Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2010 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

"Oh! Service, Trish! I should have realised that you would be involved."

Marion had entered her office on arriving at the facility to discover Special Technician Trish Flanagan moving furniture. Another desk had been brought in and Trish had moved Marion's desk out of the way to make room to assemble it.

"Service, Counsellor," Trish replied. "It needn't have been me, I just happened to have this shift this morning. I wonder, would you mind giving me a hand? I think the only way this is going to work is if your desk goes there and your trusty's desk goes there. Does that look reasonable?"

"I have no idea, ask me when we get everything set up and working. What do you want me to do?"

Between them they managed to arrange the desks more or less side by side and still leave room for chairs both sides. Marion discovered that she wasn't as strong as she once had been, attributing this to the hormone regime she had been on. They lifted Marion's terminal back onto her desk and Trish reconnected it to the wall sockets.

"There, Counsellor. At least you'll be able to get on with some of your work while I sort out the other desk. I'll tidy up your cables later."

"What more is there to do?"

"I've got to get a chair from Stores, and a new terminal. I've already unpacked that, it's been in my cubbyhole running some tests," the slim pony-tailed woman answered. "Then, once I've set that up in here, I'll need to run some checks to make sure that your assistant can only access those things we want her to."

"Oh. Will that involve me or her?"

Trish shrugged. "I can probably fake it on my own, but I don't see that we're going to cause any big trouble if you're both present to help. What time are you bringing her down?"

"I hadn't intended to bring her down until she has a terminal, but it looks like you have that well in hand. I'd originally thought to go up about the time they open doors on E Deck. Do you need a hand bringing the terminal up?"

"No, that's covered, thank you Counsellor. My shift-mate Jenny is bringing it up on a trolley. I'd better go and see if Stores can give me a chair, or whether I'll have to liberate one from another office." Trish gave a wink and bounced out of the office.

Marion decided to keep to her original plan and so she climbed the stairs to E Deck just before half past nine, walking along to the watch station.

"Service, all. I hope you all had a quieter weekend than we did," she said, nodding at Belle.

"She's been telling us," said Elena. "We trust you'll find time later today to tell us more." She grinned at Marion. "I must say, I really can't see you in running gear, especially the modern styles."

"Oh, you'd see me, all right," Marion replied, "probably from orbit. I'll drop by later, you'll want to hear how I did last week, won't you?"

"Indeed," said Elena. "I suppose you want to collect your new staff member?"

"Yes. How has she been over the last two days?"

"Better than we expected in some respects. She went down day before yesterday to get her new brown outfit and it nearly broke her up again. But we talked her out of it, and I think you'll find she's eager for the new challenge this morning. The others, well, we've had a couple who said 'why her and not me' but we've explained and I think they get it. The next few days are going to be interesting, a change in the usual E Deck routine."

After a few more words Elena activated the door release on those detainees who were eligible, and Marion walked along to Talya's door.

"Service, Talya."

"Service, ah, Marion."

She was seated on her bed waiting, dressed in trusty brown with white cuffs to the short sleeves. The expression on her face kept changing, from anxiety to curiosity to eagerness to fear, showing that she was uncertain of what was to follow. Marion tried to put her at ease, sitting on the bed beside her.

"Look, this is a necessary step for you," she said. "At some point, whether you become a trusty or not, you're going to have to adjust to life outside your room. This is just a tiny step in that direction. We're not planning to move you anywhere else, you're just going to D Deck to work every day, which is the same as I do. The job I want you to do is important to me, and it's important to the facility. It's not going to be hard work to start with, and it's possible it'll never be hard work. But it will give you some exposure to other people and other places, and that's what you need if you're to survive when you leave here."

"I know," Talya replied, "it's just that it's a big step for me. It's a big step to have someone trust me again after what I did before. I want to come and help, that's why I'm dressed like this. It's just that..." She stopped, unable to articulate her current state of mind.

"Time to take that step, then," Marion said. "Come on."

Marion stood, and when Talya did the same Marion folded her in a hug. Talya initially stiffened, and then put her arms round Marion.

"This is crazy," she said, relaxing. "But thank you, this is just what I need at the moment."

After a moment to compose themselves, Marion led Talya out into the corridor. Although not everyone who could come out had done so, a significant number had and were waiting for Talya's appearance. With her hand down by her side, Marion signalled to keep things low-key as she led the way to the watch station.

"Talya."

"Yes, Elena?"

"Remember, you'll have to book your lunch to be eaten in the Counsellor's office from now on."

Elena had told her previously, but she wasn't certain how much of anything Talya had remembered since she had made trusty status.

"Yes, Elena, thank you."

They passed through into the other half of the Deck. Martha was waiting, with a number of Marion's friends.

"Go girl," Martha said to Talya. "We're all so proud of you."

"Thank you, friends," Talya replied, tears in her eyes. "You've all been so good to me."

"And you," Martha turned to Marion. "You've been up to quite a lot since you last came, and we want to hear all about it. Okay?"

