Free Freedom's Ransom by Anne McCaffrey

over one shoulder.
    She tried to keep Eric at the table but he rose, gave her a little bow from the waist, and, smiling at the approaching group, made his way out of the hall. Zainal waved for her to stay where she was as he took the boys to the serving tables and introduced them to the people on duty. With laden trays, they all converged on her. Zainal thoughtfully brought her an extra cup of coffee.
    â€œThe boys don’t drink it yet,” he said when he saw her expression of doubt. “You might as well enjoy a cup of their ration.”
    â€œWe must get more coffee, even if instant is all we can scrounge,” she said, turning the cup around to get the handle to the left for her to lift. “I see everyone is spruced up.” She nodded to the boys as they took seats.
    â€œBoy, this grub looks good,” Ferris said, picking uphis fork and digging it into a mound of mashed tubers. “Oh, it’s not potatoes,” he added, both surprised and outraged by the unexpected flavor.
    â€œIt’s indigenous but not a bad substitute,” Kris replied, grinning as he swallowed the big mouthful.
    â€œHey, it is pretty close! Will we be able to grow potatoes here?”
    â€œI believe so, but we’d have to import seed potatoes, if we can find them. I believe it’s high on the list of ‘wish’ items.”
    â€œYou got rock squats up north here, too?” Clune asked, slathering a portion on his fork with his knife in the English manner.
    â€œPrincipal source of protein,” she said. “They were the main course in the first hot meal we had on Botany.”
    â€œWho named it Botany?” Ditsy asked, disgusted.
    â€œWe all did. After another colony of transported folk on Earth,” she said.
    â€œYou mean, Australia?” Ferris asked, wrinkling his nose. “Not very inventive.”
    â€œWhat would you have named it?”
    â€œI dunno,” Ferris admitted, and then attended to the task of eating. “I’m not good at naming things.”
    â€œWe put it up for a vote and everyone had a chance to put forward their names,” Kris said, remembering the occasion very well. “Botany won, hands down. A good choice, I think, since it reminds us of a similar experiment that was successful.”
    â€œYes, but that was ex-cons.”
    â€œWhat do you think we were considered?”
    â€œWell, you weren’t criminals.”
    â€œMost of the English and Irish who were transported to Australia weren’t really criminals. There was great poverty at that point in history, and a person could be transported for stealing food to feed his family.”
    Kris wondered just how many of the present colonists had not finished secondary school or knew even highlights of world history. Maybe evening lectures could beinstigated, just to disseminate vital information. Daytimes, there was so much work to be done only the crèche kids were being given lessons. She jotted down a little note to herself. Something else to be remembered and inaugurated!
    She gave a little sigh. There was never enough time for everything, was there? When Zainal gave her a curious stare, she smiled back at him and took a sip of her extra cup of coffee. She wondered if she could make a habit of it . . . bring the boys with her for breakfast. But that was not the Botanic way: one didn’t take advantage of a flaw in a system. If she did, she lost her right to criticize others. Conscience was burdened enough as it was. If Council members didn’t toe the line, why should others have to? Transgressions could mount to a woeful state, just as they had elsewhere. One had to show responsibility. Just as Zainal was. Though really, he could carry the burden a little too far! However, she could see that someone had to do it, as far as reclaiming needful things was concerned.
    Jerry Short paused in the main entrance to the hall, scanned the diners until his eyes