Earth 2788 (3 page)

There was the
question of my future husband, of course, but Danae tradition was that the
subject shouldn’t be discussed with me until I’d completed my degree course. I
was aware my father was already bearing in mind the fact he had four daughters,
and quietly choosing suitable young men of good family to assist him in his
work, but …

“During my visit
to University Asgard, I mentioned the fact Dalmora would be starting her
history studies at University Danae after Year Day 2789, and my contacts gave
me some important information.” Father’s voice developed an unusual edge of
annoyance. “I should add that I was both surprised and disappointed that we had
not been told this information when Dalmora made her application to University
Danae.”

He paused. “It
appears that University Danae no longer runs a history degree course.”

“What?” The word
slipped out before I could stop it. “I’m sorry, Father. I shouldn’t have
interrupted you.”

He shook his
head. “You are understandably shocked, Dalmora. As I said, I was disappointed
that University Danae chose to mislead us. Apparently the rules for history
degrees have changed since I was a student. All the Foundation courses must now
concentrate on pre-history and be held on Earth.”

“Earth!”
Grandmother frowned. “It’s out of the question for Dalmora to go to Earth. It
would be criminally negligent for University Danae to send their students to a
world where they’d be in contact with the Handicapped.”

Father sighed. “Apparently
that’s exactly how University Danae felt about it, Mother. They weren’t allowed
to accept students onto a full history degree course unless they’d completed
the new Pre-history Foundation course, so they chose to replace their history
degree with a degree in historical studies.”

“That seems a
sensible solution,” said Grandmother.

“Apart from the
minor detail that their historical studies syllabus includes a lot of literary
and philosophical content, and virtually no pre-history,” said Father. “Given
Dalmora wished to specialize in pre-history …”

He sighed again.
“We appear to be faced with a situation where Dalmora either has to study a
largely irrelevant degree at University Danae, or apply to an entirely
different university.”

“Out of the
question,” repeated Grandmother. “Almost all universities on other worlds have
mixed classes!”

“I don’t
consider that segregating male and female students is necessarily desirable,”
said Father. “I requested information on history courses at University Asgard,
and they’ve been extremely helpful.”

University
Asgard! I wasn’t just stunned now. I was, as Diya would say, totally grazzed.
If I studied at University Asgard, I wouldn’t be living at home, or even on a
different world in Alpha sector, but on the capital planet of Gamma sector. No,
if University Asgard was following the new rules …

“Would that mean
I’d spend my degree course Foundation year studying pre-history on Earth, Father?”
I asked.

“Yes,” he said.
“I do have some strong reservations about that. Not because of the Handicapped
issue. Medical experts advise there is absolutely no risk in spending time on
Earth; all the studies prove that it doesn’t increase the chance of having a
child with immune system problems. My concern is that the new Pre-history
Foundation course apparently includes physically demanding work, excavating the
ruins of Earth’s ancient cities.”

“Yet again,
that’s out of the question,” said Grandmother. “A delicately built girl like
Dalmora can’t be expected to perform manual labour like … like some muscular
farmer’s daughter on a primitive frontier world!”

Father turned to
look at Mother. “I feel that this decision has to be made by Dalmora herself.
My associates at University Asgard suggested I could take Dalmora to Earth and
meet a lecturer who runs one of their Pre-history Foundation classes. We would
then be able to discuss all our concerns with him. I think we should accept
their very gracious offer.”

Mother frowned,
clearly worried.

“I have a
history degree,” added Father. “I make history vids. Now I stop to think about
it, it does seem faintly ridiculous that I’ve never even set foot on the planet
where most of human history happened.”

“It’s all
totally impossible,” said Grandmother. “If only you had a son then …”

Mother threw a
single furious glance in her direction, before turning back to my father. “If
you feel that’s the wisest course of action, Ventrak, then naturally I agree.”

Father turned to
me. “Are you happy with this, Dalmora?”

