In The Pioneer

"The Troublemakers."

Captain

Officers

Astrogation

Administration

Engineering

Crew

machinists (including trouble-shooters and inventors)

machinists' assistants

foremen

unskilled labourers, carrying boxes, machine parts, tools and metal beams

farmers

deckhands

technicians

manufacturers

tradesmen

police

private goons

Unmarried workers sleep in barracks where a giant telescreen showing low-brow programs is always switched on. Friday, busted down from Astro officer, uses public facilities because he cannot afford to rent private quarters. Beginning as an unskilled labourer, he learns enough from library books to be promoted to machinist's assistant, then aims for machinist. As a demoted officer, he is resented and bullied and must fight back. Crewfolk are members of the union led by Wilson who has a seat on the Captain's Court alongside one officer each from Astro, Engys and Admys.

There have been mutinies and minor wars. The make-up of the Captain's Court reflects the present balance of power but manufacturers would like a voice on the Council. No one, it seems, is scientifically studying the universe outside the ship. The crew are kept occupied with unnecessary work while merely carrying their genes to Alpha Centauri. Someone has socially engineered a slum in space.