Adam got a report soon after lunch stating that his free time had changed to a slave information session. Rolling his eyes, he looked up at the simple metal-sheet roofing as he finally got a chance to take a break from his research.
Adam casually made his way towards the room assigned for training, trying to hide from the many aliens that wanted to hurt him to appease their superiors with very limited success.
Though he was able to get to his class on time due to the crowded hallways that would leave too many witnesses if his enemies made a ruckus, they still managed to push him around when walking past, dirtying his uniform and causing other small inconveniences.
Adam managed to arrive at the room exactly on time. He had planned to get there five minutes early, but the detours and interruptions during his trek ate up that time.
Politely knocking on the door, he asked to be let in as was protocol, but his hair almost stood on end when he saw the alien that would be teaching him. This woman (he was so glad he got the advanced translator to identify the voice as feminine) was a combination of probably the grossest parts of both a centipede and spider. She was able to twist her body like a centipede but had the creepy nature of a spider, with enough legs to act like human hands.
"Recruit Blake! Is there a reason you have not brought your slave with you?"
Adam was not prepared for the woman to immediately turn on him with that threatening tone of voice... Damn, even her voice intimidated people.
"N-no Ma'am. I had no reason to bring him so I let him rest."
"Are you moronic?" The creature's voice increased in volume as she moved close to Adam, causing him to flinch back. He could see why his lesson was going to be taught by the disciplinary officer. This woman was truly scary.
"That is your bodyguard! They're meant to be by your side to help protect you!"
"I'm sorry Ma'am," she had a point, but, "I'm just not used to having a slave."
"That's what this lesson is for, now scurry off and get your slave!" She motioned to the door which Adam quickly and gratefully left through to escape her ire...
"Why was that the scariest thing I've seen on this ship?" Adam thought out loud as he calmed down, starting to jog back to retrieve his slave. It was a far quicker affair now that he was too scared about the spider alien to care about his surroundings, but it also meant he got ambushed alone.
"If it isn't the idiot human?" The lone Hron officer stated, pushing Adam back into a side corridor near the door to the living quarters. Adam almost growled as he was caught off guard, falling onto his side in a weak position where the Hron could keep abusing him.
"Can't even keep your balance with a simple push? Is there anything you're good for?" And the rinse and repeat of insults. How many times had he heard that his race was useless?
He tried to stand up but another swing of the woman's hairy arm sent him into the wall.
"Guh, least I'm not hiding behind someone else to be a bully." Adam retorted almost absentmindedly, his anger was getting the better of him now. He had enough of people messing with him just because they wouldn't get in trouble for it.
"Very funny. Just because you hold no power, doesn't mean you get to cry that things are unfair," the Hron jeered, hitting Adam again as the sound of a door opening echoed down their corridor. This time the punch was straight at his chest, making him feel the impact in his bones as he fell back, his hand landing on the ground.
"Watch me. I'll claw my way into so much power that you'll be cowering in fear," Adam said, getting up while wincing in pain from the damage. By his estimate, he didn't seem to have anything broken. This irked the Hron even more.
"Why, you! You can hardly handle swipes from me. Any more and you could-"
What the both of them didn't notice was the charging Bunta as it slammed head first into the Hron woman's back, knocking the unbelievably sturdy alien down in one strike.
"Master, how wounded are you?"
That statement alone caused stunned silence in Adam, even as the Hron was groaning from landing face-first on the metal floor.
"What?" Adam could only ask as his slave ran around the Hron and moved between his master and the enemy.
"My visor woke me up when you were injured. I'll protect you."
This just sent a whole lot of questions through Adam's head, but the primary one was-
"How did you know I was hurt?"
"My visor relays my master's physical condition."
That still didn't answer what he wanted to know. He'd have to ask the.... just thinking of her caused a spike of fear in Adam.
"Well, thank you for saving me. I need to ride you to my class, it seems I wasn't treating you right."
"Understood Master."
The still-unnamed slave knelt down so Adam could mount him. It was then that the Hron finally managed to stand back up.
"Running away after your slave saved you? How cowardly can you be?" The woman jeered at Adam and advanced on him. As his slave stood back up, Adam laughed back at the Hron.
"You said those with power should use it, right? I'm going to use my slave to carry me to my lesson. Let's hope your owner can save you from this abuse."
