 The first time Rikud feels pain or discomfort is when
When nobody aboard ship remembers where it's going, how can they tell when it has arrived? Every day for a week now, Rikud had come to the viewport to watch the great changeless sweep of space. But ever since the engines somewhere in the rear of the world had changed their tone, from the steady whining Rikud had heard all twenty-five years of his life, to the sullen roar that came to his ears now, the feelings had grown. But it came again, and each time it left him with a feeling he could not explain. Rikud knew that something which he could not explain had entered the elder man's head for a moment, but it had departed almost before Chuls knew of its existence. But something soft had cushioned the impact—something which had come into being just for the moment and then abruptly passed into non-being again, something which was as impalpable as air. Rikud had been stopped in this action, although there was no real authority to stop him. He could see the look of easy contentment on Chuls' face as the rays fanned down upon him, bathing his old body in a forgotten magic which, many generations before Rikud's time, had negated the necessity for a knowledge of medicine. Rikud often thought of his own death, still seventy-five years in the future, not without a sense of alarm. But if he wasn't reading himself, Rikud usually went to sleep. "You know," Rikud said, sitting up now, "the stars in the viewport are changing." Over on Rikud's right, Chuls began to dress. Rikud looked and looked until his eyes teared and he had to turn away. Rikud couldn't remember, and he suddenly wished he could read Crifer's book on astronomy, which meant the same as stars. Presently Rikud became aware that his eyes were not tearing any longer, and he turned to look at the viewport. For a whole week that view did not change, and Rikud had come to accept it as fact. Rikud regretted that he never had had the chance to read that book on astronomy. And when Chuls looked away in disinterest, Rikud became angry. If he, Rikud, walked from one part of the world to another, it was with a purpose—to eat, or to sleep, or perhaps to bathe in the health-rays. Now if the world had walked from—somewhere, through the vast star-speckled darkness and to the great garden outside, this also was purposeful.
 the light he peered into was too bright, and his eyes hurt as a result.
 the light he peered into was too bright, and his eyes hurt as a result.  he tried to hit his head intentionally.  he experienced hunger for the first time.  he hits his head and bleeds for the first time.