by Patty Jansen
Cory mumbled, 'Goodnight.' He glared past his father at Erith, who stood at the door. Teach her chess? She would say the game was primitive and the Union had much better games.
Long afterwards, Cory lay staring at the view on his ceiling screen. Over and over, the scene in Rocky's office repeated before his eyes. The man standing over him and saying, We have friends in security, and Sullivan telling him not to come to the restricted areas or else. Sullivan, who controlled the military.
Chapter 13
Cory woke up briefly when the blue letters on his clock said 3.46. There were footsteps in the hall, the rumble of his father's voice, Erith's soft whisper, and then the door shut. He drifted back to sleep.
By the time he left to go to school, his father hadn't come back. Erith was in a really foul mood. Cory guessed that this was because rather than coming to see her, the doctor would be tied up with the crew of the Aurelian, but he didn't dare ask. She barely took notice of him, flinging dishes on the table, cursing, or so he presumed, in Damarcian when one of them fell, spilling its content on the floor.
Cory sneaked out, even though it was still much too early for school. He hoped to find Theariki to ask her about the message on the sock, but he arrived at school without having seen her. Where did the Union observer and his family live? Having met Sullivan coming up the stairs, he didn't dare wander around to look for her. He decided to check on Flopsy instead.
Inside the maintenance tunnel, the salad, now completely brown and dry, was untouched. So much for his plan.
He worried about the Aurelian, and wished he could ask his father if he could watch them come in, but of course he couldn't. Even Alma didn't turn up early to take his mind off worrying, so he sat there until one by one, the other kids and finally Miss Rosier came to school.
Miss Rosier proved to be in a strangely good mood. The daily spelling test included words such as hope and faith for the younger classes, and discovery and encouragement for the older kids.
When she displayed the correct spellings on the screen, Cory noticed a gold ring on her right hand. He was sure that hadn't been there yesterday. Rory stuck his hand in the air, and when she told him to ask his question, he said, 'Are you getting married, Miss?'
She smiled and sat on her desk, fingering the ring. 'I am, indeed, Rory.'
Several other kids now forgot school rule number two and spoke all at once.
'When are you getting married?' said Bianca.
'Who's your husband?' One of the twins asked.
'Can we come to the wedding?' asked Sunil.
Miss Rosier smiled and motioned for silence. 'I don't know exactly when we're getting married, but it's quite likely that I will leave you when that happens. I believe that a married woman should be with her family.'
More questions flew. 'You're going back to Earth?'
'You're going to live on Taurus?'
She simply smiled, clasping her hands before her. 'My life will be dedicated to the greatness of humanity.'
Cory wondered what she meant by that.
The dreamy look faded from her face. 'Now children, if you've finished correcting your spelling work, you can continue reading An Eventful Life.'
Cory thrust his hand up.
'Yes, Cory.'
'What if you've finished the book?'
She frowned. 'You have?'
'Yes.' It wasn't entirely a lie. He had finished, even though he had only skimmed many of the pages.
'Did you enjoy the book?'
'Uhm . . .' Why was she asking? She knew how he felt about it, didn't she?
Miss Rosier continued, 'It's very interesting to read how the people lived in those great days of exploration. You know—things are very much the same for us. In those days, humanity was exploring Earth. Now, we are exploring the universe. In a few hundred years' time, our children's children will look back and say what a great time this was. That is why I want you to read these books: to get the sense of wonderment. Just as those people didn't know what animals they would discover, and what continents lay beyond the horizon, so we don't know what habitable worlds we will find after New Taurus.'
Cory looked at his desk and gave a non-committal shrug. She was behaving weird today.
'Anyway, if you've finished, you can start answering the questions about the book in your work area.'
Cory picked up his stylus, but then he changed his mind, seeing she was in such a good mood... 'Can I ask another question, Miss Rosier?'
She sat down on the corner of his desk, her long skirt spilling over the formica surface. 'Of course, Cory.'
He took a deep breath. 'Could you tell me: what is the League?'
