L'Gem

by Sharon L Reddy

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Bard sighed when Frets got in her car to go home. She was right. He was tired, but not that tired. When he got to the bridge of the ship, Nev told him all of them would have been jealous. Blade said they'd been left some presents. The others had built the device, while they'd played to change a world. They'd also made a lot of scooters, helms, guards and shoe pads in a stock of sizes. Five sets were labeled for the kids.

  Billie's scooter had a steady-height float that just lifted wheels off the ground and the boys' had altitude limiters. One could still get hurt falling from one meter, but it would be much less damaging than from three.

  The note on the datpad said the boys had helped figure out what a less dangerous 'for bigger kids' scooter should do. It had worked well to reduce disappointment they shouldn't set the example of kids their age doing the type of jumps the adults were doing on no-limit float scooters. Those had been dubbed, "pro models," not recommended for inexperienced riders or kids under sixteen.

  Their element stocks had been replenished after construction of many scooters and gear sets. The patents had been donated to Space Corps Training and the suggestion was appreciated.

  Alden had found someone to make "official Space Corps Float Scooters" and they'd be on the market in a few days. Blazer Lo had been hired to daytrip commute to Mandolin to "teach everything" and builders on other worlds were already beginning to call for referrals to others who could, and were available.

  Nev laughed when he learned his grandfather had "drafted both sides of the family" to help Quinn's grandmother set up a shoppers shipping network. The note also said Quinn's father had done most of the station design. Though he needed aid on tech and materials, he was responsible for the very efficient systems for transfer of cargo and had grasped how field projectors could be used to speed and aid construction. Quinn's extended family on both sides, and Nev's on both sides, had made a very good team and were somewhat amazed at themselves and the "West Side" job they'd done.

  Bard picked up the device and Nev and Blade followed. Neither tried to convince him to wait until he was rested to install and test it. They all had a feeling 'now' was the right time. Since it was designed to go in a trip chair, and it only took moments to hook it up, Case and Stats were warned, then Bard got in the chair. He felt an odd disorientation and arrived.

  "Oh, shit!"

  "Bard!"

  "Comm connect Blade. I'm all right. I'm beside Frets. I went where I evidently was wishing, not where I planned. I have a feeling I won't be able to get back until I really want to leave. In her driveway, I guess. She's beside her car. It was definitely a surprise. I don't think we'd have learned it, if I hadn't been both tired and wishing. She's waiting for an explanation. Comm out."

  "Well?"

  "It was a test of a device we didn't plan to tell anyone we'd developed. I'm… actually here. I teleported. Blade said I went before comm connection to Case and Stats' ship was made."

  "Why not tell?"

  "It opens up a whole range of applications we don't think we're ready for yet, if you have the talent to start with. This is actually the simplest. It doesn't involve interaction with another mind and will."

  "I'm not sure about that. I just really wished you were here. I may be why you didn't go where you planned."

  "Real high psi."

  "So high, I knew there was someone worth waiting for and he'd bring a complete change to my rather dull life. I knew it was you the first time you touched me. I also know I can't keep you. I don't need, or want to, but you're my key to 'unlock the universe.' I love you, but I do, and will, love others. Billie is actually my life companion. I've known it since before she was born. 'My sister's going to have another child, my best buddy forever.' So, I may have wished you here."

  "It was mutual. I wonder how many days everyone is going to have giggle relapses."

  "You should tell Quinn."

  "Why?"

  "A feeling someone on each world should be able to get to you, or call you and he's the right one here. You know he's more than an acquaintance. He's been waiting for you to unlock his future, too, I think, though I doubt he knew it in the way I did. Mine was a revelation, when I was being handed gowns to go to political functions, where I'd meet nice young men, of one group or the other."

  "His family and Nev's worked together most of the day, on building a shoppers shipping network, that includes all but four worlds. And nineteen space stations. His father was the principal how-to-do-it-simply designer on those."

  "They were puzzles of a different sort."

  "How low is his score on the puzzle?"

  "In the best one hundred, and some of those were its designers and a great many are ties. What you do, running your own small business and designing and building unique living space additions, maybe the only thing that would let Quinn use all his talents. I suspect he knows a great deal more about engineering, physics, materials, and even plants, than he realizes. The business curriculum had to be extremely easy and acutely boring for him."

  "I don't doubt that. I came home with you?"

  "My parents are seldom here. We don't usually tell anyone outside the family they spend most of the time at the cottage on Cello Bay. I'm single and living alone would have invited speculation. This monster is actually my home. If someone asks if I'm having affair with you, I may tell them my mother said it's about damn time I noticed something besides a guitar, unless it's a caster. I'll tell them I don't have a license to help spice up their boring sex lives."

  "You had that one waiting?"

  "I've got a couple dozen. I'd have shared, but the women who needed help couldn't use them. That changed today. Now they know it is abuse, and is damaging our children, and they'll come up with their own."

  In the morning, Bard accidentally wished himself back to the ship. He arrived in the spa in the big bathroom. Nev and Blade heard him burst into laughter and found him, laying on the deck beside it, giggling. They joined him. Bard said he had no idea how they were going to get control over the device, but he wasn't worried about it. He was quite sure they wouldn't go anywhere they didn't want to go. Blade and Nev rolled away from the water running out of his clothes, giggled and agreed.

  Danny laid on her floor and howled with laughter. Bard had turned pink while Nev and Blade were telling her what "surprise" had been, twice. She'd managed to call Ronnie and Dawn, but not tell them what had happened. Bop was having a great time using her as a stop for his kitty toy, when they and Drand ran in the door.

  Ronnie said she wasn't going to be able to talk for some time and called Case, as most likely to get all the way through the story. He made it all the way to the call. Danny managed to get out, "Two bright pink blushes, to finish it. Bop decided there were too many stops on the floor and played person-to-person bounce. He didn't know, "Oof!" meant he was too big for the game.

