"Well, I did tell you, didn't I ?"
The Captain was in his cabin. "Cadet Dodson, sir."
"So I see." Yancey held up a sheet of paper. "Dodson, I've just written a letter to the Department, to be transmitted as soon as we are in radio contact, recommending that fresh flowers be grown in all ships, as a means of stimulating morale. You are credited therein as the originator of the idea."
"Er . .. thank you, sir."
"Not at all. Anything that relieves the tedium, the boredom, the barrenness of life in deep space is in the interest of the Patrol. We have enough people going space-happy as it is. Flowers are -considered good for psychotics on Earth; perhaps they will help to keep spacemen from going wacky. Enough of that-I've a question to ask you." "Yes, sir?"
"I want to know why in the devil you were spending your time growing pansies when you are behind in your study schedule?"
Matt did not have anything to say.
"I've been looking over the reports Mr. Thurlow sends me and I find that both Mr. Jensen and Mr. Jarman are covering more ground than you are. In the past few weeks they have pulled 'way ahead of you. It's a fine thing to have hobbies but your duty is to study." "Yes, sir."
"I've marked your performance unsatisfactory for this quarter; you have the next quarter in which to make up the deficiency. By the way, have you made up your mind about your next move?"
Matt did a double take, then realized that the Captain had changed the subject to chess; he and Matt were fighting it out for first place in the ship's tournament. "Uh, yes, sir-I've decided to take your pawn."