Spartan Planet - A. Bertram Chandler [32]
"Wouldn't it be better if you nurses lived in at the crèche? The same as we do in the barracks."
"Then we shouldn't have these walks, Brasidus."
"You could visit me."
"But I don't like your barracks. And your Club's as bad."
"I suppose that the cooking could be improved in both. Just who does live in at the crèche?"
"All the doctors, of course. And there are some engineers who look after the machinery."
"No helots?"
"No. Of course not." Achron was shocked at the idea. "Even we—but, after all, Brasidus, we are helots—have to live outside. But you know all that. Why are you asking me?"
That was a hard counterquestion to answer. At last Brasidus said, "There have been rumors . . ."
"Rumors of what?"
"Well, it's a very large building. Even allowing for the wards and the birth machine, there must be ample space inside. Do you think that the staff doctors and engineers could have . . . friends living with them?"
It was Achron's turn to hesitate. "You could be right, Brasidus. There are so many rules telling us that we must not stray away from our wards. Now that you raise the point, I can see that there has always been an atmosphere of . . . of secrecy . . ."
"And have you ever seen or heard anything?"
"No."
"And do the staff doctors and engineers have any friends among the nurses?"
"They wouldn't look as us." Resentment was all too evident in Achron's voice. "They're too high and mighty. Keep themselves to themselves, that's what they do. And their own accommodation, I've heard, the King himself might envy. They've a heated swimming pool, even. I've never seen it, but I've heard about it. And I've seen the food and the wine that come in. Oh, they do themselves well—far better than us, who do all the work."
"There might be inquiries being made," said Brasidus cautiously.
"There are always inquiries being made. That Captain Diomedes wanted me to work for him. But he's not . . . he's not a gentleman. We didn't get on. Why should I help him?"
"Would you help me?"
"And how can I, Brasidus?"
"Just look and listen. Let me know of anything out of the ordinary in the crèche."
"But the doctors can do no wrong," said Achron. "And even if they did, they couldn't. You know what I mean."
"In your eyes, you mean?"
"In my eyes," admitted the nurse. "But for you, and only for you, I'll . . . I'll look and listen. Does it mean promotion for you?"
"It does," said Brasidus.
"Are you coming in?" asked Achron as they reached the entrance to the crèche.
"No. I shall have a long and wearing day tomorrow."
"You . . . you don't give me much inducement to help you, do you? If I do, will things be the same between us again?"
"Yes," lied Brasidus.
Chapter 15
BRASIDUS DROVE OUT to the spaceport in the car that had been placed at his disposal. He realized that he was looking forward to what he had told Achron would be a long and wearing day. He enjoyed the freshness of the morning air, looked up with appreciation at the Spartan Navy still, in perfect formation, circling the landing field. But now he did not, as he had done so many times in the past, envy the airmen. He was better off as he was. If he were up there, a crew member of one of the warships, even the captain of one of them, he would not be meeting the glamorous, exotic spacefarers—and most certainly would not, in the course of duty, be spending the entire day with one of them.
Margaret Lazenby was already ashore, was waiting in Diomedes' office, was engaged in conversation with the Security captain. Brasidus heard his superior say, "I'm sorry, Doctor Lazenby, but I cannot allow you to carry weapons. The cameras and recording equipment—yes. But not that pistol. Laser, isn't it?"
"It is. But, damn it all, Diomedes, on this cockeyed world of yours my going about unarmed degrades me to the status of a helot."
"And the Arcadians are not helots?"
"No. It should be obvious, even to a Security