  Telling Quinn wasn't an option after Bard's second attempt to use the device. He arrived just in time to break a fall from his scooter at the top of a full boost. He was yelling he wasn't supposed to try stuff like that alone, when he realized Quinn was staring at him.

  "Comm connect Blade. Quinn evidently really wished he'd waited to try a stunt until I was here, as he began a three-meter tumble. Just in time to break his fall. Calling everyone who might be wishing for me before I try to test it doesn't really seem reasonable, but it is causing some very mixed feelings. What?! No, definitely not ready for it. I could try. Pick up a packet of salve. Broke, not stopped. I'm ready, I think. Here, Blade!"

  "That worked."

  "Yes, it did, but we still haven't figured out… anything."

  "Hello, Quinn. Obviously, we're testing new tech and getting very unexpected results."

  "Yes, Blade, obviously. Trip without a node?"

  "No. We're here. The tests have sort of blown holes in the plan not to tell anyone actual teleporting is pos
sible. Bard's stunned because he came before the device activated, evidently learned to do it without it. Though getting where someone wants us a great deal is very nice, we haven't figured out how to get where we planned yet."

  "You didn't plan to go where you wanted to be. If you came without the device… I could have killed myself. I knew it the instant I slipped. He may be here because I needed his help to survive my stupidity."

  "What were you trying to do? Quinn?"

  "You were trying to impress Bard? Do you know why? You didn't want to ask yourself that."

  "I didn't even want to ask myself why I didn't want to ask myself, Blade. I'm not used to being confused. I've avoided it extremely successfully."

  "Bard?"

  "I haven't left because I only think I want to?"

  "I'm trying to figure out why I think two confused is progress. Comm connect Nev. I agree. I think we're both wishing you were here to help figure this out. What did you find? I have no idea what it means, but I'll tell Bard. He's already confused and I doubt that will add to it. Comm out. From residual energy trace analysis, you used it, even though it wasn't powered, to get home this morning, too. You may have used it to bring me, but I may have because you wanted me. He considered trying to get where he was planning, but had a feeling it was silly to try until we got more info. Case said Drand and Dawn haven't decided if they want to take the device or you apart, though they do realize the latter is impractical."

  "Comm connect Kail. Oh, I was sure you'd hear my morning has been interesting. I want to send Quinn for the placement bank. Frets is sure he's wandered through a lot more information and learned a great deal more than he may want to know. I'm also hoping we can find the time we can do without him a few days to do the other test bank. When? His house, too? Please. Thanks. Comm out. You're getting a comm node and trip chairs when your grandmother does, today sometime. Kail is scheduling you for our university test bank and you're being listed as Space Corps recommended for the talent test bank, which makes it simpler than a separate agreement. Come on."

  "Where are we going?"

  "To do something about me not being able to leave, even though I think I want to."

  "I'm not sure I want to do something about you not… Stop trying to figure it out?"

  "It's not complicated. That's not my opinion. I borrow Blade's on things like this. So does Nev. You and he have a great deal in common, probably more than either of you would really find comfortable."

  "Comm connect Nev. I'm sitting in the yard watching Bard attempt to figure out what Frets is sure he knows he should do, as he leads Quinn to the house to attempt to figure out what he's sure he knows he should do. I'd attempt to do something, but I suspect it wouldn't be where I thought I was attempting. Shopping sounds like--Yipe!"

  "Fun, obviously."

  "Yes, Nev. Comm out. Comm connect Bard. I decided to go shopping with Nev. It was a surprise. I was suddenly toe-to-toe with him. He currently has an interesting scanner on the device."

  "Used."

  "I, or you, or Nev, or somebody, used it. This is true. Comm out."

  "Interesting morning?"

  "That's what he said. Shopping?"

  "Were going to look at puzzles. Stats wants one for his mom. We're also going to attempt to meet some not-society women and get an idea of 'usual attitude and courtship patterns,' as Case termed it."

  "In other words, he's getting a little frustrated and decided to find out if he needs to leave the planet to do something about it."

  "Probably."

  "You're jealous?"

  "Extremely, about three times."

  "He called me too?"

  "That's three, or four. Case is trying not to be, I think."

  "Hopefully, he'll find a distraction, but you may both be overestimating what's happening."

  "We may?"

  "Yes. You also may not be, but Bard doesn't know what Quinn wants or needs because he doesn't."

  "Answer comm. You're at Danny's!"

  "And I brought Quinn with me. I'm not worried. This time I remember thinking she's really the right one to help him figure out what he needs. They're doing a giggle duet on her office floor. I'm trying to figure out if I can leave without…"

  "Him. The answer was yes."

  "Yes, Blade, it was. Comm out. Traces?"

  "Two more."

  "What am I doing?"

  "Going wherever you're needed or want to go. You just don't realize you're making the decision. Or perhaps the decision was made in another way. Did you decide to be there when Quinn needed you?"

  "Yes, Blade, I did."

  "Let's work on the idea you learned the… mental path through the device. You may not need it at all, but it's easier to follow the path in it than construct it outside it. The comp connection is not necessary. It's a part of the path that may be useful in general, but it wasn't where you wanted to go, so you didn't travel that piece of the path. We've called it 'wish' and that may be the most correct term. Can you do it without the device?"

  "Not yet. The answer surprised me, Blade."

  "Blade, can you do what he did?"

  "Yes. Can you?"

  "Not yet."

  "We have our subconscious answers. Nev has to learn how. I have. You need practice to do it without the device. You also need to look at the math differently?"

  "Yes, and to get the results of the test bank."

  "Let's go shopping. Comm connect Case."

  "Hello."

  "They both decided shopping would be fun."

  "Oh."

  "Case?"

  "Let's take the Wander, Nev. You drive. Stats and I will be on the floor waiting. Comm… out."

  "He may have meant the floor of their rooms."

  "Yes, Blade. He may have."

  Danny left Quinn asleep in her room and called Ronnie. She started giggling, as soon as she answered. When Ronnie got there, she was brewing tea and giggling. Ronnie said, "capable of movement is hopeful," and waited. Danny handed her a cup and sat down.

