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Shaken by the morning's events and last night's scene, Nora began to cry.
"Hey, don't get in that state, Fe
Clas reminded her in the nicest way that people were looking at them, even if they were on the fast belt and speeding by. It wasn't good ma
"Oh, Clas, it's so far back to the U!"
"Back to the U? For more student issue? Don't be silly, Fe
He half lifted her to the moderate-speed belt and then, with a second warning, to the slow one. At the next shopping center, he guided her off and straight into the clothing section.
"I've always wondered what you'd look like in a decent outfit," he said conversationally as he steered her into the shop. He gave her an appraising look. "Deep red… like that suit, for instance."
"Oh, no! That's fourteen credits." But Nora couldn't help coveting the smart tunic suit with its silver piping, the ample sleeves, and the matching garnet cape. It was made of a tightly woven durable material.
"A first-year student who has copped a dh in Siffert's course ca
"Clas, that's not fair…"
His eyes were thoughtful as he looked at her.
"You got a lousy Complex, girl. Well, you can tell 'em to feck off if that's all they can scrape up for a student with your ability. Why, my Complex… Change state! Let's get you dressed, girl."
The attendant had appeared, prompted by the use of the computer panel. Clas erased all but the credit balance and the attendant's smile was correspondingly affable.
"If you're going to feel guilty about spending for clothes, Nora Fe
"I shouldn't have let you talk me into buying so much," Nora said, but she smiled at him. He'd overridden her objections and, neatly reinforced by the shop attendant, who had visions of a respectable commission, talked her into buying not only the garnetred suit but two other outfits and some pseudo-leather boots: all completely u
"A d.h. has a certain position to maintain, Nora," Clas informed her, and told the attendant to airshoot the rest of the purchases to Nora's student quarters.
"Now, I'll do some spending," he said, and steered her to the nearest eating house.
He didn't consult her, just punched out a highprotein lunch, definitely luxury class.
"If I asked you what you wanted you'd probably insist on ordering basic standard, and this is not the day to be basic or standard. Not after your class performance."
That reminded Nora of the remarks she'd directed at him and, abashed, she stared down at her hands. He started to laugh.
"Nora," he said in a wheedling tone that surprised her into looking up, "do you know the real aim of Siffert's courses?" Then, before she could speak, he shook his head. "No, not the humanistic approach to computer programming. Think again?"
Nora shook her head, too confused by the day's events to be able to think logically.
"It's to puncture the pomposity of computer programmers. You were the only one," and Clas waggled a finger at her, "who wasn't trying to figure out what technical trick Siffert had up his sleeve this semester. The trick was not technical, of course, and the rest of us smart-ass d.h. and student programmers have been neatly deflated to size. By you and by Siffert. Oh, for the love of little apples, Nora Fe
Nora ate with as much relish as Clas, although she was shocked at such profligate expenditure of credit on food. Clas was amusing company, too, completely unlike Co
"I've got to get back to my Dormblock. I've an assignment to research," she said.
"Say, it is rather late. And I've work for tomorrow, too. Not to mention that essay next week."
"Well, you've more than enough material now to get an honors grade on Siffert's essay," Nora said as she settled her new cloak about her shoulders and smoothed the fabric with an appreciative hand. Then she noticed Clas staring at her in a guilty fashion.
"Did you think I'd—"
"Why not?" Nora was puzzled. "I was afraid you'd be furious with me for what I said in front of the class. And then you gave me this lovely treat…"
Why on earth did Clas look so stu
"Fe
It was difficult to talk on the fast belt back to the University Complex, but Clas kept one hand firmly about her waist and whenever she looked up at him, he smiled down at her and gave her a little squeeze. When they finally hopped over to the University Plaza, he took both her hands in his.
"What's your call sequence?"
She stammered it out, because she certainly hadn't expected him to ask for it. He gave her hands one more squeeze.
"You'll be hearing from me, Nora Fe
And somehow, to her surprise, she believed him.
She had to take the cross-campus belt to her dormitory quad, a trip she'd found rather chilling in the old cloak with the wet spring winds knifing around building comers. She pulled the new, windproof cloak more tightly around her, secure in its warmth and in the warmth of the day's miracles. Just wait till she showed Con…
The day's pleasures diminished. It'd been gratifying to have Clas Heineman interested in her, prod her into buying more clothes than were really needful, and luxuriating in a high-credit meal, but she'd rather have shared her triumphs with Con. He'd shared her miseries.
She was half tempted to go to the Commons and see if, by any chance, he might be about. But he wouldn't want to see her, not after the way she'd stormed out of his place yesterday. She'd even told him she'd canceled his number from her program. She hadn't, of course, but he wouldn't know that.
She cudgeled her brain to think of some way of apologizing to him, of making amends. She couldn't help him with any of his courses because he was in a different discipline. She'd darned all his socks and patched his good cloak where the fastening had torn. She'd…
"Hey, don't you speak to old friends now you're a d.h., with a five-hundred-credit bonus?"
Con's bony fingers clutched her arm and swung her about. She searched his long, doleful face, with the shock of bird's nest hair, the rather ludicrous black handlebar moustache, and saw only comic dismay in the wide-set intelligent grey eyes.