The G. M. Os. - 11. Chapter 11 - Eddy, First Day

Chapter 11
Ship Clock 262167
Moli 20-578p
Eddy, First Day

“Hi, Moli, have you been here long?” Gene asked as he walked up to the log and sat down.

“No, I just got here a few minutes ago.”

“How did you get away?”

“I took a break; I’ve been working since six.”

“Oh, that’s early. I have to be back in a couple of hours because I’m supposed to start studying the first module on farm accounting.”

“Did you get a good grade on farm economics?”

“I got a seven point five; I was hoping for a nine, but didn’t get it. It’s the best grade I’ve gotten since starting agraculagricultureshure mangementmanagement. At least I get passes—no,, no, they call those something else—if I fail, I failed three times. My GPA is now up to seven point one-five. I can do gooder than that.”

“Are you thinking of getting your own farm?”

“I’d have to marry first. The bots won’t loan me money to farming if I canno’t marry. Are you doing good on your ormanentilornamental hort?”

“That’s why I was hoping to see you, today. I’ve been accepted to Central City University on Ring 1; I’ll be leaving in two weeks.”

“That’s where Eugeni is a profsorprofessor of astromphysisics. Have you maessaged her?”

“Yes, as soon as I got my acceptance last night. She says we’ll be able to get together when I arrive.”

“I’m happy for you,” Gene said.

“Thank you, I thought you might be upset,” Moli said. Gene did sound unhappy.

“Oh, no, you said you were doing gooder, so I knew you were going to a university somewhere. I was hoping you might go to a unverstyuniversity here on Ring 2, so we’d be close.”

“I was hoping for that, too; but the one on Ring 1 came in first. I haven’t heard anything from the universities here on Ring 2.”

“Will I see you before you go?” Gene asked. He stood up, bit his lower lip and said, “I gotta go.”

He was unhappy, thought Moli as she watched him run away. She could tell it in the way his voice wavered. He was close to tears, too. She felt sort of sad, but was happy, too. She didn’t want to be a fruit farmer, like Gene was going to turn out doing for the rest of his life. No, the closest she was going to get to farming was raising flowering plants and trees. As much as she didn’t want to think about it, she knew she was going to have to find someone new who wanted what she wanted and that meant giving up Gene. She didn’t want to admit it, but that did make her feel sad.

********

“Hi, I’m Eddy, you wouldn’t happen to be an ornamental hort student, would you?” The boy asked. He had the unremarkable in the sameness of all humans on Hercules III, but to Moli there was something about him that intrigued her.

“Yes, I’m Moli.”

“Who’s your class advisor? Mine’s Professor Andresus, I’ve heard he’s a stickler for proper lab techniques.”

“Yes, I have him, too. I have an appointment with him this afternoon.”

“I don’t get to see him until the day after tomorrow, Starsday. Have you brought up all your luggage?”

“No, I was on my way down to get my other two bags.”

“I’ll help you, okay?”

“Okay,” Moli said. He seemed a little pushy, but at least he wasn’t dopey like Gene. Strange, she didn’t miss him now, but it had only been two weeks since she’d seen him last. Unfortunately, she wouldn’t be able to see him for four and a half months when the term ended. She was going to be home for a month and would see Gene then, but maybe she wouldn’t want to since she was in a university now, something he would never do.

“I’m from Ring 6,” Eddy said.

“Ring 2,” Moli said.

“That’s the next one over.”

“Yes, you seem awfully excited about something. What is it?”

“I’ve never met a girl before. There weren’t any girls my age in our district.”

“There was a boy I knew on the farm next to us. He’s a year older, but we were still good friends. His sister is a professor here.”

“Was he your boyfriend?”

“Oh no, not that serious.”

“Does his sister teach ornamental hort?”

“No, astrophysics; I don’t know exactly what that is, but she’s really smart. She wants to work in the bot dark matter labs when she reaches majority. We’re having lunch today.”

“She sounds interesting. Do you think you could introduce me to her?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll ask. These are my bags. You can have that one.”

“This is kind of heavy,” he said after he grabbed the handle and pulled up.

“You want this one? It might be lighter.”

“No, I’ll take it. Is that one lighter?”

“No, they weigh about the same.”

“You worked hard at your farm?”

“Ever since I found out about ornamental hort, my father made certain the bots kept me busy.”

“What about your brother? Is he going to study ornamental hort, too?”

“No, he’s dead.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Oh, that’s alright; he was never much of a brother.”