The smile faded from Miss Rosier's freckled face. For a few moments, she stared at him. Then she asked, in a guarded tone, 'Why are you asking, Cory?'
'I just want to know.' At the bench in front of him, the twins had turned in their seats, eyes wide.
Again, Miss Rosier gave him that calculating look. 'Where did you hear about it?'
He shrugged. 'Somewhere I read.' At her raised eyebrows, he added, 'in the news.'
Her face split into a smile. 'It's good that you read the news Cory. It's important to keep up-to-date with what is happening.'
'But the news didn't say what the League is. Can you tell me?'
'I think it's inappropriate to talk about politics in class.' She glanced at Alma in the corner, who had lowered her reader.
'But couldn't you just tell me who they are?'
Miss Rosier sighed and folded her hands in her lap. 'I suppose telling you that wouldn't hurt . . .' She thought for a while and said, 'The organisation's full name is the Terran League. About ten years ago, they were a large worldwide organisation, not with their own assembly, like Nations of Earth, but with many members all over the world. They . . . didn't agree with some things Nations of Earth were proposing.'
'What sort of things?'
Her expression became more guarded. 'Matters of government, and citizenship, and rights.' She again glanced at Alma, as if warning her.
Cory didn't want to admit he didn't understand a word of what she was saying.
'So it was like a political party?'
'Something like that, yes.'
Things got ever more mysterious. Cory tried to recall more of the conversation between Rocky and the three thugs, but he had forgotten most of it, except that this League had wanted Rocky to do something. They had given him a parcel. Something in what they wanted was dangerous, according to Rocky. No matter what Miss Rosier said, that didn't sound like a political party to him.
'And they don't exist anymore?'
'They do exist, but have become much smaller.'
'How come?'
'At the height of their power, there was a violent attack on the Nations of Earth Assembly. You may not remember or have seen it on the news, but six hundred people were killed.'
Blood rose to Cory's cheeks. 'Of course I remember. I was there!' He shouted perhaps a bit too loud, and in the intense silence, he continued, 'Some kids in my class lost their parents. My father's friend nearly got killed.' Then he stared. 'Did the Terran League cause that? I thought they were called Earth Front?'
'They were, but some people thought Earth Front were the same as the Terran League, and some of the terrorists were members of the League as well and they gave the organisation a bad name. The Terran League never agreed with what they did. The Terran League is a peaceful, legal organisation.' The silence in the classroom was stifling.
'Does that answer your question?'
Cory nodded, didn't understand, and liked what he had overheard in the docks even less.
* * *
Something had changed. All day, his fellow students cast Cory strange glances. No one spoke to him at lunch time, not even Joseph to ask about Flopsy. The more his classmates stared and quietly moved away from him, the more irritable Cory got.
After the lessons finished, he slouched out the classroom, jamming his hands in hi
s pockets, his mind whirling with rebellious thoughts. He'd go home by himself, hang the rules. He'd go and play chess with Erith.
As Cory was about to enter the entertainment room, Alma held him back. 'I can't believe you did that.' Her eyes were wide.
'Did what?' Cory slid the door to the entertainment room shut, blocking out the yells of the twins fighting over the computer.
'Asking her about the Terran League in class.'
'So that's a crime, is it?'
Her green eyes met his. 'Cory, you're just so ignorant.'
'Then, miss know-it-all, tell me what this is all about.' His voice reverberated in the corridor.
'Shhh!' Her eyes grew even wider. She whirled around.
A small figure, clad in blue with a flaming mop of red hair, ducked behind the fire extinguisher. Alma stared. 'Who is he? He doesn't go to our school.'
'She.'
'Oh yeah—if that's a girl my name is Santa Claus.'
'She is, and her name is Theariki.'
Alma gaped at him. 'You talked to him?'
'Her—yes, and I hardly had any choice, because she attacked me.'
'He speaks English?'
'She. Kind of. Not very well.'
Alma gave him a sideways glance. 'And you? Do you speak his language, because of your . . . She isn't really your mother, is she?'
