Free ROMULUS (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 1) by Marilyn Campbell Page A

ground bugs or anything gross like that. These people are vegetarians, that's all. But what's the difference, as long as it tastes like you expect it to? You get clothes the same way, by picking from pictures on the screen. And everything gets thrown away, recycled actually, when you're done. Can you imagine? No more cooking, dirty dishes and, best of all, no more laundry! What's more, if I earn enough credits, I can even buy an android like Perd over there to pick up after me! It's real hard not to get excited about a society that can give me all that!"
    "What did you just say about Perd?"
    Cherry tilted her head. "Didn't Oona tell you anything? While you were studying the landscape, Perd told us about them." She purposely chewed another bite of her salad slowly to keep Aster on the hook. "They're all androids, the caretakers I mean. But I distinctly recall Romulus saying he was definitely human."
    Aster choked again. Damn . Even the mention of his name was upsetting. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and hoped no one else noticed it. One look at Cherry's smug expression told her she had not been that fortunate. Thankfully, Sheila misunderstood her embarrassment and attempted to explain.
    "It's not so terrible if you think of them as highly sophisticated machines. Our caretaker told us they are used for dangerous situations as well as dealing with new arrivals."
    Johnny cut in. "That man, Karl, must have been telling a few truths. It seems some people here might not treat us as kindly as our caretakers have. On the other hand, some new arrivals are not as calm as we are. Using robots, er androids, to break us in is their answer to the problem."
    Aster was stunned. Oona, that sweet, thoughtful lady, not human? She felt the old anxiety creeping over her again. Was there nothing she could depend on? She fought her fear and allowed the conversation to flow around her until she could politely seek out the limited privacy of her cot.
    It was not to be. Cherry immediately joined her, making herself comfortable on the narrow bed. She handed Aster a notebook. "This was the manual you were supposed to get in the meeting. Perd said it'll tell us a little bit about everything we need to know. There're more detailed manuals on everything over there on the bookshelf. Everything can be accessed on something they call a vidcom, which sounds a lot like a computer only more advanced, but they don't provide one in here. My guess is they don't want us to know too much all at once."
    Aster opened the thin book and scanned the pages. The Table of Contents looked like an outline an anthropologist might use to study an ancient civilization—Career Selection, Clothing, Economics, Education... Reproduction. She felt herself blush and wondered why her well-disciplined mind had taken a leave of absence.
    "How do you think they do it?" Cherry pounced on Aster's very thought.
    "Cherry! Is that really the big question here?"
    "Me?" she asked innocently. "And, pray tell, how did you know what I was referring to? And while I'm at it, how did you manage to come through the same shipwreck I did and still have time to bewitch the most gorgeous hunk of beefcake this side of heaven?"
    "I have no idea what you're talking about." Aster tried to keep her roiling emotions out of her voice.
    "Okay. Have it your way. But it's a wonder any of us got out of that room without being electrocuted by the sparks that were flying between the two of you."
    Aster opened her mouth to deny the accusation but had to chuckle at the picture Cherry described. What was the sense of arguing about something so ridiculous?
    "I'm going to try my hand at designing clothes with the supply station. Care to join me?" Cherry asked.
    "All right. Just for a little while. They tell me I slept all day, but I'm worn out."
    Besides, there were times when a little of Cherry went a long way. At twenty-nine, Cherry was six years younger than Aster, but in the ways of the world in general, and men