you can't turn back if you get in trouble."
30 "I'll keep low," North answered. "I'd better get going. I can't
think of anything more to say. Morn, your mother was one of the
greatest people I ever knew. Keep the faith, friend!"
31 "Peace, prosperity," replied Morn. The two broke off simultaneously.
North sat in his room for a long time, not doing anything but staring
at the blank walls. After a while he heard a tap on the door and swung
his chair around. "Come in," he called. The door automatically opened
to his verbal command and his mother entered the room.
32 "The Old One just told me," she remarked. "Did you get through?"
North nodded. His mother could tell the call had been hard on him. He
had been close to Morn's mother, and this brought back memories of his
father's death.
33 "I came home so excited," she began, "I just received a layout of
the apartment you've been assigned. It's BEAUTIFUL, two bedrooms and a
kitchen! I imagine Morn will have the same, where he's the other Cadet
Officer. It's going to be so bad for him, all alone. I wish he could
stay with us."
34 North leapt to his feet. "Mother, you're a genius!” he cried. He
quickly turned to the communicator, activated the recorder message
section, and when the light came on he spoke into the blank screen.
"Morn, mother came up with a damned good idea! We're going to have an
extra room in that big apartment at Academy, and ample servant
quarters. How about you staying with us? I don't think there's anything
in regulations against it, and mother and I would be glad for your
company. Living quarters are damned scarce in Academy City.
You could
probably sub-rent your apartment. Let us know. We've got a whole month
before we have to be in quarters."
35 North switched off, and turned to his mother.