Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold Read Free Book Online

tops.
    GalacTech's not going to waste you, either. There will be other girls—
    I don't want other girls, said Tony stonily. Only Claire.
    Dr. Yei paused, went on. I shouldn't be telling you this yet, but Sinda in Nutrition is next for you. I've always thought she was an extraordinarily pretty girl
    She has a laugh like a hacksaw.
    Dr. Yei blew out her breath impatiently. We'll discuss it later. At length. Right now I have to talk with Claire.She thrust him firmly out the door and keyed it shut on his frown and muffled objections.
    Dr. Yei turned back to Claire and fixed her with a stern gaze. Claire—did you and Tony continue to Page 20

    have sexual relations after you became pregnant?
    Dr. Minchenko said it wouldn't hurt the baby.
    Dr. Minchenko knew?
    I don't know... I just asked him, like, in a general way. Claire studied her hands guiltily. Did you expect us to stop?
    Well, yes!
    You didn't tell us to.
    You didn't ask. In fact, you were quite careful not to bring up the subject, now that I think back—oh, how could I have been so blind-sided?
    But downsiders do it all the time, Claire defended herself.
    How do you know what downsiders do?
    Silver says Mr. Van Atta—Claire stopped
    abruptly.
    Dr. Yei's attention sharpened, knife-like and uncomfortable. What do you know about Silver and Mr.
    Van Atta?
    Well—everything, I guess. I mean, we all wanted to know how downsiders did it.Claire paused.
    Downsiders are strange, she added.
    After a paralyzed moment, Dr. Yei buried her suffused face in her hands and sniggered helplessly. And so Silver's been supplying you with detailed information?
    Well, yes. Claire regarded the psychologist with wary fascination.
    Dr. Yei stifled her chortles, a strange light growing in her eyes, part humor, part irritation. I suppose—I suppose you'd better pass the word to Tony not to let on. I'm afraid Mr. Van Atta would become a little upset if he realized his personal activities had a second-hand audience.
    All right, Claire agreed doubtfully. But—you always wanted to know all about me and Tony.That's different. We were trying to help you. Well, we and Silver are trying to help each other.You're not supposed to help yourselves.The sting of Dr. Yei's criticism was blunted by her suppressed smile. You're supposed to wait until you're served. Yei paused. Just how many of you are privy to this, ah, Silver-mine of information, anyway? Just you and Tony, I trust?
    Well, and my dormitory mates. I take Andy over there in my off hours and we all play with him. I used to have my sleep restraints opposite Silver's until I moved out. She's my best friend. Silver's so—so brave, I guess—she'll try things I'd never dare.Claire sighed envy.
    Eight girls, Yei muttered. Oh, lord Krishna... I trust none of them have been inspired to emulation yet?
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    Claire, not wishing to lie, said nothing. She didn'tn eed to; the psychologist,watching her face, winced.
    Yei turned indecisively in air. I've got to have a talk with Silver. I should have done it when I first suspected—but I thought the man had the wit not to contaminate the experiment—asleep on my feet.
    Look, Claire, I want to talk with you more about your new assignment. I'm here to try and make it as easy and pleasant as possible—you know I'll help, right? I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
    Yei peeled Andy off her neck where he was now attempting to taste her earring and handed him back to Claire, and exited the airsealdoor muttering something about containing the damage...
    Claire, alone, held her baby close. Her troubled uncertainty turned like a lump of metal under her heart.
    She had tried so hard to be good. . . .

    Leo squinted approvingly against the harsh light and dense shadows of the vacuum as a pair of his space-suited students horsed the locking ring accurately into place on the end of its flex tube. Between the two of them their eight gloved hands made short work of the task.
    Now Pramod, Bobbi, bring up the beam