Adam purposefully aggravated the Hron before guiding his slave away and towards the room where he would be instructed.
"What took you so long, recruit?" Adam heard the violent jeer of his instructor as soon as he was allowed inside the room. Only inside did he get off his slave and allow them to rest their back.
"Apologies, Ma'am. I had some difficulties in traveling to the location my slave was resting," Adam decided to lie, it was better than getting the trainer in trouble investigating a charge that would be shot down later by a Vanid.
"There are simple instructions, even your translator should be able to give you information. How did you lose your way?"
"My translator is faulty. There weren't enough translators when I bought mine so I was given a discount until a new one could be procured. It should be ready by the end of the day."
Adam hoped this lie would be successful, but the woman saw that as entirely plausible. She had seen many people serving the new Vanid officers, so wouldn't be surprised if they had managed to fake giving the human a faulty one.
"Understood. I'll check in on that replacement translator for you as this clerical error affects not only you but anyone you manage to hold up because of faulty equipment."
This caused Adam's facade to break slightly in annoyance. His idea hadn't worked, and now he would have to explain to the woman why he had lied to her.
Before he could say anything though, the woman moved papers over to Adam.
"These are the documents containing slave handling protocol on the ship. Have you read them beforehand?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I read them before the theoretical test performed by the CEO's right hand."
hinking about it, Adam realized that he was never given Alluris' rank... That was peculiar.
"Good, then you have already arranged for their food and drink?"
"What?" Adam was caught off guard by her words. He thought the payment plan included the feeding of the creature.
"Slaves do not get fed like regular troops, recruit! You need to organize food for your slave based upon their species-specific requirements."
"Understood Ma'am. I will conduct it right after this. I haven't got the funds to feed my slave yet though, until my debts for the slave and translator are paid off I won't receive my pay-"
"Recruit, you understand that the debt repayment system doesn't take all your income don't you?"
"It doesn't?" He asked, unsure. He was really hoping his lack of knowledge wouldn't cause the already strained superior to get angry at him.
"You receive funds so that you can manage properties for the fleet, so as to ensure they don't lose potential capital."
"Oh. Well then, I will check my account balances when I have the time, Ma'am."
"That doesn't matter, recruit. This lesson is to teach you how to handle your slave as a representative of Steel Soul. If you handle your slave improperly it will reflect badly on everyone in the fleet."
"Wait, aren't we allowed to do whatever we want with our slaves?"
"In private, recruit!" The booming voice of the woman made Adam almost cower again, his slave debating whether or not to make a move towards Adam.
"In public you must follow the etiquette that a slave owner must possess."
"Understood Ma'am. Do you want me to take notes?"
"No, I want you to know these immediately when you go anywhere with your slaves! The first thing you need to remember is to cover your slaves. They can have their faces open but anything that could offend the sensibility of other races must be covered up."
'Understood. All slaves clothed at the bare minimum in public."
"Cattle slaves cannot be displayed in public. Any interaction with them must be done on private property and they must be transported in containers with only enough ventilation to keep the cattle alive."
Adam's first thought when the conversation started was why his translator was describing cattle. It was unlikely to be what was being said, but was the most accurate translation his translator could provide which confused him.
"Anyone of considerable social standing will need to accommodate guests with their own slaves. When you become a proper officer you will need to search for appropriate slaves to tend to any guests you will receive."
"Wait, what?" Adam questioned in shock. He was ordered to collect a group of slaves despite not wanting more than needed?
"Is something the matter, recruit?"
"Yes. I'm currently completing my officer training. Why do I need to get a cadre of slaves?"
"It is vital for the reputation of Steel Soul fleet. Every officer is to be economically capable and so will have slaves tending to them. If you do not have slaves according to your station you will be punished through temporary reduction in pay until you fix your behavior, or eventually your contract will be terminated if you do not."
Adam was shocked and intimidated by this. He had to handle multiple slaves by himself and treat them like everyone else. What if they got angry and rebelled? He couldn't even have security slaves because they would likely turn on him as well.
"U-understood. I will keep that in mind, Ma'am."
"Those are the important three, the rest will be more specific to your slave and your personal conduct."
Adam sighed in relief as the lesson became more of a boring list of minor tendencies to make yourself look more presentable with your slaves.