Read Online A Learning Experience 2: Hard Lessons by Christopher G. Nuttall - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christopher G. Nuttall
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be stuck in dock. They’d need a plausible excuse if the customs officers started asking probing questions.
“I have a question,” Jean said. “How long do you intend to remain on Varnar?”
“As long as necessary,” Kevin said, although he knew that was a useless answer. “It depends on what we find when we get there.”
Jean nodded. “I’ll try and stall,” she said. “Right now, we have a healthy balance of GalStars, so we have an excuse to hang around and try to drum up better prices for our wares.”
“I understand,” Kevin said.
“We’ve set up access points in the cabin below,” Jean said, turning away from the hold. “You can handle most of the equipment from there, I believe. However, please check with my staff before you start hacking into the local datanet. We need to make sure our demands are not excessive.”
Kevin had to smile. Fifty years ago, before the Hordesmen had visited Earth, it had taken hours to download movies from the internet. Now, it took bare seconds. It still struck him as odd that a thousand terabytes a second could be considered light usage, but modern VR productions and info-streaming used far more data. The Galactics had so much computing power at their disposal they honestly didn't know what to do with it.
But sweeping the local net probably would be noticed.
“We’ll just say we’re looking for porn,” he said. “They won’t see anything odd in that, I think.”
He smiled, rather sardonically. One of the few common points shared by most of the known Galactics was a liking for porn, even though one race might find another’s tastes thoroughly disgusting. Interracial sex was taboo throughout the explored galaxy; unsurprisingly, there was a hidden subculture of perverts who did just that, despite harsh legal penalties. Given that the Tokomak didn't seem to practice any other form of cultural imperialism, at least not deliberately, it was an odd exception to their rule.
Old men , he thought. But then, on Earth, there had been even more absurd taboos. There had been people back on the ranch who had had fits when they’d realised that Steve had been dating a Japanese girl. And they would have been horrified if they’d known that Kevin had experienced women of all colours. They’re too conservative to tolerate something they find disgusting .
“I imagine not,” Jean said. “But I will not allow anything to compromise the ship.”
She led him back up to the bridge, then into the exercise chamber. The remainder of the COT were already waiting for him; three men, two women and a single large crab-like creature, wearing a human rank badge on its maniples. Kevin shivered as he saw the Hordesman, even though the Mars Horde was nothing like its former brethren. Even the Solar Union, renowned for its tolerance, had had problems accepting the Hordesmen. Leaving them on Mars seemed kinder.
“Director Stuart,” the leader said. “I’m John. This is James, Julian, Mindy, Mandy and Chester.”
“They didn't waste time when they picked your names,” Kevin said. The human members of the team looked ... bland, completely anonymous. Their real names would be stored somewhere inside a secure datacore, but erased everywhere else. “And Chester?”
“My real name is impossible for humans to pronounce,” the Hordesman said. He wore a Galactic-issue voder, rather than the human designs that actually reflected emotion. “Chester is close enough to be usable.”
“Good,” Kevin said. “And your career?”
His implants reported a secure file being transferred to them. He opened it and mentally skimmed the contents. Chester had been born on Mars, educated properly – rather than the haphazard education the former Hordesmen had given their male children – and had shown such promise he’d been invited to join the SIA, following a
“I have a question,” Jean said. “How long do you intend to remain on Varnar?”
“As long as necessary,” Kevin said, although he knew that was a useless answer. “It depends on what we find when we get there.”
Jean nodded. “I’ll try and stall,” she said. “Right now, we have a healthy balance of GalStars, so we have an excuse to hang around and try to drum up better prices for our wares.”
“I understand,” Kevin said.
“We’ve set up access points in the cabin below,” Jean said, turning away from the hold. “You can handle most of the equipment from there, I believe. However, please check with my staff before you start hacking into the local datanet. We need to make sure our demands are not excessive.”
Kevin had to smile. Fifty years ago, before the Hordesmen had visited Earth, it had taken hours to download movies from the internet. Now, it took bare seconds. It still struck him as odd that a thousand terabytes a second could be considered light usage, but modern VR productions and info-streaming used far more data. The Galactics had so much computing power at their disposal they honestly didn't know what to do with it.
But sweeping the local net probably would be noticed.
“We’ll just say we’re looking for porn,” he said. “They won’t see anything odd in that, I think.”
He smiled, rather sardonically. One of the few common points shared by most of the known Galactics was a liking for porn, even though one race might find another’s tastes thoroughly disgusting. Interracial sex was taboo throughout the explored galaxy; unsurprisingly, there was a hidden subculture of perverts who did just that, despite harsh legal penalties. Given that the Tokomak didn't seem to practice any other form of cultural imperialism, at least not deliberately, it was an odd exception to their rule.
Old men , he thought. But then, on Earth, there had been even more absurd taboos. There had been people back on the ranch who had had fits when they’d realised that Steve had been dating a Japanese girl. And they would have been horrified if they’d known that Kevin had experienced women of all colours. They’re too conservative to tolerate something they find disgusting .
“I imagine not,” Jean said. “But I will not allow anything to compromise the ship.”
She led him back up to the bridge, then into the exercise chamber. The remainder of the COT were already waiting for him; three men, two women and a single large crab-like creature, wearing a human rank badge on its maniples. Kevin shivered as he saw the Hordesman, even though the Mars Horde was nothing like its former brethren. Even the Solar Union, renowned for its tolerance, had had problems accepting the Hordesmen. Leaving them on Mars seemed kinder.
“Director Stuart,” the leader said. “I’m John. This is James, Julian, Mindy, Mandy and Chester.”
“They didn't waste time when they picked your names,” Kevin said. The human members of the team looked ... bland, completely anonymous. Their real names would be stored somewhere inside a secure datacore, but erased everywhere else. “And Chester?”
“My real name is impossible for humans to pronounce,” the Hordesman said. He wore a Galactic-issue voder, rather than the human designs that actually reflected emotion. “Chester is close enough to be usable.”
“Good,” Kevin said. “And your career?”
His implants reported a secure file being transferred to them. He opened it and mentally skimmed the contents. Chester had been born on Mars, educated properly – rather than the haphazard education the former Hordesmen had given their male children – and had shown such promise he’d been invited to join the SIA, following a
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