CHAPTER 9

 

Dinner was an extravaganza by Dianian standards. Everything that grew on Diana was represented from the salty bark of the Dianian Walnut to the tubers that Ray had dug up that morning. With no local animals, meat was grown in incubators. Primary cultures of bovine and porcine muscle and fat cells were frozen and sent from Earth with the regular Dianian shipments. These were grown in incubators forming a slurry of living tissue that could be filtered and pressed into sheets.

The same method of meat production dominated on Earth due to the lack of space for farmland. Ray had heard that real meat from animals was still available to the very wealthy, but the practice had become contentious many decades ago. Live animal meat farms were often the target of protests. The meat produced on Diana was highly nutritious but not exactly aesthetically pleasing. Ray had also heard that the muscle cells on Earth were often printed with veins of fat resembling old fashioned steaks.

The unfamiliar sound of human speech and laughter drifted over the music as the evening wore on. Ray, tired from too much dancing, sat with Dane. Relaxed, she passed the time people watching and gazing over the festivities.

A bunch of children were engaged in a game they had invented that involved catching the drifting forest seeds that floated past on their little parachutes of silk, and then stuffing them into a small hole that one of the bigger kids had dug with a stick. Ray smiled at them remembering when she and Rose had made up similarly strange games out of nothing.

Rose and Prudence had started up a conversation earlier and Ray watched as Prudence dragged her over reluctantly to meet some of the CDSE crew. A few of them had learned some basic signs but most required Prudence’s help to understand Rose’s answers to their questions. Rose must have made a joke because the group suddenly erupted into laughter. Rose, unused to the noise, colored visibly. One of the men grabbed a glass and poured Rose a shot of the amber spirit they had been enjoying for most of the night.

Diana had many brewers but only one, a woman, who had managed to patch together a rudimentary still. Children of Rose and Ray’s age were monitored closely and were generally not permitted to drink beer. Ray had certainly not tried spirits and was pretty sure Rose hadn’t either. Another swell of laughter rose from the group as Rose sipped at the liquid and recoiled wincing. She plonked the tumbler down and shook her head, sliding it back to the man who had offered. Prudence intervened and shepherded Rose away before the bawdy group got too boisterous.

Ray noticed Rose’s hand grip Prudence’s elbow, her head nodding pointedly in the direction of Captain Spiranos. Prudence nodded understanding and they walked over into his view. Ray could not see or hear the exchange but after a short conversation the Captain stood up and escorted Rose back onto the now well-trodden soil that doubled as a dance floor.

Ray saw Dane lean forward, visibly tense. The Captain, not the most fleet of foot, struggled gamely as Rose guided him through one of the slower dances. Rose was all smiles, blushing so hard that the back of her neck was slightly blotchy. By the time Rose and the Captain were on their second repeat of the dance, every eye in the room, including the CDSE employees, was on them.

Ray looked at Dane who stared intently, looking ill.

“She’s just being friendly,” Ray consoled. Dane didn’t respond so Ray looked back to the dance floor. As the song ended the Captain bowed to Rose, shook her hand then turned towards his seat. Released, Rose bustled back over to Ray and Dane, flushed with excitement. I can’t believe I did that she signed as she sat, smiling wide.

“No one can,” responded Dane, indicating the crowd who were animatedly chatting and glancing at Rose far more than was natural.

Rose made a slapping motion as if to swat their eyes away.

“Let them look,” she signed. “If the humans are going to be coming, we might as well start as friends.” A new song started, and Dane stood and turned to Rose, offering his hand like a challenge.

“Sorry, too tired,” Rose signed, at which Dane turned on his heal and stalked off towards the barracks. Ray shook her head at Rose who looked confused. “What,” she asked with her eyebrows.

“You know how much he likes you,” Ray signed.

“Of course, I know,” Rose retorted, “but he doesn’t own me.”

“You don’t need to rub it in.”

“And you don’t own me either,” Rose added angrily.

Luckily, Gift chose that moment to stroll back from the dance floor.

“Hey twinkle toes,” he directed at Rose, “Where’s Dane?”

“Don’t know and don’t care,” Rose replied then channeled Dane by stalking off to the buffet table.

Gift look wide eyed at Ray and raised his hands, “What did I say?”

Ray simply shook her head and turned back to watching the dancing.

Gift joined Ray and they watched together for a while.

“When do you take over from your Mum?” Gift eventually asked.

“When I get there. Mum didn’t want me to miss out on the party, so she’ll look after him until I leave here.”

Gift shrugged and returned to unfocused staring over the dance floor.

“I feel a little better about it after seeing them all tonight,” Ray added after a pause. “They are not so different from us.”

“Not so different to look at maybe but I bet they will find it hard to live out here where life doesn’t come so easily,” Gift opined. No Internet, no streaming media, no connectivity for their VIs or any of their implanted media gear.

“I bet they have more than that to worry about,” Ray offered. “Sometimes, I think we have it pretty good here. There is always a job, food, water. We don’t have to think about where to live. Even what to wear is decided for us most of the time.”

“True,” Gift agreed, “But don’t you ever imagine what it would be like to live on Earth? Don’t you ever get bored?”

Ray watched Rose pour herself another drink from the buffet and pick at some of the leftover food. “Sometimes,” she signed. “Sometimes I think I would like to be…I don’t really know. Something different.”

Gift nodded, paused and then stood, tipping his head at the dance floor. “One more turn?” he queried.

“Why not.” Signed Ray and they headed into the throng to join the next dance.