“Well, no one ever knows what they will really do until they are in the situation,” I say.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says. “I want to know how this turns out with the other commander.”

I ask her as she’s leaving. “What do you think he’ll do?”

“I’m no expert in the pride of men, but he will want you even more to replace his Water woman. He has had her, and you are worthy of marrying. Sorry, I have to run now, or I’ll be late,” she says, running off.

I finish my tea, reassuring myself that my Commander will not give me to anyone. He promised me.

CHAPTER 22

COMMANDER

“What is it to you?” the other commander asks me.

“It is the rule of the fleet. These rules are not new. You have just been neglecting them, and now that you have been included, we all must abide by the same laws with the same consistency.”

“I might feel more favorably to them if you give me your valet. You have trained her well; perhaps she could train my Water woman.”

“Your crew has the same access to the cultural programs as Volunteer 4711 has. Perhaps you need to provide better incentives for your Water woman.”

“I give her so much, and all she does is sit around and watch dramas with the other females,” he complains.

“Because those females need to be married off to give them something to do,” I say. I can tell by his face expression this is not what he wants to hear. “I’m going to pay you 3,000 UCs for the harm Volunteer 4711 did to your Water woman, and then I do not want to hear about any of this again.”

“I cannot promise I will not ask to buy 4711 again. In the future, you might tire of her.”

“I can promise you that will not happen. Now you have until the end of the week. I expect to see many marriages or females abandoning your ship for other places to sell their bodies.”

The other commander agrees, and then I end the communications between us.

I open my messages to check what Volunteer 4711 has sent, not that she ever makes a mistake, and what messages I have from the government. Of course, the government wants to charge me for stealing a volunteer. They think they have caught me in some trick with my other commander; although I do not believe he was in league with the government, I think he just saw an opportunity and tried.

I delete the messages from the government.

I see another one from a female I used to know when I had just become an adult. We were together for a short period of time. I see that Volunteer 4711 has read it, and I wonder why she marked it for me. I assume this must be about her husband’s death, and my valet should have sent an appropriate amount of money to her for sympathy. But when I read it, I understand. This female is fishing for a new husband. I am flattered, but that will not be me. I go to delete the message, but at the last minute, I decide I will reply later. I do not want to burn any bridges.