Part 3 (2/2)
”Susie, I really, really, really , want to get out of here.”
She nodded and stood up, wiping tears from her eyes. Still laughing, she clumsily helped me down from the table. My knees were very wobbly and I felt light headed. With me almost in a daze, Susie had to lead me toward the far tunnel. All along the way, people quickly rushed over, lined up and either curtsied or bowed as we pa.s.sed. All of them were cheering. I tried to wave, but my whole body was numb.
Still, it was nice to be wanted.
Chapter Four.
We entered the corridor, much narrower than the main one, and headed down it a little ways, pa.s.sing two doors on each side and stopping in front of the third on the right. By this time Susie had my arm around her shoulders, and was all but carrying me. My legs felt like over boiled noodles, and I was on the verge of fainting again. Behind us, the mess area was alive with excited noise, but no one had followed us down. We entered the room, pa.s.sing through a ghost door that just turned off and on.
Inside were simple, neatly kept quarters for two. There were standard furnis.h.i.+ngs and two beds close to each other. They were close because they had to be; the room was very small. There didn't seem to be a private bathroom, which was too bad; I would have really liked to heave my breakfast about then.
Susie lowered me onto the first bed and sat down on the second. She took my trembling hands in hers and rubbed them. She had a look of respect in her eyes.
”You, girl, have guts! No brains, but lots of guts.”
”Yeah,” I stammered out. ”Guts you're about to get all over your lap.”
She started, but relaxed at my weak smile. ”Whatever possessed you to do that? To stand up and make a spectacle of yourself?”
”Just trying to say thanks. And give as I got.”
”Well, you did all that. Everyone has been pretty tense around here, wondering how you'd take all the changes. Now they have an idea. But you, girl! Wow! That was incredible!”
”Then why do I feel like I've been filleted?”
”That's easy. You pushed yourself too hard again. Only this time it was your emotions you rode too hard. Guys can push down better than gals. Your 'guy' mind did quite a number on your 'gal' emotions. Ease up some, huh?”
I smiled weakly again and carefully sat up. My nerves and breathing were settling down. I looked around the tiny room.
The room was maybe, just maybe, three meters square. As you entered the room, the door was in the left front. There were two single beds, Susie's against the back wall and mine parallel to hers with a narrow, half-meter aisle between them. Facing the beds on the left wall as you entered were two chests of drawers, standing head-high. The beds and dressers took up two thirds of the room. The other third, nearest the door, had a narrow counter with what looked to be a computer display embedded into the wall, and a simple chair. As I'd mentioned, there was no bathroom, but I noticed a small sink with spigot to the left of the counter, in the corner. Beside the sink and on the wall beside my bed was a full length mirror. The mirror appeared to be painted on the stone. The door had a small alcove, all of one meter deep.
”So. Home Sweet Home?”
”Yep. Just the two of us. Normally I sleep alone unless I've been a.s.signed a Cue. A female Cue,” she added hurriedly. ”All the noncoms and officers have either private or semiprivate quarters. Because of my direct involvement with new Cues, I get my own quarters.”
”Must be nice, rooming with a potential nut. Ummm, Susie? Are you, you know, comfortable with me sleeping with you? I mean, what with...”
”With you being a man to start with?” I nodded, avoiding her eyes. I had to admit I was scared of either answer. ”Well, I didn't know until last night, remember. But yes, I gave it some thought once I did know.”
”And what do you think?”
”I think I don't mind at all. You're not a man now; you're as female as I am. So I'm not worried about improper advances. For me at least, you've got nothing to advance that I'm interested in. And it's not like I'm embarra.s.sed about having you watch me dress or shower or anything. You're more of a girl than I think you realize yet. So I wouldn't be hesitant about rooming with you for my sake or safety.
”Which leaves ... what about you ? Again, I don't mind. What are your choices, really? As uncomfortable as you are now, how much worse would it be if you bunked with one of the male noncoms-which you couldn't anyway. You'd probably die from shame. I would. And like I said, you're a lot more woman than you know. You'll find out, soon enough.” I had confusing emotions on that comment. Come to think of it, though, I had confusing emotions on everything.
She took my hands again. ”So, no, my sweet Cue, I'm not at all worried or uncomfortable having you sleep with me. We're buddies now, and we watch out for each other.” She gave me a warm hug and a small kiss on the cheek. It tingled and felt nice. She stood up and pulled me to my feet. I wobbled, but stayed up.
