Part 23 (2/2)
Barrent found that he did not have to use his own food supplies. In the officers' mess, machines still dispensed food and drink at the push of a b.u.t.ton. Barrent didn't know if these were natural or chemically reconst.i.tuted foods. They tasted fine and seemed to nourish him, so he really didn't care.
He explored part of the s.h.i.+p's upper levels. After becoming lost several times, he decided not to take any more unnecessary risks. The life-center of the s.h.i.+p was its control room, and Barrent spent most of his time there.
He found a viewport. Activating the switch that opened the shutters, Barrent was able to look out on the vast spectacle of stars glowing in the blackness of s.p.a.ce. Stars without end stretched past the furthest limits of his imagination. Looking at this, Barrent felt a strong surge of pride. This was where he belonged, and those unknown stars were his heritage.
The time to the checkpoint dwindled to six hours. Barrent watched new portions of the control board come to life, checking and altering the forces governing the s.h.i.+p, preparing for a landing. Three and a half hours before landing, Barrent made an interesting discovery. He found the central communication system for the entire s.h.i.+p. By turning on the receiving end, he could overhear conversations in the guardroom.
He didn't learn much that was useful to him. Either through caution or lack of concern, the guards didn't discuss politics. Their lives were spent on the checkpoint, except for periods of service on the prison s.h.i.+p. Some of the things they said Barrent found incomprehensible. But he continued to listen, fascinated by anything these men of Earth had to say.
”You ever go swimming in Florida?”
”I never liked salt water.”
”The year before I was called to the Guards, I won third prize at the Dayton Orchid Fair.”
”I'm buying a retirement villa in Antarctica.”
”How much longer for you?”
”Eighteen years.”
”Well, someone's got to do it.”
”But why me? And why no Earth leaves?”
”You've watched the tapes, you know why. Crime is a disease. It's infectious.”
”So what?”
”So if you work around criminals, you run the danger of infection. You might contaminate someone on Earth.”
”It isn't fair....”
”Can't be helped. Those scientists know what they're talking about.
Besides, checkpoint's not so bad.”
”If you like everything artificial ... air, flowers, food....”
”Well, you can't have everything. Your family there?”
”They want to get back Earthside.”
”After five years on the checkpoint, they say you can't take Earth. The gravity gets you.”
”I'll take gravity. Any time....”
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