The older man waited till the group had formed a tight semi-circle around him. Then he smiled and held up both hands.
"Welcome to Centifor," he said. "My name is Leon Stubbs, and I am the Director of Colonization."
He waited till the undercurrent of muttering had died down, and went on: "I know how anxious you all are to settle on your own land, but because immediate transportation is unavailable, there will be a slight delay. During this time you will be quartered here at the reception center."
Claude Marshall leaned close to his wife's ear. "We're lucky, Joan," he whispered. "We don't have to worry about transportation. We can walk to our land if we have to."
Leon Stubbs said: "If any of you have any questions, feel free to speak up.... That's why I'm here." He stopped, and pointed at a thin-faced youth with one arm raised while a young, and obviously pregnant girl held onto the other.
"Yes, Sir."
"We've been wondering," the youth said. "Are our building materials ready yet?"