Adam was really wishing he had taken his pills today as his mind was wandering far more than it should have been. but with all of the aliens, he was still wary about them since a change in medication could really screw him over. He had decided to take notes during the lesson so, on his personal tablet was the list he could go over when dealing with slave related matters.
As Adam was riding on his slave he realized they'd most likely missed lunch. So despite the fact that they were meandering towards the living quarters again Adam would call his slave to a halt and look through his pad's information guide for slave stations.
"Is there anything wrong master?" Adam's slave asked as they were stopped in the middle of a hallway and he couldn't look up to see what the human was doing.
"No, I just need to find you a place where you can eat. you missed out on lunch didn't you?"
"Yes. I didn't know if you wanted to give me a midday meal. where do we need to go?"
"Give me a second." Adam would say with an absentminded voice. There were way too many slave facilities for this ship. He was learning a lot, more than he wanted to know to be perfectly honest. "Okay I'm sending the coordinates to you now I think? I haven't sent information to a slave's directory before."
"It has appeared Master. May I head towards there?"
"Y-yes." Adam stated dumbly, it was a bit surprising to hear the mount ask him to take him there instead of taking the initiative. "you don't need to ask me to do things."
"I don't? what do I have permission to do?" Goodness, this was getting tough. Adam was racking his brain to try and understand how to deal with the mount in the way he wanted. it was hard to find the right words.
"I'm not sure how to say it. you may pursue your own tasks when not serving me?"
"Understood Master." The quickness in the way his slave replied caused Adam to think that he likely misunderstood. but he had no way to know what the misunderstanding was or how to fix it.
"Either way, it's hard not having a title to call you by. do you have any name you like?"
"Slave is fine. My old reference number was 548 if you want to number me to remember your other slaves." Adam nearly facepalmed at this. the man didn't realize Adam wanted to name him.
"I meant a proper name. like mine."
"A true name?" the alien faltered for a second, thinking about it. "I never thought about getting a true name. I would like whatever you give me, Master."
"Well then... since you changed genders why not something like Charles? since it is similar to Charlotte."
"Thanks for granting me a name master. I won't forget it!" the newly dubbed Charles let out with a happy tone, sending Adam off into feeling weird again. the man didn't have any comments on what his name would be, just happy he had one. Coming from a personal worldview where everyone had a name, it was hard to get used to.
"Y-you're welcome. did you really have no desires as a slave? did you ever want to do something?"
"I have worked my whole life. My lack of grabbing limbs prevents me from doing many things that you superior races can do. So I am content with what I have."
"That's..." Adam had to think for a while as he listened to his slave. He didn't know how to handle this situation, but as they continued to talk one thought became clear in his mind. "I won't allow that. "
"Did I do something wrong Master?"
"No, it wasn't you. but having someone I know having such a little life other than servitude just doesn't sit right with me. So I'll be looking for ways to expand your horizons and give you something to live for other than my sake."
"Thank you, Master. I don't understand what you mean, but I will cherish your kindness." Despite Adam being focused and unflinching before, hearing Charles thank him so wholeheartedly caused the young man to feel awkward again.
"You're welcome. now let's get you some food." Adam said, hoping to end the conversation there for now so he could compose himself and ready up for the next conversation.
What he wasn't expecting when he arrived at the cooking section of the fleet was that he would find his two Hron recruits on duty at the desk. chatting to themselves as they moved objects around. He couldn't see the objects so he had no idea what they were doing.
"How have you been taking the reduced exercise times from the officer?" Knud asked her younger and masculine partner. who replied immediately and not in a way Adam would've preferred.
"Not good. I can feel myself weakening as I'm stuck in classrooms trying to learn how to conduct myself. Do I really need so much hand-eye coordination? I'm going to be the laughing stock of the rest of the Hron after this month is over."
"I can relate. It feels like I'm becoming the weak link in our group with how little I'm working. Do you think we could bring this up with the human?"
"Are you kidding me? he's got delusions of grandeur. he won't care about us unless we get him good results. and as soon as he gets better underlings he'll throw us to the wayside."
Adam had let the two talk until now so he could get a view on how he was perceived. and it wasn't too well. "I'm sorry that you feel like I'm not doing enough for you two. but as of right now if we don't go above and beyond we could all be food by the end of the trial period."
Adam's retort, though did appear to be hostile, even their translators could tell he was not angry with them, which confused them. "S-s-sir!" Jin turned around, saluting fast in hopes not to offend his officer any further.
"Sorry for not noticing you Sir" Gnud conducted herself the same way, though Adam could tell she thought things through more clearly so she wasn't as nervous as her friend.
Adam made sure to salute the two as they saluted him, completing the protocol. "That's fine. you were busy doing your jobs. your training will be changed based on your test scores. I need you all to be ready by the time the final exam comes around a week before the trial is over. so if you conduct yourself well and go ahead of schedule you may be able to negotiate for a changed schedule."
"T-Thanks Sir," Jin answered. He hadn't known why Adam had come here yet, but he had a more pressing issue on his mind. "Sir, why did you say we would be turned into food if we don't go... above and beyond as you say?"
This caused a glare from Gnud. "You didn't even ask him why he had come here. we may be his subordinates but we're on cook duty first!"
"That's fine Gnud. it is something you two should understand anyway. The Vanid are not happy with me trying to go beyond my 'religiously' appointed station." they could tell the way he said that word he was trying to be insulting; giving credence to the theory they both harbored that he was a rebel instead of a supporter of the empire. "And like tyrants-" once again, why was vanid the closest word they had to what he was saying? "They will likely make you food as well for supporting me even incidentally, so I need to make you valuable enough to be worth more to them alive than dead."
"What about you? you keep talking about making us survive but you keep avoiding talking about yourself?" Gnud asked Adam, curious as to why the person she would consider like a herd member would care so little about themselves.
"Well even if we achieve our goals the only way I'll have a chance at becoming CEO and escaping my fate is if I do some legendary action during the invasion that will mark the final exam for the officer's test. likely I'll just be able to help you guys become valuable members of the fleet to make up for my mistake."
Realizing he was going on a tangent Adam stopped himself as Jin tried to ask something. "Either way, I'm here to organize food for my slave. I only realized I had to set up his feeding recently. could you give me the options?"
"Well the only feeding option titled for slaves is the basic slave food program. it will be deducted from your pay and you will have food delivered to your slave." Gnud stepped up, realizing Adam didn't want to talk about the threat to his life, though believing for different reasons than the human.
"That would be great, thank you. could I get some food for Charles now?" This caused all three aliens near Adam to be confused.
"I'm sorry but slaves get their food at designated times. If you want them to get extra food you will have to pay for special meals. Have you already named your slave?"
"Why not? it's weird talking to someone without having a name to call them by. As for the food. Charles didn't get his midday meal so could I buy something for him?"
"Well yes, usually masters only give names to the slaves who matter that's all." Jin at this point was too confused about the situation to talk, leaving Gnud to pick up the slack.
"Well, could I get a filling meal for him?"
"Jin could you find out the nutritional needs for Bunta? I will get our officer to decide what quality meal he would like to give the slave." Seeing Jin's troubles Gnud gave him a way to bow out, allowing the two to be alone.