Rite of Passage

“These aren’t in for repair,” Jimmy said. “These are the ones they’d use themselves if they had to go outside. They’ve got seals on from after the last time they were used. The important thing is how we’re going to sneak them out. Oh-oh, watch out.”

I turned to look. Just down the aisle a pleasantlooking technician was coming toward us. He was a short youngish man with mouse-colored hair.

“Well, what can I do for you kids?” he asked.

“I’m Mia Havero,” I said. “This is Jimmy Dentremont.”

“Hello,” he said. “My name is Mitchell.” And waited with eyebrows raised.

I reached into my pocket and took out a couple of folded sheets of paper. Uncertainly I said, “I don’t know if you can help us. Maybe this isn’t the right place.”

Jimmy stayed silent, watching my lead.

Mr. Mitchell said, “Well, we’ll see. What is it that you’ve got?”

I showed him the sketches, Jimmy’s and mine, that I’d taken from the table in- Lev Quad, and explained how our names were involved.

“These are just rough,” I said. “What we wanted to do was draw them a little better and then work up pins to wear with these as designs.”

“Hmm,” Mr. Mitchell said. “Yes. I don’t see why not. It may not fall strictly in our province, but it seems a worthwhile idea. I think I can help you. How does ceramic jewelry sound?”

“Great,” Jimmy said. “Could we come down on a Saturday morning?”

Mr. Mitchell said, “There’s usually only one technician on duty on Saturdays, but I suppose…

I said, “Could we make it a week from tomorrow? We have this big soccer game in the quad tomorrow and we really ought to be there.”

“Oh, sure,” Mr. Mitchell said. “I’ll even arrange to nave the duty a week from tomorrow and help you myself.”

After we had thanked him and walked away, Jimmy said, “You certainly can lie. How did you think that one up?

“Which?”

“About the soccer game.”

“I didn’t make that up,” I said. “I was supposed to tell you. The kids want to play soccer tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Jimmy said. “Maybe you aren’t such a good liar, then.”

10

The score in the soccer game in Roth Quad was 5 to 3. Attila and Venie and I were on the losing side.

During the next week we set our plans. With some practice, Attila had that door so well trained that it would practically pop open when he told it to, at least according to Helen. Au looked pleased and didn’t deny it. We had borrowing the suits set up pretty well, too. Jimmy sketched the location of the suits for Venie and Riggy.

“There’ll be just one technician working on Saturday,” Jimmy said, “and he’ll be busy helping Mia and me. All you two have to do is sneak easy. As soon as we can, we’ll join you in the air lock room.”

I had some spare time and Jimmy didn’t, so I took Venie and Riggy down to Salvage for a quick scout around. Mr. Mitchell was in the back, but I made sure we didn’t attract his attention. We were in, I pointed to the suits, and we were out again in no more than twenty seconds. On our way back, though, the same old woman stopped us in Engineers and lectured us again. She had her desk placed so that she could see everybody who passed in the hall — and, I guess, come out to exterminate anyone who she thought had no business being there. Her name, displayed on her desk, was Keithley. She more than awed me. She scared me. As soon as she turned away, we three scooted.

“You’d better not come this way when you have the suits,” I said. “Think what would happen if she caught you.”

Riggy paled and shook his head.

“She shouldn’t have stopped us,” Venie said. “We weren’t making any noise this time.” She agreed to make a detour when they had the suits, however.

Things aren’t always fair, I guess.

Actually, the old lady wasn’t the only thing I was afraid of. I didn’t really like the idea of going outside the Ship, and the more I thought about it the less I liked it. The Ship goes faster than the speed of light (the old Einstein barrier) by becoming discontinuous (the Kaufmann-Chambers Discontinuity Equations). 1 know the thought of standing on the outside of the Ship and looking at the inside of nothing excited Jimmy, but it did not excite me. It seems to be my nature to have second thoughts, and they came to me all through the week. Since it was far too late to back out without looking foolish, I didn’t tell any of the others, but I began to regret ever having mentioned the word adventure.

Perhaps the answer is that if you’re going to do something impulsive, you should do it the way Riggy does. Act while the impulse is clear and fresh and don’t allow any time for second thought.

“Who won that soccer game of yours?” Mr. Mitchell said as he led the way through the maze of unrepaired, half-repaired, and repaired whatnot in Salvage.

“Jimmy’s side did,” I said. “Mine lost. We really appreciate your helping us like this.”

“Oh, it’s nothing at all,” he said. “Here we are. This is the kiln where we bake the finished pieces. Copper — that’s for the base. Then an enamel and a surface painting on that. We can try it a couple of times until it comes out right.”