“Sixteen, seventeen?”
“Sixteen, sir.”
“I’ve seen you around. Why are you doing servant work, Corporal?”
“No one has told me, but I suspect there are two reasons. I am a hubite and too young to lead others, sir.”
“And a Level 3. They didn’t know what to do with you, so they put you here. Do you know anything about strategy?”
“I read military strategy in training and a little since, sir.”
“…and put you in the basement so you wouldn’t grow.”
“That might be a reason, sir. I can’t say I know for sure about anything.”
“I might be able to do something about that. Don’t expect a miracle, young man. Your name?” The officer chuckled. “I don’t need it. I’m sure you are the only corporal-servant in the building.”
“Corporal Tirolo, sir. Quinto Tirolo.”
“You may leave. I wouldn’t want anyone to see you with me now.”
“Yes, sir.” Quint left, wondering who the officer was. He seemed happy to converse with a hubite and a subordinate.
The following day, Quint was called into his supervisor’s office.
“You’ve had a change in assignment,” the woman said. “You will be responsible for the conference rooms and the library on the third floor.” She scratched her head. “I’ve never been asked to arrange the staff that way, but I follow orders, just like you.”
“What do I do, ma’am?”
“You’ll serve the most senior meetings, and the others will remain behind. You will still clean the conference rooms after each meeting like you have been doing.”
“How do I serve in the library?” Quint asked.
“Keep it dusted and orderly. I generally have someone move the dirt around once a week. You can do a better job, I’m sure.”
“Thank you for your confidence in me, ma’am,” Quint said.
The supervisor scribbled on a copy of the assignment sheet and handed it to Quint. “Today’s assignment. Oh, I just about forgot. If you have the time, monitor the sun courtyard and serve drinks occasionally.”
“I can do that, ma’am,” Quint said.
Chapter Eigh
t
Life shifted in a slightly different direction. Quint checked on the courtyard a few times a day, and when it was empty, he spent a few minutes soaking in the sun with his uniform tunic off.
Quint accepted the instructions from some of the indignant serving staff since he had taken away the opportunity for the staff to rub shoulders with the strategic operations officers, for he had learned that everyone in the division was an officer with one exception: him.
On the fourth day, he was called to bring a tray of punch up to the commanding officer’s office on the third floor. In the months he had been working at the division, he had never met the commanding officer, and that fact had always gnawed at him: a display of his insignificant worth.
A clerk helped open the door for Quint.
“You can go right in,” the clerk said.
Quint stopped as he passed the door. The officer in the courtyard sat behind a large desk in a large office with its own conference table. No wonder he had never seen the commanding officer in a conference room. The meetings were held here.
“Where should I put these, sir?” Quint asked.
“On the table. You’ll be sitting in that chair in the corner listening in on my meetings, Corporal Tirolo. If we need someone to fetch something, you can do an admirable job. We haven’t been formally introduced. I am the commanding officer of the Strategic Operations Division of the Wizard Corps. You can call me Colonel Sarrefo.”
“Yes, Colonel Sarrefo, sir.”
“Good. Go to your assigned seat. The attendees will arrive any time.” Sarrefo rose from his chair and came around, holding a portfolio.
Four people walked into the room. Quint recognized Amaria. He didn’t know if her last name was Occo or not. She paused as she looked at him. Quint could detect a slight narrowing of her eyes before she turned her attention to the table.
“You can shut the door, Corporal Tirolo,” Sarrefo said. “I decided we could use our little corporal for a little more than emptying the trash. He is a Level 3, after all. None of us can surpass him except for me, of course.”
Everyone but Quint smiled or laughed softly.
“Tirolo will perform some of Amaria Baltacco's duties, giving her more time to assist the rest of us.”
Amaria Baltacco's duties were unknown to Quint, so he had no idea what he was doing there except to take the refreshments away at the end of the meeting and perhaps close the door to the colonel’s office on the way out.
