Free Dreams among Stars by Pirx Danford Page B

way, gave aiming assistance to me.” I nod approvingly and commend his quick learning ability.
    We decide its about time to move out and take the narrow corridor leading to the outside wall of the mound.
    After arriving there Marple and Rogspa cannot find any indication of soldiers nearby.
    We rapidly head towards the forests edge, entering the cover of the trees I sound a loud sigh of relief and when I notice Rolf’s inquiring look I state “Lately I have been caught off guard far too often, I feel much more at ease with good cover around me.” At that moment a glimpse of the overhead jungle brings back the memory how I lost my hauling rope back at the towers top. “Marple take a note please. Next time at a functioning fabber I have to produce another hauling rope.”
    In the meantime Rolf found his bearings and signs me to follow him.
    With his experience we progress very fast and after only two hours nearly crossed half of the section, as he suddenly stops among the trees “We’re here!” Baffled I look around, but there are only trees all around us. Suddenly the ends of two rope ladders smack the ground beside us, with a lot of effort I detect movement at the tree tops. Curiously I start climbing up, after a while I spot a camouflage net riddled with leafs.
    From below it was invisible, but here high above the ground a small village was floating as if that was the most normal thing in the world.
    Even a few tiny gardens were visible, probably for herbs I assumed.
    The ground was slightly swaying, which reminded me of the few trips by boat I had back on earth.
    The slight vertigo is uncomfortable, but I tried not to let it show as I followed Rolf to a somewhat larger hut.
    The old Rab is coming up to meet us and is obviously relieved about our return.
    He beckons us to follow him “Oh! There is so much to talk about, but sit down with me and let us have some tea together first.”
    He is effectively keeping us from telling anything, over laboriously setting us up with cups of tea from herbs completely unknown to me, only when we each had a sip he lets us give account.
    I leave it to Rolf to tell from our adventures “And finally Helen even entrusted me with a pistol. Luckily we didn’t encounter any soldier on the way.” With these words he hands me back my gun and I put it in its place, somehow it eases my nerves to have both weapons again and I feel a ting of guilt, because these folks hadn’t been any danger to me throughout.
    “ Yes the soldiers.” States Rab “That is a strange story. They didn’t search the segment, but loudly announced a message at several locations.” He sighs “And in the meantime reports reached us from other Open Eyes verifying that the same message is announced through all of the outer decks.” With a gaze to me he continues “It is being demanded, that whoever finds the Awakened has to turn her in. Should any evidence show that someone gave her shelter without turning her in the whole group in question will face obliteration as punishment.”  
    Rolf whistles and I heavily gulp as I ask “What will you do now?” with a tired look the old Rab replies “We always fought. Against the lies, the greed and madness. Conflict followed with us from earth on this ship, isn’t that so? If we have to perish, then we do so with the certainty to have the truth on our side.” My relief was palpable. “Child you did not truly expect us to betray you? Also you have to keep a promise to us.” He says with a smirk. I explain that I have to get to the maintenance station as fast as possible, but the old Rab insists on me repairing the the learning computers first. I have no refutation to his arguments that after a few days less soldiers will be on the way and that even if I should fail later on, at least a few people would become familiar with the ships technology.
    An elderly woman from the village leads me toward a small hut just for my use, after the talk is over and Rolf bouncily