Evolution Read Online Free Page A

sub-committee who think of this venture as an experiment and will be only too pleased if it fails. They will use this petition as further proof that integration of mutant humanoids and completes won’t work.’
    He fingers the envelope thoughtfully. Is he wondering whether he should pass it on to the Symposium or withhold it? The petition from the Project will only add fuel to the views of those who object to any sort of integration with those on Earth.
    ‘If only Athene had refused to send them,’ I say. ‘She should have sent students from Headculturedome to study at the university instead.’
    ‘That’s what she wanted to do but the Symposium rejected that suggestion. Bringing in the blue-collar workers from C1 was a compromise. Some of us thought it was better than nothing and would keep the peace between Earth and Oasis for a while. Seems that was a mistake.’
    ‘Seems it was.’
    Father sits brooding in his armchair for a while.
    I have something else I want to ask him before Stella comes back. ‘What happens to the Project families who lose their houses?’
    ‘You mean the ones who break the rules, take advantage of our generosity and don’t try to find work ‘
    ‘My uni friend told me that a lot of families have been turned out of their homes in order to make room for the mutant humanoids. Where do they go?’
    Father is still playing with the envelope containing the petition, moving it round and round between his fingers. ‘I think there has been a bit of a blitz, yes. But it was one that was well over due. Some of these people are very lazy, Michael.’
    ‘But isn’t it difficult for them to find employment? Isn’t there a kind of stigma about living in the Project that makes companies hesitate to employ them?’
    ‘You seem to know a lot about it.’
    ‘I only know what I’ve read on line and what my uni friend told me. He has cousins who live there. They didn’t want to accept charity, but the father lost his job and couldn’t get another and, as they have three children, they didn’t have much choice.’
    ‘What are their names? Perhaps I can help them.’
    ‘I don’t know. We were only talking in general terms. My friend’s cousin told him that they were caught in a trap, that he couldn’t find work and had no choice but to stay in the Project. They’ve been threatened with eviction if he doesn’t get a job soon. That’s why I asked you what happens to the people who are evicted.’
    ‘Depends on the situation.’ Father sits back and makes a church of his fingers, the envelope as the steeple. ‘If they are criminals, deliberately abusing the system, they are sent to Pris-sat. If not and their problems are deemed genuine theygo to another place to be – ‘he hesitates for a moment, ‘to be re-educated.’
    ‘To learn new skills to help them get work?’
    The church collapses and the envelope drops to the floor. Father leans over to pick it up. ‘That’s more or less it. Yes.’
    I get the feeling he’s not telling me the whole story. ‘What’s the satellite called where they receive this re-education?’ I ask.
    Father pauses again. He doesn’t want to tell me but he’s promised to answer any questions I may have.
    ‘It’s not a satellite. It’s a building here, on Oasis,’ he says. ‘It’s known as The Rehabilitation Centre.’
    I don’t ask him any more about it. I can look it up on the Internet later and find out exactly what the rehabilitation involves.
    I note that Father puts the envelope back in his pocket when he hears Stella returning. She drapes herself on the peach-coloured sofa next to him, ready to engage us both in conversation, but I don’t want to hang around any longer in this lush drawing-room with its stylish colour combinations chosen by Stella. I jump to my feet and excuse myself saying I have some work I must do for uni tomorrow. Is it my imagination or does she look relieved? I think of our lunchtime chat. It occurs to me that she will be