Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“I’m Professor Lornah from the Cake and Dish University,” she said, coming up to Vicky and grasping her hand with a smile. “And you must be Professor Victoria from the Mother Ship.” She kissed Vicky warmly on both cheeks.
Vicky felt a little strange about being called “professor,” but she reminded herself she was playing a part and decided to just go with it.
“Oh yes, I am. It’s so nice to meet you—thank you for coming to greet us,” she said, smiling and kissing Professor Lornah back. At least the people here seemed friendly so far.
“We’re so pleased to have an instructor from such a far-distant place,” Professor Lornah told her. “This is Lorn, my student.” She nodded to the scrawny young man who bobbed his head respectfully at Vicky. “And this person must be your student?” Professor Lornah asked her, nodding at Chain.
“Oh, uh, yes. He’s a student, anyway. This is Chainor,” Vicky said, indicating Chain, who smiled and nodded in a friendly way.
However, his response didn’t appear to satisfy Professor Lornah.
“So…you don’t name your students after their professors on the Mother Ship?” she asked doubtfully. “Or is this, er, Chainor not properly your student? For I’m afraid you won’t be welcome in any of the lecture halls without a proper student.”
“Oh, he is my student—of course he is,” Vicky said quickly. “And no, we don’t name our students after us on the Mother Ship. We believe they deserve to have their own academic autonomy,” she added, hoping that sounded snobbish enough to satisfy the other woman.
“Well…” Professor Lornah gave Chain another once over and then sniffed. Leaning closer to Vicky, she murmured, “He’s a handsome specimen, no doubt of that, my dear. But, well, don’t you think he’s a bit old for you?”
“I’m sorry?” Vicky wasn’t certain she’d heard her correctly. “Did you ask if Chain was too old for me?”
“Well, yes!” Professor Lornah exclaimed. “Why, he must be past his second decade my dear. How do you expect to train a student properly when you take one on so late in life?”
“Late in life? You mean Chain’s life?” Vicky said blankly. “But I’m sixteen years older than him. I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Well, maybe it’s a cultural difference.” Professor Lornah sniffed again. “It’s just that here on Priima Belle, we believe a student ought to be taken and trained in the second decade of life. Only then can the professor achieve satisfactory results.”
Vicky wanted to ask what results she was talking about. Did these people believe that you couldn’t learn something new once you got into your thirties? That was a strange idea. She looked at Chain who shrugged.
“Well, I find my results with Chain to be very satisfactory,” she said firmly. “He’s an excellent student.”
“Oh, well—as you say, then. I hope you’re right because I’m afraid you’ll be expected to prove it before anyone will deal with you.” Professor Lornah said.
“Prove it? How?” Vicky was bewildered.
“You know—in the usual way, of course.” The other woman fluttered her hands expressively, though she didn’t give any further explanation, much to Vicky’s irritation. “We must go—they’ll be expecting you at the Lecture Hall in the Insect and Arachnid University—that’s where the meet and greet for new professors is always held, you know.”
Vicky wondered if it was a university dedicated to the study of insects and arachnids…or run by then. Was she going to be meeting huge anthropomorphic alien bugs? The thought made her shudder. But even if she was, what could she do about it? She would just have to play along.
“That sounds fine,” she said as Professor Lornah and her student led them across a rolling lawn of neatly clipped silvery-green grass. “But I’m actually here not only to study but to buy an ancient artifact that’s here on your planet. It’s called the T’lix-Kruthe—have you heard of it?”
“Oh, an ancient artifact, is it? That will be held in one of the antiquities collections. Professor Torella of the Vessels of Antiquity University will be the one to speak to about that.” She frowned. “But I’m afraid she won’t deal with you until you’ve proven your worth as a professor.”
“But…how can I do that?” Vicky asked, dismayed. “Do you want me to present my credentials? Because I would have to go and get them.” She wondered if she could contact the Mother Ship and ask them to whip up a batch of fake doctoral diplomas or something like that. She certainly hoped so!
But Professor Lornah was shaking her head.
“Oh no, my dear—you just have to prove you can teach. I tell you what—we’re headed to a symposium right now where Professor Torella will be in attendance. I have the last lecture slot but you can lecture right after me. No one will mind staying to hear such a renowned professor who has come from so far away.”