The boy didn’t say much of anything on their way up the elevator. She still felt Eddy had a good chance of being her friend, but he certainly liked to talk a lot, unlike Gene who tended to be moody and couldn’t talk correctly anyway. Maybe, that was because he wasn’t as smart as everybody originally thought; or, maybe it was because he really didn’t want to be that much of a friend. That was something to consider if they were going to continue to be friends.

“I live over there in room three-four-two; we’re directly across the common area from each other,” Eddy said as he put down the bag he was carrying.

“Yes,” Moli said. He’s trying too hard, she thought.

“Do you have the dining hall option on your campus card? I do because I didn’t want to have to use the food prep all the time.”

“Yes, I have that, too, though I haven’t picked up my card yet.”

“Are you going to unpack now? I’ve already done mine. It doesn’t look like your roommate has arrived, yet. Wait a minute, there’s only one bed in here. How do you rate that?”

“My friend Eugeni arranged it for me. I guess she has connections.”

“I wish she was my friend. My roommate acts like a jerk. He’s an electrical engineering student. When I told him I was studying ornamental hort, he sort of laughed at me. I’m going to find out if I can get another roommate.”

“I tell you what, how about if I ask Eugeni if she can arrange it for you to have a single room, too?”

“You think she’d do that? But, I don’t want to have to move. You’re kind of nice and I don’t want to lose you in the campus crowd.”

“Why thank you, Eddy. The least I can do is ask. Maybe, she can have your roommate moved out or get you a single room. I’ll have to ask,ask.; I don’t want her to make too many commitments to other people here on campus. If you know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I guess. Do you need help unpacking and putting away your stuff?”

“Uh, no, but thanks for asking.”

“I helped my sister with her laundry because she has a mental mutation that makes it hard for her to do things. She’ll stay with our parents until she reaches majority. They said they’re going to send her to a facility for girls like her.”

“Thank you anyway, Eddy, but I can do it myself.”

“Can I watch, we can talk some more.”

“Okay, Eddy, you sound innocent enough to be in my room with just the two of us.”

“You want me to close the door?”

“Eddy, you’re trying too hard. I like you, okay? You don’t have to keep trying.”

“Well, Moli, like I said, there weren’t any girls my age and my sister doesn’t think well enough to carry a conversation.” Eddy said as he closed the door and went over to the bed and sat down. “You know, it’s kind of nice the university provides room service so we didn’t have to bring bedding. Do you have mostly coveralls? My stepmother ordered some slacks and shirts for me because that was what the university said in the acceptance message.”

“Yes, I have new clothes, too.”

“Great, are you going to the welcoming dance tonight?”

“I don’t know how to dance, Eddy.”

“I don’t either, but we could go to the Union and get a snack and a soft drink. We could listen to the music at the dance, but someone might ask you to dance. I was able to drink beer and wine at home, but I guess you can’t do that here until you reach majority. There wasn’t anything about that in the acceptance message, but you never know all the rules unless you ask. Hey, you have pink underthings; my sister liked pale blue and lavender. I have light green and gray.”

And, on it went, little snippets of Eddy’s life and what they were going to do in the days ahead. In many ways Moli was happy when she finished unpacking, labeled her luggage for storage, and told him it was time for her to go meet Eugeni. He seemed sad, she told him they could go to the dining hall tonight and then come back here and talk some more before going to the Union. That seemed to satisfy him, but he still seemed sad that she was leaving without him. Maybe, he really did not like his roommate and was afraid the guy was going to return early.

********

Moli walked across the campus looking for the statue where she was supposed to meet Eugeni, who said she couldn’t miss it. There was also supposed to be a sign saying it was Professor Oldar, who had helped the bots develop the new birthing process. Reportedly, he had made lots of credits and died a very rich man, but he gave it all to the university instead of his heirs. It was supposed to be standing on a block of granite the bots made in one of their special factories. Finally, she saw a statue and there was Eugeni standing next to it.

“You made it,” Eugeni said. “I was afraid you weren’t going to be able to find it.”

“I grew up in an orchard,” Moli said. “You quickly learn how to find things. Where are we having lunch? I haven’t picked up my campus card, yet, so we’ll have to go by the student affairs office if we’re going to eat in the dining hall.”

“Don’t worry about it; we can do that after lunch. I’m taking you to the faculty dining room. Doctor Andresus will be there, too. He doesn’t know you’re coming, so don’t say anything unless he asks you, okay.”

“Well, okay, if you say so; you sure it will be okay? I don’t want to get you in trouble. Uh, there is one thing I’d like to ask you, though. I met a boy.”

