Changelings

"I feel that Ronan and Murel have a great deal of potential," she said. "They are extraordinarily quick and bright. But perhaps they impede each other's intellectual growth. I think if they were in separate classes, they might do better."

"They have an A-plus average," Marmie pointed out. "I scarcely see how they can improve on it."

"For their age group, of course they get high marks. But they are each capable of functioning far beyond their age group."

"Well, be that as it may, splitting them up is not an option," Marmie told her firmly. "For one thing, it would break their hearts, and they have already been through a great deal, being separated from their parents and their home. For another thing, it can hardly have escaped your notice that ours is a small educational facility with only one class for each age group."

"Yes, yes, I know all that," Professor Mabo said, barely managing to keep the impatience out of her voice. "But I have a suggestion. I think Ronan would benefit by doing an extra lab class with me, as my assistant. I have been trying to teach my grandson to do it but he is not an apt student. Initially the twins disliked the dissections, but now they seem to tolerate them well. I believe that with additional exposure, Ronan may turn into a fine little scientist."

"He's only ten years old, Dr. Mabo," Marmie said.

"Immaterial."

Ronan and Murel had been listening, with the collusion of Pet Chan, on the intercom, and now Marmion said into it, "Pet, would you have the twins join us in the observatory tearoom please?"

The professor was dressed in an elegant long scarlet robe over her ship suit. She seemed to be trying to appear relaxed, but the twins weren't fooled.

"The professor seems to feel you two should study independently of each other for a while and has offered you, Ronan, the opportunity to be her lab assistant. What do you think?"

Careful, Murel said.

I know. I don't trust her any more than you do, but we've got to start learning more about this stuff, Murel, if we're ever going to be able to control our own shapes.

Da could-

We're not with Da, are we? He's too busy to help us figure this out, and besides, if he knew how, he probably would do a better job of it for himself. Remember their story about how he got shot when he was half changed?

Their message to their father for advice about the blood sample so far had gone unanswered.

Pet's advice about making the message they sent their father secure was not reassuring.

"There's all kinds of ways to secure information, and there's also all kinds of ways for data thieves to hijack it.

The safest way to do this, if it's really important, is to set up a code with the recipient-a personal code, that is-and encrypt your message using that. Even so, data pirates have strange minds that seem to read yours and they've been hijacking passwords and codes for centuries. Really, the very safest thing is to hand-deliver the message by a courier both you and the recipient know and trust. If it was really imperative that the message not fall into enemy hands or be hijacked, that's what I'd do. Of course, I have been accused of being overly paranoid, but this is the same advice I give to Madame and the procedures we follow in extreme circumstances. Of course, you understand that my duties include only her personal communications. Corporate and station security are the responsibility of other personnel."

Since they had set up no code in advance, they wrote out the message. When Johnny stopped by prior to his supply run to Petaybee, Murel tucked it into his hand. "It's top secret, Johnny, but really urgent. Ask Da to give you the answer before you leave."

"I'll do my best to corner him, Murel."

"Really important," she stressed.

Johnny had several other stops to make, however, and hadn't returned as yet, nor had Da answered in any other way.

I'm going to do it, Murel, Ronan said. She's snoopy and cranky, but she is still an expert in what we need to know about. Maybe we'll even get to be friends and I can ask her directly sometime.

Don't! Murel warned.

I'll talk to you before I do, don't worry, he promised. Aloud, he said, "I think I'd like to be your lab assistant, Professor, but except for that, Murel and I don't like being split up. Can we stay together in class if I work for you alone afterward?"

"I suppose so," she said. "But in my professional opinion-for your own good, mind you- you two need to work on developing some independence of thought and opinion. I realize the bond between twins is supposed to be quite close, but too much interdependence is unhealthy, particularly when they are of different genders, as you two are. You are entering puberty now, after all."

Marmie frowned but said only, "Very well. Ronan, I'll place a flitter at your disposal for you to return here after you finish working with Dr. Mabo each day."