He nodded reluctantly. Li Li was right. Perhaps if he knew something about Anaïs he could put his concerns aside. “I’ll be up in a second,” he said.
“No, stay put,” said Anaïs. “Li Li has a vidcon with some of the planning team.”
“She won’t bite,” said Li Li.
He nodded his assent, although he wasn’t sure it was appropriate, not that there was any specific rule against people visiting other people’s rooms, or that he thought anything would happen.
He closed the screen and put on the kettle. He could at least offer her a cup of tea or coffee when she arrived. Then he remembered he was bare-chested so he looked around for more substantive clothing, pulling on a salmon pink polo just before he heard a soft tap at the door. He was nervous as he answered it, all too aware of the morally hazardous circumstances posed by this French teen entering his room.
She smiled confidently as he opened the door. He relaxed a little. She was dressed very casually in loose, grey track pants, bare feet and an oversized sleeveless t-shirt with the words ‘Devil or Angel’ written on it, along with the face of someone he assumed was a French pop/punk star. He was at least proficient enough in understanding women to realise that because she had made no effort to dress, this meeting was intended to be just between friends. He did note quickly by the way the t-shirt fell off her left shoulder that she wasn’t wearing a bra. He had to remind himself that French women could be quite casual about these matters and she probably meant nothing by it.
“This is a French singer?” he asked, nervously nodding to her t-shirt as a way to break the ice. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about modern pop music.”
“Yes, Li Li mentioned you are into Afro Jazz, very cool. Ah yes, this is Lou Doillon. I adore her music. So intense, so beautiful. It is the name of one of her famous songs. My mother took me to see her when I was seven. I had this massive crush on her. This is my mother’s old t-shirt, my chill out top,” She pulled the t-shirt out and spread it so he could see the design in full. She seemed unaware that in doing so she partially revealed the cleavage of two pert breasts.
“So, I suppose welcome. Can I offer you tea, coffee?” He stood aside and let her enter.
“No, I am fine.” She looked briefly around the room. It was just like all the others except for a few personal items spilling out of a suitcase. She turned back, looked at him and smiled, waiting for him to offer her a seat. He seemed momentarily frozen by embarrassment so she took the lead and sat on the edge of his bed, crossing her legs under her and bouncing to test its firmness. “I understand this is awkward,” she said softly.
“Um, yes. This is an unusual circumstance,” he said as he sat in his desk chair a good distance from her.
She folded her hands in her lap and tilted her head as she considered him carefully. He was certainly handsome, with an athletic body. She imagined that he had good muscle definition and was very fit; he certainly had impressive biceps. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was well equipped; many African men were. She had seen pictures. “The whole thing is surreal. I still can’t believe it is happening. Do you feel that?”
He smiled. She was sitting in a non-threatening manner and starting a normal conversation, although he suspected she knew exactly what she was doing.
“I still can’t get my head around the physics.”
“No, neither can I. Li Li has tried to explain it. I am afraid I have no patience for higher mathematics. It bores me.”
“What are you interested in?”
“People, societies. Why they do what they do.”
“Social psychology?”
“Yes.”
“And you are studying this at university?”
“Yes, the Sorbonne. Philosophy also.”
“Part of the acceleration program?”
“Yes.” She looked into his eyes. “I know my age frightens you.”
He was startled by her frankness. “It’s your intelligence that intimidates me. I am an ordinary man.”
She smiled. “Yet you are here. I have seen your profile. Tell me honestly, do you think we would be having this conversation if you were in any way ordinary?”
He sighed. “I suppose not.”
“People are afraid of what they do not understand, that is all. Many people think that the smarter you are, the less human you become: the stereotype of the mad scientist, the pathological genius or the emotionless Spock. The truth is that it can increase one’s humanity. You actually become more compassionate, more able to care for larger groups. The average person is usually only concerned for their immediate circle, their family, and often just themselves. Which is more human? To be a self-centred arsehole or someone concerned with the whole of humanity?”
He watched her carefully as she spoke. Her eyes were beginning to moisten with tears, perhaps as the result of some hurt. He had no doubt that she was sincere, that she cared deeply, and it made her look even more beautiful than she already was.
She abruptly changed the subject. “Li Li was talking to Akoi about her tribal customs. The Nuba women were quite strong. I took the liberty of looking up your tribe. Interesting.”
He shifted in his seat. “That was before the missionaries came.”
“But isn’t it true that the norm in Africa was for girls to get married as soon as they entered puberty?”
He nodded his head. “My mother was married at twelve, a customary marriage. She had my sister soon after, then me, when she was fourteen. But it is different now.”
She smiled to reassure him. “It’s just that I have studied anthropology and one of the units was tribal sexualities. Your tribe is noted for its liberal attitude to sex, the women usually go topless and the children run about naked. I assume you observed your parents having sex? I cannot imagine you have a traditional objection to my age. Is it different because I am white, a representative of the colonial oppressor?”
He shifted in his seat again. He thought he should be offended but she was right. The fact that she was white made him extremely uncomfortable. “This is not Africa and you are not a girl of my tribe.”
