Placement and Progression
Ayan took it upon herself to guide a pair of brothers, the MacMillans, from the shuttle transporting them from the Port Rush recruitment base to their new apartment inside the Everin Building. She was escorted by a pair of senior placement officers, security people, and she had Lacey at her side. The brothers looked ragged, wide-eyed, and just recently scrubbed. They were surprised to see her and Lacey with their security escort, even more shocked that she was going to personally lead them to their new quarters in the building.
They were experienced shipwrights from the York-Townsend System sectors away, and were trapped on Tamber when the Holocaust Virus infected the starliner taking them home. York-Townsend was struck hard by the virus, and the whole system was a lawless waste. The most common footage available was gang recordings made by groups bragging about territory, their supply stockpile, and their firepower. If they were anything like the gangs that were plaguing Port Rush City and many parts of Kambis, then it wasn’t fit to return to. Haven Shore was the first bit of luck the pair she was guiding had in nearly a year. They’d met the gangs in Port Rush and been forced to work for one on several damaged shuttles. They were only able to escape by stowing away in one once it was finished.
The new recruiting representatives followed Ayan and her entourage as she told them about the building, asking the MacMillans about what they wanted to do, and about their hopes upon arriving on Haven Shore. “Hopes?” asked the younger brother, who looked older at first with an out of control beard, standing a few centimetres taller than his brother. “What d’you mean, hopes?”
“Haven Shore will be here a long time,” Ayan told him with a smile. “The people who have stayed with Haven Shore and Triton Fleet have survived a direct assault from the Order, and we won a fight with the Carthans. Skilled people like you and your brother have dreams, I’m sure, and even though we’re headed into a war, those dreams can help shape what happens here.”
“That’s…” the older MacMillan brother started. He stopped and rubbed a scar running across his cheek. “Week ago, we were starvin’ on the Toxic Coast. Now we’re in a lift goin’ down to family quarters. All respect, Lady, but I think I’m already dreamin’. Ask us again when that passes.”
“I will,” Ayan said. “We’re short on qualified machinists and shipwrights, so I’m afraid you’ll be working in our main hangar starting the day after tomorrow.” They stepped out of the lift and were welcomed into the family quarters by the thick smell of hot food coming from the cafeteria. They passed the double doors leading there and Ayan was thoroughly glad to see about thirty people from that section of the building eating a variety of fresh dishes that wouldn’t have been possible if they didn’t have something left in storage. The most important thing about what she was seeing in that room as she passed wasn’t the food on the table, it was the atmosphere. She’d seen it before on ships she’d served on, that wonderful, mild euphoria shared by the crew after a crisis had been overcome and they felt safe once more. “This cafeteria is communal, every section of the building has one,” Lacey was explaining. “Haven Shore and Triton Fleet provide the food, but you’ll have to join the schedule for cleaning and food preparation. You’ll have to participate in three meals a week until the section is filled, then it’ll be down to one. You’ll help prepare a meal under a cook that directs the kitchens and clean up afterwards. The rest of the week, you won’t have to worry about it.”
“So there’s a cook who will show us what we’re to do?” the younger brother asked. “We won’t have to muck around on our own, try to concoct something in a pot?”
“No,” Ayan said. “I’m no cook myself, but when I was on shift for my section I just followed directions, that’s all you have to do.”
“You were on the schedule?”
“Everyone who lives in the Everin Building is. Rank doesn’t exclude you from eating, so I wasn’t exempt from a bit of work once a week. I don’t think I would have gotten to know the people in my section at all if I didn’t work in the kitchen,” Ayan said. It had been a couple of weeks since she’d thought about it, and she couldn’t help but wonder how Alaka would make out when he took her place on the schedule. She would have to check in on him, even if it was just to see him working in the kitchen.
“You’re probably wondering why we don’t use automated food preparation,” Lacey added, “And the answer is fairly simple. We don’t have the machinery right now, and even when we do, we’ll still maintain a living kitchen, where the people who live here make their own dishes. The two hours a week you spend cooking is important partially because you will get to know the people you’re working with, and you’ll have an opportunity to do something for your neighbours. It makes all the difference, you’ll see.”
They turned a corner and came to a freshly made set of sliding double doors. “Here it is,” Ayan said, gesturing towards the door. “This is your apartment, here. Besides you, only security can enter, and they have to log their reasons for entry with their superiors, so you shouldn’t expect a visit from them. There’s a reasonable common room, a private room for both of you and, since you’re both technicians, there’s a spare room that you can use for personal projects. Oh, and there’s a bathroom. There are other rules to the Everin Building, but since you passed all our checks during the recruitment process, I doubt you’ll conflict with any of them. You should look them over anyway, just so you’re aware of the laws here.” She fixed both brothers with a big smile and watched as the door slid open and the brothers looked inside. “You can drop your things here and join the others in the cafeteria. You’re on your own from here, if you need any advice or direction on where you have to be for work, the Crewcast system will tell you everything you need to know, including your credit rate. Like you were told before, you maintain your position in the Everin Building by working consistently, and over time earn luxury credits that you can convert to cash, give to people for services and goods, or use to buy extras from our shop. There’s not much there now because we’re using most of our resources to build and trade, but it’ll get better.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” one brother said. The older brother embraced her abruptly and enthusiastically.
