"James White - Lifeboat" - читать интересную книгу автора (White James)

other specialized technical training useful in space, my duties will be
largely those of a steward. The responsibility for ensuring that the customers
have a happy and comfortable trip is mine, apparently, and up until now, I'm
sorry to say, the thought of mixing with and looking after more than forty
healthy people has me scared stiff-"
"You are being too negative, sir!" she broke in sharply. "You may be little
more than the ship's steward, but you must not act like one or even think like
one. And you apologized to me twice during, oh, five minutes of conversation.
That's bad. You must be the strong, silent type if you want to gain the
respect of your charges. Failing that, you can be the weak, silent type-just
so long as you're silent, reserved, somewhat aloof at all times and never tell
them your troubles. Remember that the passengers don't know that you are just
a glorified steward, and they must never suspect that you are their servant or
your first trip will be hell, and your last so far as Eurydice is concerned.
Because if even once you have to go to the real officers with a passenger
problem, your name is mud, and you'll never-" She was beginning to sound
rather emotional. Mercer thought. He held up his hand and said, "What did I
ever do to you?"
She was quiet for the next dozen paces, then she laughed and said, "Not a
thing. But you can return my favor if you like. I would like to have a few
extra minutes on board. If I could stay up there with the first group of
passengers while you took up the second batch, I really would appreciate that,
sir."
Return what favor? Mercer wondered, then thought that her advice and criticism
had been just that, even if it had nearly lifted the skin off his back. He
nodded.
"Oh, thank you, sir."
Definitely the emotional type, he thought.
A few minutes later they reached the upper end of the ramp and stood blinking
in the twin glare of the afternoon sun and the mirror-bright coach. His dark
uniform soaked up the heat like a thermal sponge, and beside him the girl
became a glittering, truncated cone as she pulled the cloak around her
shoulders.
"Sorry to spoil your view," she said, "but I don't tan in the sun, I frizzle
up. You take the seat beside mine at the rear-you'll have more leg-room-and
ignore the flashing lights on my call panel. People always sit on the arm-rest
buttons while finding a seat.
Be with you in a minute, sir."
By the time she rejoined him he had used the cosmetic mirror set into her
service panel to adjust his cap, which was now absolutely straight and as
level as the distant blue line of the landing lake. He had already checked his
zips. The coach was already picking up speed towards Eurydice's gantry and the
noise level was keeping pace with it. Two seats in front of them a man was
complaining bitterly because the coaches weren't big enough to move everyone
to the ship at the same time, another was insisting that at the price this
trip was costing his company he was damn well going to watch the take-off from
a port, and from farther along the coach two different call lights were
blinking.
"It's high time," said Mercer, rising, "that I started getting to know my
patients-I mean passengers."