Junior Spaceman Howard Reed entered the commandant's office eagerly and
briskly. His salute was snappy as he announced himself.
Commander Breckenridge looked up at the young spaceman without
expression, nodded curtly, and then looked down at the pile of papers
neatly stacked in the center of his desk. Without saying a word, the
commander fingered down through the pile until he came to a thin sheaf
of papers stapled together. This file he withdrew, placed atop the
stack, and then he proceeded to read every word of every page as if he
were refreshing his memory about some minor incident that had become
important only because of the upper-level annoyance it had caused.
When he finished, he looked up and said coldly, "I presume you know why
you're here, Mr. Reed?"
"I can guess, sir--because of my technical suggestion."
"You are correct."
"And it's been accepted?" cried the junior spaceman eagerly.
"It has not!" snapped the superior officer. "In fact--"
"But, sir, I don't understand--"
"Silence!" said Commander Breckenridge. Almost automatically, his right
hand slipped the top drawer open to expose the vial of tri-colored
capsules. His hand stopped short of them, dangling into the drawer
from the wrist resting on the edge. He looked down at the pills and
seemed to be debating whether it would be better to conduct this
painful interview as gentlemen should, or to let his righteous anger
show.
"Mr. Reed," he said heavily, "your aptitudes and qualifications
were reviewed most carefully by the Bureau of Personnel, and their
considered judgment caused your replacement here, in the Bureau of
Operations. You were _not_--and I repeat, _not_--placed in the Bureau
of Research. Is this clear?"
"Yes, sir. But--"
"Mr. Reed, I cannot object to the provisions in the Regulations whereby
encouragement is given both the officers and men to proffer suggestions
for the betterment of the Service. However, a shoe-maker should stick
to his last. The benefit of this program becomes a detriment when any
officer or man tries to invade other departments. This works both ways,
Mr. Reed. There is not an officer in the whole Bureau of Research who
can tell me a single thing about organizing my Bureau of Operations.
Conversely, I would be completely stunned if any Operations officer
were to come up with something that hasn't been known to the Bureau of
Research for years."
"Yes, sir. I see your point, sir. But if the Bureau of Research has
known about my suggestion for years, why isn't it being used?"
"Because, Mr. Reed, it will not work!"
"But, sir, it's _got_ to work!"
"And you feel so firmly convinced of this that you had the temerity to
bypass my office?"
"Sir, you yourself make a point of professing to know absolutely
nothing about scientific matters."
"All right, we'll table this angle for a few minutes. Just what makes
this notion of yours so important, Mr. Reed?"
* * * * *
"Sir," said Reed, "the maximum range for our most efficient spacecraft
is only a bit over seventeen light-years to the point of no return. My
suggestion deals with a means of extending that range a hundred times.
Perhaps more. If it were my decision, sir, anything that even hinted at
extending the cruising range would receive a maximum-urgency priority."
"In other words, you feel that anything we can do to extend our
operations is the most important thing in the whole Space Service?"
"Well, sir, perhaps not _the_ most important, but--"
"Your modesty is gratifying. I presume this modesty would prevent you
from accepting any more than the Letter of Commendation from the Office
of the Secretary?"
"I don't understand, sir."
"You don't? Mr. Reed, was your desire to improve the efficiency of
Operations a simple desire to improve the Service--or did you hope that
this brilliant suggestion would, perhaps, provide you with a better
assignment?"
"I still do not understand."
"Oh, you don't? Mr. Reed, why did you join the Space Service in the
first place?"
"Because, sir, I hoped that I could be instrumental in helping mankind
to spread across the Galaxy."
"Mr. Reed, have you sand in your shoes?"
"Sir?"