Redshirts

Academy for me,” Duvall said. “I enlisted as a grunt for the Dub U peacekeepers. Did that for a couple of years and then transferred over to Space Fleet three years ago. Was on the Nantes up until this transfer.”
    “Promotion?” Dahl said.
    Duvall smirked. “Not exactly,” she said. “It’s best to call it a transfer due to personnel conflicts.”
    Before Dahl could dig further his phone buzzed. He took it out and read the text on it. “Goof,” he said, smiling.
    “What is it?” Duvall asked.
    “Hold on a second,” Dahl said, and turned in his seat to wave at a young man standing in the middle of the station walkway. “We’re over here, Jimmy,” Dahl said. The young man grinned, waved back and headed over.
    “The friend you’re waiting on, I presume,” Duvall said.
    “That would be him,” Dahl said. “Jimmy Hanson.”
    “Jimmy Hanson?” Duvall said. “Not related to James Hanson, CEO and chairman of Hanson Industries, surely.”
    “James Albert Hanson the Fourth,” Dahl said. “His son.”
    “Must be nice,” Duvall said.
    “He could buy this space station with his allowance,” Dahl said. “But he’s not like that.”
    “What do you mean?” Duvall said.
    “Hey, guys,” Hanson said, finally making his way to the table. He looked at Duvall, and held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Jimmy.”
    “Maia,” Duvall said, extending her hand. They shook.
    “So, you’re a friend of Andy’s, right?” Hanson said.
    “I am,” Duvall said. “He and I go way back. All of a half hour.”
    “Great,” Hanson said, and smiled. “He and I go back slightly farther.”
    “I would hope so,” Duvall said.
    “I’m going to get myself something to drink,” Hanson said. “You guys want anything? Want me to get you another round?”
    “I’m fine,” Dahl said.
    “I could go for another,” Duvall said, waggling her nearly empty bottle.
    “One of the same?” Hanson asked.
    “Sure,” Duvall said.
    “Great,” Hanson said, and clapped his hands together. “So, I’ll be right back. Keep this chair for me?”
    “You got it,” Dahl said. Hanson wandered off in search of food and drink.
    “He seems nice,” Duvall said.
    “He is,” Dahl said.
    “Not hugely full of personality,” Duvall said.
    “He has other qualities,” Dahl said.
    “Like paying for drinks,” Duvall said.
    “Well, yes, but that’s not what I was thinking of,” Dahl said.
    “You mind if I ask you a personal question?” Duvall said.
    “Seeing as we’ve already covered my sexual preferences in this conversation, no,” Dahl said.
    “Were you friends with Jimmy before you knew his dad could buy an entire planet or two?” Duvall asked.
    Dahl paused a moment before answering. “Do you know how the rich are different than you or me?” he asked Duvall.
    “You mean, besides having more money,” Duvall said.
    “Yeah,” Dahl said.
    “No,” Duvall said.
    “What makes them different—the smart ones, anyway—is that they have a very good sense of why people want to be near them. Whether it’s because they want to be friends, which is not about proximity to money and access and power, or if they want to be part of an entourage, which is. Make sense?”
    “Sure,” Duvall said.
    “Okay,” Dahl said. “So, here’s the thing. When Jimmy was young, he figured out that his father was one of the richest men in the Dub U. Then he figured out that one day, he would be too. Then he figured out that there were a lot of other people who would try to use the first two things to their own advantage. Then he figured out how to avoid those people.”
    “Got it,” Duvall said. “Jimmy would know if you were just being nice to him because of who his daddy was.”
    “It was really interesting watching him our first few weeks at the Academy,” Dahl said. “Some of the cadets—and some of our instructors—tried to make themselves his friend. I think they were surprised how quickly this rich kid had their number. He’s had enough time to be extraordinarily good at reading people. He has to be.”
    “So how did you approach him?” Duvall said.
    “I didn’t,” Dahl said. “He came over and started talking to me. I think he realized I didn’t care who his dad was.”
    “Everybody loves you,” Duvall said.
    “Well, that, and I was getting an A in the biology course he was having trouble with,” Dahl said. “Just because Jimmy’s picky about his companions doesn’t mean he’s not