Damien did Grimes the honor of getting up from behind his huge desk, walking around the massive piece of furniture and advancing on Grimes with bony right hand outstretched. Grimes did Damien the honor of saluting quite smartly before shaking hands with the rear admiral. Damien motioned Grimes to a quite comfortable armchair before resuming his own seat. He put his elbows on the surface of the desk, made a steeple of the skeletal fingers of both hands and resting his chin upon the apex, looked intently at the younger man.
"Well, young Grimes," he said at last, "what can I do you for?"
"I do not think," replied Grimes, "that that was an unintentional slip of the tongue."
"Too right it wasn't. Nonetheless I may be in a position to do something for you."
"At a price, no doubt. Sir. How many pounds of flesh, or is it just my soul you're after?"
"Grimes, Grimes . . . . This uppity attitude does not become you. And I would remind you that you hold a Survey Service commission, albeit on the Reserve List. You are subject to Service discipline—and, when you are recalled to active duty, are entitled to the full pay and allowances for your rank in addition to the quite—indeed overly—generous retaining fee of which you are already in receipt."
Grimes' prominent ears reddened but he kept his temper. After all he had the services of himself and his ship to sell—and this was a buyer's market. He could not afford to antagonize Damien.
"And now, Grimes, what exactly are your current troubles?"
"Well, sir, I was hoping that the Interstellar Transport Commission would renew or extend my time charter on the Earth/New Sparta run. After all, my ship has given very good service on that trade . . . ."
"But not with you in command of her, Grimes, until recently. As far as New Sparta is concerned you're too much of a catalyst. Things have a habit of happening around you rather than to you . . . ."
"Mphm!" grunted Grimes indignantly.
"I wish that you'd break yourself of that disgusting habit," said Damien. "I've told you before that I do not expect naval officers to make noises like refugees from a pig sty. But, to revert to New Sparta, it will be better for all concerned if things are allowed to settle down. Your boozing pal Brasidus is doing quite well now that he no longer has Queen Elena to stick her tits into everything. Our Commander Lazenby is maintaining a watching brief, as I am sure that you know. You and she are old friends, aren't you? And that obnoxious news hen Fenella Pruin has taken flight to some other planet to do her muckraking . . . ."
"So you persuaded the Commission not to renew the charter," said Grimes.
"Hinted, just hinted. And I also hinted that there was no need to bust a gut to get your inward cargo discharged. Until it's out you're still on hire. And money, I need hardly remind you, is money . . . ."
"Thank you, sir. And I wonder if you'd mind hinting to the Astronauts' Guild that I have a vacancy for a chief officer, one with some experience and with a master's ticket. Come to that, I also want a new catering officer . . . ."
"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Grimes. You'll be getting your new chief officer shortly. One of our people, needless to say. And a very good catering officer. And . . . " A sardonic grin appeared briefly on Damien's face.
"And what? Or whom?"
"You remember Shirl and Darleen, the two young ladies whom you brought to Earth, as passengers, from New Sparta . . . ."
"How could I forget them?"
"Like that, was it?"
Again Grimes' prominent ears flushed angrily.
He said, "So it was you who arranged for their passage, in my ship, from New Sparta to Earth. Oh, well, as long as you pay their fares again I'll carry them to anywhere else you wish."
"You're a mercenary bastard, Grimes, aren't you? But we shall not be paying their fares. They will not be paying their fares. On the contrary, you'll be paying them. Wages, at the Award rate."
"What?"
"You heard me, Grimes. After all, merchant vessels quite often carry officer cadets."
"Who have had the required pre-Space training at some recognized academy. And I'm sure that there's no such an academy on New Alice."
"There's not. But there are such things as STS— Straight To Space—cadets."
Grimes, who since he had become a merchant spaceman had made a study of all the regulations that could possibly affect him, ransacked his memory.
He said, "But Shirl and Darleen just aren't qualified in any possible way. Aboard a spaceship they'd be completely unskilled personnel."
"But with qualifications, Grimes." He opened one of the folders on his desk, began to read from it. " 'Any person who has held commissioned rank in the armed forces of any federated planet, wishing to embark upon a new career in the Merchant Service, may serve the qualifying time for the lowest grade of certificate of competency in any merchant vessels, with the rank and pay. of officer cadet.' "
"But . . . Commissioned rank?" asked Grimes.
Then he realized that Damien was right. New Sparta was a federated planet. Elena's Amazon Guard had been part of the armed forces of that planet. Shirl and Darleen had held commissions— as officer instructors, but commissions nonetheless—in that body.
"Too," said Damien, grinning again, "both young ladies are now Probationary Ensigns, Special Branch, in the Federation Survey Service Reserve. Of course, their reserve commissions are as secret as yours is. But when I got the first reports, by Carlottigram, from Commander Lazenby about what was happening on New Sparta I decided that I, that we could make use of the special skills and talents of those New Alicians. After all, you did. On Venusberg first of all, then on New Sparta . . . ."
"And your Special Branch," grumbled Grimes, "is one sprouting many strange fruits and flowers."
"Well said. You have the soul of a poet, young Grimes. Anyhow when, in the fullness of time, your Sister Sue lifts off you will have, on your Articles, in addition to your normal complement, officer cadets Shirl Kelly and Darleen Byrne . . . "
"Kelly and Byrne?"
"Why not? I explained to the young ladies that they would have to adopt surnames and told them that Kelly and Byrnes are both names associated with Australian history."
"But they were bushrangers, sir."
"Don't be snobbish, Grimes. After all, you've been a pirate yourself."
"A privateer," snapped Grimes. "And acting under your secret orders."
"Which included, at the finish, committing an act of real piracy. But enough of this quibbling. Tomorrow a Mr. Steerforth will be reporting to you as your new chief officer. He will be on loan from the Interstellar Transport Commission. He is also a lieutenant commander in the Survey Service Reserve. He is a capable and experienced officer. Give him a day to settle in and then you'll be free to inflict yourself on your parents in Alice Springs for three weeks. It will be all of that before anybody gets around to discharge your cargo and before your next charter has been arranged."
"Thank you, sir. But can you tell me anything about the next charter? Time, or voyage? Where to?"
"Not yet. Oh, would you mind taking Shirl and Darleen with you to the Alice? They want to see something of inland Australia and you'd make a good guide. I'm sure that your parents wouldn't mind putting up a couple of guests."
His father wouldn't, Grimes thought, but regarding his mother he was far from certain. Even so he was looking forward to seeing Shirl and Darleen again.