"Does down mean something like miserable^," "Yeah. Guys, are you finished with him?" "He's all yours, Bosun. No need to be careful, he ain't fragile."

Sectry Murphy flashed them a fleeting smile. To Rather she said, "I can't picture the Petty rejecting you after he hears about that performance."

Treefodder. Booce hadn't thought to tell him to hold back on a stamina test. "What's got you down?"

"Not here, stet? I need someone to talk to, not Navy.

I just came from the Purser's and I'm ready to tie one on.

Want to join me?"

"I'm with Debby. My stepmother."

"Stet. Let's go get her. How does Half Hand's sound?"

Rather was coming down the corridor. There was a woman with him.

Once upon a time Debby had seen Rather and Mark talking in the Citizens Tree commons. Both dwarves, but they hadn't looked at all alike: Mark's face nearly square, Rather's nearly triangular . . . She remembered it now, because Rather and the dwarf woman looked right together, though they were clearly from different branches of humankind.

And both, in different fashions, looked worn out.

Debby asked, "What happened to you?"

Rather said, "Centrifuge. They ran me to death. I could have lifted an elevator all the way to Discipline. Debby, you remember Sectry Murphy-"

Clasping toes felt odd: Sectry's reach was so short, her toes so stubby and strong. "Hello, Sectry. 1 take it you're off duty."

"Right. On our way to Half Hand's. Join us?"

"Sure."

Sectry led them in. "The place is nearly empty," she said.

It wasn't. There were a good dozen people scattered around Half Hand's. But windows were clear, and Sectry led them to one. "It's nice to have a view," she said over her shoulder.

Rather flinched. Debby grinned; she'd seen Rather watching Sectry's kicking legs.

"Grab a pole, someone will come. You hungry?"

When one of the women from the kitchen appeared, Sectry said, "Fringe tea and sausages for three, Belind. You two should try the sausage."

"Stet," Rather said. "What's got you down?"

The false gaiety ran out of her, and Debby saw pain. "I've been trying on pressure suits. I don't fit."

Debby said nothing. Rather said nothing.

"They don't let you try the suit till you qualify for Guardian in all other respects. So they got me into the small one and I couldn't breathe." Murphy wasn't wearing armor now. Her breasts stretched her tunic tight. Debby had never had trouble feeding her children, but her own breasts didn't have that vulnerable look. "I could have faked it, but the suits aren't all quite the same size. So I tried the bigger suit. My feet wouldn't reach the toes. There are controls in the boots. My fingers don't quite reach either."

"That leaves one," Debby said.

"The large? It's in use. It won't fit. If my damn toes were longer! I'm out. I can't be a Guardian."

Belind was back.