Marion nodded. "You will, but it may take time. Don't forget, I've been on this course for a week, I have a stack of things need seeing to. I'll try and get up here later today, but no promises, I'm afraid. Talya takes priority today."

"As she should. Good luck, Talya."

They walked towards the gate at the end of the Deck, and then Marion stopped. Talya stopped as well, but Marion gestured at the gate with her hand.

"Go on, we have to find out if the gate will accept you, and we can't do that if I'm standing there, can it?"

Talya walked to the gate and turned, a question on her face.

"Just turn the handle and pull," Marion said.

Talya turned the handle and pulled, and the gate opened. Her gasp was drowned in the cheers from behind, and Talya reflexively let go so that the gate swung shut again. Marion turned and scowled at the watchers, who merely grinned back.

Turning to Talya again, Marion said, "Go on! I want to see you on the other side of that gate with it shut behind you before I move."

Talya set herself, took a deep breath, pulled the gate open and walked through. The gate swung shut behind her, and Marion waited an instant before following Talya. When she joined the trusty on the other side, in front of the lifts, Talya held out her hands.

"No, I'm afraid you don't do that any more, either," Marion said. "The fact that you're a trusty means they - we - trust you, so no more cuffs. The only time you'll be cuffed again is if you need to go through the fence, but I can't see any reason for you to need to do that unless you're going to be meeting your legal representative."

Still slightly confused by the change in her status and the related change in privileges, Talya muttered, "What would I need with a legal representative?"

Marion smiled. "Truth. Now, do you think you can manage the stairs, or shall I call a lift?"

Talya moved towards the stairs and they began to descend.

"This doesn't feel right," she muttered. "It's very strange, not being cuffed."

"I know, I know, it took me a while to adapt myself," Marion told her. Talya looked at her in surprise before she remembered that Marion had once been in a similar position. "You do get over it, but unfortunately the reflex will probably be there for months if not years. That's one thing I discovered on my Shepherd training course last week."

"Oh? Yes, I suppose so. Did your course turn out the way you expected?"

"Yes and no. There were parts that I more or less knew, and there were parts that took me completely by surprise. Suffice it to say that I'm much older and wiser now. Here we are."

Marion waved Talya into her office just as Trish stood up from where she had been plugging in the new terminal.

"Uh, I'm not sure how to introduce you," said Marion doubtfully, "or even if I should."

Trish solved that problem by stepping forward with her hand out.

"Service! I'm Special Technician Trish Flanagan, everyone just calls me Trish. I'm just fixing up your terminal. You must be Natalya Makrova, the Counsellor's new trusty, pleased to meet you."

The two shook hands.

"Service," replied Talya, looking at Trish with astonishment, "Yes, I am, though most people call me Talya. Your pardon, er, Trish, your appearance seems at variance with the regulations."

Trish smiled. "Yes, well, I work behind the scenes usually. I'm not technically allowed to come into contact with detainees, although trusties like yourself are considered safe. That's why I'm permitted to have longer hair. I haven't even passed the Shepherd's course like the Counsellor here. Shall we attempt to get you connected, citizen?"

Trish waved at the seat in front of the terminal, and then pulled Marion's seat next to it and sat down. Marion took the hint and borrowed one of the visitor's chairs. Talya sat down and looked at the terminal for a few seconds before turning it on.

"Hm. I'm going to have to get reacquainted with keyboards with keys that move," she commented. "This display's bigger as well." She tapped a few keys. "I'm in. What next?"

Marion sat and watched as Trish led Talya through some tests to determine what limits Talya had within the system. Once Trish was satisfied that Talya could not access detailed parts of staff records, even if Marion or Trish was within range of the terminal, she checked that the same restrictions applied on Marion's terminal as well when Talya attempted to use it.

"Do you think that will be a workable solution, Counsellor?" Trish asked.

"You'll have to let us work at it for a few days," Marion replied. "I suspect that we're going to have to ask you to keep fine-tuning the access restrictions as we encounter problems we haven't come across before. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Trish said. "You know I'll have to run any changes past Director Khiskov, but I know you're not going to ask me to adjust anything unless it was really necessary."

"What about the Counsellor's diary?" Talya asked. "We'll both need access to that. I'll need to check what she's written about any case she has ongoing, as well."

"Counsellor? How are you organising your notes, if I may ask?"

Marion opened her terminal and pulled up her diary. Her case notes were simple attached text files. Both women looked at the files with horror.

"With respect, Counsellor, this method of organising your cases is... not efficient," Talya struggled to be polite. "We're going to have to work out another process, particularly as you visit more and more of the facility."

"I know," Marion said. "Remember, I don't come from an administrative background, which is why I needed help in the first place. What do you suggest, then?"

"If I may, Counsellor," Trish put in, "I think we can use the existing system that the medical staff use, which makes sense given that you're part of the department anyway. With your permission?" Marion nodded. "I'll use Talya's terminal to set it up, but the same functions should be available to both once we get you organised."

