The Space Station - Chapter 2 - Page 6

Clearing the security checks and shown to his quarters, Functionary had little time to shower and change into his smartest official garb before he had to present himself to the Administrator-in-Chief of the space station. It had been emphasised to him by the person checking his security that the Station Administrator expected appointments to be kept punctually and did not tolerate being kept waiting. Having presented himself to Secretary of the Administrator-in-Chief, he quickly found himself standing in front of a diminutive man seated behind a large desk. The man was reading something displayed upon the surface of his massive desk and did not look up. He made no gesture of welcome or sound of acknowledgement. He made no indication that Functionary could sit or otherwise make himself at ease. The Administrator continued to peruse the file displayed before him, periodically making flicking gestures to move back and forth between the electronic pages. Evidently, whatever was recorded there was not entirely to his liking as he could be heard to occasionally tut and breathe hard. Functionary stood marooned, looking down at the bald, greasy top of this man's head, feeling singularly conscious of himself and his diminished stature in life. Functionary felt an increasing uneasy uncertainty as to whether the man was aware of his presence. But then, suddenly, it crossed his mind what the man was reviewing and causing him so much displeasure: the man was scrutinising Functionary's personnel file. This undermined what little self-assurance Functionary had remaining at that moment.