The Other Side of Nowhere

They went down the slanting corridor with the alternating sloping floor and the flights of stairs. Halfway down, the steward said:

"Beg pardon, sir, but... what made the skipper choose you? I'm curious."

"I'm trying to figure it out myself," said Braden. "But I got the job."

"Yes, sir," said the steward. It was not customary for the steward on a cargo ship to practise such extreme deference. "I was wondering, sir, because he's interviewed a good many others and only chose one who's since - been taken ill, sir. But he turned down a great many. Some of them were very steady men, married, sir, and with excellent reputations. And some of the younger ones he didn't even consider. He turned them down after one glance at them. But he chose you at once. It's strange, sir."

Braden said nothing.

"Very strange," repeated the steward. "Even the crew were chosen on a system I don't understand. I consider the men he chose very dubious characters, sir. In fact..."

"What?"

"It's quite possible, sir, that the men who tried to jump you were the men the skipper has signed on for his crew. I said the last mate chosen was taken ill. He was beaten up, sir. He's in hospital now."

Braden was silent for a moment. Then he said detachedly:

"I told the skipper, not you, that the men had tried to work me over. Does he know that you eavesdrop on him?"

"In case of trouble, sir," said the steward earnestly. "Only in case of trouble! A precaution, sir. I wouldn't presume..."

"Don't," said Braden. "If I'm the mate, don't eavesdrop on me. I don't like it. I won't like it."

"Yes, sir," said the steward.

"And when you tell the skipper about this conversation," added Braden, frowning, "don't forget to add that I also don't like tricks to find out if I'm loose-tongued and ready to discuss my private business or his. I don't like such things!"

"Oh, yes, sir!" said the steward. "I'm sure the skipper will be pleased, sir," he added. "Very pleased!" He paused a moment. "Considering a certain part of the cargo, sir, in particular."

They reached the bottom of the circular ramp-and-stair combination. Braden asked no questions about the certain part of the ship's cargo. It was not his affair. Especially, he would not ask questions of a steward who would probably repeat every question to the skipper.

Here was the exit port at the bottom of the short flight of steps. Braden opened it for himself.

"Ten o'clock, sir, local time," said the steward. "The skipper will be expecting to lift off by noon, sir. The passengers will be notified."

"Passengers?" demanded Braden. He stopped short.

"Yes, sir. Quite unexpected, sir. The shipping agent only notified the skipper this afternoon that there would be passengers. We've accommodations for a few, sir. Very few. Six cabins and a saloon, sir. Often there are people bound for a planet that has infrequent ship service and they make the trip by freighter. It's often a quicker way to travel."

Braden shrugged. It was not surprising that even a bulkcargo carrier like the Rim Star should have accommodations for passengers. The big fast liners that went singing through the void did not like to make small way-stops. They were moving hotels, with decks upon decks of passenger cabins and amusement areas. It was costly for crack liners to break their runs to put off a very few passengers. Many worlds could be reached most practically by finding a freighter bound for them.

"Very well," said Braden curtly. "I'll be back at ten."

"Yes, sir," said the steward respectfully.

He closed the exit port behind Braden, and Braden was in the abysmally black shadow of the Rim Star.

He frowned as he headed back toward the spaceport gate. It is not the business of a ship's officer to investigate everything out of the ordinary on a ship he's just joining. His obligation is to do his ship-duty well and honorably, and nothing more. If this skipper chose a mate because he could answer questions about other skippers and their ships, it was his business only. If he preferred unpopular officers to amiable ones, again it was only his affair. But if he chose and knowingly kept on crewmen who lay in wait for other prospective crewmembers heading for the Rim Star...

Braden's frown became a scowl. He moved out from the Rim Star's shadow and headed for the spaceport gate. There were a number of unorthodox things about the Rim Star besides her purpose and destination. But he'd learned that a man can go unscathed through undesirable and annoying and even unjust experiences if he keeps his self-respect. And a man keeps his self- respect largely by being competent in his work.

So it did not occur to him to back out because the coming journey would probably have some unusual features. He'd asked for the job, he'd gotten it. Now he would do his work. That was his entire obligation. If the Rim Star's skipper chose his crew from among probable criminals and selected a mate for his knowledge of pin-ups and his probable unpopularity... Braden considered, from a professional viewpoint, that if he did his work competently such things wouldn't matter.

In most cases he would have been right.