“Yes, Father.” I
was going to visit Earth! I reached up to touch the necklace I was wearing.
Long ago in Exodus century, this necklace had been around the neck of my
ancestor when she left Earth. For the first time in four hundred and fifty
years, it would return to the world where it was made.

Two days later, my father and I
stepped out of a portal at Danae Off-world. Everyone immediately turned to look
at us, or rather look at him. Ventrak Rostha, Danae’s most famous son, wearing
the same traditionally styled, pure white clothing that he wore in every one of
his celebrated history vids. I was an insignificant figure at his side, wearing
a discreetly simple sari, appropriate for travelling to other worlds.

Danae Off-world
was crowded, but a clear path opened ahead of us as people moved aside to let
us through. Father smiled and nodded his thanks to them all, as he walked on
towards the off-world portals.

“I can never get
used to this, Father,” I murmured. “The way everyone stands aside for you, as
if you were an ancient king walking through an admiring crowd.”

“You must never
get used to it, Dalmora,” he said. “I must never get used to it either. Every
time it happens, I have to remember that being treated like this is an honour,
but also a huge responsibility. When people on any world of humanity hear the
name Danae, they think of two things. The beauty of our firefly clouds, and my
history vids. Wherever I go, whatever world I visit, I have a duty to always
treat people with courtesy, showing respect for their feelings and customs,
because my behaviour must never bring discredit on the name of Danae.”

I nodded, understanding
that it was a duty that didn’t just apply to my father, but also to me as his
daughter.

“It’s not always
easy, Dalmora,” he added. “There are so many worlds with different attitudes
and customs. I’m fortunate that the traditional male dress of Danae is
conservative enough to be acceptable on any world, but I’ve still managed to
make mistakes. Fortunately, people have always been gracious enough to accept
my apologies.”

He glanced
upwards at a sign. “There’s a block portal to Earth Europe soon, but if we wait
for it there’s a danger we would be late for our meeting.”

The lecturer
from University Asgard was disrupting his schedule to assist us. It would be
deeply discourteous for us to be late for the meeting, and Father was wealthy
enough that the cost of dialling a special interstellar portal link wasn’t an
issue. We walked on past the queues to an off-world portal that was deserted
except for a uniformed attendant.

“Earth Europe
please,” said my father.

A moment later,
the portal established and we stepped through. I looked round, tense with
excitement. I was on Earth, the home world of humanity, the place where people
had lived and loved and fought their wars for millions of years before the
invention of interstellar portals and the exodus to other worlds.

It was
disappointing to see that Earth Europe Off-world looked almost identical to
Danae Off-world. The crowds of people looked very ordinary too. I saw there
were some, like my father and I, wearing clothes in the widely varying styles
of different Alphan worlds, and a group of two women and one man in Betan
togas, possibly the members of a triad marriage. Mostly though, people were
wearing clothes that were more like those of Gamma sector than anything else.

I realized I’d
been foolish. Earth Europe Off-world was hardly likely to look like a history
vid. Father was already following the signs to the local portals, and I hurried
after him. Not more than ten minutes after stepping through the portal in the
hall of our house on Danae, Father was dialling the portal code given him by
the lecturer from University Asgard.

When I went
through the portal after my father, I was expecting to arrive in another sadly
generic public building, but instead I found we were outdoors. Twin portals
stood in the middle of an area of rough grassland, surrounded by slightly
higher ground. A man was sitting on a lump of weathered rock, staring at the
ground with a thoughtful expression. When he saw us arrive, he stood up, turned
to face us, and smiled.

“I’m Lecturer
Playdon of University Asgard.”

I’d expected to
see someone at least as old as my father, but this man didn’t look more than 30
at most, and he had a serious air about him that was oddly attractive.

“I very much
appreciate you taking the time to meet us,” said Father.

“That’s not a
problem,” said Lecturer Playdon. “I’m a great admirer of your
History of
Humanity
vid series, and the way it has given so many people an
appreciation of the importance of modern history.”