“You did? Well that was certainly quick. What’s Gene going to say?”

“I don’t think I’m going to tell him. After I told him I was coming here to school, he didn’t talk to me anymore. I think he was mad because I wasn’t going to a university on Ring 2.”

“Yeah, he can be that way sometimes. So, what do you want?”

“Well, this boy, his name is, I think Edward, but he goes by Eddy, anyway, he has a real obnoxious roommate who was rather condescending when Eddy told him he was studying ornamental hort. I guess his roommate will be studying some kind of engineering thing. Anyway, Eddy saw that I have a single room and was wondering if you could arrange it for his roommate to be moved out and then have a single room, too. He’s really sweet, but I’ll understand if you can’t do anything about it. He’s in room three-four-two, across the common area from me.”

“Don’t worry, Moli, I know just the person to talk to. Since classes don’t start until Titansday, we should have time to find that other boy a new room and have that bed moved out so Eddy can have a single. Is there anything, else?”

“No, that was it. Are we there, yet? My appointment with Professor Andresus is at one-thirty, so I don’t want to be late.”

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll see him at lunch and I’ll let him know, okay?”

“Sure, I guess. I don’t really know how everything works here, so if you say it will be okay, I guess I’ll have to do it your way.”

Moli walked along with Eugeni without talking anymore. All of the buildings were so high it was kind of unnerving. The one time she’d been into Second City with her dadi had been quite an experience seeing all the very tall buildings, taller than those here at the university. After a few minutes, they went into one of the buildings, but this one was shorter than the other ones, only a few stories tall. They went down a hall and a lot of older men and women said hi to Eugeni, but only one asked who her friend was. It was one of the professors in the astrophysics department and he seemed to be very nice. They went in a door and there was a large room with many tables of different sizes with chairs up against them, except for the few that had people sitting in them.

They walked up to an older man who said, “Hi Eugeni, honey, who’s your friend?”

“Andy, this is Moli she’s a first year student or a second year, depending on how you see her grades on her pre-coursework modules.”

“Oh, Moli, yes, my one-thirty. You must not be much of a friend of Eugeni for her to bring you in here. The food is much better in the dining hall, I’ve eaten there.”

“Very pleased to meet you, sir,” Moli said.

“Ah, yes, polite, too. That’ll get you far in this place. Some professors can be so stuffy, I’m not. After we’ve known each other, you’ll be calling me Andy, too.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Eugeni, she certainly spreads it on thick, doesn’t she?”

“She was raised by excellent parents.”

“Lucky girl,” Professor Andresus said. “You two better get your lunches or Moli is going to be late. Unfortunately, I have to get to the office for an appointment or you could sit with me. Moli, do you have my room number?”

“I have it written down, sir.”

“Ooh, she can write, too. Moli, you’ll get far in ornamental horticulture by knowing how to write with a pencil or pen on paper, you can’t imagine how many students don’t know what paper looks like.”

They got sandwiches because whatever the meat and vegetables were didn’t look all that appetizing. Moli had brook trout and mayo with tomatoes and lettuce. Eugeni had roast beef with cheddar, brown mustard and chopped white onion. They found a small table over by the window and started eating their sandwiches. A bot trundled over and asked, “Would you two ladies like something to drink?”

“Do you want white wine, Moli?” Eugeni asked.

“Yes, but I thought I was too young to have that.”

“We’ll have two small glasses of Chardonnay.”

“Yes, Miss,” the bot said. It trundled away and in a couple minutes returned with the two glasses on a small tray. It set the glasses on the table in front of both plates and then trundled toward the kitchen.

“You have bots here?” Moli asked.

“This lounge is operated by bots. Our sandwiches came from a food prep. The dining hall has human cooks and staff, but you have to get your own drinks. Like Andy said, the dining hall has better food.”

“He seems to really like you, even though he is so much older.”

“He’s nice to me, unlike most of the other professors here. I think they’re jealous the bots are going to let me work in their dark matter labs. I did a paper on dark energy and its possible applications on a new design for the ship’s engines. I got a lot of good feedback from all the other universities on the ship, except here. Second City University on Ring 8 offered me a position on their faculty, but since I’m under contract here I had to say I couldn’t go. They sent a message saying that at the end of my contract they’d be honored if I applied there. It gives me something to think about in the next couple years.”

Moli enjoyed her wine. At home, she was only given wine at Diosday suppers and then it was only one glass. She looked at the clock and saw it was five after one and told Eugeni she was going to have to leave.

