"There's something I would like to know."Veronica said to Moira as they ate. "Exactly how would these people think of a woman's cycle?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you were a galactic wanderer, you've sent the things people make up."
"Oh, well, it's a sign that woman are lower than men here."
"And this would be the work of the tyrant London?"Veronica asked.
"I guess so."
Moira had stayed to dine with Veronica, while Uncle Jody and David went to the dining hall.
"And you go along with all of this?"
"We're trying to change it."
"I'm going to go over the mountains. I think I'm not going to like this valley much. You want to come? I want to see what lays beyond the mountains. I saw more mountains from space, but I want to see up close for myself."
"The Keeper is buried in a valley that's north of here."said Moira.
"I shall go north, then."smiled Veronica.
The next morning, Veronica watched from the window as the village came to life. She saw how the women went to the wash block, and began to prepare breakfast. People began to go to the dining hall.
"It seems so…like, I guess you could say…a boarding school, D."she said.
"Yet here, no learning is ever achieved."
"True."
"We'll leave the ship here, D. We'll simply take one of the flyer so we have a place to stay in. I don't want to stay. It makes me angry, sad. I don't want to stay here."
"We shall leave at once. I shall go and prepare one of the flyers, so that you will be comfortable. It is not good for you to feel depressed."
He went away and began to prepare for the journey north, while Veronica stared at the valley.
"It also said that the Keeper lived on the great mesa that dominates the valley. I want to see it. It seems she was the only one among these people with any common sense."
Veronica invited Moira to climb the mesa with her.
"I don't know if I'm much of a mountain climber."said Moira.
"Oh, neither am I, but if we don't make it, we'll take the flyer. And we don't even have to make it to the top. Just halfway."
"The mountains are taboo."said one of the children.
"Are you coming with me or not, Moira?"asked Veronica, ignoring the child.
"I'd love to! David, Uncle Jody, Veronica wants me to go with her and see the Keeper's house, in the days before the colony. Do you want to wait for me here?"
"But we can't survive up there."said Uncle Jody.
"You can with a force field."said Veronica.
"Oh."Moira just remembered. "I don't have mine anymore."she said.
"That's all right. I have more force field watches than anyone in the galaxy!"said Veronica. "I'll show them to you. All you have to do is choose the one you like."
"Sounds great!"said Moira.
Veronica had DaCoP 1228 show Moira, Joday, and David all the watches. Even though, Jody and David hadn't the slightest idea what they were for, they each chose one, and DaCoP 1228 helped them put them on. They climbed from the valley floor to the mid point of the cliff.
"Here it is!"exclaimed Veronica.