I felt he
genuinely meant the words, but there was something strangely reserved about his
manner when he said them. I’d watched a lot of people meet my father for the
first time, and it was usually obvious that they were struggling to control
their excitement, but this man seemed as disappointed by us as I’d been by
Earth Europe Off-world.

“Thank you.”
Father gestured at me. “This is my daughter, Dalmora.”

I fought the
urge to press my hands together in the traditional greeting gesture of Danae. I
was on Earth, which predominantly followed Gamma sector customs, and this man
was from a Gamma sector university. That meant I should either smile or shake
hands in greeting. I’d been taught at the Academy that shaking hands showed
more respect, but Father said it was always best to follow the lead of the person
on their home ground. Lecturer Playdon had just smiled rather than holding out
a hand, so I did the same.

“Welcome to
Earth, Dalmora,” said Lecturer Playdon. “My superiors at University Asgard tell
me you’re considering applying to one of our Pre-history Foundation courses,
but you’re worried about the conditions students face. Since I teach a
Foundation class myself, I’m to answer your questions and reassure you about
any concerns.”

The way he was
studying me seemed almost disapproving. Did that mean I should have shaken
hands after all, or did he suspect I’d demand special treatment on a Foundation
course because my father was famous? Of course I wouldn’t do that. It would be
completely unfair to other students.

Then his words
sank in properly, and I realized I was already getting special treatment.
Lecturer Playdon had obviously been ordered to drop everything to meet us and
answer our questions. That explained his lack of pleasure in meeting my father,
and his manner when he looked at me. He admired my father’s vids, but he was
disappointed by our behaviour.

I felt both
embarrassed and deeply ashamed, but I remembered my Academy training, and the
stern lecture our deportment teacher had given me last year. “Feeling
embarrassed is acceptable, Dalmora. Allowing other people to see you are
embarrassed is not. Showing your embarrassment is pure self-indulgence, because
it makes other people feel uncomfortable.”

I fought to get
myself under control. Luckily, Lecturer Playdon was talking again rather than
waiting for an answer from me. “It’s perfectly sensible to want more
information about the conditions on our Pre-history Foundation course. Most of
our students don’t give it a moment’s thought.”

I had half a
second to hope that meant he wasn’t thinking too badly of me after all, before
he continued. “They don’t even bother to read all the detailed course
information. They assume Earth is like any other world, and they’ll be living
in standard student accommodation. They get quite a shock when they see the truth.”

Now I wished I
could sink into the grass-covered ground and vanish forever. I’d known I’d had
a privileged lifestyle, attending a fine school, living in a luxurious home and
wearing expensive clothes. I hadn’t thought it had affected me as a person, but
I was wrong. Father said we should always treat others with courtesy and
respect, but I was taking up a lecturer’s time to get information when I hadn’t
even spent five minutes looking up the course details.

It wasn’t that
I’d been too lazy to do it, I’d just never thought about it, but that seemed
even worse. Had I grown so accustomed to having everything handed to me that I
couldn’t even think for myself any longer?

“The course
information says that a class is allocated accommodation in a dome near the
ancient city they are studying,” said Father. “What is that accommodation like?”

“I’m afraid the
accommodation is very basic,” said Lecturer Playdon, “with a class of thirty
students and their lecturer packed into a single dome. Given those students
come from widely differing planets and cultures, sharing the dome can be a
learning experience in itself. The actual work is hard too. Hours of gruelling
excavation work each day, more hours of lectures, and even more time working on
assignments.”

Father was frowning
now. “I’m not sure that would be suitable.”

Lecturer Playdon
sighed. “However, I’ve been told that, given your long and mutually beneficial
relationship with University Asgard, there could be certain exceptions to the
rules in Dalmora’s case. The residency requirement could be waived to allow her
to arrange her own accommodation and portal to the dome each day. She could
also be excused all but minimal excavation work.”