Page 42 of Volunteer 4711

“It is the rule of the fleet. These rules are not new. You have just been neglecting them, and now that you have been included, we all must abide by the same laws with the same consistency.”

“I might feel more favorably to them if you give me your valet. You have trained her well; perhaps she could train my Water woman.”

“Your crew has the same access to the cultural programs as Volunteer 4711 has. Perhaps you need to provide better incentives for your Water woman.”

“I give her so much, and all she does is sit around and watch dramas with the other females,” he complains.

“Because those females need to be married off to give them something to do,” I say. I can tell by his face expression this is not what he wants to hear. “I’m going to pay you 3,000 UCs for the harm Volunteer 4711 did to your Water woman, and then I do not want to hear about any of this again.”

“I cannot promise I will not ask to buy 4711 again. In the future, you might tire of her.”

“I can promise you that will not happen. Now you have until the end of the week. I expect to see many marriages or females abandoning your ship for other places to sell their bodies.”

The other commander agrees, and then I end the communications between us.

I open my messages to check what Volunteer 4711 has sent, not that she ever makes a mistake, and what messages I have from the government. Of course, the government wants to charge me for stealing a volunteer. They think they have caught me in some trick with my other commander; although I do not believe he was in league with the government, I think he just saw an opportunity and tried.

I delete the messages from the government.

I see another one from a female I used to know when I had just become an adult. We were together for a short period of time. I see that Volunteer 4711 has read it, and I wonder why she marked it for me. I assume this must be about her husband’s death, and my valet should have sent an appropriate amount of money to her for sympathy. But when I read it, I understand. This female is fishing for a new husband. I am flattered, but that will not be me. I go to delete the message, but at the last minute, I decide I will reply later. I do not want to burn any bridges.

* * *

Today I received Volunteer 4711’s necklace. It came in a plain envelope as if her belongings were that of a dead person or a criminal. I find that offensive. Before I give her the necklace, I want to get a proper jewelry box for her to keep it in. Usually, this would be my valet’s job, but since it is for her, I must assign the task to one of my officers. Thankfully, he does not question it. And why would he, everyone who keeps up with any kind of social gossip, knows I bought this for her. My crew knows better than to believe the silly rumors that I am in love with her. They know our relationship is completely professional. She saved my life, and I made her my valet. This necklace belongs to her, and she wants it back, and I am able to give that to her.

My officer returns with a nice grey box, and I find that fitting. If it had been any other color, that would have meant something else, purple for love, red for power, black for sorrow, but grey is neutral and has no specific meaning. I take her necklace out of the envelope and put it in the box.

I decide I will give it to Volunteer 4711 tonight.

CHAPTER23

VOLUNTEER 4711

My commander buzzes me,and I quickly go to his quarters. I enter and bow.

Instead of standing where he usually does, he’s at his desk and asks me to come over to him.

I obey.

He stands when I reach him, takes a small grey box off the desk, and hands it to me. “This is yours. I hope it brings you some comfort to have it in your possession again.”

I open the box, and inside is my grandmother’s necklace. I can’t believe I have it again. I wipe a tear from my eye and then open the locket to make sure the picture of my mother as a girl is still there. It is.

“Thank you,” I say, not looking up.

He puts his finger under my chin and forces my gaze up. I meet his eyes.

“You don’t need to thank me. We are even now,” he says and then moves his hand.

“I understand,” I say.

He nods and then, quite out of the blue, says, “You can go now. I am going to stay up late. I will not need you tonight.”

Before I can protest, he hushes me with a Silver hand gesture, and I say ‘goodnight’ and then leave.

I walk back to my quarters, looking at my necklace. A few people pass me in the corridor and stare at what I am holding, but they don’t ask me about it. I can only think the Commander wanted me to be seen carrying it back to my room so that there could be no rumors about romance in his giving this to me tonight.

* * *

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