I stood up as well, swaying from the effects of the nerve tonic. Then again my nerves felt a lot better than they had in quite a while. “Will there be something to drink? I think I could use one more ”
“Count on it.” She eyed me critically. “But maybe you’d better hold off for a while. Much more alcohol and Clotilde is going to start looking good to you.”
I pulled myself to attention and saluted my captain. “Then maybe I’d better have two, ma’am.”
I served as first officer under Serafina for eight years—conducting a loose but highly educational affair with Clo for the first three—then became the captain of the Gibbon myself. Nine years after that I turned her over to my first officer and took on the job of converting a worn-out heavy cruiser named the Leonardo into a functioning Prezzie craft. A few years later I handed her off the same way as I had the Gibbon.
Now I captain the Marie Curie. Serafina is still my boss, only now she’s in charge of the whole slap-patched Prezzie fleet. It’s one of the high points of my year to come back-Sol, renew our friendship, and sit at our table in Armstrong Hall and watch the greenies go by.
Alessandra Desmond is still laughing at the absurd notion of signing on with us.
I laugh with her, but some of my pleasure comes from having found such a fine candidate to help protect our precious Alexandrian Librarians.
I know she’s going to hate it at first.
I think maybe I’ll ask Serafina to assign her to me, just so I can enjoy watching her get over it.