Wilma turned around to see a young woman, early to mid-twenties standing there. She was dressed like most of the other women she had seen, long mid-calf length coat in a pale yellow. The woman was standing quietly with her hands resting on the back of a chair. So, no weapon. Wilma smiled and casually looked down at her outfit.
"Yes, you are right, I guess I am," said Wilma.
"Who are you and why are you here?" the woman said.
Wilma and Buck had discussed various cover stories to use should either of them be spotted, but Wilma decided that the truth, or at least part of it, would be best at this point. So, she said "my name is Wilma Deering, and I am from New Chicago on Earth. I am here looking for someone I think is in your Colony."
"Why?"
"Because his family is concerned, he has not communicated with them for a long time. His name is Jon Hart, do you know him?"
"We don't use second names around here; HE says they are links to our other life" replied the young woman. After a moment's thought, she added "no I don't think I know any Jon H."
"You have not told me your name," said Wilma.
"My name is Aubrey. If you are going to walk around here, you better have a coat. I can get one of mine for you. It will look much better on you than on me. I hate yellow."
"It is not the best color for you, so why not wear a different color?" said Wilma.
"I can't. All the women in my org. wear yellow, every org. has its own color." Aubrey said.
Oh, I see, but the men wear a different color?"
"No, the males can wear any color they want. It's so unfair."
Wilma suppressed a smile. She could almost hear Buck say some things never change. "Thank you I appreciate that."
"Stay here, I'll be right back" Aubrey said as she quickly turned around and left the room. She returned in only a minute or two with another yellow coat over her arm. Wilma noted the rapidity and reasoned that she did not live far. She did not want to upset the young woman with too many invasive questions, but Audrey was happy to talk about herself. Wilma was able to discern that there were few young people in the colony, the work maintaining the settlement and producing the food was done by the helpers, most of the different orgs stayed to themselves and that the man she called HE was Gregory Vane.
"You are not very happy here, are you?" asked Wilma.
"No, I'm not, HE has so many rules and He tells you what to do and eat and go and everything. And then if I make a mistake someone from another org will tell on me so I get in trouble." Audrey said with some heat.
"How old are you?" Wilma asked.
"I'm 23 and I am tired of seeing just this place, I want to see what else is in the universe!"
"It is a pretty big universe. But tell me how am I going to find Jon Hart?"
"Hmm, so what did he do in New Chicago? Lots of people are assigned tasks based on what they used to do." Audrey replied.
"He was a pilot previously" Wilma said.
"Oh, then I think I know who he is, there's not many pilots at all, and the main one is on a supply mission. HE doesn't send too many people out of the colony, but we need stuff, so they get to go to a depot for stuff. He is supposed to get back tomorrow morning."
"So where will his cargo ship land? I didn't see any launching areas" Wilma said.
"I'll show you; the ship comes over the trees and lands outside of the main storehouse in the back of our settlement" replied Audrey as she headed for the door. Wilma slipped on the yellow coat and followed her out the small side door. Audrey was obviously excited to show her newfound friend around, but Wilma reached out and put a hand on Audrey's arm.
"Slow down, you will call attention to us and that may not be good." She told her.
The two women slowed there pace, and Audrey asked, "How did you get into the settlement in the first place?"
Wilma paused a moment and then replied, "I do not think I should tell you, if there is trouble from the other orgs, you can truthfully say you do not know."
Audrey led them through the compound to an area in the rear, almost against the hills. There was a large low building with double doors and at the side was the tallest building on the site, a tower at about 4 stories. Wilma looked around and was sure the supply ship was not very large. It appeared that it would come into the compound area low over the trees. She could see where some of the trees had been clipped in the past. There was an open area directly in front of the large double doors for it to land and then the ship could be brought into the hanger like area for offloading. The one door of the hanger was open, and she could see the interior. It was lined with shelves floor to ceiling and off to the side was a doorway too small for moving cargo, so she deduced it was a ready room for pilots. She was confident that the view from the tower included the entire compound. She noted all of the doors in the building and decided that her best entry would be through a small door off to the side near the ready room was, closest to the trees.
"I don't know when the supply ship is supposed to get home tomorrow" Audrey said.
"That is fine, I am sure everyone will know when the ship comes in" replied Wilma with a smile.
"So, what are you going to do? You're not thinking of staying here until then, are you? Because I don't know where you could stay, and if you get found out, I might get into trouble again.:
"No, I will not try to stay here, you have been very helpful, and I appreciate that, so I do not want to get you into any trouble," said Wilma.
Audrey looked around the area and when she turned back to Wilma, Wilma wasn't there, she had disappeared.
"Did I dream all of that?" Audrey wondered out loud.