circle.
“That’s an interface box. They’re illegal.” When the Exodus occurred, much of the interface technology that was the media for the Communion was banned.
“Yeah. But not illegal anymore. The OG repealed those laws a decade ago, but no one noticed. My lawyer pried it loose from them and sent it up.” He pulled the wire from his head and tossed it across the box. “Useless now.”
“Can’t you access the Ring?”
“Why? It’d be like swimming in the ocean alone.” He looked at me sidelong. “I can give you one, you know. I can build you an interface.”
I recoiled. “No!” I said quickly. “I …”
He smiled, perhaps the first time I’d seen him do it. It changed his face. “I understand. Would you like something to drink? I’ve got a few fix’ns. Sit anyway.”
“No,” I said. “I’m just …” I realized that for a pod’s voice, I wasn’t articulating my thoughts very well. I looked him in the eye. “I came to talk with you, alone.”
“I appreciate the gesture. I know being alone is uncomfortable for you.”
“I didn’t realize you knew so much about us.”
“Multiples were being designed when I was around. I kept up on the subject,” he said. “It wasn’t very successful. I remember articles on failures that were mentally deficient or unbalanced.”
“That was a long time ago! Mother Redd was from that time and she’s a great doctor. And I’m fine—”
He held up a hand. “Hold on! There were lotsa incidents with interface technology before … well, I wouldn’t be here if it was totally safe.”
His loneliness was a sheer cliff of rock. “Why are you here, instead of at one of the singleton enclaves?”
He shrugged. “There or in the middle of nowhere, it would be the same.” He half-smiled. “Last of a vanished breed, I am. So you’re gonna be a starship captain, you and your mingle-minded friends.”
“I am … We are,” I replied.
“Good luck, then. Maybe you’ll find the Community,” he said. He looked tired.
“Is that what happened? They left for outer space? Through the Rift?”
He looked puzzled. “No, maybe. I can almost … remember.” He smiled. “It’s like being drunk and knowing you should be sober and not being able to do anything about it.”
“I understand,” I said. I took his hand. It was dry and smooth.
He squeezed once and then stood up, leaving me confused. I was sluggish on the inside, but at the same time hyperaware of him. We knew what sex was—we’d studied
it, of course, even practiced—but I had no idea what Malcolm was thinking. If he was a multiple, part of a pod, I would.
“I should go,” I said, standing.
I was hoping he’d say something by the time I got to the door, but he didn’t. I felt my cheeks burn. I was a silly little girl. By myself I’d done nothing but embarrass my pod, myself.
I pulled the door shut and ran into the woods.
“Meda!”
He stood black in yellow light at the cottage door.
“I’m sorry for being so caught up in my own troubles. I’ve been a bad host. Why don’t you—” I reached him in three steps and kissed him on the mouth. Just barely I tasted his thoughts, his arousal.
“Why don’t I what?” I said after a moment.
“Come back inside.”
I—they—were there to meet me the next morning as I walked back to the farm. I knew they would be. A part of me wanted to spend the rest of the day with my new lover, but another wanted nothing more than to confront myself, rub my nose in the scent that clung to me, and show me … I didn’t know what I wanted to prove. Perhaps that I didn’t need to be a composite to be happy. I didn’t need them, us, to be a whole person.
“You remember Veronica Proust,” Moira said, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, the rest of us behind her. Of course she would take the point when I was gone. Of course she would quote precedent.
“I remember,” I said, staying outside, beyond the pull of the pheromones. I
“That’s an interface box. They’re illegal.” When the Exodus occurred, much of the interface technology that was the media for the Communion was banned.
“Yeah. But not illegal anymore. The OG repealed those laws a decade ago, but no one noticed. My lawyer pried it loose from them and sent it up.” He pulled the wire from his head and tossed it across the box. “Useless now.”
“Can’t you access the Ring?”
“Why? It’d be like swimming in the ocean alone.” He looked at me sidelong. “I can give you one, you know. I can build you an interface.”
I recoiled. “No!” I said quickly. “I …”
He smiled, perhaps the first time I’d seen him do it. It changed his face. “I understand. Would you like something to drink? I’ve got a few fix’ns. Sit anyway.”
“No,” I said. “I’m just …” I realized that for a pod’s voice, I wasn’t articulating my thoughts very well. I looked him in the eye. “I came to talk with you, alone.”
“I appreciate the gesture. I know being alone is uncomfortable for you.”
“I didn’t realize you knew so much about us.”
“Multiples were being designed when I was around. I kept up on the subject,” he said. “It wasn’t very successful. I remember articles on failures that were mentally deficient or unbalanced.”
“That was a long time ago! Mother Redd was from that time and she’s a great doctor. And I’m fine—”
He held up a hand. “Hold on! There were lotsa incidents with interface technology before … well, I wouldn’t be here if it was totally safe.”
His loneliness was a sheer cliff of rock. “Why are you here, instead of at one of the singleton enclaves?”
He shrugged. “There or in the middle of nowhere, it would be the same.” He half-smiled. “Last of a vanished breed, I am. So you’re gonna be a starship captain, you and your mingle-minded friends.”
“I am … We are,” I replied.
“Good luck, then. Maybe you’ll find the Community,” he said. He looked tired.
“Is that what happened? They left for outer space? Through the Rift?”
He looked puzzled. “No, maybe. I can almost … remember.” He smiled. “It’s like being drunk and knowing you should be sober and not being able to do anything about it.”
“I understand,” I said. I took his hand. It was dry and smooth.
He squeezed once and then stood up, leaving me confused. I was sluggish on the inside, but at the same time hyperaware of him. We knew what sex was—we’d studied
it, of course, even practiced—but I had no idea what Malcolm was thinking. If he was a multiple, part of a pod, I would.
“I should go,” I said, standing.
I was hoping he’d say something by the time I got to the door, but he didn’t. I felt my cheeks burn. I was a silly little girl. By myself I’d done nothing but embarrass my pod, myself.
I pulled the door shut and ran into the woods.
“Meda!”
He stood black in yellow light at the cottage door.
“I’m sorry for being so caught up in my own troubles. I’ve been a bad host. Why don’t you—” I reached him in three steps and kissed him on the mouth. Just barely I tasted his thoughts, his arousal.
“Why don’t I what?” I said after a moment.
“Come back inside.”
I—they—were there to meet me the next morning as I walked back to the farm. I knew they would be. A part of me wanted to spend the rest of the day with my new lover, but another wanted nothing more than to confront myself, rub my nose in the scent that clung to me, and show me … I didn’t know what I wanted to prove. Perhaps that I didn’t need to be a composite to be happy. I didn’t need them, us, to be a whole person.
“You remember Veronica Proust,” Moira said, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, the rest of us behind her. Of course she would take the point when I was gone. Of course she would quote precedent.
“I remember,” I said, staying outside, beyond the pull of the pheromones. I
Similar Books