Trish pulled her chair in front of Talya's terminal and started work, pulling up files and explaining the functions and working processes - to Talya. Marion managed to follow for a while, but then just sat back and watched the two of them working.

"- so then, when she's on the Decks, if she needs to make notes, she can -"

"- so how does her datapad sync to the files then? Oh, I see. But what happens if -"

"- and then, that links to the main record, but -"

"What happens if we need to find a detainee?"

"You use the search functions like so -"

"- and if I need to insert a legal reference, or some other kind?"

"Easy. You just use this menu here, and -"

"- that's clever. Of course I had no access to most of this upstairs, so -"

"- links to outside agencies? Why would you want to -"

"- problems are welfare problems. How are we going to -"

Marion watched them, amused. How could anybody possibly have predicted what would happen when these two met? And with the pair of them on her team, how could she fail?

"What?" They suddenly realised that Marion was looking at them with a smile on her face. "Counsellor?"

"I see you two are getting on like a house on fire," she said. "I followed some of what you were saying, I hope one of you will explain it to me when you've decided how it's going to work."

Trish reddened. "Ah, maybe I shouldn't -"

"Nonsense. The pair of you are perfectly matched for this. You know how the systems work, Talya knows more or less what I need, set it up and then I can do what I do best, and leave Talya to what she does best."

"Thank you, Counsellor," Trish replied. "Um -" She paused.

"If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, I have no objection to you re-appearing here to assist Talya or myself. And if you want to call Talya during the day, I've no objection to that either. Obviously you'll have to check back with your boss."

"Whatever are you implying?" asked Talya.

"Nothing at all, citizens. I've just been watching a pair of very active brains in action. You are obviously comfortable in each other's presence, there's no reason I can see that you shouldn't cross one another's paths again."

Talya looked at her suspiciously. Trish just looked guilty. Marion decided that she had probably said enough and to just let events take their course.

"So, is there much more to figure out?"

"We've got most of it sorted out, Counsellor," Trish replied. "As you said, I'll probably have to come and fine tune it for a week or so."

"Good. Did I hear you mention a search function?"

"Yes, Counsellor."

"Then can you find me a detainee called Jeanette Sutton, please? I'll have to pay her a visit today. She arrived last week so she should be on... J Deck."

"Certainly, Marion," Talya replied. "Is there some particular reason..?"

"Yes, she literally bumped into me one day last week while we were doing the grand tour. I suspect she might be innocent."

Trish sat up straight. "How did you figure that out, Counsellor?"

Marion explained the circumstances, and they both agreed that she was probably correct. Talya brought up the relevant file and was immediately concerned.

"This looks suspiciously familiar, Marion," she said. "Does that video still look like anyone we know?"

Marion bent over their shoulders and looked at the woman on the screen.

"Indeed it does," she said. "And, more to the point, it doesn't look anything like the Jeanette Sutton I met downstairs."

"Even I recognise that face," Trish said. "Does this mean that this case is connected to your own, Counsellor?"

"Yes." Marion nearly let out a few choice factory-floor words. "I thought all that had been cleared up and the software fault fixed," she finally said. "Trish, who do we go to to get any action on this one? Your Director? The Controller?"

"A moment," Talya said. "Look at the date on this video clip. They've been chasing her for five weeks, which would place the incident about the time you were cleared. This might just be fallout from before the problem was solved."

"Oh. Panic over, then. But we still need to get this citizen released, and I think we ought to make sure that the particular fault responsible has been fixed so it doesn't happen again. Talya, can you see what you can do this end while I go and talk to her?"

"Yes, Marion, of course. But first?"

"Yes? Something I should have done?"

"Yes, we have to order lunch. Remember?"

In the event it was a further half an hour before Marion could leave the pair of them in her office, still talking a tech-speak which she could hardly make head nor tail of. She decided that, even though they had used the better part of the morning, there was time to check over some of the inhabitants of J Deck rather than just concentrating on Citizen Sutton. Part of the half-hour had been taken up with a detailed examination of her case notes, explaining to Trish exactly what had happened in Marion's case and how this new one compared.

Marion climbed the stairs to J Deck and walked along to the watch station.

"Service. I've come to have a quick word with your charges, if I may. I have a special interest in a Citizen Jeanette Sutton, but I'll do as many others as I can squeeze in before lunch, and then come back and do the rest afterwards. Will that be satisfactory?"

"Service, Counsellor. Of course, carry on," the Senior Shepherd replied. She check one of her displays. "Citizen Sutton is in fourteen."

"Has she said anything since she's been up here?"

The Shepherd shrugged. "She says she's innocent, but then, quite a lot of them do. I did have a look at her case file, but although it looks a little odd there's no obvious error been made, I don't think." She shrugged again. "The State doesn't make mistakes, does it? If she's in here, then due process has been followed, so she must be guilty."

"Actually," Marion said, nettled by the woman's unthinking assumption, "I'm living proof that that's not necessarily the case. You should ask around, how I got this job. Fourteen, eh? If you would release the door for me, please."

