Stikky was not an excellent spacer. He had been up and down the rank ladder several times: promoted because time had passed; demoted because he overslept or failed an inspection. He was, however, an excellent computer tech. He intuitively understood the workings of the Navy's information systems better than any of the officers, indeed, better than anyone on the ship. It was Stikky to whom the other ratings turned when connections failed, or new installations balked, or old devices slowed. More than once, another rating got the credit and a promotion based on something Stikky did.
Yet in all of this, Stikky was content. He enjoyed what he did; he had a continuing parade of devices to puzzle through, install, and confirm as operational. As section officers cycled in, each tried to rehabilitate Stikky as a spacer, soon found that the network suffered, and so learned to leave Stikky alone.
Stikky was the butt of good-natured derision, which he ignored, or didn't notice. It was always good-natured because the network suffered if it wasn't. Today's ribbing was somehow different.
"Stikky! The Captain wants to see you!"
"You're in trouble now! Did you let his link crash?"
Stikky was immune to their comments and ignored them, until the Lieutenant touched his shoulder firmly, and said, "Stand up. Let's see you. Your tunic has a spot; let's get it changed. The Captain wants you on the bridge."
It took longer than he expected and the Lieutenant was starting to get nervous.
-- Agent of the Imperium, Copyright © 2015 by Marc Miller
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