The Rowan

As soon as you've assembled a crew, you and they will depart directly for Callisto. Check in with me tomorrow at precisely 9.00 earth time.

The gap left by his departure was almost palpable in the quiet room.

"A new Tower," she murmured, stunned. "On Callisto?" That was one of Jupiter's moons. Why there? Why not on the Earth's Moon? Surely that would have been feasible with all the terraforming that had been done to improve that satellite. "I'm to assemble a team? I'm to… I'm to be a Prime!" Gerolaman, Reidinger's assigned me to Callisto Tower!

I can't say that you deserve such a signal honor, young woman, Siglen answered her. At least you will be under his direct supervision and I must say, after the other day, that's exactly where you should be!

Quite right, Siglen. Quite right. Not even Siglen was going to spoil her elation.

Lusena would have cheered! The Rowan closed her eyes over the pain the errant thought evoked. Lusena would never know that her charge had achieved Prime status.

And the Rowan could not suppress her bitter tears which she wiped quickly away when she heard the rap on her door.

Gerolaman entered, his smile tentative until he saw her bravely smile back at him. "That's my girl. Put regret aside. She'd have been proud, no doubt of it, as I am but," and he shook the sheaf of hard copy he held, "we've work to do now in earnest, Prime Rowan. My pleasure and my privilege to assist." Work did help: She had to concentrate on the reports first, and then had to match them up with the people on the course. Half a dozen times, she found herself thinking she must tell Lusena this or that, and the anguish would seize her momentarily until she relentlessly pushed it back. Sorrow was yesterday: today was for her future, the future which Lusena had cherished for her - her own Station and the title of Prime.

Four years on and she still liked Ray Loftus and Joe Toglia as technicians and maintenance personnel. Gerolaman approved for they had good records as assistants in their skills and had worked at Procyon, Betelgeuse, and Earth. Mauli and Mick were available for reassignment and they had always intrigued the Rowan. From the new people on this course, she chose a Bill Powers as assistant supercargo from his record as well as his calm, stolid manner and a slow smile.

"As good a reason as any," Gerolaman remarked, "considering you're going to have to look at his face a lot." An older woman, a Capellan named Cardia Ren Harter, might work out as Stationmaster. She'd temped in that position on Betelgeuse and Prime David recommended her. She wondered about the fifty-year-old scan reader, Zabe Talumet: His qualifications were sound but he seemed to have moved around a lot.

But he had a good rating in his profession.

"You'll have to expect some shake-ups before you shake down, Rowan," Gerolaman assured her. "Personalities have to mesh and that takes time, trial and often error. Whatever crew you pick aren't set in plasglas forever, you know. It took nearly six years before Siglen was satisfied, and some of her choices have always astonished me and Bralla but we all work well when it comes to the crunch."

Reidinger sent four more T-4 and T-5 ratings from Earth Prime, and when she couldn't find a good life support manager, bullied someone from the Moon into taking a promotion in the Callisto's system.

Three days later, Bralla earnestly requested the Rowan to have dinner with Siglen.

"She really did feel badly about Lusena. And she was terrified that you'd been in the crash, too. It took her a nervous half hour before she located the wreck and she scared the local officials out of their wits with a direct consultation. She's really thrilled for your promotion, Rowan, truly she is." The Rowan entertained a niggle of suspicion about Siglen being thrilled for her sudden advancement by Reidinger. Altair's Prime had always maintained that the Rowan would not be ready for any responsibilities for years. Certainly the Rowan had never been called to account for her impertinence, and direct action, disregarding Siglen's explicit orders. Still there was little point in any unnecessary bad feelings between herself and Altair's Prime.

So, the Rowan purchased a plainly cut, flowing dinner dress in a pale gray - about the only color that wouldn't clash with the flamboyant colors in Siglen's dining area, with a silver torque, to make a subtle statement of her adult status. She presented herself at Siglen's suite to be greeted by Bralla who nodded approvingly and ushered her into the reception area.

Siglen had made significant inroads on the dainty canapes which accompanied the aperitifs. Three places at the dining table meant that Bralla was included, a fact which reassured the Rowan.

Siglen initiated the conversation with a long explanation of systems updates which Reidinger had discussed with her at length. The Rowan listened politely all through the first three courses of which she ate only enough to be courteous.

"It really is too mean of Reidinger to transfer you just when Altair will be upgraded. You could learn so much from the new equipment if you stay just a few more months here so that I can advise you."