If the horns of the fat, tilted administration towers were the brain of the university, then the union building was its heart and stomach. Students passed through consistently, following the artery lines of their schedules and hunger, clotting in the basement meeting areas, heaving away mass-made food. The building was called the Bell, due to its being graced by such an object which was not visible from the ground.

Outside the stairway leading down to the entrance, students were tabling; there were one or two ungu, both pale- and short-haired, seated at a table which Nivus appproached, and when they noticed he was coming they waved and called greetings.

"Welcome, freshmen," said one of them. "I'm Tonsor Yell Pritt." The five of the younger ungu replied back with their own names, even Boula; she watched him carefully for any reaction. It seemed to her that he made a point of meeting her eyes and smiling.

"And I am Gia Thinam Firmitas," said the other ungu. This one too accepted all their introductions with nods, but nodded especially deeply to Luserna and Nivus, and added, "I am humbled to meet you."

"We are pleased to meet you," Luserna replied, for both herself and Nivus, who only smiled kindly. Boula found this strange -- why the formality? Were these two famous somehow? Wouldn't Boula know if they were? -- and glanced at Salt and Melior, to see if they also felt the atmosphere change; but if they felt it, they made no move, and in fact Salt was rushing ahead already into the Bell.

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