  "I think I did it."

  "Did what?"

  "Got Bard to bring Quinn here."

  "Slurp."

  "Exactly."

  "Foreplay was a bout of shared giggles and a bodyslam?"

  "Exactly. Very clear, 'Dammit, I want to be first!' after I did 'Mama worries' on comm to Stats, and there they were."

  "Bard heard. Theory: Potential was there. The device… built a connection."

  "Sensible. We need those evaluations."

  "They may tell us who can and can't use the device to build one?"

  "Yes."

  "You can. I'm sure of that. Blade, Nev, Stats… Ooh, my Bance."

  "Case?"

  "Yes, if he wants."

  "He may not?"

  "Hmm… Bard. And Quinn. And you."

  "Uh, oh."

  "You 'skipped' them. You always have, and it may be more Stats than Case."

  "Buddies, and I couldn't with Tarse… Together, huh?"

  "That I don't know. I don't know if you'll get past your feeling it might change your relationship either."

  "You don't think it would."

  "Oh, yes, but not essentially."

  "I'm working on that."

  "You haven't invited Nev, Bard or Blade to your spa. Dandy was essentially why, but you've both had wandering attention for half the season. However, no one held it until Quinn."

  "Agreed. We were working on two. Now we're at seven. Is this progress?"

  "Quinn will be back."

  "Ooh, yes he will."

  "Nev, Blade and Bard?"

  "Don't visit anyone often, do they?"

  "No. Whose relationships aren't settled that would cause them to not notice they don't just wander to the neighborhood, singly."

  "Mine."

  "With who?"

  "Case and Stats. I thought it was. We're comfortable."

&nbs
p; "Are you? Are you all?"

  "Whap! I barge in both houses, and others. The five of them don't barge in here, but nearly everyone else comes in then yells they're here. Case and Stats yell they're here, then come in. Bard, Nev and Blade call first, if they're coming, and that's just what I didn't want Nev to ever feel he should need to do."

  "He's the man you love to the tips of your unfaithful toes. Quinn reminds you of him in many ways."

  "Yes, he does, but that's not why slam. He's very unique, too."

  "And Case. And Stats."

  "I've got them mentally inseparable and I don't do groups. Yet."

  "Bard, Blade and Nev are a very attractive primarily-to-watch fantasy?"

  "I doubt I'd notice the watch went, but it's comforting."

  "Case has been waiting a year for…"

  "Bard, but…"

  "Stats, and you. You can't unbind them, Danny. Neither of them want that type of relationship either, but you'll never get a yell of, 'We're headed for the spa,' and strip as you go to hang out with your two, three or five best buddies. Nev won't just show up alone, either. They get each other excited when they wish. Why shouldn't you be able to just wade in with the bunch and tease one he's obviously spending too many nights at home?"

  "I'm comfortable in the princess costume now that the chastity belt went in the waste cycler?"

  "You'll always be princess, but you're currently riding sidesaddle in a princess dress. They can't imagine you hiking up the skirt because sidesaddle doesn't make sense in a charge. Can they imagine you hanging the dress on a hook to play soccer in the courtyard?"

  "I'm maintaining Nev's image, aren't I?"

  "You love him, and he loves you, not the image."

  "True, and he's due for a thump. Bard's about to deliver one too. Blade's just watching and grinning."

  "Identity confusion again."

  "Yes. He was Nevin Curran. All at once he's 'the Terschell kid' again. They aren't worried they'll submerge his identity, because they know they're Nev's relatives and everyone knew Kail, Lillen, Milla and Carler were Nev's parents and grandparents."

  "They're worried. They weren't, but they are."

  "The whole bunch, both sides are rather staying a bunch. Milla may thump Bard to thump Nev. He hasn't noticed he's always standing behind someone."

  "Totally unprepared when Bard pulled him around in front."

  "Everyone on this planet giggled, but it was a bit symptomatic."

  "Case and Stats?"

  "Are gorgeous and I might… get Case the touch he'll never want because Stats doesn't want to give it. If not, only we'll know that's why he doesn't want it."

  "Men are simple, but all persons are complex."

  "Exactly. As long as you can tell when you're working to understand the person, not just the man, there's no confusion."

  "Hello."

  "Hi, Quinn."

  "Hi, Ronnie. You heard I did dumb?"

  "Yes. One time proving to Bard he has a yell-for-me list and you're on it was sufficient."

  "I was very aware of that when he got under me enough to keep me from… killing myself."

  "You're really sure you would have."

  "Yes, Ronnie, I am. I don't want to go through the list of injuries that could have done it, with no one there to get me to help fast, to pick the one or combo, I'm sure it would have been."

  "I don't blame you."

  "I don't really want to leave, Danny, but I need to. My… people need me."

  "The pride you can help is almost enough to offset the pain of realizing you're more important than any sane person wants to be."

  "Let's see if we can send you home. There's a device Nev's house."

  "I wish I was sure I'm going to end up where I planned to go."

  "I'm sure we have more giggles coming."

  "I'm not going to end up where I planned."

  "This way. It's raining, so we'll use the walk most of the way. Just a dash from the viewroom to their door. I didn't think about no one being there to pull out the walk cover and us wanting it."

  The rain changed from steady-light to downpour, just as they began their dash. They were drenched and laughing by the time they got to the porch. Quinn said he'd like to look around but he'd leave puddles, not just tracks, if he stood still. He was wearing rugby shorts and short sleeve shirt, not his scooter costume, so the towel Ronnie tossed him, on the way to the spare bedroom, with the trip chair in which they'd installed the device, helped. Then she called Bard and warned they were about to try to send Quinn to their ship. Bard told her they were close. Quinn disappeared before the connection was made.

  Danny answered her comm, burst into laughter, pointed at the wet trip chair, managed to say, "On Bard's lap!" then slid down the wall. Ronnie fell on a bed, laughing.

