It’s said that life Aboard-Ships is monotonous, and I only wish that it were so.
When Martisset yr Astok and Karisalay whose clan-name I don’t know refused to sit at table with myself and the Immortal — a diplomatic incident in the making — the Immortal departed as well.
I remained, because the grubber-captain, the female, has told us pointedly that “it’s not that kind of ship,” and her crew are not servants. Had we also retired, there would have been no supper.
Her brother, the night-shift, reminds me of a grubber I knew at the Academy, a handsome fellow …
… on whom I will not think, because it ended in embarrassment.
The night-captain has a fine singing voice; I hear drums, and a chorus of voices, with his raised among them. A fine figure of a man, mid-thirties, with a multiplicity of braids bound back in a bundle, ultramarine glow of the communication rig glowing like a line drawing of an ancient helmet on the planes of his cheekbones, the angle of his jaw.
A charming smile that flashes bright teeth —
But it is not that kind of ship, and I know better than to ask.
***
Character interview with the interstellar diplomat Iric Desnaray yr Astok, from NaNo 2013, Inside the Jump. Weekend Writing Warriors offers eight-sentence excerpts from a variety of writers; see the other excerpts here.
E. P. Beaumont 
Thick with detail, character and fantastic narrative voice. Awesome excerpt!
SO many interesting story threads here and things I’m left wondering about that I don’t even know where to begin…except to say, I want MORE. Excellent excerpt!
This character interview was written after the ones for the the main/POV character (Jehen) and the key secondary characters (Yasmin and Martisset). I alternated each question between Iric, Temn, and the Immortal, and interesting things happened.
Never sure what to expect when I read these interviews, but they are always delightful!
Love your vivid description of the night captain with his “multiplicity of braids.” The rhythm of your writing appeals to me too. Delightful excerpt.
Lots of world building without an info dump–quite intriguing! Lots of questions–I’d read more. 🙂
I love how the narrator is trying so hard to balance between pragmatism and personal feelings on one side, and keeping that professional, better-than-you attitude on the other.