“there are lots of interesting openings for restless, adventurous, home-hating
types like us. You could do worse than join.”
“I have joined,” Cha Thrat said. “But driving a gravity sled isn’t exactly
adventurous.”
Tarsedth’s fur spiked in surprise, then settled down again as it said, “Of
course you have. Stupid of me, I’d forgotten that all nonmedical staff are
automatically coopted into the Monitor Corps. And I’ve seen how you people
drive. Adventurous verging on the suicidal best describes it. But you made a
good decision. Congratulations.”
The decision had been made for her, Cha Thrat thought wryly, but that did not
mean that it was necessarily a wrong decision. They had settled back to watch
the remainder of the Monitor Corps history tape when Tarsedth’s fur became
agitated again.
“I’m worried about you and the Corps people, Cha Thrat,” the Kelgian said
suddenly. “They can be a bit stuffy about some things, easy-going about others.
Just study and work hard. And think carefully before you do anything that will
get you kicked out.”
Chapter 11
Time slipped past and Cha Thrat felt that she was making no progress at all,
until one day she realized that she was performing as routine tasks that only a
little earlier would have been impossible. Much of the work was servile but,
strangely, she was becoming increasingly interested in it and felt proud when
she did it well.
Sometimes the morning assignments contained unpleasant surprises.
“Today you will begin moving power cells and other consumables to the ambulance
ship Rhabwar,” Timmins said, consulting its worksheet. “But there is a small job
I want you to do first—new vegetable decoration for the AUGL ward. Study the
attachment instructions before you go so that the medics will think you know
what you’re doing… Is there a problem, Cha Thrat?”
There were other and more senior technicians in her section—three Kelgians, an
Ian, and an Orligian—waiting for the day’s assignments. She doubted her ability
to take over one of their jobs, and hers was probably too elementary for the
Lieutenant to consider swapping assignments, but she had to try.
Perhaps the Earth-human would accord her some of the earlier special treatment
that, for some reason, had been completely absent since she had been put to
work.
‘There is a problem,” Cha Thrat said quietly. The note of pleading in her voice
was probably lost in the process of translation, she thought as she went on. “As
you know, I am not well liked by Charge Nurse Hred-.< lichli, and my presence in
the AUGL ward is likely tjb cause, at very least, verbal unpleasantness. The bad
fe/al-ing for which I am largely responsible may fade in tim