The four junior officers all looked at their belt-comps. 

“Yes, sir,” Pavel Vladimirovitch said. “Two in the afternoon.”

“That seems remarkably late,” Smith answered, “but I suppose there must be yet another difference in your customs.”

“Usually we’d start at nine,” Pavel Vladimirovitch answered, “but an event like this customarily turns into an extended drinking party, in which the participants do not get to bed until extremely late, or perhaps I should say somewhat early the next morning, and will need to recover after they wake up. Then we reach noon, and need a couple of hours delay for a proper lunch.”

“Your customs are indeed different from ours,” Smith said. “However, as we are really only here for the military aspects of the situation, not for attempting to establish ties and relationships that might advance my promotion, I do believe I will now be on my way. Please don’t feel any obligation to leave just because I am, any of you. Again, it was a pleasure to meet the four of you, and I wish you all a good evening.” He stood.

Ekaterina joined him in standing. “But I’ll be going back to my study systems,” Ekaterina said, “and leave efforts to deplete the Grand Admiral’s liquor warehouse to the three of you.”

“We are all heartbroken,” Chiang  Jianhong said. “Have you ever heard of anything other than work?”

“Yes, of course,” she answered. “More work. Everyone knows that.”  She turned to Smith. “Commodore, if you take the A37 corridor to the end before using the lift it will get you back to your pinnace much more directly than the roundabout route through Main Hub.”

“Ah, thank you,” Smith said. “And I see my pocket comp is approving the route, given that I am a foreign barbarian undoubtedly under suspicion of something, and not allowed to visit parts of this station.  I have summoned my officers and staff members, so we will soon be going on our ways.”

Pavel Vladimirovitch snapped to his feet and gave Smith a sharp salute, which Smith returned.

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