Laboriously Ellen Kosinsky pushed herself up off 
the bed. First she stood only on one leg. Reluctantly 
she then also set the other one on the floor. 
   And so it went. She stood - with both legs. 
   "There you are", the Doctor praised. "You see, with 
time, it worked out magnificently." 
   As if she couldn't yet completely believe it, Ellen 
Kosinsky made a few hesitating steps forward. Again 
she succeeded, even if she pulled the right leg tight 
somewhat. 
   "And now you should take the quickest way to the 
gymnasium to train your leg", said the lady doctor. She 
laughed quietly. "New muscles are still something. . . 
to age. They must be brought to a trot only at the 
correct time.
   "Yes, Doctor Russell", nodded the female patient. 
Then she left the hospital ward. 
   Following the advice of the lady doctor, she set on 
the way to the Fitness Center. Hobbling, she moved 
forward. Her right leg seemed like a foreign body to 
her, and she was surprised that it obeyed at all. In her 
heart though, she did not doubt that she would soon 
stop again to carry out the instructions of her 
conscious. And this thought did not even make her 
grieve. Whether she was a cripple now or not - what 
role did she have to play anymore? 
   Then she stood before the door of the Center. The 
gymnastic area was frequented mostly by Alphans who 
had been exposed a long, or even just a short time, to 
conditions of a lower gravitational force and their 
limbs had to be accustomed again to the normal conditions 
of the base. She had seen the Fitness machines nearby, 
but had never felt any desire herself to workout.    

14