  Case said, "Comm out," Stats found a place to pull over and Bard looked down at Quinn, on the floor, where he'd dumped him when he felt wet. Quinn, Blade, Nev, Case and Stats were all laughing. Bard was rather sure he'd 'done it.' He'd wished Quinn wouldn't get to the ship before they did. When he realized it was because he wanted them to show it to him, he began to giggle.

  Quinn got a walk-through tour of Case and Stats' ship, after they parked the Wander, then a real tour of Bard, Blade and Nev's ship while his clothes dried. He was teased about touring their closets longest. He told them they held the most things he'd never seen, clothes designed to make men look good.

  When Quinn's dried, they put his helmet and guards and their costumes in carryalls and left the ships in the Wander and the Dragon. It was eleven twenty-nine local time, and Brat had called with a lunch suggestion. They picked up Frets on the way to get Quinn's costume and scooter and for him to change.

  When he came out, they grinned. He wasn't too-coordinated. He'd managed to put together something with style. He told them he'd raided the storage closet in the attic and thought the pants and shirt might have been his great-grandfather's and the hip-length vest his grandmother's. He had no idea when the thick multi-color-pattern woven belt, he had tied loosely over the flowing white shirt, had come from. Frets looked at it and said probably his great-grandmother's youth.

  The 'bunch' met at a small park. Quinn wasn't the only one who'd worked on style. He also wasn't the only one who'd hunted pieces in clothes stored for decades. Shirttails were tied, the bottoms knotted at a side, or sashed. Pant legs were rolled to various heights. Several more had vests of various lengths or overshirts with rolled or pushed-up sleeves. When all had arrived, and a bit more personalizing, such as turned up collars, had been done, they went to The Braiserrie, for lunch buffet.

  When they walked in, some people looked very shocked, then a group of late middle-age women stood and applauded. Several more joined them, then men and couples added their approbation. Members of the group waved and shouted thanks. The staff looked confused. Quinn smiled at the young host, obviously struggling to keep his curiosity under control, as he led them to their reserved tables.

  "Don't you think 'high-fashion' clothing designs for the last several years are horribly boring, if not just horrible?"

  "I didn't think about it."

  "You're not expected to wear them. The women just quit buying them a couple years ago."

  "Our styles have no style."

  "That's one thing we're sure none of the tourists are going to buy here. We hate them."

  "Some might, Al. Prostitutes make good money, and this year's beachwear for women would be perfect in a brothel."

  "The men's look like they cut holes and sewed on sleeves to adapt toy bags."

  "I wondered where they got some of those blinding colors, Timjim. Most bags that size are black or brown."

  "Here's something you can't possibly personalize. Wear it and be uniformly ugly."

  "Or have people ask your price. That exposed is not sexy. It's for sale."

  "The social casters tell everyone we are, Bertie."
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  "I actually had a conversation with one of the men I supposedly had an affair with last year, Feeds. I had to read bios of the other two. I'd never met them."

  "You were once in a ballroom with them and over six hundred other people, Al. That's an affair, by their definition."

  "Oh, is that what it is? I kept wondering how a virgin could have a half-dozen."

  "It's time to put them out of work."

  "Yes Quinn, it is. We'll leave if any society casters show up, so I'll pay for everyone's lunch now."

  "We shouldn't let them in?"

  "It got to the point we didn't speak to women except in large groups because any we did were badgered for 'steamy details,' which they knew didn't exist. Now they do it anyway. They don't give a damn it's obvious a woman wants to run from them. That's good 'proof" for the lies. Telling the whole world she's a bed-hopping slut, while shoving a cam in her face, until she runs away to cry, gets lots of viewers. The more abusive they are, the more money they make. Do you want them in your restaurant?"

  "No, Gen Quinn, we don't. No one believed it."

  "Of course not, but that's not great comfort to a woman who sees her breasts on a planetary newscast, with a long list of who she's invited to handle them, as accompaniment. Her research is saving lives, or her business is helping pay your wage, or her invention is the handiest little item in your kitchen, but that's not mentioned. She's just a female body the society casters can use to make money."

  "They won't get in here again. Enjoy your lunch."

  "Thank you."

  "The buffet smells terrific and you're hungry?"

  "Exactly, Frets. Warning to all: I'd have killed myself this morning, if Bard hadn't been there. He broke my fall, but 'there' was the lifesaver. Don't practice stunts alone."

  "Head down from three meters, moving fast enough to arc."

  "What were you trying?"

  "Stupid, Marty. Even with Brad getting under him, it took two packets of quick-heal."

  "Blade, I slipped."

  "You're going to try it again?"

  "No, Nev. It very obviously didn't work."

  "Are you going to tell us what it was?"

  "No, Brat. These guys reminding me of the stupid is sufficient. When I get a great deal more experienced, I'll decide if there is a way to do it without extended visits to the clinic."

  "You way overestimated your skill."

  "And my balance, and my grip… It's a long list."

  "Excuse me. Walter Baskins is here. He said he's not a society caster any longer, hated it, and just came for lunch."

  "All true."

  "Tell him the act was too damn good, but we saw it had been one on his terrific new segment."

  Walt, smiling widely, did a little run-in-place and waved. The group returned the wave, as they headed for the buffet tables. Quinn handed Bard his plate, said, "Heaps, no orange," and changed direction. Blade took Nev's plate and he turned and followed. Walt stood, shook hands and motioned them to chairs at the table."

  "Thank you."

  "It wasn't easy to come here."

  "No, Admiral, it wasn't, but I can't do the new segment hiding at home, and I think it's important. I was so surprised they gave it to me. I didn't realize they knew I hated what society reporting had become. It began slowly. By the time I realized where it was going, I thought I couldn't get out, without losing all those years invested. Last night, I learned I could have. They wouldn't have just dumped me. Marketshare wasn't the only thing important to them, but I didn't tell them what it was doing to people on both sides of the cam, and they thought it wasn't hurting anyone because no one believed all that… garbage."

  "It was hurting a lot more than just us, Walt. Oops."