“Don’t worry, the student affairs office is on the first floor and Andy’s office is in the building next door. I’ll show you where it is,” Eugeni said as she pushed away from the table and stood up. “Well, I guess it is getting rather late. Okay, I tell you what, how about I take you out to supper tonight?”

“I was supposed to have supper with Eddy in the dining hall,” Moli said as they walked to the door.

“Bring him along; we’ll go to this great restaurant I know downtown. It serves a great artichoke heart and sun-dried tomato pizza.”

“I’ve never had a pizza. What are they?”

“It’s like a pie only very flat.”

They were unusually quiet on the ride down the elevator, but, since there wasn’t any studentsweren’t any students in the student affair’s office, so Moli was able to get her campus card in only a few minutes. There was a two thousand credit balance on her account, which she thought was awfully high, but the lady at the counter said her parents’ farm account would be charged at the end of the term for anything not picked up by her bot scholarship. Eugeni explained the card was good at off campus businesses, as well as everything on campus that wasn’t free.

They walked out of the building and over to the next one, which was only two-stories tall, but was rather long across its width. They went in and turned right down the hall to where Professor Andresus’ office was. The department secretary told her to have a seat because the previous appointment was going on a bit longer than usual.

“I tell you what, Moli, I’m going to take care of your friend’s room and I’ll see you at the statue at five, okay?” Eugeni said. “Have fun with Andy, if he asks you for anything, just go along with it and you’re sure to get a good grade this term.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it; I’m sure you’ll like him. So, I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Sure, Eugeni, but it’s not nice to leave me with what you said about Professor Andresus.”

“Don’t worry, Moli, you’re in a university, now, there are different rules here than on the outside,” Eugeni said with a blink.

Moli sat on the sofa with a feeling of dread passing through her mind. What was Eugeni talking about? It sounded like Professor Andresus was going to do something that she wasn’t going to like, but Eugeni said she should just go along with it, whatever that meant. A door opened and a boy almost ran out he was hurrying so much, but he paused a moment to slam the door shut. In a moment, Professor Andresus came out of the office and said, “Jami, if the Dean of Students, Provost, or anyone from Admin calls, let me know and I’ll take it.”

“The boy didn’t work out?” Jami asked.

“He said he had done all the pre-coursework and grafting techniques, but there’s no record of him anywhere. I showed that to him and he said it was a mistake, I offered to fix it, but he got mad and refused. He said he’s going to go to another university on his home ring. I offered him good d luck, because after coming here and leaving so soon, he’ll never get on anywhere, else. Moli, I’ll take you now.”

“Have a seat,” Professor Andresus said. He pointed at a chair beside his desk.

Moli sat down and thanked him for seeing her on Moonday. He seemed to blow it off and looked at his portable module. Moli sat quietly watching as he scrolled through whatever he was looking at. He would look up at her, smile, and then go back to scrolling through that document.

“As I see it, Moli, I can offer you only one class in ornamental hort,” Professor Andresus said. “You have an impressive record on your pre-coursework modules and the supervisor bot on your farm sent along a glowing report on how good you were at raising trees from seed, grafting root stock, and there is something about preliminary hybridizing. You wouldn’t happen to have any patents, would you?”

“Yes, sir, two, one for an apricot and another for a pear,” Moli said. The phone rang.

“I have to get this,” he said and picked up the receiver. “Yes? Yes, he just left. No, I certainly wouldn’t say anything like that. He was a nice boy, but there’s no record of him anywhere in the databases of taking any pre-coursework or working on a farm, not that that matters. Yes, I agree. No, you know me,me.; I’d never suggest anything like that. Yes, yes, thank you for calling.”

“Problem, sir?” Moli asked.

“Oh, no, the boy said I suggested something sexual. That’s something professors can’t do here. Maybe at other universities, but not here. Now, let’s see where we’re going to put you. As I see it now, you’ll need first term calculus, language theory, and, let’s see, a farm economics class; plus, I’m putting you in a virtual plant ID class for flowers this term. Next term you’ll take second term calculus, second term language theory, and, well, yes, the next farm economics class; plus, the virtual plant ID class for roses.”

“What’s a virtual plant ID class?” Moli asked.

“Holographic, you’ll be in a room where a 3D image of the plant and its data will be projected into the room. You’ll have to take careful notes, unfortunately, on paper with a pencil. Portable modules won’t work in there. The bots say they are working on the problem, but they’ve been saying that since they installed the things over a hundred-fifty years ago. Now, for your special lesson.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Andy.”

