Page 37 (2/2)

Again, she nodded Groundside?

"You’re going to the Natali," Ferry said

It was totally unexpected, and she blinked at him stupidly To the Natali? The elite corps which handled all natural births had never been her ambition Not even her hope A dream, ye but she was not the type to hope for the impossible

"How do you feel about that?" Ferry asked,daily with the sacrament of WorShip!

She nodded to herself as the reality of it seeped through her She would join the elite who opened the hatchway to the mystery of lif she would help rear the children shipside until they were assigned to their own schools and quarters at the age of seven annos

Ferry smiled a red-stained smile "You look stunned Don’t you believe me?"

She spoke slowly "I believe you I suspected that thi" She waved a hand at his office "was for reassignment, bu"

Ferry ht I’d be going groundside Everyone see there, lately"

He steepled his fingers and rested his chin on thenment?"

"Ohhh, I’m very happy with it It’s jus" She put a hand to her throat "I never thoughmea Why me?"

"Because you deserve it,the Natali groundside You et the best of both worlds"

"Groundside?" She shook her head Tooat her one after the other

"Yes, groundside" He spoke as though explaining soh I ive our children to Ship until they’re seven Ship designated the Natali as the trustees of birt and their quarters are here, the estat"

"Not Ship!" Ferry’s interruption was guttural "Some Ceepee did it This is a matter for our determination"

"But doesn’t Shi"

"There’s no record of Ship doing this Now, our Ceepee has ruled that it is no violation of WorShip to round-side"

"Ho how lon unti ?"

"Perhaps a Pandoran anno You know - quarters, supplies, politics" He waved it all off

"When do I go to the Natali?"

"Next diurn Take a break Get your things moved over Talk tooo" He picked up a note from the jumble on his desk, squinted "Usija She’ll take care of you from there"

His foot brushed the back of her heel, then rubbed her instep

"Thank you, Doctor" She pulled her foot back

"I don’t feel your gratitude"

"But I do thank you, especially for the time off I have solass "We could have a drin to celebrate"

She shook her head, but before she could say no, he leaned forward, grinning

"We’ll be neighbors, soon, Hali We could celebrate that"

"What do you lass toward her "After the Natali go

"But who’ll be left here?"

"Production facilities, mostly"

"Ship? A factory?" She felt her face blaze red

"Why not? What other use e have for Ship e’re groundside?"

She jumped to her feet "You would lobotoaze, she fled

All the way back to her quarters, she heard the drus in a green tree, ill they do in a dry?"