out.
“Well,” said Mom, looking after him, “I suppose that will pass for a kind word.”
“Don’t worry about it, love.” This came from a squat, wrinkled woman with skin as brown as tree bark. “There’s a court tomorrow,
and everybody’s on edge. I’m Lela.” She extended her hand and Mom shook it. “You know your shift yet?”
“I’m not on shift. I’ve got a job lined up.”
The woman nodded approvingly, but Chena thought she saw something strange in her eyes. “You’re a lucky one, then. And these
are your girls?”
The exchange that followed was predictable. Mom gave Lela their names and Chena and Teal responded with reflexive politeness
and immediately dropped out of the conversation, eating their breakfasts and letting Mom and the new woman talk over their
heads about the dormitory, where Madra’s office was, where they could get some newer blankets, and when were mealtimes and
how long had Lela been there and did she have any family?
Then Chena caught the words, “… found the body hanging off the dock. The hothousers about had a fit.”
Her attention leapt back to the conversation.
“That’s hideous,” said Mom, genuinely shocked. “But they’ve caught who did it?”
“We think so. That’s what the court’s about tomorrow.” Lela rolled the words around her mouth. “The cop’s got his own ideas,
of course, but it’s the village decides how to take care of its own.” She looked Mom over thoughtfully. “You get your place
sorted out, you’ll probably have to be there. All adult citizens have to vote on the verdict.”
“Well, that will be interesting,” said Mom coolly.
“Ha!” Lela barked. “Just shows you haven’t ever been to one. Everybody up and down and arguing, and witnesses that won’t talk
and what-all…” She shook her head. “Thank the gods below this one had no blood family or there’d be vengeance cries until
the roof shook apart.”
Chena felt cold inside. A court? On the station, the security systems decided who had done what based on the camera recordings,
and then it was just a matter of looking up the punishment. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of people deciding what would
happen. When people got mad, they said things like, “I’m going to break your head!” What if they actually got to do it?
“Well, it’s been lovely talking to you.” Lela drained her mug and gathered up her bowl and spoon. “But I’m on today and I’ve
got to get going. You can’t miss Central Admin, Helice. There’ll be a line.”
“Thank you.” Mom saluted and Lela nodded, striding off between the crowds and tables.
Teal groaned. “Another line! Why can’t they just buzz us with whatever they need?” Chena wondered if she’d even heard anything
about the dead body and the court, or if she’d just been wrapped up in her own head.
She rolled her eyes. “In case you haven’t noticed, vapor-brain—”
“Chena…” said Mom automatically as she stood.
“—there aren’t any computers,” Chena finished, then picked up her dishes and dumped them into a wooden bin that sat on the
end of the table.
“Which is so stupid,” announced Teal as they left the hall and headed down the path. “How do they run this place without computers?
How do they tell anybody anything?”
“I’m sure we’re about to find out,” said Mom. She did not sound thrilled.
Finding out involved sitting on the path outside the Central Administration Building with a long, ragged line of people in
station-style clothes. Chena thought she recognized a couple of the airheads from the first waiting room, but no one she knew
enough to say hello to. So they just joined the line—Mom standing up straight, like she could wait there all day, and Chena
and Teal sitting cross-legged at her feet, sometimes messing with their comptrollers but mostly just staring at the people
and the low green buildings, or the trees that made up the
“Well,” said Mom, looking after him, “I suppose that will pass for a kind word.”
“Don’t worry about it, love.” This came from a squat, wrinkled woman with skin as brown as tree bark. “There’s a court tomorrow,
and everybody’s on edge. I’m Lela.” She extended her hand and Mom shook it. “You know your shift yet?”
“I’m not on shift. I’ve got a job lined up.”
The woman nodded approvingly, but Chena thought she saw something strange in her eyes. “You’re a lucky one, then. And these
are your girls?”
The exchange that followed was predictable. Mom gave Lela their names and Chena and Teal responded with reflexive politeness
and immediately dropped out of the conversation, eating their breakfasts and letting Mom and the new woman talk over their
heads about the dormitory, where Madra’s office was, where they could get some newer blankets, and when were mealtimes and
how long had Lela been there and did she have any family?
Then Chena caught the words, “… found the body hanging off the dock. The hothousers about had a fit.”
Her attention leapt back to the conversation.
“That’s hideous,” said Mom, genuinely shocked. “But they’ve caught who did it?”
“We think so. That’s what the court’s about tomorrow.” Lela rolled the words around her mouth. “The cop’s got his own ideas,
of course, but it’s the village decides how to take care of its own.” She looked Mom over thoughtfully. “You get your place
sorted out, you’ll probably have to be there. All adult citizens have to vote on the verdict.”
“Well, that will be interesting,” said Mom coolly.
“Ha!” Lela barked. “Just shows you haven’t ever been to one. Everybody up and down and arguing, and witnesses that won’t talk
and what-all…” She shook her head. “Thank the gods below this one had no blood family or there’d be vengeance cries until
the roof shook apart.”
Chena felt cold inside. A court? On the station, the security systems decided who had done what based on the camera recordings,
and then it was just a matter of looking up the punishment. She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of people deciding what would
happen. When people got mad, they said things like, “I’m going to break your head!” What if they actually got to do it?
“Well, it’s been lovely talking to you.” Lela drained her mug and gathered up her bowl and spoon. “But I’m on today and I’ve
got to get going. You can’t miss Central Admin, Helice. There’ll be a line.”
“Thank you.” Mom saluted and Lela nodded, striding off between the crowds and tables.
Teal groaned. “Another line! Why can’t they just buzz us with whatever they need?” Chena wondered if she’d even heard anything
about the dead body and the court, or if she’d just been wrapped up in her own head.
She rolled her eyes. “In case you haven’t noticed, vapor-brain—”
“Chena…” said Mom automatically as she stood.
“—there aren’t any computers,” Chena finished, then picked up her dishes and dumped them into a wooden bin that sat on the
end of the table.
“Which is so stupid,” announced Teal as they left the hall and headed down the path. “How do they run this place without computers?
How do they tell anybody anything?”
“I’m sure we’re about to find out,” said Mom. She did not sound thrilled.
Finding out involved sitting on the path outside the Central Administration Building with a long, ragged line of people in
station-style clothes. Chena thought she recognized a couple of the airheads from the first waiting room, but no one she knew
enough to say hello to. So they just joined the line—Mom standing up straight, like she could wait there all day, and Chena
and Teal sitting cross-legged at her feet, sometimes messing with their comptrollers but mostly just staring at the people
and the low green buildings, or the trees that made up the
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