Ham Sulp had not expected his door to be darkened again so soon, but Tred had scarcely left when another visitor arrived.

He saw Cathal Sair approaching, saw him speak to Tred briefly, and how the latter was disturbed by the man's mere presence.

Sulp rubbed his chin as he watched. The priest acted convincingly calm and pleasant every time he spoke to anyone. But he did not buy it.

'Religious' was almost an insult among his home fleet. They had had little use for it when they left Earth centuries ago, and their time out among the stars had made them even more suspicious of it.

Superstition? Sure. That was pretty normal. Spirituality? That was pushing it. But priests and organization and hierarchy?

They'd shoved those things out an airlock a long time ago.

Sulp opened the door just as Sair had been about to knock.

The surprise on his face turned to a smile; perhaps he thought he was welcome. Sulp just didn't like people knocking.

"Hello, Commander," Sair said, offering a polite bow.

Sulp turned in his chair, offering nothing but a small nod in return. "Can I help you?"

"I am here to request your assistance," Sair said. He opened his mouth to say more, but Sulp spoke first.

"Sounds like an administration issue. You'll need to to talk to Zeela Cann or one of her assistants if the automated system can't help you."

He turned his chair around, pointedly.

Sair was quiet for a few moments, then spoke again. "I know I am being somewhat out of order here. But the Administration office is closed, due to the latest mission and what it portends. I have already expended Ex to reserve a space for a ceremony, but there are certain supplies which I require. They are very basic things, but ones I must ask for."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Sulp turned back around, eyeing the man. He didn't say anything.

Sair offered a slight bow. "I apologize for the inconvenience. I just hoped that perhaps you could help me, as a friendly gift for the many who will be attending."

Sulp heavily considered rejecting the man's request, for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that he simply did not like him.

But he did not get to hoard his resources, no matter how much he might want to. He did have to consider things like the appropriateness of special requests, exactly like this one.

"Show me the list," he grumbled.

Sair sent it to him, and Sulp glanced over it. If there had been anything annoying or rare on it . . . but there wasn't. Chairs, tables, ropes, dining equipment. It was very basic things that anyone might request for an event with a group of people.

He opened a channel. "Phadom, sending down a special request. Get it filled, would you?"

Phadom answered. "We're busy with the last request! Drones don't supervise themselves, pak!"

"Pak yourself," Sulp replied. "Finish that one then get on this. Not a rush, just get it done."

Phadom let the air hang for a few long moments. A sure sign he was upset.

"What's the matter?" Sulp asked, wondering how he'd become the ship's counselor.

"Everything!" Phadom replied. "Creepy temple, creepy people, creepy air. Feel it in my spikes, I do!"

"Yeah, no one likes this shit, Phadom. But you just have to get some tables and chairs together."

"Pak!" Phadom replied, cutting the call.

Which meant he would do it, if he wouldn't he would have outright refused.

Sulp looked back to Sair. "Your stuff should be together in about an hour. I'll have it sent to your event venue."

"You have my gratitude," Sair said, bowing again.

He didn't leave, though, which irked Sulp.

"Was there something else?" he asked the priest.

"I was just thinking, Commander, that our ceremony is very peaceful, and - if I may say so - healing to the soul. I know you are a veteran of the Terris event. On this anniversary period, would you like to join us? We are a loving community, and there is no requirement to believe, but we do understand the pain you are-"

"No," Sulp said, the word coming out harsher than he had even intended. And he had intended it pretty sharply.

Sair looked like he did not expect that answer, but was not upset.

Sulp gestured for the door. "I have work to do."

Sair nodded and bowed again. "Thank you for your assistance."