“Yes, I saw the dates. Honorable discharge, so you didn’t do anything criminal, right?”
I knew that he already had the answer to that, as the answer to “Have you ever been charged or convicted of a crime?” was marked no. But I shook my head anyway and replied, “No. I had a mini stroke. Turns out I have high blood pressure. I’m on meds now, so it’s under control. No problems since,” I hastened to reassure him.
“Good to hear. And I find it admirable that you signed up to serve. You might not have been able to finish out your service, but you went in and gave it your best. So, here’s what I’m going to suggest to you. It’s for veterans, but I don’t want you to feel weird about that. It’s for people who served, no matter how long or how short.” He lifted a hand to stop me from voicing my objection. “It’s not a program with limited spaces. Every vet who wishes to participate and who is capable of working in some capacity is able to.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What is it?”
“It’s job training and/or employment aboard the Mylos Fleet.”
I stared at him. “The veteran’s retraining program?”
“An extension of it, in your case. Not based on your military speciality, obviously, as you never got to train and work in that, but in something else.”
That didn’t sound too bad - job training and a job, along with a place to live aboard the Fleet if it was like what I’d heard. And, I’d not be taking something away from a vet who’d served his whole time. And I really needed this job. Kelly had ghosted me after only two weeks and I’d had to move back in with my parents after the all night diner where I’d cooked and washed dishes closed down unexpectedly. Not that they minded, but I did. I was a grown ass man and should be able to stand on my own two feet.
“Like what?” I asked cautiously.
His smile broadened, and he turned his attention to his laptop, tapping the keys for a couple of minutes.
“How does training in leisure activities and hospitality sound?”
“Like cleaning hotel rooms?”
He gave a short laugh. “Well, more like helping guest services when people have friends and family come visit, and there’s recreational services aboard such as youth club, ceramics classes, bowling, and so on.”
“And I’d be trained to work at one of the facilities?"
“Well, yes, but there are also classes to be taken that can be used towards a degree in hospitality and so on, depending on which way you go.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Youth club sounds kinda nice, maybe.” Honestly, though? I’d be more than happy cleaning hotel rooms or mopping floors or whatever, as long as it meant I had a legit job and didn’t have to feel like I was mooching off my parents.
“I’ll put that down as a top preference. Okay, then, we’ll just wait a few minutes for Xeranos to run a background check to verify everything, and while he’s doing that, if you’ll fill this in so we can get you packed up and on the next shuttle, that’d be great. Unless you need more time.”
I took the form he was offering me, shaking my head once more. “No, no, I mean, I was expecting when I put down that I could start immediately that it would be actually immediately, as in right that minute, but as long as I can call my mom to let her know I’m going and ask her and my dad to look after Floof, it should be fine.”
I hoped it would be anyway. This was my first job offer that wasn’t a scam, and I was not about to pass it up.
“Floof?”
“My cat,” I replied absently, filling in the name of my doctor and giving permission for them to transfer my medical records.
“You’ll be able to take him with you, if you wish.”
I glanced up in surprise. “Really?”
“Yes. Just list him under household members you wish to accompany you and put down his vet’s information so Xeranos can obtain his records.”
“Wow! That’d be awesome.”
I felt better, knowing Floof would be with me. He was my soul cat, my sweet baby boy who knew when I needed a cuddle, and who wasn’t afraid to demand playtime, chin scritches, and food whenever he felt like it, even if I was trying to watch TV or something.
“Ah! Xeranos says you’re good to go. Can you be ready for pick up by five?”
“I can,” I replied, writing Floof’s name where he’d indicated.
Then my eye caught the words on the next line.
“I can volunteer to be tested for the mate matching service?”
