In the Library at Rosetta Estates

Albert Goodfrey, dressed in a 3-piece suit, climbed the steps in groups of two. His face, impassive and stern, did not betray his mood which had been quite lightened throughout his trip home. Immediately after the private awards ceremony where he was promoted to Staff Sergeant, commended for valour, and given a medal for sacrificing his eye he had taken a shuttle to the landing pad at copernicus city and begun the long train ride over the shallow bay to the Rosetta Estate. His heart had lifted as the small city of Taruntius, on the sea of Crisis, had loomed over the horizon. And here he was, at the door of his grandfather's master's home - theirs in writing, his in heart.

The door echoed when he knocked, and he waited patiently as the warmth of the afternoon and no scheduled meetings slowed service. The maid hugged him, relief washing over decorum however briefly, and he was led through the halls to his private chambers. His father was still at the dig site with Peter Rosetta, so he spent a moment transferring his clothing to the closet and was pleased to discover no evidence that his quarters had been used or changed in his four year absence.

He found one of the new Valets, hired in his absence to look after one of the younger siblings no doubt, and swallowed his incredulity when told that the young master was in the family library. The room was cavernous and lined with old tomes. A central tower tastefully displayed a series of hard drives, copied long ago from the Rosetta's first successful digs but kept for posterity, a reminder of humbler beginnings. He found the young man hunched over a leather-bound tome, magnifying glass in hand, under a dusty beam of sunlight.

"I have returned from the front, Master Rosetta, Sir."

Young Jacob Rosetta stood as if in the presence of his father or a ghost. He barely kept the chair from clattering to the floor. With family safely away and the help safely tending to the maintainence of the grounds his face broke into a wide grin and he embraced his childhood friend.

"My God, man! Look at you! You look as strong as an Ox! Has it really been four years?"

Albert nodded in agreement, patting his patron's back.

"We've been following you on the feeds, you know. Richard and I. When he heard about your promotion, you should have seen his face! He was so sure CORPORAL Bridges would outrank you in the end just because they're an old navy family. But we knew, my father and I, the Goodfrey's always get the job done. Staff Sergent in one tour." He whistled, impressed that his friend, valet, and second in battle no matter how hypothetical was one of the few to rank so high. Those families that made their money in banking or opium who looked down on him for a family whose noble title came from digging ancient servers out of the dirt, well, they'd be singing a different tune now that his personal servant was so decorated.

"Merely doing my duty, sir."

Rosetta waved his hand, dismissing the modesty. "My father will be home soon, of course. You'll have to wait until he gets back before you start regaling us with war stories, but I admit I'm simply dying to know. Oh, and I'm certain your father will be pleased as well!"

"Of course, Sir. I see you've been keeping yourself busy?" He gestured to the book, and altogether unknown quantity in the life of a younger Jacob Rosetta.

"Oh! Yes. Of course. As soon as I heard about your promotion I set to fulfilling my promise to you. I've gotten a job!"

Albert was many things. A successful soldier, a tireless valet, an excellent cook, and an empathetic listener. He was not, however, divine and as such was unable to keep his eyebrows from raising in a combination of delight, doubt, and overwhelming surprise.

"A Job, Sir?" Best to make sure he'd heard that clearly.

"Oh, Yes." Jacob nodded enthusiastically. "I told my father before he left, I told him 'Father, I'd like to continue the family business!' and since he left to go oversee the new dig in Oregon I've been getting to know the library and meeting with some of father's associates."

"Well, I'm quite happy for you sir. However, unless my eyes deceive me, the tome before you appears to be rather more about Earth's European History. Quite a heady topic, and one unlikely to serve you well in the business of prospecting for information if you don't mind my saying."

Jacob looked confused for a minute, and then laughed. "Of course! Since there's terribly little to do before I can begin following father on his business doings, I have resolved, also, to become a patron of the arts."

"Have you, sir?"

"Indeed, I have! Just last night, Reggie and I - Reggie's a friend from school at Copernicus, you see - Reggie and I went to this horribly dull little party at a beach house by Crisis. He left almost immediately, but one of the owners is an Artist! He and a friend of his are working to write fictional stories from old times, using real characters. They say it will make for entertaining reading, and divulge truths about the nature in which we view history, or so I'm told. They say, when its published, I can use a 'nom d'plume' for my work as a researcher and writer. Its all terribly exciting."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Well, the research itself is actually quite dull, but I helped them write up a story of Winston Churchill and Jack Churchill fighting side by side in one of the more dramatic battles of the Second World War. Seeing the work completed is a great deal more exciting than the reading that must go into it, but i've found it quite gratifying."

"Well, that is very good news, sir. You had mentioned that it is to be published? Will your father be involving himself?"

"Oh no, that's the best part! I still have most of the family money from after I graduated Copernicus, and I'm resolved to publish the thing myself. They don't know about that, of course. They're resolved to do the thing for the art of it, and I don't want to spoil that. I told them, if we could get a finished product I was sure I could get it published, but I don't think they believe me. Just think how excited they'll be! Perhaps I'll be able to start my own book publishing company, and then we can print all of father's server data without having to pay such outlandish fees!"

"Ah, I see your plan now, Sir. I hope it turns out well for you."