Read Online The Gate to Women's Country by Sheri S. Tepper - Free Book Online Page A

probably is,” Stavia thought. “Showers and a clean bed and cooked food and too much of our precious antibiotics.”
    â€œI’ve got a daughter in Marthatown somewhere,” Vonella said. “And a son in the garrison at Susan.”
    â€œThen what are you doing out there?” Stavia demanded,forgetting for the moment that she was a child and not supposed to ask personal questions.
    â€œStavia!” Morgot warned.
    â€œOh, it’s all right, Doctor,” the woman said. “I don’t mind the kid askin’ and I don’t mind sayin’. I just wasn’t suited for town, you know? Too clean. Too neat. Too much expected of you all the time. Studies and work and crafty things—no more time to yourself than a dog with the itch. Somebody after you all the time to cook better or weave better or be responsible for somethin’. I’d rather be out here, travelin’ around. Jik’s an old villain, but he’s not bad to us, really. Some of the men are all right. We have some times.”
    Morgot sighed. “Have you been pregnant since you’ve been with Jik?”
    The woman didn’t answer.
    â€œDid your baby disappear? Did Jik kill it? Or did it die?”
    â€œIt died,” the woman said sullenly.”
    â€œHow much of what Jik collects from your… your clients do you get? Half? Less than that?”
    The woman didn’t answer.
    â€œHow many times have you had a disease? You know, you keep passing these diseases around, and they lead to cancer. We can’t cure cancer. People got close to a cure once, so it’s said, but that’s all lost now. Since the convulsions, we can’t treat a lot of things that were curable before.” Morgot said it as though she didn’t really care, but Stavia knew she did. “You’re no better than a slave, Vonella. You’ve been taken captive, and you don’t even know it.”
    The woman threw up her hands, exclaiming angrily, “Oh I know. I do know. Likely I’ll kill myself well before my three score and ten. I smoke willow, too, and that’s no good for the lungs. And we all drink a bit there in camp. Jik makes good beer….”
    â€œFrom stolen grain,” Morgot remarked.
    â€œWell, he gets it where he gets it. Smoking and drinking and fucking. One or the other will probably kill me, right enough, but who wants to live to be old, anyhow? I’ve never wanted to be old.” Vonella waved her hands again, exorcising age and infirmity.
    â€œYou’ll probably have your wish,” Morgot agreed.“Slaves mostly died young, even in ancient times. It’s your life, but we can’t let you infect Women’s Country.”
    They stopped at the quarantine gate to drop both Tally and Vonella. “Stavia, go in with her and get the names of all the warriors and Gypsies she had contact with, will you please?”
    â€œOh God, lady, don’t send your little girl in that pest-house just for that. There was only one, this whole week. That mad old white-headed one with just the one eye. He always comes to me.”
    Stavia hesitated, waiting for the order to be rescinded. After a moment, Morgot nodded to her. “Unless you’d like to keep Tally company.”
    It was one of those maternal “unlesses” which could be understood a dozen ways. Did it mean, “Unless you’re curious about the quarantine house and would like to see the inside?” or “Unless you think it would be womanly to help Tally regain her equanimity?” or “Unless it would be a good idea to rub Myra’s nose in this just a little more?”
    â€œI’ll go in with Tally,” Stavia said. “I have to do a report for my community medicine course, anyhow, and I can do it on the quarantine center.”
    Morgot nodded and drove the wagon away in such a manner as to suggest still another unless: “Unless you think it might be a