them somedayfor our children. Does this suit you?”
It was far more space than any young couple would have been assigned in Married Personnel HQ.
Andrew agreed, and Damon asked, “Will you have the left-hand or right-hand suite?”
“Makes no difference to me. Want to flip a coin?”
Damon laughed heartily. “You have that custom too? But if it makes no difference to you, let us have theleft-hand suite. Ellemir, I have noticed, is always awake and about with the dawn, and Callista likes tosleep late when she can. Perhaps it would be better not to have the morning sun in your bedroomwindow.”
Andrew blushed with pleasant embarrassment. He had noticed this, but had not carried it far enough inhis mind to think ahead to the mornings when he would be waking in the same room as Callista. Damongrinned companionably.
“The wedding’s only hours away, you know. And we’ll be brothers, you and I—that’s a good thought
too. It seems sad, though, that you should not have a single kinsman or friend at your wedding.”
“I’ve no friends on this planet anyway. And no living relatives anywhere.”
Damon blinked in dismay. “You came here without family, without friends?”
Andrew shrugged. “I grew up on Terra—a horse ranch in a place called Arizona. When I was eighteenor so, my father died, and the ranch was sold for his debts. My mother didn’t live long after that, and Iwent into space as a civil servant, and a civil servant goes where he’s sent, more or less. I wound uphere, and you know the rest.”
“I thought you had no servants among you,” Damon said, and Andrew got into a tangle of words trying to explain to the other man the difference which made a civil servant other than a servant. Damon listened skeptically and finally said, “A servant, then, to computers and paperwork! I think I had rather be an honest groom or cook!”
“Aren’t there cruel masters who exploit their servants?”
Damon shrugged. “No doubt, just as some men ill-treat their saddle horses and whip them to death. Buta reasoning man may some day learn the error of his ways, and at the worst, others may restrain him. Butthere is no way to teach a machine wisdom after folly.”
Page 30
Andrew grinned. “You know, you’re right. We have a saying, you can’t fight the computer, it’s righteven when it’s wrong.”
“Ask Dom Esteban’s hall-steward, or the estate midwife Ferrika, if they feel ill-used or exploited,” Damon said. “You’re telepath enough to know if they’re telling the truth. And then, perhaps, you’ll decide you can honorably let some man earn his wages as your body-servant and your groom.”
Andrew shrugged. “No doubt I will. We have a saying, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Rome, Ithink, was a city on Terra; it was destroyed in a war or an earthquake, centuries ago, only the proverbremains. —”
Damon said, “We have a similar saying; it runs, Don’t try to buy fish in the Dry Towns.” He walkedaround the room be had chosen for his bedroom and Ellemir’s. “These draperies have not been airedsince the days of Regis the Fourth! I’ll get the stewards to change them.” He pulled a bell-rope, andwhen the steward appeared, gave orders.
“We’ll have it done by tonight, my lord, so you and your ladies can move in when you like. And, Lord Damon, I was asked to let you know that your brother, Lord Serrais, has come to witness your wedding.”
“Very good, thank you. If you can find Lady Ellemir, ask her to come and approve what arrangements
we have made,” Damon said. When the servant went away, he grimaced.
“My brother Lorenz! Such good will as he has for my wedding, I suspect, could be dropped into my eyes without pain! I had hoped for my brother Kieran, at least, or my sister Marisela, but I suppose I should be honored, and go to say a word of thanks to Lorenz.”
“Have you many brothers?”
“Five,” Damon said, “and three sisters. I was the
It was far more space than any young couple would have been assigned in Married Personnel HQ.
Andrew agreed, and Damon asked, “Will you have the left-hand or right-hand suite?”
“Makes no difference to me. Want to flip a coin?”
Damon laughed heartily. “You have that custom too? But if it makes no difference to you, let us have theleft-hand suite. Ellemir, I have noticed, is always awake and about with the dawn, and Callista likes tosleep late when she can. Perhaps it would be better not to have the morning sun in your bedroomwindow.”
Andrew blushed with pleasant embarrassment. He had noticed this, but had not carried it far enough inhis mind to think ahead to the mornings when he would be waking in the same room as Callista. Damongrinned companionably.
“The wedding’s only hours away, you know. And we’ll be brothers, you and I—that’s a good thought
too. It seems sad, though, that you should not have a single kinsman or friend at your wedding.”
“I’ve no friends on this planet anyway. And no living relatives anywhere.”
Damon blinked in dismay. “You came here without family, without friends?”
Andrew shrugged. “I grew up on Terra—a horse ranch in a place called Arizona. When I was eighteenor so, my father died, and the ranch was sold for his debts. My mother didn’t live long after that, and Iwent into space as a civil servant, and a civil servant goes where he’s sent, more or less. I wound uphere, and you know the rest.”
“I thought you had no servants among you,” Damon said, and Andrew got into a tangle of words trying to explain to the other man the difference which made a civil servant other than a servant. Damon listened skeptically and finally said, “A servant, then, to computers and paperwork! I think I had rather be an honest groom or cook!”
“Aren’t there cruel masters who exploit their servants?”
Damon shrugged. “No doubt, just as some men ill-treat their saddle horses and whip them to death. Buta reasoning man may some day learn the error of his ways, and at the worst, others may restrain him. Butthere is no way to teach a machine wisdom after folly.”
Page 30
Andrew grinned. “You know, you’re right. We have a saying, you can’t fight the computer, it’s righteven when it’s wrong.”
“Ask Dom Esteban’s hall-steward, or the estate midwife Ferrika, if they feel ill-used or exploited,” Damon said. “You’re telepath enough to know if they’re telling the truth. And then, perhaps, you’ll decide you can honorably let some man earn his wages as your body-servant and your groom.”
Andrew shrugged. “No doubt I will. We have a saying, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Rome, Ithink, was a city on Terra; it was destroyed in a war or an earthquake, centuries ago, only the proverbremains. —”
Damon said, “We have a similar saying; it runs, Don’t try to buy fish in the Dry Towns.” He walkedaround the room be had chosen for his bedroom and Ellemir’s. “These draperies have not been airedsince the days of Regis the Fourth! I’ll get the stewards to change them.” He pulled a bell-rope, andwhen the steward appeared, gave orders.
“We’ll have it done by tonight, my lord, so you and your ladies can move in when you like. And, Lord Damon, I was asked to let you know that your brother, Lord Serrais, has come to witness your wedding.”
“Very good, thank you. If you can find Lady Ellemir, ask her to come and approve what arrangements
we have made,” Damon said. When the servant went away, he grimaced.
“My brother Lorenz! Such good will as he has for my wedding, I suspect, could be dropped into my eyes without pain! I had hoped for my brother Kieran, at least, or my sister Marisela, but I suppose I should be honored, and go to say a word of thanks to Lorenz.”
“Have you many brothers?”
“Five,” Damon said, “and three sisters. I was the
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