Yoo Retoont, Sneogg. Ay Noo

10

Dringenboom changed after that. He became reticent and less sure of himself. When Tibsnorg told him about Tib, he shook his head wearily and said it was ridiculous, Tibsnorg should pick a woman for himself among persons and not go looking among biological material. To purchase an entire Tib he would probably have to save for a lifetime, and long before that happened, others would buy different parts of her body.

But Dringenboom agreed to take Tibsnorg for a ride on his huge truck. He carried loads from a fairly distant open mine. The run went through hills covered with wind-driven gray dust.

“All it takes is a dozen breaths of that,” Dringenboom said, baring his teeth between his asymmetrical lips. “But the dust has to get past a pretty good filter,” he laughed, “so instead it takes a few hundred thousand breaths.”

The open mine was the ruins of an ancient city, from which the metal was being reclaimed. A giant shovel dug into the twisted walls of a former residence or factory. Dringenboom waited on line for the metal. Finally a portion of reinforced concrete, rubble, and dust was emptied into his truck.

“I make four, five runs a day… Central always tells me the path to take that has the lowest radiation level. Because the path changes, according to how the wind blows or how the rain or snow falls.” He pointed at the tiny screen. “The radiation level is constantly updated. Today it’s low, but sometimes the screen makes an awful racket… On such days we get a bonus of two or three money.”

On the way back he let Tibsnorg drive a little. It was a matter only of giving the commands, since the truck was computer-controlled.

“If anything goes wrong, the autopilot brings it home,” said Dringenboom. “Like if you pass out. The load can’t be lost.”

On one of the hills stood a solitary little building half buried in dust. It was all in one piece, even to the roof, door, and glass in the windows.

“I’d like to live in that house,” said Dringenboom, “and not in the city.”

“Live on the surface?”

“Your room is on the surface, Tibsnorg. One can do it, with enough shielding…”