EXCERPT From A Navigator's Tale: The Arcane Map of West by D. Martin

        "I realize I may have sounded a bit abrupt when I told you your navigation credentials did not inspire me to release my ship controls to you, but I did not expect you to retreat so fast and tamely. I thought you would, at least, fight for a position on my ship,” his cold voice informed me.

      I stared in dazed wonder at the man. Did this most rude person follow me just to insult me once more?  “What did you want to talk to me about?” I made my voice as cold as his.

      “I thought you were seeking a position on my ship. You are my last choice as a pilot-navigator, but there is an opening for a juniorship-assistant.”

     While clenching my teeth to force myself to remain professional, I tried hard not to glare at the man. This isn’t going well at all. Certainly, I didn’t like the way he continued to low-rate me. A junior assistant on a merchant vessel was about as low ranking a position as any spacer could go on a ship. Besides, it was nonnavigational. It was for untrained newbies: not anyone with Lumen Guild pilot-navigator certification.

      The insensitive brute sat silent while frowning at me. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something. I took a long, calming breath before trusting my mouth and temper.

       “Perspective employees should be compatible with their employers. I don’t think I would suit you, Captain West. So I’m going to decline the honor of requesting you to consider me for the position. And now, I do have to be somewhere else. Thank you for your time, sir.” I fought to keep irate sarcasm out of my flat-spoken words.

       It killed me to say that. I’m throwing away possible employment. Even if it was only a low junior assistant position, it would have paid something slightly more than nothing, which was what I was facing in terms of incoming credit flow. I shot up from my seat.

       “Sit down, and hear me out.”

       His terse command made me drop down in the chair, but I glared. Nothing would induce me to sign on to any ship owned or captained by Mr. Tyrannical West. Here he was, ordering me about—and I wasn’t even his employee. He would be darn near impossible to serve under, and I refused to put myself through that particular kind of grief.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

End of Excerpt