“Yes, Andy.”

“Good, you’ll go a long way with me if you remember that,” he said.

He stood up and came around to stand in front of her. He unzipped his slacks and took out his penis. Moli stared at it. It was different than Father’s, longer, and it stood up. She stared at it, not knowing what to do.

“Put your hand around it, Moli.”

She did.

“Now, hold it lightly. Yes, like that. Now, move your hand up and down. Yes, just like that.”

********

Moli sat on her bed staring at nothing. She couldn’t believe what Professor Andresus said to her. He actually thanked her for what she did; and, strangely, he credited her campus card with fifty credits from his own personal account. Fifty credits for what she did. Someone knocked on the door. She got up and opened it.

“Hi, Moli, I was hoping you were back from the interview with Professor Andresus,” Eddy said. “Hey, are you alright? You don’t look so good. Have you been crying?”

“Come in, Eddy, and sit down.”

“Did Andresus do something to you?”

“Eddy, look he’s a well-respected professor here. My friend, Eugeni, said that if he asks anything to go with the flow. So, if you want to stay here, I suggest that you do that, too. He can ruin your life. That’s what’s going to happen to the boy who was before me. I’m just kind of shocked, that’s all.”

“Oh, I thought you were going to cry, or something.”

“No, Eddy, I’m not going to cry. I didn’t cry when I found out the bots killed my brother and I’m not going to cry over this.”

“Then something did happen.”

“Eddy, please, just drop it, okay? Just drop it.”

“Are we still going to the dining hall for supper?”

“No, Eddy, we’re not, we’re going with my friend Eugeni off campus to a restaurant she know about.”

“Both of us?”

“Yes, both of us. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to lie down for a while. We have to meet her at five, so could you knock on my door about four-thirty?”

“Okay, but what am I going to do the rest of the afternoon?”

“What do you want to do, Eddy?”

“Well, I know you’re probably going to get mad, but I’d like to lie down with you. I’m not going to do anything. We don’t have to do anything like kiss or that kind of stuff, but I’d like to stay here. I can sit in the chair if you prefer.”

After what Andresus wanted, Moli was a little hesitant to accede to his request, but he was innocent and he promised not to do anything; and, she kind of liked talking to him. So, she said, “Okay, over by the wall on your side, facing me. I’m going to lie on my back. Why don’t you tell me about your family.family?”

“Okay, great,” Eddy said as he laidlay down on the bed, “Well, I guess my family is like any other, except for my sister, but I’ve already told you about her.”

“Everything, Eddy? Did you tell me everything?” Moli asked.

“Well, no, Edwardia, has kind of has dopey eyes, but she looks okay, if you don’t mind that.”

And, on he went, first all about his sister and then his mother, father, nanny, cook, cleaning bot, the supervisor farm bot, the vegetable fields, the orchards, their two speeders, their cruiser, and finally the few hectares they had of barley. Moli stared at the ceiling and saw one of those nano bots like she had in her room for quite a few years after going to that bot hole and being a friend of Gene. She wondered why they were being watched or if there was one in all the rooms. Maybe, it was for campus security.

She thought back to the farm, Momi, and Dadi, and the supervisor bot whothat sent that report to the university. She already missed the farm. She kind of missed Molus, who wasn’t much of a brother, but at least he was her brother. Of course, he wouldn’t be here, now. He was so into futbol that he would’ve gone to a university on Ring 2 where he would learn how to coach youth football and maybe teach young kids in a school and coach the futbol team, but, no, he had to go crazy, beat her up, runaway, and get killed by the bots.

“Excuse me, Eddy, but what time is it?” Moli asked.

“Oh, uh, just about four-thirty. Oh, yeah, you wanted to be woken up then. Are you going to use the toilet, now?”

“Eddy, you can’t watch!”

“No, no, not that; I just need to do it, too. You can go first, since this is your room. Can I wash your face afterwards? I washed Edwardia’s at home because she always got water all over the bathroom. I cut her hair, too. Can I cut yours’, too?”

“Eddy, I’m fully capable of cleaning my face. And, I can go to a barber on my own, if they have one on campus.”

“Oh, they do, but I kind of like cutting hair. I’m gentler than a bot. I brought my scissors and comb, just in case someone wanted me to cut their hair.”

“Eddy, you’re a wonder. Okay, I’m going to use the toilet, then you can have it; and, yes, I think I’ll let you wash my face.”

