Nursery Ship

The Dursosi are able to cloak themselves from the Dark Ones' perception but are not able to block out their song. All adult Dursosi know how to ignore its effects, but children do not. As a result, pregnant women are transferred to Nursery Ships: heavily armed ships that drift through Havens where the Dark Ones' call will not interfere with the children's development. The ships take care to stay away from civilized space lanes for safety purposes. Nursery Ships are equipped with maternity and pediatric wards, schools, playgrounds, and sleeping quarters. Sometimes one or both parents stay aboard the ship with their child. Other times, the child is left in the care of the ship's staff, with parents visiting when they can.   Children will remain aboard their Nursery Ship until they are deemed ready to endure the Song. This readiness is determined by a test administered at the end of primary school. The test comprises three stages during each of which the nursery ship's examination craft crosses the astrosphere into the Void. The craft remains in the Void for one day for the first stage, three days for the second, and one week for the third. This trial exposes the children to the Dark Ones' song both during waking activity and sleep. Each time the Examination Craft returns, the children's mental and emotional states are evaluated by their teachers. If they show no sign of mental degradation, they pass to the next stage of the trial. Children who pass the third stage are transferred to their parents' residence in the Dark Realm. Those who fail, must repeat the year and retake the test each subsequent year until they pass.