"Naturally, Kingsford will command," I was told. "But if you've a rated Exec's papers, Rogers, I think we may swing it." It would mean ten percent of my share, but the requisite of portions of officers' shares is one of the fringe benefits enjoyed by executives of corporations like Anglo-Galactic. There were two others with Executive tickets being touted by other politics within Anglo-Galactic, but my past record, my S Force dossier and my age were tremendous determinants. Or, perhaps, my politics were stronger. I was chosen and signed on for the expedition. I had still not met Kingsford. This was a bit odd. After all, I was to be his executive officer, his immediate subordinate, and I had not even been requested to present myself for his appraisal before selection. * * * * * After signing the contract, I was given a manifest of the ship, a complete set of drawings, and a small library of technical data for brushing up as well as familiarizing myself with the Shaller system theory and everything else that had rendered me somewhat obsolete during my retirement. I came aboard ship three days before departure, still not having met any of the crew, let alone Kingsford. I was greeted by a junior Officer of the Day. "Rogers," I said. "Philip Rogers. I'm the new Exec." "I'm Williams," he said. "Welcome aboard the Algonquin, sir." "This is quite a ship. A bit more than I'm familiar with." "She's a bit more than most of us are familiar with," Williams said. "Isn't she a beauty?" "I hope she shakes down without too many kicks." "Yes, sir. Captain Kingsford is expecting you." "Is he aboard?" I asked. "Yes, sir." I rapped on the hatch, and as I entered his cabin the captain rose to greet me. The first thing I noticed was the eye patch. I had seen photographs of him taken since his return, but he had worn no patch then. "Mr. Rogers," he said and extended his hand. "Welcome aboard." He held his face slightly to one side, as if to give his one seeing eye as full a field of vision as possible. He noticed my preoccupation with the eye patch. "I traveled fourteen months with a big hole here, Mr. Rogers," he said, motioning toward the patch. "I left my right eye where we are going." Then he closed his good eye and was silent for a time. I grew to accept these silences during conversations with him. "They fitted me with a false one when I returned, but advised against my wearing it in space. It's just as well. It gave me bad headaches. The patch is the same, but I don't feel a solid object lodged in my head. This is much better. Well, Mr. Rogers, what do you think of the Algonquin?" "She's quite a ship, the little I've seen, sir."