Later, walking across campus toward the statue, Moli began to wonder what Andresus was going to ask Eddy to do. Knowing Eddy, now, she wouldn’t be surprised if he would do ithat. He was so innocent,innocent; he wouldn’t see anything wrong with doing something like that to an older man.

“You know, Eddy, we were being watched,” Moli said.

“Oh, I have one of those in my room, too. There’s one in every room. Bots run campus security. They know who you are and they know who I am. That thing can hear us talk and if I’m doing something bad to you like beating you up or even raping you, then bot security will be right over to arrest me. But, I’d never do anything to you, Moli. You’re going to be my girlfriend and I’ll never do anything or ask anything of you without your permission first. I’m not like some boys I’ve heard about.”

“Eddy, you’re a wonder, and you just might end up being my boyfriend, that is if you get through your interview with Andresus. Remember, if he asks anything of you, do it or suffer the consequences.”

“He did something to you, didn’t he?”

“No, it was the other way around.”

“Oh, I think I know what that was. Maybe, I’ll tell you about it sometime. You think he’ll ask me to do something like that?”

“Probably; I think that’s what he asked the boy before me, but he refused and now he’ll never go to another university on the ship. Andresus will put out the word and that boy will have to go back to whatever it was that he didn’t want to become.”

“Oh, my choice then.”

“Yes, Eddy, your choice. Oh, look, there’s Eugeni.”

“Hi, Eugeni, I hope we’re not late,” Moli said.

“No, it’s not late; is this Eddy?”

“Hi.”

“Shy?”

“No, he’s not shy in the least. Are you?”

“No, I’m not shy.”

“How’d your meeting with Andy go?” Eugeni asked. She started to walk away, so the other two followed. Moli caught up and walked beside Eugeni. Eddy stayed behind.

“Oh, pretty good, I guess, until the end.”

“Oh, it was that kind of meeting.”

“We had a special lesson; how did you meet him, you’re not in hort?”

“I was at the lounge one afternoon and he sat at my table. We started seeing each other and then, well, I think you know what happened after a while.”

“Yeah, I think I do. I think he sort of implied that if I expected good grades and good classes, I’d better plan on calling him Andy from now on.”

“He’s that way; a lot of the professors are, too.”

“Does he do boys, too?” Eddy asked.

“Oh, Andy doesn’t care who it is, just watch out if you say no. Oh, by the way, your roommate will be gone tomorrow and once that occurs that other bed will disappear, too.”

“Hey, that’s great, thanks.”

“Oh, don’t thank me, you need to thank Haroldus, he’s the Dean of Students.”

“Personally?”

“Oh, yes, most definitely, yes. He was rather insistent on that. Your appointment is at nine tomorrow morning.”

“Are all the older men like that around here?”

“Most, yes, and some of the women, too.”

“Women?” Moli asked.

“Unfortunately, yes. Come on, guys, enough talk about sex on campus. Is there anything else you want to know about this place?”

********

Moli hung back as they walked from the restaurant. Eugeni and Eddy seemed to be in a deep conversation and she wasn’t particularly interested getting into it. The restaurant had been crowded and they had to wait for a table. Then the pizza was kind of gross: the vegetables were soft and runny; the cheese had an off-flavor that tasted of a dung heap, not that she knew what a dung heap tasted like; the crust was like a big cracker; and, the thing cost fifty credits, the amount she received from Andresus. It was a good thing Eugeni had paid for it, plus the tip that was automatically added including their drinks and the off-campus entertainment tax. Seventy-five credits for something they might have gotten better out of a food prep and would’ve been free. All in all, it had been a rather disappointing event, considering what had happened to her during the day.

“This is my place,” Eugeni said when they came to a tall apartment building. “Will I see you tomorrow? You two could come to my office.”

“I don’t know,” Eddy said. “It’s up to Moli.”

“Eugeni, as much as I’d like to come over and visit some more, I want to look around campus and see where my classes will be, if that’s okay with you; maybe we can get together on Starsday, after Eddy has his meeting with Andresus.”

“Okay, that’s fine,” Eugeni said. “You didn’t like the pizza did you?”

“It was okay,” Eddy said. “Moli?”

“Eddy, you’d like eating dirt. You can’t say anything bad about anything.”

“I don’t like some things. If I told you, Ithe bet you wouldn’t like them either.”

“Okay, guys, I’ve got to go in; I have some reading to do,” Eugeni said. “I’ll send you a message, okay Moli?”

“Sure, I’ll look for it, but Eddy and I are going to the Union later for a snack and maybe listened to the music at the dance.”