Marion could feel the woman's eyes burning into her back as she walked away. Was it possible that there were still people working here who didn't know about her? She knocked on the door of J14 and entered.

"Service, citizen. No, if you would stay over there, please, I think you're still supposed to be in quarantine."

"Service," the woman replied. Marion could see that she was still unhappy at being taken from her social circle and shut up in a room on her own, but that she had taken Marion's previous advice and just settled down to wait. She just made herself comfortable on her bed and regarded Marion with interest.

"You're the Counsellor, aren't you? We met that day I came to this place."

"Yes, I am. Please call me Marion. I must offer apology for the delay in coming to see you, it was unavoidable. When we met last week I was on a course, and it would have been difficult for me to find time to come here. This is the first opportunity I have been able to manage, and you are my first priority."

"You still believe me, then? I wondered. Some of the Shepherds say that everyone who comes in maintains their innocence. What makes you think I'm any different?"

"Because I saw you when you first arrived, remember," Marion replied. "You didn't have much clue what was going on, just the same as myself. I was convicted and sent here, and it was six months before they discovered the mistake. I remember just how bewildered I was when I arrived, and you looked just the same. I don't think you were faking that, were you?"

The woman gave a wry smile. "No, I definitely wasn't. But you said, it took six months to get you out. Does that mean it will take that long in my case?"

"No, there were... special circumstances in my case which meant that certain things were assumed to have happened which hadn't. I don't think they will apply in your case, especially with us actively helping things along. Besides, we have looked at your case file and it seems that yours may actually be related to my own, which means that we should be able to clear you quite easily."

"What do you mean? I was put in here, it seems, for stealing money, but I can't work out how they think I did it."

"Tell me, did you have anyone closely related to you die recently? Not long before this offence occurred?" Marion asked.

The woman thought about the apparently tangential question. "Yes, I did, my mother. I had to register the death, as my father died years ago and my brothers are in the army. Why? How is that possibly connected to stealing money?"

Marion sighed. Another innocent caught in the trap. "It's a long story, and I'm not sure if I'm permitted to tell you any of it. Let's just say that registering a death allowed someone to do something creative with ID cards. In my case it was me registering my partner, with you it was your mother. Please keep this to yourself. You've just confirmed to us what happened, so we can now contact the appropriate people and organise your release."

"Oh, really?" Already she looked brighter. "How soon do you think..?"

Marion shook her head. "You know the drill. It might be tomorrow, it might be a month. First of all, of course, we have to verify that what we think is the case actually is. That may take some time, as contacting anyone outside the facility from within can be difficult, even for people like myself. In the mean time, how are you coping in here?"

"Actually, apart from not being able to talk to anyone, it makes a change not having to rush around all day. I'm treating it as a sort of enforced holiday. It's given me some time to do some thinking."

"You've no family, then? No-one outside concerned about you?"

"No, no-one. I lived with my mother. My brothers are in army depots elsewhere in the country, not nearby."

"Have the Shepherds explained what happens to you in here?"

"Yes, I know I could be in here alone for a month. This place seems a lot less scary than I'd imagined."

"Uh, the scary part comes after you've been here a month. It depends exactly which Deck you get moved to. Some of them can definitely be described as scary."

"Oh. Thanks for the warning. I don't suppose I get a choice, do I?"

"Hardly. In any event, assuming that you are actually innocent, you should be out of here by then. If you need to speak to me, there's a menu option on your terminal, under the Sick Bay heading. I'll probably be out and about, but if you leave a message, I'll call you back when I can, or even come up and visit you in person, okay?"

"What do you do, then? Are you some kind of legal advocate? Can you talk about anything else?"

"No, I'm not legal, although I now have some legal support working with me. I'll discuss anything with anybody, if they feel they need it. Personal, financial, legal, social, you name it. If I can't help you directly, then I can probably find someone who can. Why?"

"Oh, just curious. Are you talking to everyone up here?"

"Yes, although I came to you first. Is there something else you want to talk to me about?"

"Thank you, Counsellor, no. I'd better not monopolise your time."

Marion let herself out of the room and walked back to the watch station.

"All okay, Counsellor?"

"Yes, she confirmed our suspicions, which means she's probably innocent as she states. Before I have a closer look at her situation, I'd better visit some of the others you have here. If you start me off at room one, I can work my way along."

Marion managed to clear half of the Deck before lunch, and she returned to her office with details of other cases to investigate. Talya was at her desk typing furiously.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm transcribing your notes," Talya replied. "I can cut and paste the bulk of it, but for each entry I have to set up a supplemental record first, and that's what's taking the time. How did you get on with Citizen Sutton?"

"She confirmed what we suspected," Marion replied. "She had to register her mother's death just before the thefts started."