“No, true, I only mention it because it raises an interesting issue don’t you think? What sexual values do we adopt on Eden? You see; I make the assumption that in time the obvious racial and ethnic differences will disappear. There will be no Europeans, no Africans, no Chinese. My culture’s rules will not apply, neither will yours.”
He had to concede she had a point. “Do you know what happens to African men who cross the line with white girls? The taboo runs deep, a legacy of colonial racism.”
“Perhaps in Africa, but in Paris many white girls date Africans. An African boyfriend is quite the status symbol.”
“And this is part of your transhumanist philosophy, to transcend race?”
“But of course, genetically race is a nonsense. What truly divides people are their beliefs. Shouldn’t we transcend harmful beliefs?” She leant back and tossed her hair because it had fallen across her eyes. The way the thin fabric of her t-shirt pressed against her breasts revealed the outline of erect nipples. He found it oddly exciting. He had seen a great many bare breasts in Africa amongst tribal women and girls, but because Anaïs was white and her breasts were taboo, he was suddenly curious and aroused.
“So you are saying I should examine my beliefs?”
“Shouldn’t it be a constant process, for all of us? I expect that when we get to Eden we will be challenged on many levels. We will have no secure footing. Personally I find that exciting.”
“So you are suggesting we revert to tribal custom? But isn’t that another form of colonialism, to romanticise the primitive? You do understand that many young mothers died in childbirth? That wife beating is also a customary practice, as well as female genital mutilation?”
She frowned and pursed her lips in what seemed to be frustration. “Bah, and modern medicine has advanced and we no longer give birth in huts with dirt floors. I do not romanticise the primit
ive. The primitive is by definition ignorant and superstitious. Black magic is still common in Africa too; child sacrifice, inter-tribal warfare, all these things. Who said we should be uncritical?”
He sat back and considered her passion. He was enjoying this conversation. She was certainly articulate and intellectually confident.
“We need to consider all the facts, bad and good. Tell me, was your mother happy? Did she love her children? Did your father care for her?” she asked.
He nodded. It was true, his mother was a jovial woman and his father a good man and he had had a happy childhood. He smiled to signal his surrender to her point. “She was happy. We were loved, and yes, I had a happy, carefree childhood.” He smiled with the memory. “And I will confess our culture tolerated a degree of sexual openness. It did not affect us badly.”
Anaïs laughed. “See, I knew it. How many girls?”
“Three before I was thirteen. And I don’t know why I am confessing this to you, but boys experimented with each other as well.”
She laughed and fell back on the bed clapping her hands in mock celebration. “So, you have had a cock up your arse. My god, this is an interesting group of people.” She sat up again just as abruptly; suddenly conscious she was being overly dramatic. Her t-shirt had lifted to reveal the bare skin of her stomach. “We really must compare stories. David with his Aboriginal customs; Anne with her Native American. Needless to say Li Li and I have had unconventional childhoods. All in all I think Eden will be fun and not at all stuffy.”
“And how so, unconventional?”
He seemed generally interested so she regaled him with tales of her bohemian, intellectual parents, her rambunctious, freewheeling childhood and her precocious sexual experimentation. In turn he revealed more of his childhood and she found a good deal in common. She laughed with recognition and vicarious shock as he recited his childhood escapades, confessing to him that liberal tribal child rearing practices had inspired her parents.
After about an hour of amiable chatter she stood and adjusted her ruffled t-shirt. “This has been fun, but I must go now I think and let you sleep.”
He stood and smiled. She had broached some tricky subjects but had done it with such grace and good humour that he felt more relaxed around her. He found he enjoyed her company.
He walked forward to accompany her to the door, but as he did so she reached awkwardly to hug him and give him the traditional parting kiss on each cheek. He accepted her slender body as it pressed into his. She lingered and his reaction was instant. He was flushed with embarrassment but she did not release him. He pulled back just a little and looked into her eyes. The moment to decide was now. His mind began to formulate the words to say goodbye, instead she kissed him on the mouth. He found he did not want to resist.
“I hadn’t planned…” she began to say with an insincere apology.
Reason suggested he should back off now, but her hand had slipped into his shorts and discovered his erection. He pulled her t-shirt off and stroked the smooth skin of her back. She dropped her track pants in one swift movement and was completely naked. She guided his hand to the under curve of her buttocks and his finger rested on her anus. He understood that in doing so she was signalling that she had few personal taboos. He felt an immediate ache of desire in the pit of his stomach as he massaged it gently. She did not resist and adjusted her posture to let his finger penetrate. Then, after a minute or so of kissing and exploration she guided him to the bed and flopped onto the mattress backwards. He paused to look at her. She was indeed stunning: a slender, lightly tanned body; small, firm breasts and a smooth vulva (which he understood to be a recent Western fad). He took off his shirt and dropped his shorts and she looked at him in turn, her eyes wide with delight at seeing his muscular frame, hairless chest and perfectly proportioned, elegantly curved erection. With a mischievous smile she spread her legs so he could see the delicate pink folds of her labia minora and clitoral hood. He laughed and she giggled, pleased that he had understood her playful joke. She was telling him that this particular white, French bourgeois pussy was not taboo – not here, and certainly not on Eden.
