A Starship Called Starsong

Chapter 21

Most of the group were Overseers, with eight Officers, and a handful of assistants. Two of the Officers had a permanent shift on the Bridge using one of the consoles. The other six were responsible for different areas of the ship and the Overseers within them. They had access to the Bridge, although it wasn't likely that they would show up there unless something big came up or we called them in.

I planned to maintain an open-door policy and ensure that they knew they were free to approach me. It would take them a bit to get accustomed to it though, since most Captains stood on protocol and preferred to be more aloof from the more mundane situations or questions.

The rows of people parted to let me pass as I walked back up the ramp. The Officers started to follow me at a respectful distance as I passed them. Once we were inside, I waved them closer, "We will be working hand-in-hand, and I will be more informal with you than you may expect. I am not going to demand that you or the crew dance on the level of protocol that most Captains expect. We just put on a show for the outside world when they see us. So, you don't have to leave so much space between us when we are on the Starsong."

They mostly closed the large gap between us, likely still testing the waters of what my expectations were. We got into an elevator as I continued to explain things.

"Your quarters are all on level two, so we can drop off your luggage on our way. There is no private dining area on this level. You are welcome to use the one on level five that the Overseers and experienced crew hands also have access to, or you can meet and visit with the newer assistants in the level eighteen dining area. If you require a private meeting with food, just speak with the Cook."

We detoured towards the crew quarter section of the level. Their names were already on their doors, and we paused while each person dropped their belongings in their new quarters. The rooms looked simple at first glance, but as I knew from experience, the furniture and bed were far more comfortable than they appeared.

We entered the Bridge and they took a quick glance at the consoles they would be using. I commented, "I will not always be in the Bridge, so you are free to contact me with whatever questions or reports you may have. If you have questions, please ask them. I can't help someone if I don't know there is a problem. Problems include confusion or misunderstandings. I have an open door policy, so feel free to use it."

They occasionally ventured a question during our tour as we visited the main areas on various levels. I answered them and also provided additional information.

"The map on your Guide is a useful tool. I suggest spending some time exploring the ship while using it. Once we leave this port tomorrow, we are heading to the Carrel System, so we will have three days to get our feet under us before we are in port once more. There should be twenty-two new crew members waiting there. One Officer, five Overseers, and the rest are assistants."

The Navigation Officer, Tanya, very politely spoke up. "My apologies, Captain, but that system is at least five days away, even with an express passenger shuttle. Most trade ships will take ten days to get to that destination."

Her words had been slightly tentative, nervous about correcting a Captain in front of other crew members, but she was likely thinking that this was a test since the only crew present were other Officers. I commented to Starsong, 'At least she isn't afraid to speak up.'

"That is the exact reason her past Captain let her go. He chose a route that was rather dangerous, and she suggested a safer one, even going as far as to point it out in front of other crew members in hopes of changing his mind if there were witnesses."

I smiled warmly at the somewhat-nervous Officer. "I am glad to hear that you aren't afraid to point out a potential miscalculation. But in this case, it isn't a miscalculation. Unless something like a rescue comes up, we will be docking in four days."

She nodded respectfully. "Thank you for the clarification, Captain."

Her face didn't show it, but I knew she didn't believe me. She had no way of knowing that Starsong's engines were as far ahead of an average spaceship as his AI was. It would take some of the faster spacejets to cross that distance in so little time. It simply wasn't conceivable for a trade ship to manage the same feat.

Then again, I was still trying to wrap my head around it. One thing was certain though, we would excel in trades of fresh produce to far-flung areas where they only received those particular vegetables and fruits in dried, frozen, or canned forms. The rare fresh treats would fetch high prices.

Starsong had already posted digital notices at our next stop about the perishable goods he was carrying, as well as his expected arrival date. He made no mention of his current location, which was typical of traders. I had been informed that there was already a bidding war ensuing, based on the quality and state of the listed fruits and vegetables.

We had bought a lot of supplies and cargo at this stop, using up most of our on-hand money, but we should make a startling profit when we sold it at the next planet. Starsong had carefully chosen things that were cheap here, but highly desirable at our upcoming destinations.

Most trader ships worked certain circuits and dealt with specific goods that they were familiar with, often setting up routine trades. But routine trades drove prices down unless they were widely spaced out. Starsong's particular abilities would enable us to always bring things that were high in demand. And in the case of the fresh produce from another star system, it was otherwise unobtainable, and if they didn't buy it this time, then there was no telling when we would be back with that cargo again.