Talya nodded. "We guessed as much. It would be information that wouldn't be on the case notes, of course, so nobody would get the connection. Trish is going to ask Director Khiskov to contact the Proctor in charge of her case, and also Proctor Julian, to ask them to call you this afternoon if they can. If we can't make external calls, it seems that we can accept incoming with some prior notice."

Marion put her datapad onto her desk and fired up her terminal.

"Are you about to update your notes?" Talya asked.

"Yes, why?"

"Because now we've got this new system organised, you should be able to update the records directly."

"Oh. I tried to find a way to do that before, but couldn't."

"Trish has made the relevant linkages. If you go to the utility menu, and then -"

"Ah! I don't remember that option being there before."

"Exactly. Now, all your notes are keyed to the detainees, aren't they? So, when you now go to the transfer screen, they'll be automatically added to the correct files. They'll also be left in edit state so that you can correct or update them before you commit the new entries."

"Talya, this is exactly the reason I needed you down here. I would never have managed this on my own, I just don't have the right skills."

"Well, I didn't do it on my own, either. Trish played a big part."

"I'm impressed how quickly you two got me sorted out this morning."

"Fortunately, you didn't have too much done already that needed undoing," Talya said. "It's still going to take me a couple of days to transfer all your old notes, but using the new system we set up should make life much easier for you in the future."

"Well, don't flog yourself, will you? Otherwise you might find there's nothing to do by the end of the week."

"Not likely to happen, not at the moment, anyway. I've been looking over some of the case notes as I've transferred them. Some of them we've already talked about, but there's a few I could do more investigation on, and with the access to databases I now have, I can do so much more."

At that moment the trolley arrived with the lunch trays. The trusty pushing the trolley furrowed her brow when she saw Talya, as she couldn't work out what the white sleeves of her uniform meant. After checking with Marion she found the right trays, placed them in front of them on their desks, and departed. They both popped the film over the cutlery slot and lifted out knife and fork. Talya took one look at her implements, bowed her head and wept.

"Whatever's the matter?" Marion asked, concerned. She thought about getting up and physically comforting Talya, but decided against it for the time being.

Talya waved her knife and fork. "It's real, isn't it?" she said, tears running down her face. "I wondered whether I was having some kind of fantasy where people let me do things just to keep me occupied. These are real, aren't they? They're not going to go floppy in half an hour, are they?"

Marion understood. To be permitted to use rigid cutlery meant that the powers-that-be really did trust her. It was an important milestone along the path of her rehabilitation. Up until now she had just absorbed the changes to her life without murmur, but the change of cutlery was a symbol she couldn't ignore.

"No, my dear, they aren't," she replied. "You're a trusty now. With the fresh responsibilities you now have, you get benefits. It's the next step on your road to release."

Marion had found some disposable medical wipes in her treatment room and she pulled one out from the pack in her drawer and passed it across to Talya, who used it to wipe her face.

"I'm sorry," Talya said. "You must think me silly for reacting in this way."

"On the contrary," Marion replied. "I'd have been surprised if you hadn't had some reaction. I remember what you were like before, remember, I know this has been a big step for you. Now, come on, eat your lunch before it gets cold."

"Yes, citizen," Talya said meekly.

They had finished lunch and were discussing the finer points of the revised system when Sophia and Alison came back from the canteen. Waving Alison on, Sophia poked her head round the doorway.

"Service, both! A belated welcome to Sick Bay, Talya. I'm so pleased to see you here." Talya reddened. Sophia turned to Marion. "Everything going okay?"

"Yes! Much better than I expected, actually," Marion replied. "Talya with the assistance of Trish has shown me the error of my administrative ways, and I'm sure their new system is going to make my job so much easier. We're going through the backlog of my past efforts at the moment."

"Oh, I wish someone could do the same for me," Sophia responded. "This job is like holding back the tide sometimes. Still, I'd better leave you two to it. I'll look in later."

She turned to go, but Marion called out, "Sophia? Can I come and talk to you this afternoon some time?"

Talya immediately looked wary, but Marion dismissed her concerns with a hand wave.

"No, it's nothing to do with you, Talya. This is something different."

Sophia turned from the doorway. "Why don't you come along now, then? Before I get stuck into my paperwork purgatory."

"Will you be okay on your own?" Marion asked Talya, and at a grunt and a nod got up to follow Sophia.

"Before you get started," Sophia said as they settled into her office, "I've had a note from my friend at the fertility clinic. I must apologise to you and Belle, of course I understand your situation intimately, but I had forgotten that others might not, otherwise I would have worded my original message more clearly.

"Professor Malenski has told me that your situation is unique, and it will take her a day or two further to work out the possible consequences, but overall your chances appear to look good. She's going to send me another note tomorrow with some ideas about ongoing hormone therapy for you, and then either tomorrow or the next day she will send you and Belle, via myself, a detailed breakdown of your fertility prospects. Will that be acceptable?"

"Yes, Sophia, definitely yes!" Marion replied.

"She did say that she'd been told you had some trouble at the sperm bank," Sophia continued in a softer voice. "She says that if they need more, it's possible that alternative arrangements can be made to spare you the stress of going there again. She'll discuss it with me over the next few days."

