Lise, DM Arnold [bearly read books .TXT] 📗

other continent and discovered them all dead -- murdered.”

“My goodness!”

“One of his servants was accused, tried and convicted. He eventually was executed.”

“A novonid?” she asked.

“Yes. I have my doubts about his guilt. Benn's wife had been active in the Benevolent Shelter Society. She was one of the major donors. As a tribute to her he donated a large sum. It was a major endowment and he became involved in the organization.

“This was back when independent shelters still operated. They've all since been brought under the BSS umbrella. A breeder who maintained the most appalling conditions had owned Margliss. She had been terribly mistreated, along with the rest of his females. The authorities raided the breedery, seized the females and turned them over to an independent shelter.

“The shelter was able to place all of them with other breeders. All but Margliss. There was something wrong with her that precluded her from breeding. A male's worth one and a female's worth ten...”

“But an infertile female's worth nothing,” Lise interrupted. “I've heard the saying and I understand full well how it applies.”

Thom squeezed her hand. “You understand, Lise, this was before the notion of placing novonid females in the workforce was widely accepted. We have made progress in the past generation or so.

“Margliss couldn't be placed in one of the breederies, and no broker wanted her. It was also before the Termination Act passed, and she was scheduled to be put down. Her only chance was if someone adopted her for charitable reasons. Word of her plight reached the ears of some in the BSS. Benn stepped in and bought her. She was moments from being killed.”

Lise stared at Thom, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

“They can't do that, now. Today, each case must be brought before a termination committee and all avenues for placing such a one must be exhausted. And then, it must be for cause.”

“Being unwanted and unregistered is still considered sufficient cause,” Lise responded, coldly. “And, bounties are still paid by the city for such.”

“True,” replied Thom. “Yet more often today unregistereds find sanctuary in the Green Zone -- like you did. Not too many bounty hunters are going to risk entering the Zone for the price on an unregistered. Renegades are another story...”

“She must've been terrified.”

“She was. She was strapped into the death chair and the needle had already been placed in her vein. I'm not a brave man, Lise. I can't imagine the horror of knowing my life was about to end. Benn stepped in at what truly was the last moment and took her to his home.

“At first she felt lost in his big house, ostracized by Benn's servants. She caught on, though. She's like you, Lise -- a smart girl. She was smart enough to let Benn fall in love with her. And then -- she fell in love, too. For twenty years they lived as husband and wife, she sharing his bed.”

“You mean they...”

“Had a sexual relationship? Most definitely. Why? Does that shock you, Lise?”

“It's an unnatural pairing. It's ... it's taboo!”

“Lise, you're too smart of a girl to be so naive. You must know of the brothels that operate along the perimeter of the Green Zone.”

“Yes...”

“There are escort services in Varada who will happily supply green flesh of either gender. All it takes is a call. Yes the laws are on the books, but the authorities overlook it, for the most part -- except for a few prudish zealots. If it's done discreetly, there's never a problem. And, it happens all the time.” Thom continued to eye her. “Don't tell me it offends your sensibility.”

“It ... it does!”

“I'm surprised. Think about this, Lise...” He held up his hand, his fingers still locked with hers. “Does this offend you?”

“No.”

“Does it please you? It must, or you wouldn't continue to do it.” Lise began to work her hand from his grasp. “Now, now, Lise...”

She freed her hand from his. “It's a gesture of friendship,” she protested, “and you made it feel somehow sordid.”

“No, Lise. That notion came from your own head.” He held his hand palm-up again. “Please?” She placed her palm on his and they locked fingers again. “You do like the contact, don't you?”

“I do. You're a good friend, Thom. I enjoy talking with you.”

“Hearing you say that pleases me beyond expression, Lise.” He squeezed her hand. “Do you like having your back rubbed? Your shoulders massaged?”

“Yes...”

“Would you find it unwelcome if I were to do that?”

“I ... I don't know. I don't think so.”

“So there are ways I can touch you that give you pleasure, and which don't offend you.”

“Yes.”

“At what point does it become taboo?” he asked. He released her hand and placed his on her knee. Then, he slid it up the inside of her thigh.

“Thom -- please stop.”

He returned his hand to his own lap. “That offended you.”

“Yes, it did.”

“Then, I apologize. Do you have a boyfriend, Lise?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you permit him to touch you like that?”

“Please, Thom. This discussion is making me uncomfortable.”

“Bear with me a little longer. Do you?”

“Yes...”

“Does having him touch you like that please you?” She looked away from him. “Be honest.”

“I suppose it does.”

“Then, why does it offend you when I do it?”

“Because ... you are not my boyfriend.”

“Ahh -- fidelity. That answer I will accept. You reserve certain forms of intimacy for your lover. An understandable thing to do. He is without a doubt a very lucky young man. Suppose I were your boyfriend...”

“Thom -- you're not.”

“Just suppose. Do you believe it impossible?”

“I don't know...”

“Supposed you were in Margliss's position. Here is a man who's giving you attention ... kindness ... someone who admires you ... who expresses his own love for you ... who worships you. That sort of love rarely goes unrequited. Would you find it impossible to love him back if he were white? If that was the only obstacle?”

“I ... I don't know...”

“Impossible, Lise. Is there some impediment that prevents a green woman from loving a white man? Even though she shares the same interests and enjoyments?”

“I guess not.”

“Excellent. If there is, it's not nature. There's nothing physical to stop them -- certainly no anatomical reasons.”

“You're trying to corrupt my thinking,” she replied.

