Page 23 of Volunteer 4711

“But?” she asks expectantly.

“But what if, ironically, I become the catalyst that pushes the Silver government to sign an unfavorable trade agreement with the Empire?”

Volunteer 4711 shrugs, which I find an adorable Water person habit that she has never given up. “Have you asked your contacts about it in the Silver government?”

“They agree with my plan to combine my fleet with the other to reassure the government to continue under current agreements, but politicians cannot be trusted.”

“No,” she agrees. “But what other choice do you have? If you do nothing, something will change regardless.”

“Exactly,” I say. Then I say, just as much to her as to myself, “Perhaps I will have a better feel for this when I meet the other fleet’s commander.”

“But wouldn’t that be a breach of some pirate code? That you meet to discuss joining arms, then decide when you get there not to do it. If it were a date, I would feel slighted.”

“We have no such protocol. The other fleet will have to feel slighted if that’s the case, but again, that is just bad leadership,” I say, amused by her analogy of a romantic date. She has told me about this Water people custom of courting, and it seems strange to me. “Also, just so you know, there will be some formalities with the other fleet. I will need you by my side,” I tell her.

“Is there something in the cultural database I can study first?” she asks me.

“Not for this.”

“Oh,pirateformalities,” she says, and now she is smiling. I still don’t know why she finds my profession so amusing.

“Yes,” I reply. “You will be able to pick up on things easily enough, I think. You are not without good knowledge of our culture on board, but most importantly, please carry a weapon during these negotiations. Can you use one?”

“Where would I have learned to use a weapon? Farming?”

“I do not know, but I want you to have a gun, at the very least. I do not expect anything to go badly, but you never know.”

“Where and how do I get a gun and learn how to use it?”

“I will make an appointment for you with the armory, and someone will instruct you. I am sure you will pick it up in no time. Using a weapon is not difficult, which is why they are so dangerous.”

“I don’t feel comfortable being armed. And I’ll be with you.”

“You will be with me, but you must be able to defend yourself,” I say, slightly annoyed. I want her to be able to protect herself in case something were to happen to me.

“Is that all for now? “she asks. I can tell she is annoyed with me too.

“Yes,” I say. Once she is gone, I arrange for her to have lessons, not only in shooting but in self-defense as well. I will not have her vulnerable to attack. It never occurred to me that she was so physically helpless. I have prepared her intellectually, in the event something were to happen to me, so that she could find another position, but if she were attacked, she has little in the way of defenses.

* * *

While on the bridge, my mind wanders. I am thinking about Volunteer 4711 and how her first day of self-defense training is going. As there is nothing that needs my direct attention, I give my first officer the bridge and head down to the gymnasium. As I enter, I hear the instructor, one of my best young officers, educating my valet. What I had not expected was to see him standing so close to her and touching her. I instinctively want to move her away from him, which is ridiculous. He is training her and is a professional. And most importantly, I ordered him to do this.

Both my officer and valet stop when they notice me and bow respectfully. Volunteer 4711 is wearing something I do not approve of either. I know females on the Home Planet wear these kinds of clothes when they exercise, but I don’t particularly appreciate seeing my valet in them. However, I do not want to embarrass her. I have no doubt she chose these clothes because they were in her cultural program, and I think she is too trusting to know what she looks like to males. Thankfully, I am strict with the fleet when it comes to rape. Any male caught raping a female is castrated. Any couple found having sex without being married are both executed.

I signal my officer and valet to proceed, and I watch them. With so few clothes on, I can see the strength in my valet. She is female, but she is fast and more flexible than a male. My officer, having realized this, is able to teach her defensive moves only a female can do to get the upper hand and then run. I almost smile, thinking about how fast she ran back into that old farmhouse when I said I was taking her with me. We have come a long way since then. Then completely inappropriately, I think about how I watch her in her quarters weekly. My body becomes aroused by the memories and the expectation of watching her again this evening. It was ‘her day’ as she referred to it. I shift and force myself to concentrate on what is going on before me.

After they finish, my officer and valet bow to me, and I dismiss them after telling them they did good work and that I expect to see good results soon. I know my valet is pleased by my praise as she gives me a Water person smile showing her teeth, and this makes me happy, too, although I do not show it.

That evening when I buzz her to my quarters, I say as she is undressing me, “I would like you to have your status embroidered on your gymnasium clothing.”

“Why?” she looks up at me, perplexed.

“I do not want any confusion about who you are. There are only males in that area of the ship.”

“I’m the only Water person on this ship. I’m sure everyone knows I’m your valet.”

“I want it done,” I say. I know I am being pedantic, but it makes me feel better knowing there is no question about who she is associated with.

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