Zhao Chen looked at the several old hands before him.
"Group Leader, what did you call us for?" one asked of his own accord.
"I have a charge to entrust to you." Zhao Chen raised a hand and brought out several roster files.
And sent one to each of the men before him.
Then brought out several crystal cards, and handed those to them at the same time.
The old hands looked at their group leader in some surprise, not understanding what he meant by it.
If they saw the crystal cards rightly,
those were Star Alliance bank cards, good anywhere within the Alliance.
"On that roster is the information for those of our Eighteenth Squadron who were killed. I have gone over the circumstances of each man's family. Then divided that award of ten years' pay among them, the whole of it. There are a great many of them, and they are scattered over the length and breadth of the Alliance. I mean, hereafter, to set up accounts at Star Alliance banks in the several places. And every so often a sum for their keep will be sent into these families' hands. Because the span of years may be long, and because it wants someone to oversee it. I would ask you to take this business in hand for me."
At their group leader's words,
every old hand there wore a look of blank astonishment.
Never in the world had they supposed that their group leader would hand out ten years' pay at a colonel's grade without so much as blinking.
For that sum, to a noble, might be nothing at all.
But to common folk such as they, it was beyond doubt an astronomical figure!
"Group Leader. There is no need whatever for you to do this. As to the death benefits and the provisions, the Alliance has agreed already to pay at the high standard promised before. By that standard alone, the brothers' families can live out their lives without a care," one old hand urged, and held the bank card out to Zhao Chen again.
Zhao Chen did not take it, but said flatly: "Call it my compensation to my brothers. For I promised once to bring them home whole. Above all those who followed me out a second time. Their families have the more need of this money, thinking of me as they must. Say no more of it. This is my order. Unless you will not own me as your group leader, in which case you may leave the Eighteenth Group now. And I shall not trouble you with this charge."
At the last, Zhao Chen's voice turned hard.
Zhao Chen's authority had never slackened, so none of them dared say more just then.
They took the cards, meekly enough.
"But I will warn you of one thing besides. The funds in those cards are for those brothers' families. If greed rises in you, and you dare touch it. I will most assuredly make you regret ever coming into this world!" There was murder in Zhao Chen's look as it passed over the old hands.
One of them stepped forward and said outright: "Group Leader, you may be easy. You trust us, and you have brought out this money for the brothers who fell besides. Should any one of us dare so much as think of it, you need not lift a hand. We will clear our own house for you!"
"Just so, clear our own house!"
"If ever I hear that some fellow has dared embezzle the group leader's money. Though he were at the world's end, I would run him to earth and cut him down with my own hand!"
One great coarse-built man said it, and glared round at the rest of them besides.
In truth what Zhao Chen had said just then was said to establish his authority.
For those he had called in to give this charge to, he had looked into, every one; they were men to be trusted.
As to why Zhao Chen should scatter his wealth so.
On the one hand it was for the reason he had himself given.
On the other, Zhao Chen was not going to stay in this world.
To keep such a fortune by him was simply waste.
Better to put it in the hands of those who needed it more.
"Go and see to it, each of you. I must go to the bridge and see the General." With that, Zhao Chen turned and went.
And the old hands, watching their group leader's back, stood straight and saluted it.
That salute came from the heart.
For themselves, for the comrades who had fallen, and for those comrades' families.
To have such a leader in this life was truly to have nothing left to ask for.
And the crystal bank cards in their hands seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.
……
Zhao Chen came to the bridge very promptly this time.
He had stood the man up once already.
To do it twice would truly not do.
Zhao Chen had the authority, so he entered the bridge unhindered.
The more so as Zhao Chen's face was now the greatest pass of all.
Elsewhere it might be otherwise; on this starship, Zhao Chen's name stood beyond doubt second only to the General's.
"Good day. I have come to see the General." Zhao Chen stopped some way short of the captain's chair and applied to a staff officer.
"Major Zhao. The General has given orders that whenever you come. You need not be announced. You may go straight in." The staff officer looked at Zhao Chen with worship in his eyes.
To think the General should trust him so.
Zhao Chen said nothing further, and went toward the captain's chair.
As it happened, the General was at that moment in consultation with several staff officers.
Zhao Chen stood a few meters off from the captain's chair and did not disturb them.
But soon the staff officer speaking with the General raised his head, and saw Zhao Chen standing not far behind the chair.
And the officer's blank look drew the General's notice.
He turned his head and saw Zhao Chen standing there, waiting.
"We will talk of these matters later." The General rose eagerly, broke off the discussion outright, and came up to Zhao Chen.
And said, laughing, "I did not think you would come so early."
"The General may see to his business first; I shall wait here," Zhao Chen said, very clear on what his own standing now was, what he should say and what he should do.
"No matter. Those things are none of them important. Come with me; I have something to tell you." The General took Zhao Chen to a conference room beside the bridge.
And when the door was shut.
The General laid a paper invitation before Zhao Chen, with a metal seal upon it besides.
One must say, in an interstellar age such as this,
to see such an article still has a flavor all its own.
Zhao Chen looked at the General, puzzled.
"Open it; it is yours." The General sat down in a chair.
Zhao Chen opened it.
Within was an invitation.
Its substance was simple enough.
The Star Alliance's high council were to hold a banquet.
And the high men of every power had been invited.
Among whom Zhao Chen was invited particularly, being now something of a legend.
Zhao Chen frowned slightly.
A banquet, at a time like this?
Was that not a little over-hasty?
The General perhaps marked Zhao Chen's look; he shrugged helplessly and said: "In truth it was proposed by the great families within the Alliance. They all want the small universe's cake divided the sooner. As to inviting you. It is for your showing in this secret operation, and on the other hand they wish you to widen your connections besides. With your ability and your gifts, your future is beyond doubt not so simple a thing as an interstellar fighter pilot. And at this banquet the Star Alliance Leader will attend as well. Though I cannot abide him, his ability, one must own, is very strong!"