"Thank you, Sophia. It was definitely not a pleasant experience."

Sophia looked at Marion expectantly.

"Ah, what I came here to discuss is yourself, Sophia," Marion began cautiously. "I hope you won't think me amiss, I'm not even sure that I should be giving you this kind of advice, especially unsolicited. I know that you're not obliged to take any advice I give you, but as friend to friend I hope you'll listen to what I have to say."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, and then got up and shut her office door. "I would always listen to your advice, Marion. So far, you haven't managed to put a foot wrong."

Marion gave a wry grin as Sophia sat down again. "There's always the first time. So, what I have to suggest to you is this. I've watched you do your job for five weeks, about the same length of time as I've been doing mine. I've watched you struggle with the system, and it's been very similar to my own struggle. I would like to suggest to you that you and I are very similar in lots of ways, that is, we prefer to be doing things, not sat in offices ticking boxes on forms. I think that this job is wrong for you. You're a doctor, not an administrator. Please consider not accepting the Director's job on a permanent basis. I think the job you're currently doing should be done by someone with a managerial background, not a technical one. You are a doctor, a very good one, and that's what you should really be doing in here."

Sophia gazed at Marion in silence for a very long time before nodding. "It's certainly not what I was expecting you to come in here to say, Marion. However, as I said before, you always have good advice. I can't deny that I've not been happy since I've been in this office, but I've always thought that I just had to get on with it. It would never have occurred to me not to become Director permanently, but now you've put the idea in my head it's beginning to look more attractive by the minute." She nodded again. "You don't know this, but there's a Facility Board meeting at the end of this week when I would probably have been ratified into the job. I'm beginning to seriously think about turning it down. I really don't like being stuck in this office."

"I don't want to upset anything, Sophia. There are people who consider it unnatural that someone would refuse a promotion, I don't know how this would affect your record, or your future prospects. I can only give you an opinion based on what I see, as well, I can't answer for your record before we met."

"Don't worry about that," was the reply. "I'll survive anything like that, if it happens. You're right, I'm a doctor first and foremost, and that's what I should be doing." She looked directly at Marion. "I will take a couple of days to consider what you've suggested in detail, Marion. And, as Acting Director, I'll also have to consider what will happen if I don't take the job." She smiled. "I'm glad I have someone on my team who can see such things with clarity."

"Except where it concerns herself," Marion commented. "It's funny how we can each see some things clearly, and yet other things we're clueless about."

Sophia sighed. "It's what they call 'being human', I think. Thank you very much for your thoughts. You may just have prevented me from making a big mistake in my career."

When Marion returned to her own office she heard Talya's voice, and stopped just before the door so that she could hear what was being said without Talya realising that she was being overheard. None of this was confidential, in fact Trish was probably listening to it all on her monitors downstairs, but Marion wanted to find out out how Talya would cope on her own.

"Counsellor's office, service. I'm afraid she's in a meeting with her manager at the moment, can I take a message? Or, can I help you myself at all? Oh, I see. Well, I don't know if she's visited that Deck as yet. If you give me your room number, I'll make sure that she contacts you. Yes, she will. Thank you, citizen, glad to be of service. End call."

Marion walked back into her office. Talya looked up and smiled.

"You are in demand, aren't you? I've fielded three calls since you went out the door. Have you visited S Deck yet?"

Marion thought. "No, I don't think so. It's on my list, but since I've not been here for a week I'm just concentrating on the Decks I have been previously, where people already know me. What's the problem, did she tell you?"

Talya shook her head. "No, she said it was personal, I didn't press her. Was that the right thing to do?"

"Um," Marion thought for a moment. "You're probably right. After all, you've barely been doing the job for half a day yet, and presumably you've not had much experience in talking to people you don't know face to face. In fact, I'm impressed that you did it at all. I wasn't sure that Trish had set things up so that you could receive my calls when I wasn't around."

"To tell you the truth, I just forgot," Talya admitted. "I was so engrossed in what I was doing I just answered the call automatically. And with the system set up properly now, I could just pull up the caller's record and have all her details ready in front of me. That's the way you'd want to do it, isn't it?"

"Oh yes, it is. You'll have to show me how to do it next time someone calls. As to answering calls when I'm not here, carry on. I think you'll have to just be cool and impersonal to start with, just collect data, if you think they will answer your questions then ask them. Remember, they will call expecting to find me, not a strange trusty. Once we've got going properly, and people know that you're here and are a safe pair of hands, then you can start doing a little more."

"Oh! Well, I don't know that I'd be qualified to do that. I mean, I'm not a Counsellor, am I?"

"Perhaps not, but remember, I'm not exactly qualified either. There's no reason that you can't help callers with legal problems, though."

Marion understood that Talya probably wasn't going to make any kind of counsellor. Her personality didn't run to high levels of empathy with those she spoke to, if they weren't close friends. However she would provide a useful filter for Marion's needs, and she had the all-important legal and administrative knowledge to be an essential part of Marion's fledgling department.