  "I like Walt."

  "Quinn."

  "Nev."

  "Hurting more?"

  "The society casts are the cause of the skew in gender expectation, Walt. The presentation of women as 'decorative' and men as 'support posts' for them began one hundred eighty years ago, but the addition of 'sex to the most successful male' is warping your culture fast. Your clothing styles reflect the sickness. Your young men think their healthy, muscular bodies are ugly. Your young women think being intelligent is embarrassing and ambitious shameful, unless the ambition is get a successful man to support them to show off their bodies."

  "He's not exaggerating, Walt. The president asked their help. I was just plain drafted. They knew who could overcome the embarrassment of having our body shapes show to begin the change. Everyone could do the stunts we did last night, physically."

  "You can't compete with other worlds on an equal basis if they think you're sick. We're the first of our society to come here. It's not a belief system or chosen way of life that comes under 'you respect our way and will respect yours.' We'd have been market-share-boosters, and every caster would have been adding us to affair lists to see who could come up with the most profitable couplings, if we hadn't been warned and stomped on it. If my parents came here, my beautiful mother and successful father, your society casters would be 'reporting their acts of adultery' on news seen on our world, and trade and daytrip visits would end before the casts did."

  "Comm connect GNMB News Division, Gordan Allsup, urgent. Subject: Bar of entry to restaurants, revocation of press passes. Gen Allsup, the Admiral moved fast to keep the society casters from causing an interplanetary incident that would have put Mandolin in social and economic isolation as a diseased society. That 'outrageous comm message' contained the precise viewpoint other worlds would have of the usual society news. Your caster had every intention of using the admirals to boost market share. We all did. The intent to use the admirals' genitals to make money ended all tolerance of the 'formula' for society news segments. MPB judged itself guilty of abuse for profit one hour forty-seven minutes before a scheduled segment and permanently replaced it. You have nearly eleven hours to do so and warn other members of the Association of Broadcasters. If the health of this entire world was not at stake, and the people in whose abuse I participated not desperately trying to heal it, I'd have gleefully watched Admiral Terschell screw GNMB News into the ground. Comm out."

  "Let me guess, a couple decades of mad and they were going to try to sue me?"

  "Three, they began it. Your 'public private message' was coercion and was intended to limit free speech."

  "Three decades to minimum retirement?"

  "Over four, but it's age-based across the industry, not a single company. MPB adds considerably to it for each decade with them, but that's not available until age 70. I don't have a journalism degree. I was not quite twenty. I worked in a place like this for two years. There was a big charity event at a park. The society reporter had changed jobs abruptly and the temporary replacement pulled me out of the crowd and put me in the mobile unit with the editor, to supply names and snippets of background. Three temporary reporters later, they put me in front of the cam. I liked the people and the job. I didn't really follow the formula because I knew what they considered important about themselves. As younger people began to replace those as most interesting, I began to have to depend on stock bios. I'd just gotten married and bought a home. She stuck with me, but I told her not to use my name or say I was her husband twelve years ago."

  "Are there others as unhappy as you were?"

  "I suspect there are, Quinn, but we weren't colleagues. We didn't even exchange curt nods."

  "Are you ready to be 'Walt on the run' and help get this world out of its mess?"

  "I bought running shoes that fit this morning, Nev. My wife and I spent two hours soaking and rubbing my feet, and laughing, after I wore the pair I had on last night less than one. It was the most fun we had in years. We're getting calls. We went from 'there's enough' to 'how are we going to do all this' in three hours."

  "Do a screen full of images of what people are doing, bring some up a few seconds, each with who and what, the
n go into one image with a report, more short who and what, second report and so on. How you choose which to do is yours to decide, but you might consider an infonet site with all of them on it."

  "Comm connect George. Your wish of 'good luck' had great power. I'm sitting with Admiral Terschell and Stace Quinn, and the Admiral just solved our too-many problems. I'm going to eat lunch and run for the flyer. Get the list ready, the local reporters moving and an infonet site, and get me a running outfit that doesn't look like I'm wearing a deflated balloon. See what they wear to run on other worlds. Theirs can't possibly be as ugly. I'll call back with details from the flyer. Comm out."

  As they walked back to their waiting lunches, Nev realized Quinn was grinning at him. He gave him a questioning look. Quinn said several people had told him he reminded them of him and he was feeling very smug. Then he asked Nev why he didn't use Curran if Terschell made him uncomfortable.

  "What?"

  "You're smooth and confident with Nev, or even Admiral, but the instant they say 'Terschell,' you pull back and examine everything carefully, and wait for someone else to say something. If Quinn was the power name in my family, I might, but it's actually Donlevy that carries the historical wealth and power load, and my second cousins won't live on this continent because of it. They're several years older and Grandma is the business exec, so they ducked it by living on big dairy farms and being involved in quite local politics. From overheard comments, you have it backwards."

  "Backwards?"

  "They tell people they're Nev's family on the Terschell side, and everyone giggles and says they can see the family resemblance, when they do something terrific so fast it makes heads spin. The others say they're Nev's family on the Valens side, and people giggle a little more. It's not Admiral, Nevin Curran, Nevin Terschell or Tarse Nevin Terschell. It's Nev, and all the other names are just synonyms. Your 'our' son, grandson, great-grandson, neighbor, citizen, admiral, Nev. The whole world claims all of you with vast pride. Why should your extended family be different? Right now, they may be trying to figure out how to apologize for embarrassing you."

  "What?!"

  "Didn't they? It certainly looks like they did from my point of view. They came to your neighborhood and attracted everyone's attention, and now you have to watch everything you do or say because it's 'Terschell,' not just you. They're sure your identity can't be submerged in theirs or they'd have moved somewhere else close in the region, not next door. What you do cannot make them 'look bad.' Your family identity is that one, and me thumping you has gotten be less painful than Bard doing it."

  "True. Why no orange? Something you don't like?"

