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Rear Admiral Huen bowed and shook hands with his staff as appropriate after the promotion ceremony. He hadn’t expected the orders to come so soon, or for Admiral Absen to stay for the two days it had taken to arrange, but it felt good to have his broad stripes affixed to his uniform by the commander of EarthFleet himself.
In the reception afterward he thought he might have caught a sparkle in Senior Steward Shan’s eyes. The man-mountain had loosened up enough for such small indications to leak through. In turn, Huen inclined his head slightly and mocked himself by ostentatiously brushing off imaginary lint from his shoulderboards.
Huen let his staff relax while quietly slipping out of the event, Shan following him back to his office. While overseeing the setup of Ceres, he still had a lot of planning to do for Grissom Aerospace Base on the moon of Jupiter, Callisto.
“What do you think, Shan?” Huen said, throwing a graphic up on his largest wall screen. “We’ll move Artemis and land her to provide a ready-made base, just like we did here. The engineers will lay down permanent structures as fast as they can. It will be much easier than here. Callisto’s surface has areas of silicates that make it a lot more stable than Ceres, so it won’t be as tricky to build there.”
Shan studied the graphic. Precisely because he was not part of the engineering team, Huen valued the man’s outsider’s eyes. The steward said, “Once the warships fly here to be based, they will need pilots and maintenance personnel, correct?”
“Yes, of course. The next phase will be to build those facilities.”
“I see,” Shan said. “And these are the ship pads. But how will they get to their ships?”
Huen stood up to stare at the wall screen alongside the big man. “I presume the engineers have thought of something.”
Shan bowed slightly, but Huen made a note to ask. Sometimes the planners and engineers, so focused on the mechanical details, missed things that seemed obvious to others who had a broader view. It further occurred to Huen that he needed some more people to provide such a viewpoint. Artemis’ crew contained some good officers and petty officers, but he also saw in this an opportunity to obtain some extra hands. With personnel always tight, these days, he always used any good reason to get a few extra, rather than just burden the existing ranks with more duties.
“Thank you, Shan. You have given me at least two good ideas with your observation.”
“I am always grateful to serve he who retains the mandate of heaven.”
Huen smiled faintly. “You were beginning to wonder about that these past years,” he said.
“No. I only waited until the eyes of heaven turned once more toward you, and they have, Admiral.”
“Rear Admiral only, my friend. But it is good. I wish I could reward you similarly, but there is no higher rank in your specialty than Senior Steward.”
Shan nodded, but said nothing, only taking a deep breath. Huen knew by long association this meant the man wanted to say something more, but waited for an invitation. “Perhaps you have some favor in mind for me to grant?”
“I would never ask for such a thing,” Shan replied.
“You are not asking. I am offering, Senior Steward. You must only tell me the truth. What is it you wish?”
Shan bowed again. “I wish permission to marry.”
Huen lowered his eyes. Quite an unexpected request. Technically he does not need to ask me that, though culturally he would want my blessing. “Of course you may, with my best wishes. You do not need my permission, according to EarthFleet regulations. Who is the lucky...?” He stopped, not wishing to assume anything.
“A westerner, Admiral. She pilots one of our shuttles. Her family name is Lockerbie. She is...different from Chinese women.”
Huen smiled more broadly. “Shan, your penchant for understatement is matched only by the enormity of what you don’t know you are getting into. Let me be the first to congratulate you.” He reached out to seize and shake his bodyguard’s hand. “Felicitations.”
For once Shan’s equanimity seemed disturbed, but he managed a smile as he awkwardly returned the handshake. “Thank you, sir.”
“May you have many sons. Now, isn’t your shift ending soon? Send in your relief on the way out, and my aide and administrative assistant. Give your intended my best as well. We must have dinner together soon.”