“Yes. That's exactly what I'm trying to do. I want you to question, Lise. I want you to question everything you've ever been taught. I'm trying to corrupt everyone's thinking ... society's thinking -- that there is a barrier between our species that keeps one here and the other there. I find it amusing that the novonid community is as resistant as the human one in this regard. More so, in fact. Lise -- there is no physical barrier. You and I came from the same stock. You and I are cousins.”

“But our kinds can't breed,” Lise protested. “It goes against nature,”

“No -- YOU are against nature, Lise -- your whole kind is against nature. Your species was artificially created. It was the decision of your genetic designers that you not interbreed with humans. That was a human act. Nature had nothing to do with it.”

“But -- it's ... it's wrong.”

“What makes it wrong? Are you invoking the tired old argument that since sex is intended for procreation, it's somehow immoral as recreation? That's rubbish. Nearly all offspring on this planet are conceived artificially these days -- green ones as well as white. It doesn't keep anyone from engaging in sex. Lise -- do you have a sexual relationship with ... what's your boyfriend's name?”

“Tagg.”

“Are you sexually active with Tagg?”

“Thom, please. This is getting to be too personal.”

“You need not answer, Lise. It doesn't matter to me if you are or you're not. However, if you follow that argument, you and Tagg should not be. You should never be. Since you can't conceive, you should be spending your life as a celibate virgin...”

“But...”

He eyed her. “So you and Tagg ARE physical lovers, after all. Don't deny it, Lise. I can read you like a book.” She snatched her hand from his and looked away from him. “So -- why do you do it?”

“Because we enjoy it.”

Thom shook his head. “Enjoy is not the right word. You enjoy the crisp breeze after a rainstorm has washed the pollution from the air. You and Tagg do it because you love each other, and it's a means of expressing your love.” He grabbed her hand. “It's communication, Lise -- just like this is communication. No one will ever convince me that two consenting adults who wish to communicate should have any means denied them -- no matter what permutation of color -- or gender is involved. Whose business is it, anyway, other than the participants'? Who cares how I touch you? ... other than you, of course. It's between us and is no one else's business.”

Lise looked at Thom and shook her head. “I had never thought of it that way.”

“Our society doesn't want anyone thinking of it that way. It's yet another way our kind are oppressing yours, Lise. Think of it that way.”

“I ... I think ... you might be right.”

“You'll discover, my dear Lise, as you get to know me ... I may be many things. One thing I am not, however ... is often wrong.”

“So, what happened, next?” she asked.

“Next?”

“To Margliss.”

“Oh, yes... Benn began to bring Margliss with him to soirees and social events, she often wore the most exquisite evening gowns. I have a photo of her in such a gown for my book - - very striking. She started hosting such events at the house. Margliss, as I said before, is like you, Lise -- a bright girl and a quick study. Benn discovered she has a good head for business. To make a long story short, Margliss became, for intents and purposes, the second Mrs Drumm. Benn left his entire estate to her.”

“How could he do that?” Lise. “We're not permitted to own property.”

“A technicality,” Thom replied. “He actually left his estate to a trust managed by the Benevolent Shelter Society. Margliss was part of that estate. A BSS attorney was instructed to follow her direction -- without question. From a practical viewpoint, however, she is a free woman controlling her own fortune.”

“Do you mean she's in charge of Drumm Industries?”

“No. Drumm is a public corporation. Margliss is in charge of the fortune the Drumm family amassed when the company was traded publicly.” A warble came from the dash of the car. “You must let go of my hand, Lise. I'll need it to steer the rest of the way.”

Lise looked down and realized that Thom had insinuated his fingers between hers again. She relinquished his hand and he grasped the control stick. The car turned off the boulevard and onto a narrow roadway leading through undeveloped land to a building on a promontory. He parked the car outside a building that resembled casually-stacked crates made of polymer concrete. “This,” he said, “is my humble abode.”

“I thought you said you were taking me to your office.”

“My office is in my home.”

She looked down the long drive and realized walking to the nearest bus stop was impractical. Thom gestured her to a terraced patio. “What a view!” he exclaimed. “Don't you agree?”

She looked down and realized she was looking at the Green Zone. “This house is in Quadrant One?” she asked.

“Certainly. Quadrant One abuts Quadrants Two and Four. This parcel sits at the very boundary of Vyonna.” He gestured. “Beyond there is no civilization except for pomma farms and scattered villages ... until you reach the western coast.”

“You can see the whole Green Zone from here,” she said. “I can see my building.” She pointed. “There's the courtyard. I remember when this house was built. I recall sunning in the courtyard and looking up at this hill and wondering what they were building.”

“Now, you know. Come inside, Lise. Are you hungry? I'm famished. I'd love it if you'd share a meal with me.”

“I'm not hungry,” she replied. “Today is not my day to feed.”

“You didn't yesterday, either... Unless you had something after we parted.”

“No...”

“Then, you could eat something -- couldn't you?”

“I suppose I could.”

“Wonderful. Nothing spoils my dinner more than a table partner sitting across from me at an empty place, her hands folded across her chest and impatiently tapping her toe waiting for me to finish.”

Lise smiled. “I wouldn't do that...”

Thom regarded her face. “Lise, you have the most beautiful smile... Smile for me again.” He regarded her. “Yes... Beautiful. Please, take a seat. I'll prepare something for us to share.”

She watched him slip a pouch into a heating device. He placed a plate and a bowl on the counter. Into the bowl he spooned a mound of brown strands. A chime sounded and he retrieved the pouch, slit it open and dumped a pile of finger-length kernels onto the plate. Onto this he spooned more of