  "I love it, but vipsy squirts when you stab it with a fork or bite it. The probability of getting through a big helping without a couple orange dots is low enough asking for a vipsy bib to protect clothes is not unusual. I eat it at home, or when I'm wearing colors on which tiny orange speckles don't show. I feel stupid in a bib with cute cartoon vipsy pods squirting each other on it. Since vipsy is both delicious and expensive, I suspect the bib design is a cost control on the buffet."

  "Excruciatingly cute?"

  "Yes."

  "I agree."

  After lunch, the bunch left the city and went north, up the broad, rich valley of the river that drained two-thirds of the continent. They were headed for the vast lake created by damming two of the rivers that fed it.

  The resort town of Serenade was the destination of many cars and flyers that afternoon. It was a playground of the wealthy, and the young adults of the families were gathering to play with new toys. They were from political, as well as business families, and they had shoes and costumes with them.

  Knight, Nev and Blade had 'everything else.' There might not be enough of everything for all, but the estimate would be close, and five had names on them. Billie ran for Bard as soon as he stepped out of the car, stopped on the walk by the car and waited.

  "Shoe pads! Scooter! Your costume is great!"

  "I made it all by myself! I didn't even have to ask help with the seam ripper!"

  "You cut the scallops?!"

  "Uh, huh. I used a measure cup to draw them and I cut right on the lines. Daddy was sure I could and reminded me to go slow. He's who decides what were ready to try. He said he's ready to try Rod's scooter."

  "I think most people will want scooters like his and not ours. A lot of us made trips to the clinic, and all of us got bruises."

  "I've got your kind of quick-heal in my pocket. Rod said it's part of the costume to start."

  "He's right, but your scooter won't make big jumps, so you won't need what's in three other people's pockets too. I did."

  "You have lots more… area to get bruises."

  "Perfect use of 'area.' Where's Rod?"

  "Over there being jealous I could leave before Representative Walston stops talking and he can't. Becks said he's a problem. He's telling people the scooters are too dangerous and the costumes are ob… steen?"

  "Obscene. Just the boys?"

  "Uh, huh."

  "He's the representative for here?"

  "Yes."

  "Nev! Quinn! Frets!"

  "Others included tell me you weren't just yelling for this bonder."

  "The local rep has the other kids stuck listening to a diatribe, real nasty criticism…"

  "I know that one."

  "On dangerous scooters and 'obscene' boys' costumes."

  "Somebody told him we were coming here and he followed us. Rod thinks it's somebody who thinks they can make you do what they want, and everybody will make everybody else help."

  "Comm connect Bance. It's probable the Association of Broadcasters here, at least the top echelon, is going to try to stomp on Mandolin Planetary Broadcasting for judging their formula society news sex speculation 'abuse for profit,' and stopping it. My comm message to granddad was 'attempt to limit free speech by coercion.' If there is general accord, MPB could be fighting for its life and there could be no mention of what I actually said or MPB's real reason for pulling the segment. He told them to look at other worlds and get him running suit the doesn't look like a 'deflated balloon.' Yes, he does. We like these people a great deal and they were working on the problem long before the source was identified. 'No one believes it so it's not hurting anyone.' Precisely. Thank you. Comm out."

  "He thinks?"

  "Transspace will think the segment is worthy of syndication."

  "I need that one, Nev."

  "Well, syndicate meant an association of representatives of businesses, Billie, but the meaning spread out. In broadcasting, it means a show gets sent to every big network and little station signed up to get shows, at the same time. Now, those can decide not to use it if it's included in the package of programs they buy. If it's not they decide whether or not to buy it. If Transspace decides to syndicate the segment, they might offer to pay MPB for the idea and ask networks on other worlds if they want to do a New Tech News show like it, also sent everywhere, then you might build a long show from all of those and send it to entertainment networks, not as a news show."

  "The Association of Broadcasters is going to find out they aren't as important as they think they are."

  "I'm going to change that one a little, Billie. They're not as powerful as they think they are. Do you see why I changed it?"

  "Yes, Frets, they got important mixed up with powerful too."

  "That's exactly right."

  "My turn. Comm connect Grandma Jeannine. Rep Walston is doing an 'obscene costume and dangerous scooters should be banned' on the president's grandkids, probably loudly to show his constituents he's 'supporting their moral standards.' Apologize for offending their sensibilities and promise we'll all go elsewhere to play from now on, please. I'm sure we can find someone who would like to have our business. Probably the Association of Broadcasters. Transspace may already be stepping over them to talk to MPB about their great idea. I s
uspect they're sure you want their assistance controlling us, and like things just as they are. Speculation about us is 'free advertising' for businesses. They do get mentioned as why women are inviting men into their bedrooms. Thank you. I don't want to be featured stud on several networks, either. Everyone! Pack back up! We've been told no one here wants our business any longer!"

  "Wait! What are you talking about?!"

  "Your moral outrage at our costumes and toys. Your representative is making it very publicly clear you do not want to be associated with us in any fashion. We're sending an apology for offending you."

  "You should check with Broadlake Resort, before we tell everyone headed here to go there instead, Quinn."

  "You think they'll have enough room, Marty?"

  "Good question. My parents said eighteen reservations. Yours?"

  "Probably about the same. I know they invited a huge number of daytrippers, but I'm sure Broadlake has a comm node too."

  "She's moving fast."

  "May I go watch everybody tell Rep Walston to be quiet, Frets?"

  "He made you mad?"

  "He said my cousin should be ashamed to show his disgusting bulges in public."

  "Come on! Comm connect Martin. Walston told your son he should be ashamed of his 'disgusting' body. Bail me out if I slug him."

  Bard tossed shoe and bonder to Blade and caught up with Frets and Billie in two strides. He swung Billie onto his back. Frets began to run. Billie told Bard it was Frets' "turn to be guard." He said he'd remember if no one "pushed" her. She said she'd remember unless someone did, too.

