FM Busby Long View 5 The Long View

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to survive together, anyway; that's obvious."
"We!!, it matters to me-how Ilse will look for the rest of her life."
"Sure-and to me too-but 1 don't know what to do about it. If you do, go do
it."
Her voice bit. "If I did, I would." Then, more softly; "Ah, Bran-I had
forgotten. You married me when my face looked like a stomping ground, and you
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had no way to know what damage might be permanent. So I suppose-"
"Start supposing your brother has as much sense as your husband. And come
here, maybe?"
"Not-oh!-not until you stop tickling, Tregare!"
LIESEL reported to the Board: "Relocation and release-some ways it's easier
than we expected, some ways harder. The hard parts are all the things a
lifetime Welfare Client doesn't know -can't know.
Well-we're working on it."
"What's the easy part?" said Tregare.
"Well, things like furniture. Some never had it, don't need it, don't want it.
Even for mealtimes-they eat standing up, at a counter. And except for the
newer ones, who still have families alive-they don't like the idea of
single-family housing, at all. They want housing units for groups of adults
and children-which makes reconversion a lot cheaper,"
"A different fashion of living," Rissa said, "Yes, and for them it seems to
work. The permanently sterilized can have a share in the kids-the ones
existing now and those born later, to reversibles. Generally each group has
some fertiles in it-sort of a nucleus."
"That's all right for the present," said Hawkman. "But as I've said before,
what about twenty years from now when today's kids grow up fertile? Any policy
plans yet?"
Liesel nodded. "It's a little dictatorial, but there's options.
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Basically, every woman's entitled to two kids-then she gets a reversible."
"Why reversible?" Tregare asked the question.
"We want to stabilize the population, not reduce it further. Not all will have
their quota; to make up the difference we choose from applicants who want a
third child. By lottery, maybe."
Rissa spoke. "Why is it the woman who must submit to these things? It takes
two to conceive a child." She saw Lie-sel's grin and added, "I mean, in the
usual case."
"For the pragmatic reason," said Hawkman, "that men don't give birth, and that
sterilizing one man doesn't stop a woman from conceiving by another." He
spread his hands. "Of course it's unfair-
but the unfairness lies in our biology."
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Finding no answer, Rissa shrugged. From beside Bernafdez, Aedra Leng spoke.
"I'm not a Board member-but what about people who feel these restrictions
violate their rights?"
"The colonies have no such limits," said Tregare. "Anybody doesn't like
Earth's rules-go where they don't apply."
' 'But with the ships we have-such a trickle."
"Now, yes. But we want to beef up the colonies, anyway. So on the boards we're
designing big ships. There's a point in size where the balance tips-you can
carry more people in freeze than awake and eating-and the curve goes up fast.
With Hoyfarul's drive we could build way past that point- ships built in
space, too big to land anywhere. So in the twenty years before the problem
hits us, I think we can take care of it."
Aedra nodded. "You'll never satisfy everyone-but you offer as much choice as
possible."
"Fine," said Liesel. "Now-back to the agenda, maybe?"
Clothes for newly freed citizens were a bottleneck; many were released wearing
jumpsuits dyed in non-Welfare colors, and even the suits were in short supply.
"Al Kybel's expediting matters, though." Liesel grinned. "Working
eighteen-twenty hours a day, he was-sleeping on a cot in his office. Finally
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had to send him home to get a good night's sleep for a change."
"Do you have figures," said Rissa, "-rates and totals of Clients released?"
"Not up to date-been too busy. Only that we're making a
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\rdent, especially in the overcrowding."
"Good. Then if there is no further business before this Board-" No one spoke.
"We stand adjourned."
WHEN she returned to her work, Rissa found concentration difficult. Thinking
to pass a few approving words with Albert Kybel, she went to his place of
work. He was not there; Aiela
Lindstrom greeted her.
"Ms. Kerguelen-Rissa!"
"You are looking very well, Aiela." The young woman's hair, still very short,
stood out in pale, fluffy curls; the added bulk made her face look smaller.
"And perhaps five years younger than !
know you must be. Since you were gone from Inconnu when we returned, ! assume
you have found other quarters?"
"Oh, yes-and nearly furnished them, too. We're a little crowded-" She laughed.
"But you wouldn't know, would you?"
Rissa shook her head. "Until you tell me, I will not."
"It's Dien-Dien Harbin. We were together-before he was Welfared, to give his
job to a Committee protege. Complaining about that was what got me Welfared.
Well, Mr. Kybe! put in a priority request to Ms. Hulzein, and Dien was
released. And next week we're getting married, newstyle. The day New Year 99
begins."
"Well, I am happy for you, Aiela. And you will be applying for larger
quarters?"
"I already have-but not on any special privilege priority. With so many
waiting, just to get out of Welfare at all. we can put up with a little
crowding for as long as we have to."
For a moment Rissa was tempted to use her authority to help the couple. Then
she thought, No-the girl is right. If she began interceding for people she
liked, in nonessentials, where would it end? "That is thoughtful of you, and
generous." Then, "I had intended to give Albert Kybel my regards; I am told he
is doing fine work. Will you tell him that I said so?"
"Oh, sure. And-you wouldn't believe how different he is, since he came back
out of Welfare.
Considerate-everyone's a human being to him, now."
"I am glad. And now I must go. It is good to have seen you, Aiela."
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RISSA and Tregare were lunching in his office when Liesel entered. Her tight
smile betrayed excitement; Rissa said, "What has happened?"
"Tell you in a minute." She sat. "Go ahead eating; I'll have some coffee."
They waited; finally Tregare said, "All right-you're busting with something.
What is it?"
"I finally got around to check-remember, I told you, Rissa?-for descendants of
Heidele Hulzein's first two children, the ones who were conceived normally."
"Yes-of course. And you have found them?"
"Right, I have. Quite a job-birth registrations not available, some times and
places. I got my best confirmation off old tax records, listings of dependents
for some reason I'm not sure of. But never mind-" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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