Page 8 of Whoops-A-Mate From Outer Space
I nodded. “Yeah, I figured those would need to be inspected. Didn’t think the e-reader would be a problem, though.”
He shrugged. “Orders from the top.”
He spent another minute making sure all my electronics were secure, then turned to me. “Can I trust you, or do I need to hand this off to somebody else?”
“I’ll leave them in there,” I replied.
He nodded, then took a seat nearby as I reached into my backpack and pulled out a stack of papers that I’d printed just in case.
“What’s that?” he asked.
“Emails from potential grad students who want to study under me.”
He blinked. “Wouldn’t your incoming students already be set?”
I shook my head. “These are the ones already thinking about next year. Contact early to narrow options down before sending out grad school applications.”
“Sounds serious.”
I laughed. “It’s only their futures. How much funding can the university provide versus loans? How will their research fit into their career goals? There’s a lot at stake.”
“I guess I’ve never thought about it.”
“Went right into the military after college?”
He chuckled. “Actually… I enlisted, then I went through the Green to Gold program once I decided I wanted this to be mycareer. Got my bachelor’s in business administration, but never planned to go further.”
“Business admin, and they’ve got you recruiting scientists for some secret lab?”
He chuckled. “The general is in charge, and it was his call to recruit you. But I’m right below him. He spends most of his energy communicating up and across to other people involved in the overall mission, while I’m tasked with a lot of the day-to-day operations.”
“So he’s in charge… but you’re in charge?” I asked.
His chuckle turned into a full laugh. “Yes, and no. He’s in charge of the mission and the base. But this extends much farther than what you’ll see. He’s in constant communication with superiors, labs in other locations, and many federal agencies. He can’t waste time on the logistics of feeding and housing people. But that’s what I like to do. So I make sure the base is running smoothly so he can focus on the big picture.”
“I guess I didn’t think of all the everyday stuff involved.”
“People still need to eat and sleep.”
I smiled. “Otherwise, you end up with hangry and exhausted people.”
He laughed. “While we’re on the subject, Doctor…”
“Gene,” I interrupted.
“Pardon?”
“Call me Gene. I might have my doctorate, but I prefer my name.”
“I’ll try to remember that, Doct… Gene.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“I guess you should call me Floyd.”
“Only if you’re comfortable with it.”
He shrugged. “You’re a civilian, not in my chain of command. And I have the feeling that some military norms will eventually have to change on this base. Though that’ll come later.”
