against her chest. ‘If we get found out, they’ll blame me. But if you learn to act like the other children we won’t get found out. That means keeping a very big secret from everyone, even Klor and Nimma –
especially
Klor and Nimma. It means you will always have to be on your guard.’
Hokma’s heart thudded steadily in her ear like a distant drum – the deep booming drum a constable played to pass emergency messages along the Boundary. Astra pulled away. ‘I can’t tell Klor and Nimma?’
‘Not yet. They wouldn’t understand. Later, when they can see you’re okay, we might decide to tell them.’
Hokma’s lap was like her: strong, but hard to get comfortable in. Astra shifted between her thighs. ‘But what if they find out? What if they get cross with me?’
‘They won’t find out.’ Hokma hugged her tight for a moment. ‘Look, Astra: up until now you’ve lived with Klor and Nimma and just spent time with me during the day, but now that you’re older, I’m going to be a more involved Shelter parent. We can spend more time together, and sometimes you can stay with me at Wise House. If your behaviour is different from the other children’s, Klor and Nimma will think it’s because of my influence. And’ – she paused, then kiss-whispered into Astra’s black mop of hair – ‘if you don’t get your shot, I can teach you to train Silver. How does that sound? Do you want to be my special helper with the Owleons?’
It was an
unbelievable
question. The best, most exciting, most amazing question anyone had
ever
asked her. Astra’s own heart did a cartwheel, right off the roof and into the sky. When at last it landed back in her chest, though, she felt a little sick:
of course
she wanted to be Hokma’s special helper with the Owleons. But how could Hokma ask her not to have her shot? And keep it secret from everyone? She leaned againstHokma’s breasts. ‘What if I
do
have my shot,’ she asked, ‘and I become like all the other Or-kids? Can I still come and stay with you?’
‘Absolutely.’ Hokma patted her back. ‘I’ll always love you the same, no matter what. But you’ll have to stop wriggling when you sit on me, how’s that for a deal?’
Astra slid off Hokma’s lap, but stayed sheltered beneath her arm. Hokma loved her. She must do if she said so, and wanted her to come and help at Wise House. But if she loved her so much, then surely she wanted Astra to be happy? ‘So if we do that,’ she ventured, ‘I mean, if I have my shot and come and stay sometimes, can I still feed the Owleon chicks?’
‘Yes – but you couldn’t train them. You need to be sensitive to do that: you need to be able to listen and watch, to recognise how they are feeling and discover how to train them better in the future. That way you’ll learn how to be a great scientist.’
Oh
. Astra gently stroked the scratch on her hand. ‘I don’t want to only memorise Code,’ she whispered, hopelessly. ‘I want to be a super-smart scientist like you and Klor. I want to train Copper and Silver and Amber and make hypotheses and big discoveries.’
‘I know you do, Astra. That’s why I’m giving you this choice.’
The pebble wrenched around again in her stomach. ‘But I have to have my shot,’ she wailed. ‘It’s the
law
. They’re coming to school tomorrow to give it to all of us. I don’t want to get into trouble, and I don’t want you to get taken away. And—’ She gulped, and said, ‘I want to do my IMBOD Service and catch Non-Landers like the girl in the tree.’ She hid her face in her arms. She was useless. She had nearly failed Hokma with the worms and she was going to fail her again now, up here on the roof meadow.
Hokma shook her by the shoulders. ‘Astra, I have a plan for tomorrow. If we work together and trust each other, no one’s going to get taken away. And you can still do your IMBOD Service. You’ll just have to follow special, secret orders from now on.’
Astra
especially
Klor and Nimma. It means you will always have to be on your guard.’
Hokma’s heart thudded steadily in her ear like a distant drum – the deep booming drum a constable played to pass emergency messages along the Boundary. Astra pulled away. ‘I can’t tell Klor and Nimma?’
‘Not yet. They wouldn’t understand. Later, when they can see you’re okay, we might decide to tell them.’
Hokma’s lap was like her: strong, but hard to get comfortable in. Astra shifted between her thighs. ‘But what if they find out? What if they get cross with me?’
‘They won’t find out.’ Hokma hugged her tight for a moment. ‘Look, Astra: up until now you’ve lived with Klor and Nimma and just spent time with me during the day, but now that you’re older, I’m going to be a more involved Shelter parent. We can spend more time together, and sometimes you can stay with me at Wise House. If your behaviour is different from the other children’s, Klor and Nimma will think it’s because of my influence. And’ – she paused, then kiss-whispered into Astra’s black mop of hair – ‘if you don’t get your shot, I can teach you to train Silver. How does that sound? Do you want to be my special helper with the Owleons?’
It was an
unbelievable
question. The best, most exciting, most amazing question anyone had
ever
asked her. Astra’s own heart did a cartwheel, right off the roof and into the sky. When at last it landed back in her chest, though, she felt a little sick:
of course
she wanted to be Hokma’s special helper with the Owleons. But how could Hokma ask her not to have her shot? And keep it secret from everyone? She leaned againstHokma’s breasts. ‘What if I
do
have my shot,’ she asked, ‘and I become like all the other Or-kids? Can I still come and stay with you?’
‘Absolutely.’ Hokma patted her back. ‘I’ll always love you the same, no matter what. But you’ll have to stop wriggling when you sit on me, how’s that for a deal?’
Astra slid off Hokma’s lap, but stayed sheltered beneath her arm. Hokma loved her. She must do if she said so, and wanted her to come and help at Wise House. But if she loved her so much, then surely she wanted Astra to be happy? ‘So if we do that,’ she ventured, ‘I mean, if I have my shot and come and stay sometimes, can I still feed the Owleon chicks?’
‘Yes – but you couldn’t train them. You need to be sensitive to do that: you need to be able to listen and watch, to recognise how they are feeling and discover how to train them better in the future. That way you’ll learn how to be a great scientist.’
Oh
. Astra gently stroked the scratch on her hand. ‘I don’t want to only memorise Code,’ she whispered, hopelessly. ‘I want to be a super-smart scientist like you and Klor. I want to train Copper and Silver and Amber and make hypotheses and big discoveries.’
‘I know you do, Astra. That’s why I’m giving you this choice.’
The pebble wrenched around again in her stomach. ‘But I have to have my shot,’ she wailed. ‘It’s the
law
. They’re coming to school tomorrow to give it to all of us. I don’t want to get into trouble, and I don’t want you to get taken away. And—’ She gulped, and said, ‘I want to do my IMBOD Service and catch Non-Landers like the girl in the tree.’ She hid her face in her arms. She was useless. She had nearly failed Hokma with the worms and she was going to fail her again now, up here on the roof meadow.
Hokma shook her by the shoulders. ‘Astra, I have a plan for tomorrow. If we work together and trust each other, no one’s going to get taken away. And you can still do your IMBOD Service. You’ll just have to follow special, secret orders from now on.’
Astra
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