Duggan nodded and turned away.
In the super mech hostel, on the 79th Level, Duggan shared a compartment of six sleeping and mentrol plates. All of the others were rockhounds, and three of them worked in his own clean-up gang. His immediate pusher, Ted Rusche, was a legless, dark and hairy man, much like his working super mech. Waide and Myham, the first tall and once-handsome, and the latter, bony and scarred, were both paralytics.
Duggan's share of the attendants' salary amounted to another fifty dollars monthly. He was not growing too wealthy!
"And how do you like it after three weeks, Al?" Rusche demanded from where he balanced on the cushioned sleeping plate.
Duggan stretched cramped limbs and turned his sightless face toward Rusche's voice.
"Seems good to be working again, Ted," he said.
"This's your last day with us, Al. Orders from Short. He's transferring you. Office work I guess, or maybe he's making you a foreman."
Rusche's voice was curious.
"He musta found out something about you, Al. S'funny but you look awful familiar to me too. And you know more about tunnels than you let on. How about leveling with a guy?"