“Are you sure?” he asked politely.
“Never more sure,” she said reaching for him and pulling his head between her legs.
At three in the morning she gathered her clothes and walked back to Li Li’s room. She saw no point in dressing, instead she carried her clothes in her hand, not that there was anyone around to see. Li Li had left the door unlocked and she slipped in quietly. She climbed in gently beside her and cuddled in close. Li Li stirred and woke.
“Anaïs?” she asked groggily.
“Yes.”
She paused as she struggled to focus her thoughts. “This wasn’t the plan.”
“No, but it happened anyway.”
Li Li lifted herself up and turned on the light. “You bitch, you beat me to it.”
Anaïs was grinning from ear to ear. “I’d have to be very lucky to conceive. I’ve passed the most fertile part of my cycle, although with the amount of swimmers currently besieging my cervix, I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”
“More than once?”
“Three times. The poor man hasn’t had any release for over a year.”
“What, you were at it all night?” asked Li Li incredulous.
“No, we took breaks, cuddled, talked a lot, slept a little. He’s really rather sweet and playful. A big child. We did everything.”
“Everything?”
Anaïs gave a wicked smile and nodded.
“You slut,” Li Li teased, barely masking a touch of envy.
“Oh, poor Li Li, got a hungry cunt?” She leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. “Crazy thing is I’m still horny.” Her hands travelled down Li Li’s body to her vulva. “Ha, you’re wet already.”
Li Li returned her kiss. “We’ll see what happens when David and I get to Eden. I still bet I’ll be the first Cricket to conceive. Now tell me everything.”
Anaïs began the story at the kiss and provided every detail whilst gently masturbating Li Li to orgasm. Then as Li Li drifted back to sleep she lay on her back trying to will the swimmers to penetrate the egg resting in her womb, her mind blissfully saturated with dopamine as it recalled the events of the night.
62
Akash
The departure date had been finalised, a week from today. He sighed. There was little more that could be done except wait – and plan for the next jump. He felt good about this planet; felt confident that this was the one.
They had decided to send twenty on the following jump; with a few modifications they could squeeze in four more, the Crickets Anaïs and Jules, and Freja and Lars. They had proven themselves more than competent and useful, and certainly not afraid of hard work. It had been a controversial decision and there had been some dissent, but in the end he had been persuaded. In fact the next group were decidedly young, the eldest being twenty-nine. Experience was necessary and valuable, but youth was also a critical factor. It made no sense to send anyone over forty simply because the numbers didn’t add up. It would take the colony some twenty to thirty years to get the stage where they could properly look after elderly colonists. Before that time anyone over sixty- five could be a burden.
Perhaps the hardest thing to get right was the balance of ethnic and gender diversity, as well as selecting those more likely to be open to the radical population expansion program. In the end they had settled for twelve women and eight men, with representatives from every continent (with a slight bias toward SE Asia and away from North America). He was especially pleased that they could include Eva Teixeira, their first test pilot, especially given that she was also a qualified mechanical engineer. Other standouts were Rafael Alvarez, a Spanish expert in Permaculture, sustainable agriculture and wild foods, and an experienced chef; Somaly U Nang, a Burmese architect who specialised in local building materials and traditional building design; Dr Tömöbatar Borjigid, a Mongolian mineralogist; an
d Dr Tehani Kaluhiokalani, a native Hawaiian marine biologist and fisheries expert. The rest filled out various specialist categories in engineering, agriculture and resource management. They were also physically and genetically fit and of above average intelligence (the lowest was at 125 and the highest, apart from the Crickets, was Somaly U Nang at 155).
The only real problem was the political situation on Earth and the news was not good. Aviva had informed him that the Conservatives had lost the Canadian election and that a coalition of the New Democrats and Liberals had begun to implement their policy agenda. At first he was nonplussed at this news until Aviva informed him that this involved the popular decision to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and restrict the further development of shale oil and natural gas. “The Texans are furious. They could lose billions.”
“You expect them to act aggressively?”
“I know they will act aggressively. They poured millions into the Conservative’s campaign. They expected to be able to buy the election. They controlled the mainstream press and outspent their political opponents.”
“What happened?”
“An effective grass roots campaign… They were outsmarted, but concern over fracking seems to have tipped the balance. And the Canadians don’t like the new American administration.”
“What happens next?”
“Some sort of covert war, what the US usually does when its economic interests are curtailed; essentially what they did in South America…”
“And the Eastern states, the rebel governors, Wall street…?”
“Backed the New Democrats, who will reward them with government contracts and favours.”
“And the timeline?”
“Weeks rather than months. There’s a lot at stake. The Texans now have restricted access to oil and gas, which means the US military has restricted access. This is a significant strategic shift.”
“And the chance of military action?”
“High. We understand the CIA and military intelligence are trying to construct a believable false flag event. There has also been heightened activity on patriot conspiracy theory websites – they’re reviving the UN, One World government conspiracy with rumours of UN forces gathering on the Canadian border.”
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