“That’ll do,” Ayan said after she enjoyed the embrace for a moment. “Good luck, and welcome to the family.”
“Thank you,” said the older brother, nodding and wiping a tear away.
Ayan led her group back to the lift, leaving the MacMillan brothers behind. “Just like that,” she told the pair of recruiting managers walking behind her. “Be warm, show them the essentials, remind them of their responsibilities, answer their questions, and direct them to Crewcast, but make sure that everyone you’re bringing into the Everin Building feels like they’re joining a family. They are, that’s what this is, and it’s not just a family, it’s your family that you’re welcoming them into. If you don’t feel confident about someone after a few days, make your supervisor aware and try to find a solution. In most cases, it’ll be an information problem, you’ll have to find out why someone isn’t fitting in from them, from the people they’ve had friction with, and your job won’t be finished until you’ve gotten them settled in. Your supervisor will make sure you aren’t overwhelmed, and you’ll have the help of the Section Elders, too. If any part of the system fails, make sure you address it right away with your supervisor. This is going to take time, and you’ll run into problems, but this lifestyle works, it just requires patience, thought, and respect.”
“I understand,” said Placement Officer Stillwell, a tall, fit gentleman with a friendly face. “I never got a chance to thank you for this job, I would have never guessed I’d end up doing social work after fighting on the Triton a year ago.”
“Lacey placed you,” Ayan replied. “But you’re welcome.”
“You’re welcome,” Lacey said. “Either of you have any questions?”
Placement Officer Foucot, a shorter dark haired woman who had a similar history to her comrade’s. smiled at them both. She could light a room with her grins. “Thank you for, well, everything, Commander. I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for you and all your friends, er, crew. Maybe still on the Palamo? Who knows?” She hugged Lacey, then Ayan. “Doesn’t matter now,” she said. “Here I am.”
“Here you are,” Ayan repeated with a smile. The first lift arrived and Ayan said, “I’m going down, you should take the next to the roof. There are six groups waiting to be escorted. Your security teams are up there, too.”
The lift doors slid closed, leaving Ayan alone with Lacey. Ayan took a deep breath before telling her what she’d been holding off all day. “I’m moving to the Triton, my father is taking over operations on Tamber.”
“I know,” Lacey said. “And you’re going to ask me to stay here to take care of the Everin Building.”
“I’m sorry,” Ayan said. “You’ve been an amazing second, a wonderful friend. I just think they need you here more.”
“You’re right,” Lacey said, looking at Ayan with a straight face. “I am an astonishingly good friend,” she said with a dramatic flair.
Ayan couldn’t help but laugh, and she was joined by Lacey for a chuckle. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I won’t miss you, because I’ll make sure my apartment has a spare bedroom, and you’ll be visiting. If you don’t, I’ll just have to go up there.”
“Fair enough,” Ayan replied, relieved that it had gone well. “You’re really all right with this?”
“I’ve had my taste of action,” Lacey replied. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t recognize you when you were in command – you were stony, cold. I respect that, and I understand that emotions get in the way when you’re in that situation, but I can’t do that. Logistics, making a home for people, that’s me. And as for watching you in command, I’d rather take a piece of your off time, if there’s any left after Jacob comes back.”
“Why do you say that?” Ayan asked.
“You miss him, I see it all the time,” Lacey said. “The Warlord is tops on your watch list, and not just because you know they’ll probably bring supplies that’ll trickle down here. Even though he didn’t fight for you, probably doesn’t deserve you, you’ve been leaning back towards him for all the time I’ve known you.”
“I didn’t give him a chance to fight for me, my mess with Liam got in the way, sent him running, I’m sure,” Ayan said. “Still can’t believe that all that happened because I took the advice of an oracle machine. Should have never listened. He stays away and I don’t blame him.”
“Still,” Lacey said. “I would have fought for you.”
Ayan couldn’t help but blush at the unexpected compliment, “I know.”
“But you and he are two halves, and all that,” Lacey said. “I wouldn’t get in the way, because I am such a good friend, yeah?”
“You are,” Ayan said.
“He’ll forgive you,” Lacey said. “But you might have to be quiet and listen to him when he tells you how that felt, watching you with Liam.”
“Yeah,” Ayan said, feeling the weight of her need to atone. “I owe him that.”
“Then I bet you’ll be far away. Just remember to visit,” Lacey told her. “Or else.”
“I’d sooner forget the entire Everin Building,” Ayan replied.
“Oh, speaking of which,” Lacey said, “You have to address Haven Shore and the new recruits in the other centres. They’re uneasy, and there’s a little trickle of people leaving from the new bases.”
“If I weren’t so tired,” Ayan said with a sigh.
“You’re the one who told me to watch for this sort of thing,” Lacey replied with a wink. “It can wait until mid-morning tomorrow, but I have to schedule something soon so they know they’re not being treated like baggage.”
“That’s not the attitude you’re seeing, is it?” Ayan asked.
“Not in the majority, but I can see it happening. So, late tomorrow morning?”
“Mid-afternoon?” Ayan bargained.
“I’ll schedule it now.”
“Can’t believe I have to write a speech,” Ayan said.
“You’ll be fine, I can help if you like,” Lacey replied.
“I know, and thanks much, but I’m so much better with ships. Putting an engine together is so much easier than pulling people together.”