| II.5.064 |
|
|
Twenty miles south of the campus at Shining River, beyond the zone in which the weather
was controlled, lay an establishment who existence had been tolerated by the authorities
for generations. It was a combination of a music palace, amusement parlor and a bar
which had been built during a brief period of enlightenment by some students whose main
vocation had been the perfection of Collecting Center design and who had grown tired of
the oppressive introspection of their elders. A large shed was divided into three halls. In
the first of these was a collection of the same amusement machines that could be found in
the main square of any Collecting Center; the second was a dance hall where loud music
of an eternally popular type played to the accompaniment of magnificent visual displays of
lasers and bioluminescent devices; finally there was a beer hall, completely automated,
supplied periodically with grain by an automatic train whose program had long ago been
lost and which traveled over a thousand miles to get there, though the beer served had in
it a only very small quantity of alcohol. This was the only place that the students of the
University who wanted "fun" could visit and, even though regular attendance was not
considered eccentric, the authorities maintained a careful watch over the establishment. | In late November 2476 after the War had been suspended for four months classes resumed at Shining River. Soon after, on December 3rd, 2476 to be precise, for the first time since May a crowd of students gathered at this place. You might have thought, their having been away so long, that the males would have been falling over themselves to attract the attention of the females but it was not so. Things had changed. Elizabeth noticed it at once. She had come to this place without much enthusiasm at the urging of her best friend, Angel Passareil who was anxious to meet up with Mike Blessing, a boy with whom Angel had been friendly before the War began. They had discovered Mike in the beer hall sitting with another boy they both knew: Peter Bodley. The hall was filled with males in uniform but they were not at all the boisterous, cheerful congregation they would have been a few months back. 'Everyone seems so depressed,' said Angel as they sat down at the boy's table. Elizabeth realized they almost the only females there. 'It doesn't seem any different to me.' Mike Blessing was thick set, dark and smart. He was the same with whom Angel had been discovered one night in a mildly compromising position by a Pastor which had resulted in her receiving a reprimand and being forced to move her residence so that she could be more closely watched. They had both considered that a joke and she had looked forward to meeting him again: he had always liked to dance. 'Until now, that is.' Mike was more than slightly drunk. Though Elizabeth had come because Angel had asked her to, she never not minded coming here before. She had not come because of Peter Bodley, however. He was a brilliant student but was immature, given to childish pranks and, just them, as drunk as Mike. When he tried to put his arm around her she pushed him off, saying with disgust, 'How long have you been drinking, Peter?' 'Not long. Not long enough,' Peter replied, resting his head upon his arms. 'Dave!' Mike gave a roar which startled them. Across the crowd a man at the dispensing machines waved then weaved his way across the hall. 'Major! How are you, sir? When did you get back? You haven't been around to see me. You're doing O.K. I see.' He eyed the girls. Elizabeth was annoyed. She knew Dave Carter. What business did he have looking at her like that? What business did any of them have acting in this way? 'Pete Bodley,' said Mike, slapping Peter who sat up. 'Dave Carter.' The two shook hands. 'What unit?' 'Fourth. Northeast.' 'Get much up there, Pete?' Carter sniggered, still eyeing the girls. 'Better not answer that, I guess. Mike, are you coming to the regimental meeting?' He bent close to Mike's ear and whispered something that made Mike look a little ashamed, roared with laughter and moved off. 'Aren't you going to share the joke with us?' said Angel coldly. 'And thanks for introducing us.' 'Don't mention it,' said Mike. 'It's about time we were going, Angel,' said Elizabeth. 'Yes,' said Angel with some bitterness in her voice. 'We'll leave you boys here to have some fun.' 'Thanks, we will. Bye,' said Mike. As they pushed their way out they passed Dave's table. He was conversing loudly with a group of non-combatant officers. 'Those scum! They haven't even got sense enough to stand aside if someone shoots at them. Let me tell you what I did... ' Outside it was raining. Distance quickly muffled the sullen jollity inside but the atmosphere at upset both of them. 'It's not the same,' said Angel. |
|---|
|
|