“That’s okay. Good night Eddy, it’s been nice meeting you. Just remember, when you meet with the Dean of Students and Andy, do what they ask or you’ll live to regret it. It really isn’t so bad and you’ll probably get used to it after a while.”

“Yeah, that’s what you say. Anyway, have a good night and we’ll see you after I meet with Andresus, if I can still walk.”

“You two have a good night, too. And, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“I’m not that kind of boy,” Eddy said, indignantly.

“Come on, Eddy we can talk in my room.”

“Okay.”

“’night, Eugeni,” Moli said.

“’night, Moli, Eddy,” Eugeni said. She turned into her building and disappeared around a corner.

“She told me what the Dean would probably do to me,” Eddy said as they started to walk toward the dorm.

“How did she know?”

“She said she knows what he and Andresus liked doing to boys.”

“Not good, huh?”

“Not good. Can I tell you a secret? But you have to promise not to tell anyone, ever.”

“Well, why are you telling me?”

“Because, I need to tell someone and you seem trustworthy.”

“Okay, Eddy, what’s up?”

“My father, he did things to me.”

“No! Not the kind of things that are going to happen tomorrow?”

“Yeah, and other things when I was younger,” Eddy said, sadly.

“Are you going home after the term ends?”

“I don’t want to, but I don’t have anywhere else to go,” Eddy said, still sad.

“I tell you what, how about if you come home with me?”

“You could do that?”

“I’ll ask my dDadi, okay?”

“Okay, but we’ll need to know each other better before that happens. They might get suspicious if I’m not your boyfriend.”

“You really do want to be my boyfriend, don’t you?”

“Yeah, a lot, you’re nice and you don’t ask me to do things,” Eddy said, softly.

“Eddy, we only do things in my room, okay? And, only when you want to; your bedroom is your safe place. I’ll only come over if you want me, okay?”

“You’ll do that for me? I never had a place I could go to be safe at home. Wherever I was and Father was there, too, he would want to do things. I hate him and I was glad when I got out of there. I’m never going there again, if I can only find someplace to go. Can we go to your room? Promise to be nice.”

“Eddy, come on, you’re always welcome to come to my room, even if you just want to talk.”

They were silent all the way across campus; though, a campus security bot asked for their IDs to make certain they were authorized on campus. It took a moment to process their cards and then, surprisingly, wished them a goodnight. Once in Moli’s room, Eddy went into the bathroom and Moli was surprised it took so long for him to come out.

“Are you alright?” Moli asked.

“I puked. I think those vegetables were rotten. Maybe, that’s why they tasted so bad. I’ve had artichokes before, inf fact, we grew them, but we didn’t eat very many. They were so profitable per hectare that Father shipped out all but one box for us.”

“I’ve got to use it; go ahead and lie down on my bed.”

Eddy seemed to be dozing when she left the bathroom, so she lay down on her back and looked up at the sparkly thing in the ceiling. She wondered what it was sending to campus security and after a short while it stopped sparkling. She looked over at Eddy and thought about how horrible his life at home must have been. Yes, she was definitely going to ask Dadi if he could come home with her at term break, unless he found somewhere else to go. She got up and went to the mini-fridge. It had been fully stocked with soft drinks, a few bottles of beer, and four bottles of white wine. There was some sliced cheese and a few slices of some kind of bread. She took out a seltzer, went to the bed, and sat down.

“Eddy?”

“Huh?”

“Here, drink this,” she said while uncapping the bottle. “It’ll settle your stomach.”

“Okay,” he said. He sat up and took the bottle from her. He took a sip and then another. He lay back down, on his back this time. “I don’t feel too good.”

“That’s alright, Eddy, you just lie there, we don’t have to go to the Union if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, no, maybe later, it’s just now after seven. The dance goes till eleven.”

“Eddy, just lie there and be quiet.”

Moli would never understand why she did it, but she lay down on her side up close to Eddy. With her right hand she placed it on his head, no fever she thought. She brushed the black hair out of his eyes, leaned over and lightly kissed him.

They stayed like that for the longest time until Eddy said, “I’ve got to get up. It’s my stomach.”

He disappeared into the bathroom for the longest time. After returning to the room he picked the bottle of seltzer off the floor and took long sip and another. When he lay down, he turned his head toward Moli. She smiled.

“You kissed me. I liked that.”

“I’m just trying to be nice to you, Eddy. Now shut your eyes and rest. I’ll be fine without you talking so much.”

“But, you don’t understand.”

