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over-eating, and his stomach was full. Hunger satiated, he was suddenly aware
of the low, painful throbbing in the back of his neck. There was nothing they
could do about the pain. He gritted his teeth, willing himself to ignore it.
Quickly, he cleaned out the empty tube and put it back in Bragan's locker.
They would need it again that night.
He crept back to the storage room, uncertain of how much longer he had before
she returned. He needed to find a way to time the guards' movements during the
work cycle. The bastards had to have a weakness, and Jess was going to find
it.
* * * * *
Bethany ate her own small bowl of porridge in the kitchen. The kitchen crew
was cleaning up the last of the main evening meal, as well as preparing
special food for the blasters returning from the mine.
They worked in two shifts, blasting by day and guarding the slaves by night.
Of course, the elders, such as her father, weren't directly involved in the
mining efforts. That would hardly be appropriate for their dignity. There
were also groups who traveled between settlements, and a very small
number who traveled to Discovery Station, where the ore was processed.
Eventually, even that small bit of contact would be curtailed.
The cost of the ore-refining equipment was very high, but for a decade the
elders had been saving and planning for the day when they could start their
own refining operation. Then they would be able to send shipments directly to
the central temple on Karos, where the Celestial Pilgrim himself had lived.
All part of some glorious plan she had never been worthy of sharing, she
thought darkly. How many women like herself had spent their entire lives
working in service of that plan? Did any of them every really
understand what they were working for?
Her train of thought was broken when someone sat down beside her. It was
Moriah. The girl smiled at her nervously.
"Thank you for your help earlier," Moriah said quietly. "I hope you don't mind
me sitting with you."
She looked unsure of herself, almost as if she were afraid Bethany might stand
up then and there to accuse her of immoral behavior. Bethany smiled, wanting
to ease the younger woman's fear.
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"It's nice to have company," she said softly. "I grew up here, but I left when
I was fourteen. I don't feel like I really know the people here anymore."
"Yes, I remember hearing that your husband had passed," Moriah replied. "Was
it terribly hard for you? I felt like my life was over when they told me
Ger my husband had died in the mines. I was seven months pregnant& "
"I'm so sorry," Bethany said. She could see the girl was still troubled. It
was hard to understand why a woman would be sad over losing a husband. Then
again, not all husbands were like Avram had been&
"I take it you had a love match?"
"Yes," she replied softly. "I was betrothed to his older brother, but he died
before we could marry. I
practically grew up with Ger. I fostered with his family after the betrothal.
I hate to admit it, but part of me was happy when I heard his brother was
dead. I don't think I could have stood living so close to Ger as his
sister-in-law& I guess I should just be glad for the time we had."
"Was he a blaster?" Bethany asked. Setting explosives in the mine was one of
the most dangerous
jobs on the station. Unlike other dangerous jobs, it couldn't be given to
slaves. As an elder, her own father had managed to avoid working the mines for
many years.
"Yes, a blaster," Moriah said, her voice trailing off. "I never thought things
would turn out like this,"
she added in a bitter voice.
Bethany nodded. There was nothing else to say. Her father had hurt
this woman and would probably hurt her again. There was nothing either of
them could do to prevent that from happening.
They sat without speaking for several minutes. Finally, her food finished,
Bethany set down her spoon and looked intently at Moriah.
"I realize I can't help you much," she said quietly. "But I just wanted to let
you know that you aren't totally alone, here."
"I realize that," Moriah said smiling at her shyly. "It's good to have a
friend."
Bethany nodded. They shared a situation, and now they shared a secret. It was
good to have a friend.
* * * * *
Jess lay quietly. He'd been resting, and listening, all day. One time she d
nearly caught him. She'd been cleaning out in the main room, and had abruptly
walked into the storage room to get something.
Fortunately, he had just returned to his pallet after getting a drink of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]