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to rate her comments. Though she’s cheeky and I can’t have that. But what’s the use of caring about discipline? I’m through. She won’t be working with me but in the new unit. Still, it’s important not to let standards slip, even now.
    I might give her more scope in the VR as we go on. She’s perceptive. And it’s good to have another pair of eyes on the interior landscape of the ship. It’s been a long time since I worked closely with somebody else. I’m beginning to like it.
    Are you lonely, you old fool?
    Reason I chose this job was so that I wouldn’t have to manage other people. So that I could follow my own train of thought without interference.
    So what am I facing now when I retire? A solitary cell. As much of my own company as I want. To come back home and know that everything will be in exactly the place my own hand left it. Doesn’t sound quite so good as it used to. Still, I worked hard all my life to make things that way. I chose it.
    Stupid, I’m feeling a little low. Must be the effect of seeing that kid going off with Math. Think I’ll look out of the porthole for a while. That always cheers me up, puts things in the right perspective.
    No, I won’t look down on Mars but out into space. I like the way they put a telescope at each of the windows on this ship. It lets you view the skies at any wavelength you choose, so that you can see the full range of what’s out there. My favourite is the infrared. There, that’s adjusted. No, I’m not interested in the black but in the dense areas of stars, the parts of the sky so speckled with light that it looks like an inflamed rash, as if the whole universe were in a fever.
    Oh, and look over there. Filigree gas and clouds from a nebula, dense as the petals of a rose. With shock waves reaching far into the pulsing sky.

7

    The Wild
    Joint Thought Channel 4 Feb 2210, 09:00

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Here we go again. Another day, another forest.

    Apprentice
    No, same forest, different animals.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    What are we this time?

    Apprentice
    Wolves. It was good of you to take the female role again.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Not at all, my pleasure. After last time as a sow, I’ve come to enjoy bearing children. I love that feeling of a new life stirring inside me. It was quite a wrench to see the piglet being changed into a human child and taken away by Math.

    Apprentice
    Yes, he was handsome, wasn’t he? What was he called again?

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Typical male, can’t remember the name of your own offspring!

    Apprentice
    They all sound so alike.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    The first was Hyddwn. The piglet was Hychddwn. I wish they could stay with us, so that we could see how they grow.

    Apprentice
    You’ve changed your tune. Is that Campion speaking or Gilfaethwy?

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Campion. Gilfaethwy couldn’t give a shit. He just wants to get the punishment over as quickly as possible. No, seriously, it worries me about the boys.

    Apprentice
    Well, Math could hardly leave them with two brothers who are still busy living as animals in the forest, and different species from the offspring. And two who don’t care about anything other than getting their own way. Hardly parent material.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    No, I suppose not. But I wonder what will become of them? If this year is anything like the other two, then there will be another little one. Three in all.
    I don’t know how effective this punishment has been. Fascinating for us. You’re Gwydion this time. What have you learned?

    Apprentice
    Hard to say. He doesn’t give a thought to the children once they’re in Math’s hands. There’s a terrible hard streak in Gwydion. If you’re in his world, nothing’s too much trouble. If you’re outside, he won’t lift a finger.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    What else do you notice?

    Apprentice
    What I don’t understand about