The two women spent most of the afternoon going over the improved systems, with Talya guiding Marion through the necessary processes till the latter felt comfortable using them. Marion received calls from the Proctor who had arrested Sutton and from Proctor Julian, the latter concerned that another person had been caught in the ID scam, but had been overlooked by his investigation. Marion gave Julian all the details she had, and passed on a link to the other Proctor so that Sutton's case could be resolved. She also sent a summary memo on the case to the Controller, effectively warning her that Citizen Sutton might need to be treated differently in the near future, and preventing her being moved to one of the open Decks where she might be vulnerable. At half past four Marion called a halt to their activities.

"I think it's time we stopped for the day," she said. "You're beginning to droop a little. You've probably used a fair amount of energy today that you're not used to doing."

"But we've still got all these cases," Talya protested. "It's only half past four!"

"They'll wait," Marion replied. "Don't worry, we'll get through the workload. I just don't want to wear you out on your first day when there's no need."

"Oh, very well," Talya said reluctantly.

The two women shut down their terminals and stood, tidying their chairs. Talya hesitated visibly before stepping towards Marion and putting her hands around her waist, hugging her close. A surprised Marion wrapped her arms around Talya.

"This still seems like a crazy thing to do," Talya murmured. "It... seems to help in some strange fashion, though. Thank you, Marion, for allowing me to assist you today. You've been such a help to me that I'm glad to be able to do something in return."

Abruptly she released her arms and took a step back, putting her hands behind her back and lowering her eyes in embarrassment. She had isolated herself for so long that she was only now beginning to rediscover the healing power of direct contact. Marion smiled and put one hand on her upper arm.

"The choice was so obvious that it made itself," she replied. "You're here because you're the right person to help me. You're also here because I value your opinion and experience, and, yes, you're also here because you helped me when I needed it." Talya's eyes flickered up to Marion's. "I don't consider it as a debt that has to be repaid, rather as one friend helping another." Talya's eyes began to glisten. "Shall we go?"

They closed the office before heading for the stairs. By the time they had reached the top Talya's mood had recovered, and she was now looking confident again. Marion again waited until Talya let herself in through the gate before following her onto E Deck.

"What hours do you want me to keep?" Talya asked as they walked towards the watch station.

"I thought to start with, half nine till half five," Marion replied. "That is, from doors open until the evening lockdown. That's about the same as office hours, after all, just shifted by thirty minutes, and allows you to get back and have a few minutes to yourself before the evening meal."

Talya was surprised. "There's no set hours prescribed then?"

"No, but we'll keep it simple to start with. If the workload turns out to be light, I've no objection to you coming back here if you wanted to. There's no reason for you to be stuck in an office downstairs on your own if there's nothing to do."

"But, if you're out on the Decks, won't you want me there to take calls and so on?"

Marion shrugged. "It has possibilities. I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"And another thing," Talya persisted, "what about the days that you don't work? Should I be available for calls then?"

Marion stopped. "I definitely don't want you working all eight days without a break," she said. "It wouldn't be fair to you."

"Thank you," Talya responded, "but I am a detainee. What else am I going to do with my time?"

"What did you do the last four and a half years?" Marion asked. She continued, "Look, we'll have to discuss this tomorrow morning, all right? We'll rough out some kind of working timetable, then we can adjust it as circumstances require."

"As you wish, Counsellor."

They passed through the next gate into the space in front of the watch station. Marion stopped by the station while Talya gave the watching Shepherds a cheery wave before passing through the next gate into her half of the Deck. She turned and entered the resident's lounge, and there was an instant's silence followed by the hubbub of voices.

"What on earth have you done to that woman?" Elena asked in amazement. "Did you find a stash of illegal drugs, or have you raided the pharmacy? I don't think I've ever seen her look that animated."

Marion chuckled. "Two things happened to her. She found herself a task that she relishes doing, and she met Trish Flanagan." The look on the Shepherds' faces was priceless.

"Wow," breathed Kristina. "I never thought what might happen if those two ever met."

"No," said Marion, smiling with the memory. "It never occurred to me either. Trish was still in my office connecting Talya's terminal when we went down. It was like watching a chemical reaction, the moment they made contact, they fizzed and bubbled away like anything. I just stood clear and let them get on with it."

"Do you think that might cause a problem?" Elena asked.

"No, I don't think so. I'll keep my eyes open in any case, but I think they will both benefit from each other, they have a lot in common."

"You sure?" Elena asked. "Talya is old enough to be Trish's mother."

Marion shrugged. "Whatever it takes. If she starts to mother Trish, it will help her connect with the real world again. Trish was quite happy to find someone at her intellectual level to talk to. I'm not going to push them together, but I'm not going out of my way to keep them apart either."

Belle asked, "Were you just escorting Talya home, or are you visiting the Deck?"

