Surprise!

 Month 14 Day 3

0815 Hours

Jane Burke

 “She did what?” Abdulla exclaimed in something akin to shock.

“Lt MacDowell, upon being told her cross-training was over, requested a transfer to engineering,” Jane repeated, mildly surprised at the other woman’s shock.

Abdulla raised a hand to brush that aside. “Not that. I’ve been expecting that. It was that other thing Mr Smythe mentioned.”

“Oh.” That makes more sense. There’s hardly ever any hint of Smitty seeing anybody while on the ship, so to have him suddenly engaged—and to an underling—would be a shock. “She also agreed to marry Mr Smythe.”

“Well, who would have guessed?” Abdulla muttered in a daze. “She hardly even dates, let alone—” She pulled herself together and turned to the reason why she had been called into the captain’s office. “She wants to transfer. I won’t stand in her way, but I hope you have somebody better in mind to replace her in communications than Lt Adams. He may be an engineer, but he’s no communications officer.

“No, wait a minute.” She suddenly changed her mind. “Maybe I’m being remiss here. Maybe I should ask where you plan to assign her before I decide if I’m willing to let her go. Remember, I know the kind of mind she’s got, too, and I don’t think I’d be doing her any favor if you plan on starting her in the very depths of engineering, never to be seen or heard from again.”

“She’s got a point, Smitty,” Jane told him.

“All parts of engineering are equally—” He began what could only be his welcoming speech for new engineering recruits, and then stopped. Probably decided it wasn’t appropriate. “Actually, I was thinking of making her my protégé,” he finally said.

I suppose he figures it’s best to get the rest of her training out of the way. Trouble is, protégés are expected to spend a year or two learning the tips and tricks that would normally take them a lifetime of on-the-job work, and then move on. It isn’t intended to be a means for a couple in the throes of lust to spend all their time together. Can they get through it without any more ‘mistakes’ like I saw this morning?

There was a stunned silence in the room for a long moment. It obviously made Smitty nervous, and he continually cleared his throat as he looked for something to say.

Jane ruminated all the possible ramifications, and leaned forward to fiddle with an electronic pen that lay on her desk. “Are you sure you want to do that, Smitty?”

“I’m allowed to have one,” he said defensively. “It’s been a long time since I have had one.”

“Yes, and I, for one, am not surprised that you would choose Mac,” Abdulla stated. “She’s kind of led the way on building that Yukoskian transport machine, so I can only imagine how good she is with human technology. But to spend all day with her... I mean...

Exactly. And she’s not aware of what I saw this morning. If they can’t keep their hands off each other long enough for her to request an intra-ship transfer, then how can they get through 8 hours a day? Of course, they would have 16 hours a day when they could indulge their lust to the fullest.

Maybe I’m anticipating trouble where there won’t be any. If they spend some time getting their sexual urges out of the way...

Jane gave him a thinly veiled warning. “You would be patron and protégé while on duty, Smitty. Your personal relationship would have to wait until off-duty.”

He cleared his throat. “Yes, of course, captain. I’m aware of that, and I certainly wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Abdulla glanced between them, then sat up straight and straightened her uniform. “Then I guess all that’s left to decide is when she’s switched over, and who will replace her.”

“I’m inclined to replace her—at least temporarily—with Lt Adams,” Smitty stated, and held up a hand to forestall Abdulla’s objection. “I’ve heard that he’s struggling. Therefore, I propose you oversee his training. It will be a good experience for him. If need be, I’ll oversee his testing.”

Jane could see Abdulla was struggling with the idea. No doubt she doesn’t want to be responsible for any mistakes he makes, nor any lapses in good behavior he displays. “That would make Lt Adams your responsibility,” she acknowledged for the younger woman. “In turn, it would be up to you to see to his training, and I’m not just speaking about communications. If he isn’t up to your idea of what an officer should be, it would be your responsibility to guide him to something more in step with what you have in mind.” And includes the ability to discipline him. I hope I’ve made that clear to her.

“So, I not only lose my best worker, but I’m punished for some reason by given the assignment to make her replacement shape up.” She didn’t sound enthused about it.

“It’s not punishment,” Smitty told her. “I like to think of it as an opportunity.” He considered the woman’s frown for a moment. “Alright, yes, it’s a lot of work. Fact is, I could talk to him about treating women with respect until I’m blue in the face, but I suspect it wouldn’t do any good. Hasn’t done any good so far. He needs to see women in a new way. Between you and Amano, I think there might be some hope for him.”

Abdulla sighed in resignation. “Alright. I’ll try. But I’m not sure he’s up to learning. He seems to consider communications beneath him, and he has no respect for women at all. With the possible exception of the captain. So, again, when do I officially lose her?”

Jane broke in before Smitty could answer. “I’ll let you know tomorrow,” she stated. “He’s keeping the schedule as it is for another week, and then we’ll see. I have my own thoughts on the matter.”

“So I need to start preparing study aids for Adams. I’ll get on it right away. If you’ll excuse me, sirs?”

As Abdulla left the office, Jane pulled up a couple schedules on her screen. Once they were alone, she bluntly told Smitty, “I see MacDowell works with Wilson next Wednesday and Thursday. I want MacDowell working communications next Friday and Aday, have her days off on Saturday and Sunday before she joins you on B shift.”

Smitty took a moment to absorb what she’d said. “Ahh, normally, a protégé takes the same days off as the patron.”

“Not this time,” Jane stated firmly. “I want you 2 on opposing days off so you only work together 2 days in a row, understood? Because I won’t tolerate any more slip-ups like I walked in on this morning. Do that sort of stuff on your own time!”

“Yes, captain,” he agreed, and stood up to leave. “I understand completely.”