”Well, back to work! We've got a lot of ground to cover. I need to show you around the place. This afternoon will be busy, but we have the evening to ourselves. Doctor Barrett wants to give you a checkup sometime this afternoon. Oh! And let's check the new s.h.i.+pment that came in; there should be some proper clothes in there for you. Then it's dinner, the gym, showers, and bed. Tomorrow, our research crowd wants to talk to you. If you're willing, they'd like to know more about you. Let's see ... anything else?”
A thought occurred to me. ”Yes. I'm going to need a new name.”
She giggled. ”Already ahead of you, there. I'll be giving you your name tomorrow night, after dinner. Tradition.”
”Huh? You're picking my name? Why? And why would you even have need of such a tradition? Don't Cues keep their old names?”
”You'd think so, wouldn't you? But the fact is, many do change their names. Maybe as a way of marking old and new times, of starting ties with the present. Of course, many just keep their names.
”Whether or not they keep their original name, though, we still give you a name. We follow the tradition of having the primary researcher-who also acts as counselor for the first few months-name the Cue. Even the Cues who keep their original name often use our name as a middle name. It helps you become a part of us and our time. And it reminds us that we are responsible for you. So since I was the primary researcher, that makes me your counselor, your roomie, and I get the honor of naming you.”
”Unfair!”
”Really? Who picked out your present name?”
”Well...”
”Your parents did, of course. Unless they let you grow up, calling you 'it', until you could choose yourself. In a way, I'm your parent now.” She thought about it a moment. ”Well, maybe more like your sister. I hope to be your friend-” ”You are my friend!” I said pretty forcefully and impetuously.
”Mind your manners and don't interrupt. Anyway, I'm your nearest living relative now, and one of your rescuers, and your roommate, so I get to name you.”
”You're right. I'm sorry. So you name me tomorrow, huh?” She nodded. ”What are you going to call me until then? 'It'?” I smiled and almost, but not quite, giggled.
”Just what I have now; nothing. I've been avoiding calling you John, both to help you acclimate and because it just sounds silly. No offense, John,” she giggled.
I giggled for the first time, and it felt wonderful, like opening a vent and letting all the pressure out. ”None taken. Go ahead and keep doing it that way.” I tapped my head. ”I'm still John up here, but it's starting to sound silly to me, too.” I stood up. ”I'm looking forward to tomorrow night. I'm also a little afraid of ... aargh!” I said with frustration. ”I hate these constantly mixed emotions! But I will keep my last name. I'll always be a Wyeth.”
”Oh, yeah? What if you get married?”
That floored me. I tried to envision such an impossible circ.u.mstance, but my imagination boggled. It boggled because I pictured myself, my old self, in a wedding dress, a ludicrous sight even in the mind's eye. It hit me that I didn't really know what I looked like. I'd only had a brief glimpse of my face in the mirror in the doc's office, and it was pretty dark then. And I'd certainly had no inclination earlier this morning to see any of me. But now I felt the twinges of curiosity tugging at me. I glanced at the full-length mirror, off to the side. Maybe later today.
”I don't really see marriage in the future for me, Susie.”
She gave a knowing look. ”Well, maybe, maybe not. You're still young. Don't look at me like that. Anyway, you could still keep Wyeth even if you did marry.”
I shrugged.
”I dunno. I'm pretty traditional, and would probably...” My mind caught up with what my mouth was saying, and I shut up. Susie laughed.
”Now how about that tour?”
As a tour, it ended almost before it started. We left our quarters, the ghost door blanking the entire frame, and turned right along the corridor. We skipped the first door on the left-Susie said it would be the last one on the tour-and came to the first door on the right after our room. She knocked on the ghost door. It gave an odd, hollow sound. There was no answer, so we continued on. Susie said it was the quarters of Corporals Bent and Geher, the other two female noncoms beside herself. We continued on to the next door, only three meters further down and also on the right. Susan ushered me in through the double-wide ghost door which allowed us entrance while turning translucent.
We walked down a short hallway and into a large room holding maybe three dozen single beds. The barracks. The women's barracks. There were six women in there with us. Four were sprawled out on their bunks, either sleeping or relaxing. The other two were stark naked, toweling off after a shower. I felt myself getting very uncomfortable and wondered just how loud they'd scream when they saw me. But they didn't. They just waved and curtsied in their birthday suits, mimicking my performance with mischief but no malice. Susan walked us up to them and introduced me. We chatted a bit about something then left. I noticed I hadn't stared a single time, and could actually remember their faces better than their other, um, features.
We stepped out, and I breathed a sigh of relief, sagging against the rock wall. Susan looked at me curiously and far too innocently. ”Something wrong?”
<script>