"Social call, really. As Talya is a proper trusty, she doesn't need escorting anywhere, does she? Of course I'll keep an eye on her for a day or two till she's confident of moving around on her own. If you don't mind, I'll drop in the lounge first, and then come and have a natter with you after lockdown is called."

The Shepherds nodded, and Marion followed Talya's path into the lounge. All the chairs were taken, but Marion didn't mind standing.

"Your new assistant has been telling us how she's been making your life easier," Martha greeted her. "I'm glad you managed to find her something to exercise her mind on."

"Yes, well," Marion said, turning to Talya, "Be careful what you tell these people, won't you? After all, they're all hardened criminals."

There was a general snort of amusement at that statement.

"Yes, of course we are," Martha responded with a chuckle. "That hasn't stopped you from bringing us some juicy tales of the strange world beyond E Deck, has it?"

"Truth," Marion replied. "But Talya is now privy to certain things, and you wouldn't want her to lose her new status by being indiscreet, would you?" Talya gave her an anxious glance. "You're not stupid. I trust you, that's why I wanted you downstairs. Just be careful in what you say about what you do and who you see. It's only what I have to do, after all. People tell me things because they know I respect confidences." She smiled. "However, there's much else that is fair game. Have I told you all yet what really happened in that housing block I went to live in?"

Eventually the evening dinner chime went and the occupants of the lounge dispersed to their rooms. Marion returned to the watch station and they talked about a number of subjects of common interest, leaving the juicy stuff till the evening shift arrived. This left her only having to recount once her shopping trip, the run in the park, their visit to the clinic - Marion and Belle by mutual agreement left out the most stressful details, although it was obvious that there had been some - and their trip to the park with the minister's partner and her two daughters. This last interested the others greatly, and sent them all off into talk about children.

The kitchen trusty appeared to collect the residents' trays and the day shift prepared to leave the Deck. Marion walked off with them and they descended in a group to the locker room.

"So, Sophia says that Malenski thinks our prospects are good," Belle said as they walked up to the tram stop.

"This whole idea has got a grip on you, hasn't it?" Marion asked. "Ever since I got zapped and had an erection."

Belle blushed, which just made her look more desirable. The whole shift was walking up together, and Elena looked knowingly at Kristina.

"It does sort of shift your priorities," Elena commented. "I know that I would have been the same if that had happened to my partner. Even so, it's made me think about having children of my own, and I think the others are much the same." There were muttered assents from Kristina and Louise. "Talk of fertility clinics focuses the mind of a woman quite powerfully."

"What's the situation with regard to work?" Marion asked. "Is there any provision for children? Creches, that sort of thing? What about time off?"

"The State understands that children, especially young ones, need their mothers," Elena replied. "At the same time, it recognises that the post of Shepherd, amongst others, is quite demanding in the family sense and therefore doesn't require compromises the way it might for other job positions. There is a creche, but it's in a separate building further along the road behind us. A Shepherd with a family might be moved to other work with shorter or more flexible hours. She certainly wouldn't be allowed to stay on Deck. Funnily enough some of the Site Security Shepherds are part-timers with family, but few Deck Shepherds would go that route because of the departmental rivalry. Some just drop out until their child goes to school, some find other work that fits their family arrangements better."

Would Marion consider working on her own at the facility while Belle brought up their children? The answer was an emphatic yes! It was more or less what Marlon had been planning anyway and this new partnership would probably work out in a similar way. Neither of them had any worries over money, all they had to do was get Marion's residency sorted out. She scowled.

"What?" Elena said as they joined the queue at the stop. "You don't like the facilities' ideas on parenthood?"

"No, it's not that," Marion said, "I was just thinking about our residency problem, which might be the key to all this. It's just irritating, one thing after another."

"There's always a way," Kristina said. "There's always a way."

*****

"So, you want my children, then?" Marion asked as they lay in bed, flushed after some gentle and fulfilling lovemaking.

"No, I want my children," Belle replied mischievously. "I could consider borrowing you for five minutes or so to get started, if you happen to be around."

"How do you know I'll be around?" Marion responded. "I might run away with Ruth."

This caused Belle to crack up in a fit of giggles.

"You and that behemoth? I'd pay good money to see that! Actually she looks like a kind and gentle girl, I hope she's got what it takes to work on the Decks. No, my love, I'm not going to let you wander off just yet. I want you - I need you - all to myself." She pulled Marion across for another kiss.

After coming up for air, Marion said, "I'm not budging out of here, beloved, I like the luxury too much. Seriously, though, I have all I need right here. We're a strange couple in many respects, but it all kind of works, doesn't it? We've not actually been together that long, even though we've known each other for longer, but it seems that we've always known one another somehow. I would like to think that we belong together, and that's the approach I'm going to take. We both want children? Yes, and they're going to be our children, and we're going to bring them up together, and watch them go out into the world, and then I want us to grow old together."

"You old softy. You might look like a girl who makes men go weak at the knees but this is one girl who goes weak at the knees when you say things like that. Come here, dearest."