression he’d gotten watching them get off the dli: they were really heavy on senior petty officers. Four chiefs besides Joshua and Warnocki, although one of those was the medic, Gill; and out of two hundred sailors, more than half were First or Second Class. There were gonna be a lot of people who were section leaders down below but were just crew here.
He got in line in the group behind Warnocki. Chief Joshua was out front, waving people over to their sections. Finally they were all still, not in really sharp ranks but at least standing in neat groups. Donollo took a step up onto a box of some kind, and Chief Joshua gave him a sharp salute. The older Grallt responded with the standard raised left arm, expression sardonic, and launched into a flood of sonorous Grallt.
Hearing the speech for the third time, Peters found himself understanding a few words, and had a hard time keeping a straight face. The elder Grallt was upbraiding them all in solemn rolling periods for vicious personalities, perverted habits, and lack of personal hygiene. When Donollo ran down, Dreelig ‘translated’ a speech nearly identical to that he’d given the officers, except a little longer.
At its end, Chief Joshua saluted again, and this time Dreelig returned it. “Please allow your people to disperse in small groups,” he said in a mild voice. “Not more than ten, I mean eight, per group would be best. We have four and eight persons, ah, twelve people available as guides and translators.”
“Aye,” Joshua said again. “What’s the schedule, sir?”
Peters was sure he and Todd were the only humans who recognized Dreelig’s expression as amused exasperation. “You have arrived near the end of our working day, so there is no schedule for the next few hours,” the Grallt said. “Food and drink are available; your guides will show you. Other than that, you should accustom yourselves to your quarters and perhaps rest a bit.” He looked directly at the chief, who flinched. “Where are Peters and Todd? I require their assistance.”
Joshua didn’t answer directly, just turned and addressed the group: “Peters, Todd, front and center.” When Peters and Todd made their way through the group, Joshua jerked a thumb at Dreelig. “Your boss wants you.”
“Aye, Chief,” said Peters agreeably, then to Dreelig, “Yes, Mr. Ambassador?”
“Peters, you have the conversion timepiece. How long will it be until beginning of the first ande?”
Peters brought out the handheld, pressed buttons. “Just about nine and a half hours, Mr. Ambassador.”
“Thank you. Chief Joshua, you will have about nine hours to rest and accustom yourselves to your quarters. I and the others will return to escort you to, ah, breakfast, and we will begin issuing your safety equipment.”
“Clear, sir,” said Joshua with a nod.
“You will all be curious, but you should not wander about unescorted until you have kathir suits and have become accustomed to the ship,” Dreelig advised. “There are many hazards.”
“I understand, Mr. Ambassador,” Joshua said seriously. The ranks exchanged disappointed looks, but Peters hardened his heart. Two hundred sailors with no immediate duties were a prime example of the old adage about idle hands.