IT WAS MACREIDIE WHO first found out what he’d done during the war.
I’ve got to explain about MacReidie. He takes his opinions fast and strong. He’s a good man—is, or was; I haven’t seen him for a long while—but he liked things simple.
MacReidie said the duffelbag broke loose and floated into the middle of the bunkroom during acceleration. He opened it to see whose it was. When he found out, he closed it up and strapped it back in its place at the foot of the stoker’s bunk.
MacReidie was my relief on the bridge. When he came up, he didn’t relieve me right away. He stood next to my chair and looked out through the ports.
“Captain leave any special instructions in the Order Book?” he asked.
“Just the usual. Keep a tight watch and proceed cautiously.”
“That new stoker,” Mac said.
“Yeah
