He swore and snapped his fingers.
Perhaps not.
He went to the console of the auxiliary computer, which had not been painted over. Activating it, he stared at the screen. He smiled. The Computer was not displaying the loathed pictures there. Apparently it had been ordered only to use the walls for the memory projections.
The Outram android reported that they were through. Burton told them to store the ladders and the unused cans in a bedroom and to put the used cans in a converter. He disintegrated the cans, then ordered the androids into the converter. They walked into the huge cabinet; he secured the door; energy flashed; not even a speck of ash was left.
It had to be his imagination that made him think that their eyes looked pleading. They had neither self-consciousness nor instinct for self-preservation.
The walls, floor and ceilings were an appalling egg-white, but he would paint murals over these.
Frigate called him via the console screen.
“I’ve been exploring the little worlds on that second level down from the top,” he said. “I found out that the Computer doesn’t show the past there. I don’t know why, but I think that the Ethicals had some limitations there that the Snark couldn’t override. Anyway, besides that, there are other reasons why we should move into them. They give the illusion of the great outdoors; I felt much freer than I do in my apartment. I’m going to suggest that we move into them, and that .anyone who wishes to do so remodel them. I’m going to do it whether or not anyone else does, but it would be nice if everybody did it. We’d be close together and could use the central area for social meetings or whatever.”
They met in the central area of the “pie-in-the-sky” level that evening to talk about Frigate’s proposal.
“You’ll have to see those places for yourselves,” Frigate said. “They’re fabulous.”
The American reminded them that the circular section was divided into segments of thirty degrees each. The points of these twelve segments ended in the huge circular central area.
“It occurred to me that, from a bird’s-eye view, the circle looks like a zodiac chart. It’s divided into twelve parts, twelve houses, Aquarius, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and so forth—if you want to look at it that way. I was thinking that maybe each of us could pick the area that corresponds to his or her birth date.”
“Why?” de Marbot said.
“It’s a conceit of mine. However, since the birth date could determine the particular area in which to live, it’ll avoid argument if we use the zodiacal method. Of course, there’s no reason for disagreement, since they’ll all look alike once the original paraphernalia is cleared out. It’s just an idea.”
The others said that it seemed as good a way of choosing the areas as any.
“But you don’t believe in that astrological crap, do you?” Turpin said.
“No. Not really. However, I do know something about it. Now, Po, you were born, according to the Western calendar, on April 19, a.d. 701. That makes you Aries the Ram, the first house, the principle of which is energy. You certainly are energetic.”
“And much more!” the Chinese said.
“Yes. The first house also pioneers, and you were a pioneer. Your positive qualities are outgoing, original and dynamic.”
“Very true! I must learn more about this Occidental astrology.”
“Your negative qualities,” Frigate said, smiling, “are that you’re foolhardy, have low self-sufficiency, and are deceitful.”
“What? I? Perhaps I might be foolhardy, though I would prefer to call it absolutely courageous. But how could you say that I have low self-sufficiency, you who know me so well?”
“I’m just telling you what astrology says about your sign. Anyway, negative qualities are to be overcome, and evidently you conquered yours, if you ever had them.”
“One might say that he overcompensated in his conquest,” Burton said drily.
“The house of Aries is OK with you?” Frigate said.
“Why not! It is the first!”
Frigate spoke to Alice. “You were born May 4, 1852. That makes you Taurus the Bull. Ruled by Venus, the emotions.”
“Hah!” Burton said. Alice glared at him.