  Becks and Bren were in front of their little brothers and clamp-jawed furious. Walston was loudly telling them what an embarrassment they were to their grandfather, and that their parents obviously didn't realize the "deleterious influence of persons with no morals." People converged on him from three sides. The police officers were farthest distance, but Frets and the resort manager saw them and slowed.

  "Representative Walston, you're under arrest. The charge is child abuse."

  "What?!"

  "Please, come with me. You may call your attorney or personal representative. You are advised not to discuss the incident leading to your arrest until you meet with your attorney. All statements made by you until that time will be recorded."

  "Fems and gens, we ask you all to remain here until the investigators arrived, and to cooperate with them. They will ask for any and all recordings and for statements. Please do not discuss what you witnessed with others, until those have been recorded. They estimate arrival in three minutes. Kids, your parents are coming. Rodney, your father asked us to give you a personal message. 'You're right. It stomp time.' Fem Stanhope, getting here before you did was a challenge. Thanks for waiting for us."

  "What he said was child abuse, Frets?"

  "I think so, Billie, and so does your uncle Martin. Rep Walston doesn't. A court will decide."

  "Fems and gens! Our staff will bring chairs, tables and refreshments! Your patience and cooperation is appreciated. The resort sincerely apologizes for our tardiness, and inattention to… what was going on out here! Damn! Leave the premises immediately! We will not be party to defamation of character and emotional abuse of our patrons! Security! Escort those people back to their vehicle and assure they leave! I should have done that years ago."

  "We should have sued them decades ago, Gen Lostrum. Since we didn't, no one realized we wanted it stopped."

  "You're giving us more credit than we deserve, Fem Stanhope. I wonder how my assistant is doing convincing people we really don't want them to leave."

  "Well. Here come the ones who were repacking cars."

  "And here come the tables and chairs. This resort could not function without her. Admiral Loden, I planned a much more pleasant, and sedate, welcome."

  "I understand that completely, Gen Lostrum, but I doubt I would have felt more welcome."

  "Thank you. Welcome! Our staff is so excited they're going to see you ride your scooters! We reserved the large west parking lot for you, and our people will add ramps and such to it. Just tell us what you wish and where."

  "We'll try to come up with something right for us that you can store in a reasonable amount of space. We've all been to events here that filled that lot and more."

  "Fems and gens, we didn't even realize he was talking loudly, until people began to gather. Frankly, the only thing that keeps me from feeling totally foolish is that I didn't vote for him."

  "Frets, can I talk to Blade about it."

  "Absolutely, Rod. You should all choose someone to talk to, girls too. If you want to wait for your parents or call a friend or counselor, do that."

  "Let's go sit over by that tree, Rod."

  "Wren, you talk to Nev. See if you can get him calmed down."

  "Oh, give me the hard one. That tree, Nev?"

  "It looks sturdy enough I can pound on it, Wren."

  "He couldn't really hurt us, Nev, because we know what he's like. Rod's talking to Blade about what his dad said, not what Rep Walston did. Well, that's part of it, but… a symptom. It might have hurt if we didn't know what's going on. We just got real ugly proof how bad it is. We also got proof some people do believe that stuff on the society casts."

  "How did he get elected?"

  "A lot of people in this district vote party, not candidate. He's an ultra-conservative, but most Conservatives think that's better than a moderate Liberal. He actually thought he was helping everyone, guiding them to maintain their morals among the immoral and amoral. He was sure our parents didn't know we were setting a terrible example, and everyone who saw us needed to know that's what it was."

  "You feel sorry for him."

  "Of course. He's injured. That doesn't mean I'm not mad. Rod's got a lot of muscle for a kid because he plays lots of sports. So do I, but a couple years age makes a lot of muscle difference. He's got a more muscular body to start with, so I won't catch up, unless he stops doing anything and I don't. He's proud of his muscle, but he wouldn't be if I wasn't around to be awed he's got so much. His dad tells him it's great, but it's not the same. Rep Walston didn't like your uniforms. He said Liberty Gem should have designed different for women and men, not put men in something only woman should wear."

  "That's not surprising considering how he feels about the shape of his body."

  "Ooh, I missed that piece. Why are you so… deep disgusted, Nev. It's not just our mess."

  "This world is messed up too."

  "Why did it become too far for the kind of trade there once was, Nev?"

  "Transpatial comm."

  "Don't bother to bring that. We've got something that works as well without shipping cost."

  "Yes. We still thought we'd get lots of traders. We got a few and a huge number of comm call bids to buy licenses to make our inventions on their worlds."

  "The only place they got lots of visitors was Earth, and they didn't get them from out here. There are things your world won't sell licenses to make. That was really a surprise."

  "We know. We were too ignored. They'll come get it or won't get it. Every world should have done that."

  "Every world doesn't have something everyone wants."

  "There's not one that didn't have a patent that would have brought traders to buy and take to others. Trade between worlds thirty to forty days apart, at that time, flourished two hundred years ago. Transpatial comm was a tinkerer's discovery. It worked, but why really wasn't known. It was suddenly simple to talk to that business with something new, reach an agreement, get all the specs and license to make it. It might take ninety days to a half-year to get it in production, but that wasn't much longer than it took a trader to get there and back with one load."

  "But it was so expensive, it was only reasonable to use for that."

  "Families saved the whole year to make a comm call to talk to all the rest of the family, if some remaine
d on another world. But after two generations, they were just people who shared ancestors. By the time it became much less expensive, people didn't really have anyone to call, and traders were primarily among the 'close' worlds. They didn't take huge loads of grain and woods and such any longer. Those were traded by comm and just shipped. Over about nine years, the number of traders diminished to the few who just couldn't stay in one place, and they traded between worlds close enough together to make a profit."

  "The great advance in communication increased trade, but it became nonphysical."

  "Exactly. How do you feel about your body?"

