Consider that by the end of the cruise at least some of them should be fit to be officers. I grant you, its unlikely any of these fools will ever make lieutenant. But what if one of us is transferred out at Hope Nation? Do you want silly boys standing watch, fresh from shaving cream fights?
Weve time to teach them. Nick will issue ample demerits. I certainly would. Each demerit would have to be worked off by two hours of hard calisthenics. Theyd keep Alexi and Sandy out of trouble for a while.
Lieutenant Cousinss voice grew cold. Will he? A chill of foreboding crept down my rigid spine. Nicky should never have been senior, we all know that. Even Lieutenant Dagalow frowned at the blatant undercutting of my authority, but Mr. Cousins was oblivious. Hell wag his finger at them, as always. That wasnt fair; Id kept wardroom matters from the attention of the other officers, as was expected. Except this once.
Will you cane the two of them, then? After all, its a wardroom affair.
No, Ill let Nicky handle them. From the corner of my eye I saw Alexis shoulders slump with relief. Then Mr. Cousins added sweetly, But perhaps I can teach Mr. Seafort more diligence. He sauntered toward his cabin. Come along, middy.
A half hour later I stood outside our wardroom, jaw aching from my failed effort not to cry out, eyes burning from the stinging pain and mortifying humiliation Mr. Cousins had inflicted across the hated barrel.
I slapped open the hatch. Inside the cramped compartment Sandy and Alexi, on their beds, dared say nothing. I crossed slowly to my bunk, stripped off my jacket and laid it on the chair. With care, I eased myself onto my bed.
After a time Alexi said quietly, Mr. Seafort, Im sorry.
Truly. As was the custom, Alexi called me by my surname even within our wardroom. After all, I was senior middy.
Only Vax Holser had the resources to ignore that tradition and get away with it.
I fought down a smoldering rage; it should have been Alexi who was caned, not I. Thank you. My thighs smarted with exquisite agony. You should have known better, both of you.
I know, Mr. Seafort.
I closed my eyes, trying to will away the pain. At Academy, sometimes, it worked. Who started it?
I did, they said in unison.
My fingers throttled the pillow. Sandy, you first.
We were in the head, washing up. Alexi splashed me. I splashed back. He glanced up, saw my face, gulped.
Skylarking, like cadets at Academy. Go on.
After he flicked me with a towel I grabbed the shaving cream. He chased me so I ran outside, and I was squirting him when Mrs. Donhauser came out of the lounge. I said nothing. After a moment he blurted, Mr. Seafort, Im sorry I got you into troub--
Ill make you sorrier! I sat up, thought better of it, eased myself back on my bunk. No officer would look into the middys head to see how you behave. But running out into the corridor... Mr. Cousins is right; you are dolts.
Alexi flushed; Sandy studied his fingernails.
Angry as I was, I wasnt surprised that theyd frolicked like the boys they were. What else could be expected, even on a starship? One had to go to space young to spend life as a sailor, else the risk of melanoma T was too great. Unfortunately, aboard such an immense and valuable vessel as Hiber-nia, there was no room for youngsters folly.
I growled, Four demerits apiece, for letting your foolishness get out of hand. Severe, but Mr. Cousins would have given much worse, and my buttocks stung like fire. Ill write it as improper hygiene. Alexi, two extra for you.
But I started it! Sandys protest was from the heart.
You ran into the corridor, which should have ended it.
Mr. Tamarov chose to follow. Alexi, how many does that give you?
Nine, Mr. Seafort. He was pale.
I growled, Work them off fast, because Im in no mood to overlook any offense. Ten would earn him a caning, like Id just been given; Alexi would have to be vigilant while he worked down his demerits. Start now; you have two hours before lunch.
Aye aye, Mr. Seafort. They scrambled out of their bunks. In a moment theyd slipped on shoes and jackets and departed for the exercise room, leaving me the solitude Id sought. I rolled onto my stomach and surrendered to my misery.
Its time, Mr. Seafort. Alexi Tamarov jolted me from my fretful dream, from Fathers bleak kitchen, the creaky chair, the physics text Id struggled to master under Fathers watchful eye.
I shoved away Alexis persistent hand. We dont cast off til midwatch. Groggy, I blinked myself awake.
From the hatchway, Vax Holser watched with a sardonic grin. Let him sleep, Tamarov. Lieutenant Malstrom wont mind if hes late.
I surged out of my bunk in dizzy confusion. Reporting late to duty station would be a matter for Mr. Cousins, and after the incident two days prior, Lord God help me if I called his attention anew. I glanced at my watch. Id slept six hours! In frantic haste I snatched my blue jacket from the chair, thrust my arms into my sleeves as I polished the tip of a shoe against the back of my trouser leg.