Cory shook his head, but realised his anger had gone out of his feelings towards Erith. 'I don't speak her language. Before we left, I used to get Coldi tutorials, but I hated it, and I'm bad at it.'
Alma gaped at him. 'Wow. Coldi tutorials. You know that is really wozy?'
Cory shrugged.
Theariki raised her head. The pale light from the fluorescent tube in the ceiling made her hair, including her eyelashes, look exactly the same flaming red as the fire extinguisher. Slowly, she came out, her legs bent as if ready to run.
'It's all right,' Cory said. 'This is Alma from my school.'
Theariki formed her lips into a perfect O as she repeated the word school. She came closer.
Alma took a step back, her eyes wide. 'And now he thinks he can come to school as well.'
'Why not? She's lonely. She's a child, isn't she?'
'An ethie child, Cory, and that makes all the difference. Haven't you figured out yet that Midway people hate ethies?'
'Yes.' He faced her wordlessly for a few moments. 'Does that mean I've got to agree with that?'
'No, you don't have to agree.' Alma spoke slowly. 'But people who don't, or speak up for the few ethies and their supporters who dare to come here, have a hard time at Midway. Either they learn to behave just like the others, or they leave.'
Cory stared at her, while Theariki joined them. She said, 'More school?'
Alma said, her eyes blazing, 'Yes, more school.' Then she turned to Cory. 'Everything Miss Rosier told you about the Terran League is true, but she didn't mention that international courts tried to shut the organisation up. Yes, what they say is legal, only because of the so-called freedom of opinion laws.'
Cory stared at her, with no idea what she was on about.
'Come, I'll show you something.' She started off towards the stairs.
'Aren't we supposed to be in the entertainment room?' Cory didn't want any more trouble.
'I have read a copy of the complete school rules. It's about twenty pages long and has a lot of interesting stuff you should read if you have a moment. Anyway, the rules say after lessons we have a choice of going to the entertainment room, or going somewhere we are supervised by an adult. We're going to my unit. My father is at home.'
Chapter 14
Cory ran after Alma, who charged down the corridor in large paces. Theariki trailed behind. He wasn't sure if Alma minded that she came, but Alma said nothing about it, so he guessed not. He dropped a bit behind to join up with Theariki.
'That... sock. What did you write on it?'
Her sand-coloured eyes met his. 'You give to mother.'
Cory cringed. That's probably what he should have done yesterday. Erith would be able to read it. 'What's on it?'
'She talk to father.'
'My father or your father?' They were going up a staircase, their footsteps thudding on the metal steps.
Alma already stood at the top. 'Come on, you two.'
Theariki said, 'My father talk to your mother.'
'He can talk to her any time. Tell him to use the intranet.'
She gave him a blank look, almost as if she didn't know what that was . . . or had no password. Erith was right, Alma was right. These people hated ethies.
At the very end of the top corridor in the residential B section, Alma pushed open a door. A waft of stale air spilled out the semidarkness of the room beyond, smelling of mouldy washing, mixed with a hint of yesterday's revolting white sauce.
The ceiling lights had been dimmed to the point they barely gilded the untidy hair of the man sitting at the dining table hunched over a computer.
'Hi, Dad. I've brought two friends. Hope that's OK.'
'That's fine dear.' He didn't take as much as a peek at Theariki.
Cory had never seen this man before and, with his unshaven chin and missing shirt button, he didn't look like the kind of person who would enjoy dressing up for a dinner party with the station director. His eyes, too, looked empty, as if his mind was still somewhere far away.
From his breast pocket dangled a tube with on the end one of those round flat things that doctors pressed against your chest when they wanted to listen to your lungs. Now Cory remembered where he had heard Alma's last name before. Sullivan had mentioned a Doctor Savage.
'Excuse me, can I ask a question?'
Alma's father looked up, as if he saw Cory for the first time. 'A question?' Startled blue eyes met Cory's.
'Hey, you're the new director's son aren't you?'