  "It's hard to extract that feeling. I like me in general. That's the odd part of the skew the kept us from seeing it until it really began affecting things like university enrollment. The I-wish-I-was wasn't there. Girls were beautiful. Boys were dynamic and neither was trapped. There wasn't a limitation on what they did. Body shape was the offset. I'm not beautiful, but I'm great because… Girls are so beautiful that everything else is minor. I don't think my body is ugly or misshapen, but it's hard to see it as beautiful. I can see it in our art now. Curving lines are aesthetic. Female figures predominate vastly. Anything ridged or angular has a shock component. Male nudes just don't exist. Who'd buy them? I think women feel differently about male bodies than men do, or we'd have a real rise in female homosexuality, but that may be nature fighting back."

  "It may be, but it's gotten so strong in the culture in the last thirty years that you could have more 'overcoming the natural preference' than you know. There's a strong bias against it in the culture and it wouldn't be there if there was no reason for it. It's not against male homosexuality. That's considered a somewhat odd choice. Transvestism is probably rampant and a 'dark secret.' Passing as a woman may be the goal of many men who have a closet they only unlock when the bedroom door is locked and comm monitoring off."

  "There's a lot we're pretty sure we can't even find out in anonymous questionnaires. No one would be absolutely sure they were anonymous. It's too easy to backtrack to a comp."

  "You might consider doing it in print, with a fold-and-drop-in-the-slot collection, with monitoring to assure all get dumped in a larger bin, until they get to people who unfold for comp scan."

  "That's a good idea, especially if it's a long questionnaire with a whole bunch of culture attitude questions that about say the same thing."

  "The Helene University Psychology Department on Verdantine might be good help designing it. Their talent test bank is so well-designed you don't even know what applies to what, but the scoring and evaluation are very accurate. Sometimes there are real surprises, but known talents are always found, and that's anonymous at the evaluation level. They toss in program answered test banks. They're the basis of evaluating the evaluation teams, frequently."

  "You had to go to offworld sources for anything like that."

  "Every human science text was garbage, from political science to psychology. It was so obvious, we concentrated heavily in business, physical science and fine art. Philosophy, sociology, psychology and anthropology were all taught, but they were history and literature courses. It was how Bressler managed to teach 'around' the gov-approved texts."

  "Where did the kids of the oligarchy go to university?"

  "They didn't. They got degrees by 'extension,' whatever degree was appropriate for the title of the position they were given. They had the best Ed programs and elementary and secondary 'classes,' but they were all 'advanced students,' so sports play against others wasn't reasonable. Their last term secondary students were about age fourteen. They all had 'doctorates' by age twenty. The children of all their good friends could participate in their Ed program, by extension. It was how they kept their kids away from others. The wealthy, who'd earned it, sent their children to private schools or educated them at home, primarily the latter, until they chose universities. Most chose one of about six of those. Their reason was the reverse of the oligarchy, keep their kids away from the attitude money was most important and having it made you better than others. Back to subject."

  "I think my body is nice because it's real healthy, and being awed by Rod's muscle helped a lot, I think. If he couldn't hit a ball farther and lift more than any other boys his age I know of, I might not like boy-body as much."

  "Comm connect Blade. Wren may have the key to 'male muscle is beautiful.' Rod's muscle is awesome because it's the basis of his hit-farther-lift-more admirable boy ability. Wren said his 'awe' was important to that. Yes, I think they were fighting it together without actually realizing it."

  Blade stood up, took off his shirt and flexed. Bard noticed and took off his. Nev, Case and Stats stripped to the waist and the five met on the flat lawn by 'Blade's' tree. He called standard upper body calisthenics. Quinn saw Rod take a place beside Blade. He told Marty people might wonder why exercise turned him pink, then walked over, took off his shirt and joined. Marty and Brat followed, then all the other men did.

  Frets led the women over to "watch and be awed." A middle-age man, who looked heavyset, left the witness seating, walked over and pulled off his shirt. The women cheered. He was massively muscled and in obviously fantastic condition.

  Men began to 'roll out.' Leebo yelled it was obvious why Timjim and Marty never wore out and needed to be replaced in a rugby or soccer game. Rod rolled out and was cheered for "incredible" for a boy his age. Quinn rolled out and yelled he'd run out of "stubborn," too. Brat and several others went with him. Marty and Timjim rolled out, then Case and Stats did. Case yelled they obviously didn't work out with Blade, Bard and Nev.

  The middle-age man kept up until Blade call stop. He grinned widely, as he reached for the shirt that made him look fat.

  "I'm Blade. Who are you?"

  "Anthony James, dean of the Friendstown University Physical Education Department. One of our alumni called me. I'm here specifically to support these young men against those who'd stop their play because it requires form-fitting clothing. Weightlifting, wrestling, gymnastics, diving and swimming have disappeared from men's sport competition, and several track and field events are on the way out. You can't get a wrestling hold on a tent and you can't swim fast in a bladder."

  "And it's difficult to run and jump in a sail. You've got to be losing the ability to judge figure-skating and see what they're doing incorrectly to coach about everything."

  "We're losing our ability to referee about everything. We have people trying to develop tech to give us images through clothes and people fighting it as invasion of privacy, and even voyeurism and contributing to pedophilia."

  "Just like our world, we keep discovering more damage. The plan to use the society casts to reverse what they did got dumped when we saw what it was really doing to them. They're trying to help come up with something new."

  "A sports competition in the historical Olympiad form, in which we're unable to do well because of our odd clothing style."

  "You had that idea waiting a while."

  "Decades, Blade, but it was a dream, not an idea."

  In two hours, they'd built the dream into a plan. Space platforms would provide athletes a place to practice and acclimate to the gravity of whichever world of a "region of space" would host their events. They would also be transportation when it was time to move them. Physical travel would be encouraged by free venue tickets to people from offworld who would 'plug' a great deal more into economies than trippers. The answer to their proposal, sent to Larry, came from an unexpected place.

  The resort manager announced Earth "region" was going to host the first Olympic games in five hundred forty-eight years, in two years, and Liberty Gem was building space platform practice facilities for athletes. A few moments later, Walt called and told them his segment had been "picked up" by Transspace. By then, a great many more people had arrived and many were learning to ride float scooters.