“Hush, be quiet and rest,” she said. She leaned over kissed him softly, again. He leaned over a little bit, put his arm around her neck, pulled her toward, and kissed her harder. She picked up his arm away from her and put it where it belonged. “Not now, later, rest.”

“Yes, Mother,” he said.

Moli quizzically looked at him and then lay on her back. She reached over with her left hand and took his right hand in hers. He moved his head, but she said, “Hush, just lie quietly until your stomach settles.”

Moli looked up at the ceiling and saw the thing in the ceiling sparkling, again. After a while, there was a hard knock at the door. Moli got out of the bed and opened it. There was a bot staring at her.

“Is the young man ill?” The bot asked.

“He ate something that disagreed with his stomach.”

“Yes, at that restaurant off campus. Does he need medicine?”

“No, I gave him some seltzer; he’s resting, now,” she said, wondering how the bot knew they ate at that restaurant and then remembered the bots were in charge here and made it their business to keep track of humans.

“If he needs something, press the call button and I will return,” the bot said.

“The what?”

“The call button, step away and I will show you. Here above the light switch. There is one in the bathroom, also.”

“Thank you for showing me, I was wondering what they were for,” Moli said. After the bot left she returned to the bed.

“That was nice about what the bot said.”

“Yes, I guess they really care about the students here.”

“Not like the professors and staff, but that’s okay. It’s not like I haven’t done anything they’re going to ask me to do. I just wishhope neither they weren’t going one wants to fuck me, I don’t like doing that.”

“Men do that to each other?”

“Oh, yes, but Father said I’d probably not find another man who wants to do that, unless I go out on the module network and advertise for it. But, I’m not like that. After what he did to me, I’ll never do anything like that with a man; and, now I’m worried about what’s going to happen tomorrow and on Starsday.”

“Oh, Eddy, I’m sorry. Tell you what, why don’t you stay here tonight. We can talk some more when you feel better.”

“Sleep here?”

“Of course.”

“In your bed?”

“Of course.”

“Will I have to keep my clothes on?”

“No, I never wore anything when I slept. I’ve seen my brother and Dadi naked, so I don’t think you’ll have anything different.”

“Well, okay, if you say so, but I won’t be comfortable.”

“We’ll see about that, boyfriend.”

Later, Eddy nudged Moli and said, “Moli! Wake up! Moli!”

“Huh, whas’it; I wanna sleep,” Moli mumbled.

“We have to get ready for bed; we have to get up early so I can make my appointment with the Dean of Students. Come on, Moli, wake up.”

“Nah! I don’ wanna,” Moli mumbled.

“Okay, that’s it, I’m going to undress and give you a shower,” Eddy said. He sat her up, pulled shoes and socks off, undid her pants and pulled them off; he waited to see if she was paying any attention at all, no response. He unbuttoned her blouse and took it off, and then her bra. No response. He stood and pulled her up, leaned her toward him, and pulled her panties down. He sat her back down and she fell back onto the bed. He pulled her panties off.

He quickly undressed and pulled her up, again. He got around back and walked her into the bathroom. He turned on the water, adjusted the temperature, and took a deep breath.

“I can do it from here Eddy,” Moli said.

“You were awake!”

“Just seeing what you would do. There’s room, want to take a shower with me?”

“Sure, might as well since both of us are naked.”

After drying off, they shared the bottle of mouthwash and went back into the room where Moli said, “Well, you’re naked, the shower was hot, so do you want to go to bed now?”

“Okay.”

“On your side, I want to kiss a little. I’ve been waiting for a long time to act grown up and we might as well get to know each other on a more personal level.”

“Do you have to sound so technical?”

“Come on, bed, on your side facing me.”

Moli followed him into the bed, lay on her side up close, and pulled his left arm and put it behind her back. She lightly touched his face and kissed him, hard and full. He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him.

She broke the kiss and said, “This is nice, I never imagined I’d ever have a boyfriend.”

“Well, you’ve got one now, girlfriend.”

“I think this just might work.”

“Oh, it’s going to work, you can be sure of that. Now, we need to get to sleep. I set the alarm for seven so we can get up, ready to go, and get something to eat. I need to get over to Admin before nine.”

“Okay, Dadi.”

“Don’t call me that! That’s what my father had me call him when he did things to me.”

“Oh, sorry, I won’t ever again, never, ever,” Moli said. She moved off him, laid on her side, put her left arm under his head, and draped her right arm across his chest. “’night, boyfriend.”

“’night, Moli, girlfriend.”