Relief fills me at that, and I adjust my approach. “Starting when, and for how long?”
“Immediately, for approximately twelve weeks. Perhaps longer.”
I do some quick mental calculations. “When you return, you will be put in the general employment pool. It can mean a loss of your seniority.”
“I understand.”
I nod. “Very well. Fill out the forms, and you can take your leave starting today.”
“Today?”
“Yes. Immediately. I am prepared to go on duty right now.” The loss of two leave days of my own is well worth it. I can add it to my next leave period and take them then. I turn to Fullstein. “We can begin your training today, it would seem.”
He nods. “Very good.”
La’loorn is still standing there. I point to the computer terminal. “You need to complete the forms now.”
He finally nods and walks over to do it.
Thank all the old ones, my problem has solved itself.
That happens rarely.
* * * *
La’loorn wastes no time filling out his forms and departing. As soon as he is gone, I put in a request to have a new worker transferred to my sector, even if I need to accept an untrained one from the general pool. It truly seems to be my lucky day, because they have a suitable new hire they can transfer to my sector immediately, if I am willing to train them.
Absolutely, I am.
It means I will not have to train bad habits out of them later.
It also means La’loorn will no longer be my problem. I go into the system and mark him as being returned to the general pool because my sector is once again at permanent full capacity.
Certainly, upon La’loorn’s return he could petition to be assigned to my sector, but I sincerely doubt he will.
If he is a fraction as frustrated with me as I am with him, he would do well to ask for assignment elsewhere.
Then again, considering how he transferred to my sector to start with, perhaps no one will want him, and he will be assigned to a totally different job.
That would be fine with me.
I spend the morning training Fullstein in his new duties, as well as training the new employee they send to me. She is a Carmidian maintenance dock worker who recently arrived on the space station after several years spent working for another Maxim Colonies shipyard. While she is new to mining berthing procedures, she has some skills and knowledge that easily transfer over to her new duties.
Fortunately, I find her capable, quick to learn, amiable to work with, and more than able to immediately commence her new duties with little direct supervision required. I assign her to shadow one of our experienced crew members, who is currently supervising the off-loading of thePalmarian Rubayne’scargo, the X-Kaffer class freighter which arrived yesterday. That vessel will be undergoing a communications overhaul while berthed, before we load the mining ore.
All of this means that, by the time I return to my apartment to partake of my afternoon meal, I have nearly forgotten about my aggravation of the day before. I feel at peace now.
Yes, it was worth giving up two of my leave days to have this ongoing irritation removed from my life.
I am nearly ready to return to work when my personal com unit buzzes.
It is one of my parents, Myarte. I answer pheir call. “Yes?”
“Did you arrive safely and settle in?”
I sigh. “Yes, I am well, and settled. I returned to work today.”
“Apologies. I did not mean to call you at work.”
