IX

           Coffeeandteahadbeenjoinedonthemesstablebyindividualservingsoffood.Everyoneateslowly,theirenthusiasmcomingfromthefacttheywereawholecrewagainratherthanfromtheblandofferingsoftheautochef.

           OnlyKaneatedifferently,wolfingdownhugeportionsoftheartificialmeatsandvegetables.He’dalreadyfinishedtwonormalhelpingsandwasstartinginonathirdwithnosignofslowingdown.Unmindfulofnearbydisplaysofhumangluttony,Jonesthecatatedelicatelyfromadishinthecentreofthetable.

           Kanelookedupandwavedaspoonatthem,spokewithhismouthfull.’FirstthingI’mgoingtodowhenwegetbackiseatsomedecentfood.I’msickofartificials.Idon’tcarewhattheCompanymanualssay,itstilltastesofrecycling.There’satwangtoartificialsthatnoamountofspicingorseasoningcaneliminate.’

           ’I’vehadworsethanthis,’Parkercommentedthoughtfully,’butI’vehadbetter,too.’

           Lambertfrownedattheengineer,aspoonfulofsteak-thatwasn’tsuspendedhalfwaybetweenplateandlips.’Forsomebodywhodoesn’tlikethestuff,you’repoundingitdownlikethere’snotomorrow.’

           ’Imean,Ilikeit,’Parkerexplained,shovelingdownanotherspoonful.

           ’Nokidding?’Kanedidn’tpauseinhiseating,butdidthrowParkeralookofsuspicion,asthoughhethoughttheengineermightnotbeentirelyrightinthehead.

           Parkertriednottosounddefensive.’SoIlikeit.Itsortofgrowsonyou.’

           ’Itshould,’Kaneshotback.’Youknowwhatthisstuffismadeoutof.’