'Yes.' How would he know that?
'What's your question?'
'When are you going to see Erith?'
Alma's father frowned deeply. 'Who?'
'Erith. My . . . my father's wife.'
The frown deepened. 'Should I be seeing her? If she has a problem, she can come to my practice any day. It's open every morning from eight until ten.'
'That's just it, she can't. Or they won't let her, because she's an ethie and doesn't have all the papers Sullivan wants her to have. He says you are meant to see her before she's allowed out of our unit.'
'Oh.' Alma's father ran a hand over his chin; the hairs of his beard made a scratching noise. 'You're sure?'
'Yes.'
'That's strange. I don't remember her being on my list of patients.' He tapped the screen with his stylus and a list came up. No-longer-distant eyes scanned it. He shook his head. 'No, not on here either. Are you sure you heard right?'
Cory nodded. 'Is there maybe another doctor?'
'No. There are no other doctors at Midway. You better get your father to check, because no one has told me.'
Cory's mouth fell open. The room blurred as hot anger rose inside him. He felt like screaming at Alma's father to go and see Erith right now, but Alma tugged his arm and whispered, 'Come.'
Cory let her drag him into her room.
Fluffy toys occupied every bit of space. Teddy bears, bunnies, elephants, dogs, cats, they were everywhere, of every size and every colour of the rainbow. On the shelves, the desk, the bed, the corners of the floor and they even hung from the ceiling.
Wow. Cory gaped. Theariki did the same, except she cast some of the toys suspicious looks, as if they might jump at her. Did Union children have toys?
Alma pushed the door shut. Theariki crossed to the shelves, reached out and withdrew her hand, humming softly to herself. An uneasy silence hung in the room.
Cory began, 'Look, if you'd rather not have us in here—'
'Did I say that? I invited you, didn't I?' Alma burst out and plonked herself on the bed. A toy zebra fell off and bounced soundlessly across the floor. She bent to pick it up. 'Bet you think al
l this is stupid, childish.'
'I don't.' Cory glanced up at the ceiling where a toy bat swung in the breeze from the air-conditioning vent, brown felt wings flopping. Strangely enough, he could hear Erith talk in his mind, When you visit someone, you must always make your hosts a compliment. 'I think it's amazing. It must have taken you years to build up this collection.'
A weak smile played around Alma's lips. 'I used to ask the pilots to bring me fluffy toys from Earth.' She shrugged. 'I don't do that anymore—no space to put them.'
'How long have you lived here?'
'About five years.'
'Five—that must make you about the oldest residents.'
'Second oldest. Sullivan's been here longer than us. Joseph was born at Midway.' She stared at her hands fingering the bedspread.
'Does your Dad like it here that much?' From talks with station staff, Cory had the idea that most people only stayed a few years at the most.
Alma shrugged. 'Dad's just . . . having a hard time. He couldn't cope on Taurus.'
'You lived on Taurus, too?'
'I was born there. When Mum got sick, Dad wanted to bring her to the best hospital he knew, but she died in on the flight to Earth.'
Cory mumbled, 'Sorry.' Then he shrugged. He had never spoken to another child who had lost a mother. 'Did . . . did your Mum have cancer, too?' Cory hated how his voice sounded unsteady.
Alma nodded, once. 'In the brain. She had these . . . fits. It was awful. Dad thought that because he was a doctor, he should be able to help her. Since she died, he's been saying he failed her.'
Cory recognised that feeling. For months, his father had cursed himself for moving the family to the city, to that suburb close to the power station, which according to him had caused the cancer. Grandpa said that was rubbish, but his father had been depressed until he the day was accepted into the space program, and had only been his old happy self since they arrived at the Nations of Earth compound . . . and the day he had met Erith.
Alma opened her cupboard to reveal her desk and computer inside. She switched on the screen and dragged a chair to the desk. 'Now let's do what we came for. Let's get started . . . Password . . .' Her fingers danced over the keyboard. Theariki came to look over her shoulders.