[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
without delay. Now our legal position is clear. In space, only an astrogation officer may command. You
are being asked to assume command responsibility while very young but you are the only qualified
person-- therefore you _must_ do it."
Max pulled himself together, the wavering figures came into focus. "Mr. Walther?"
"Yes?"
"But I'm not an astrogator. I'm just a probationary apprentice.
Chief Engineer Compagnon answered him. "Kelly says you're an astrogator," he growled.
"Kelly is more of an astrogator than I am!"
Compagnon shook his head. "You can't pass judgment on yourself." Samuels nodded agreement.
"Let's dispose of that," Walther added. "There is no question of the Chief Computerman becoming
captain. Nor does your rank in your guild matter. Line of command, underway, necessarily is limited to
astrogators. You are senior in that line, no matter how junior you feel. At this moment, I hold
command--until I pass it on. But I can't take a ship into space. If you refuse . . . well, I don't know what
we will have to do. I don't know."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Max gulped and said, "Look, sir, I'm not refusing duty. I'll astrogate--shucks, I suppose it's all right
to call me the astrogator, under the circumstances. But there is no reason to pretend that I'm captain.
You stay in command while I conn the ship. That's best, sir--I wouldn't know how to _act_ like a
captain."
Walther shook his head. "Not legally possible."
Compagnon added, "I don't care about the legalities. But I know that responsibility can't be divided.
Frankly, young fellow, I'd rather have Dutch as skipper than you--but he can't astrogate. I'd be delighted
to have Doc Hendrix--but he's gone. I'd rather hold the sack myself than load it on you--but I'm a
physicist and I know just enough of the math of astrogation to know that I couldn't in a lifetime acquire
the speed that an astrogator _has_ to have. Not my temperament. Kelly says you've got it already. I've
shipped with Kelly a good many years, I trust him. So it's your pidgin, son; you've got to take it--and the
authority that goes with it. Dutch will help--we'll all help--but you can't duck out and hand him the sack."
Mr. Samuels said quietly, "I don't agree with the Chief Engineer about the unimportance of legal
aspects; most of these laws have wise reasons behind them. But I agree with what else he says. Mr.
Jones, a ship is not just steel, it is a delicate political entity. Its laws and customs cannot be disregarded
without inviting disaster. It will be far easier to maintain morale and discipline in this ship with a young
captain--with all his officers behind him--than it would be to let passengers and crew suspect that the
man who must make the crucial decisions, those life-and-death matters involving the handling of the ship,
that this all-powerful man nevertheless can't be trusted to command the ship. No, sir, such a situation
would frighten me; that is how mutinies are born."
Max felt his heart pounding, his head was aching steadily. Walther looked at him grimly and said,
"Well?"
"I'll take it." He added, "I don't see what else I can do."
Walther stood up. "What are your orders, Captain?"
Max sat still and tried to slow his heart. He pressed his fingers to throbbing temples and looked
frightened. "Uh, continue with routine. Make preparations to raise ship."
"Aye aye, sir." Walther paused, then added, "May I ask when the Captain plans to raise ship?"
He was having trouble focusing again. "When? Not before tomorrow--tomorrow at noon. I've got to
have a night's sleep." He thought to himself that Kelly and he could throw it into a parking orbit, which
would get them away from the centaurs--then stop to figure out his next move.
"I think that's wise, sir. We need the time."
Compagnon stood up. "If the Captain will excuse me, sir, I'll get my department started."
Samuels joined him. "Your cabin is ready, sir--I'll have your personal effects moved in in a few
minutes."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Max stared at him. He had not yet assimilated the side implications of his new office. Use Captain
Blaine's holy of holies? Sleep in his bed? "Uh, I don't think that's necessary. I'm comfortable where I am."
Samuels glanced at the First Officer, then said, "If you please, Captain, this is one of the things I was
talking about when I said that a ship is a delicate political entity."
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]