Read Online The State Of The Art by Iain M. Banks - Free Book Online
Authors: Iain M. Banks
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think it's because we don't mature the way they do. I mean the females have periods, and the men have this machismo thing because they've got to do all the things they're supposed to do and so we don't; I mean we don't have things they do ... what I mean is that there are all sorts of things that do things to them, and we don't have that. Them. We don't have them and so we don't get ground down the way they do. I think that's the secret. Pressures and knocks and disappointments. I think that's what somebody said to me. But I mean it's so unfair ... but I don't know who for yet; I haven't worked that out, you know?'
I looked at Roghres and she looked at me. Some drugs do turn you into a blabbering moron for the duration.
'I think you know something you're not telling us,' Roghres said. 'And I don't think I'm going to coax it out of you.' She smiled. 'I know; if you don't tell, I'll say to Li that you told me you're secretly in love with him and just playing hard to get. How about that?'
'I'll tell my mum, and she's bigger than yours.' Roghres laughed. She took Djibard by the hand and they both stood. They moved off, Roghres guiding Djibard, who as she moved away was saying, 'You know, I think it's because we don't mature the way they do. I mean the females -'
A drone carrying empty glasses passed by and muttered, 'Gibbering Djibard,' in English. I smiled, and waggled my feet in the warm water.
4.3: Ablation
I was in Auckland for a couple of weeks, then Edinburgh, then back in the ship again. One or two people asked me about Linter, but obviously word got round that while I probably knew something, I wasn't going to tell anybody. Still, nobody seemed any less friendly because of that.
Meanwhile Li had embarked upon a campaign to get the ship to let him visit Earth without modification. His plan was to go mountain descending; have himself dropped on a summit and then make his way down. He told the ship that this would be perfectly safe security-wise, in the Himalayas at least, because if he was seen people would assume he was a Yeti. The ship said it would think about it (which meant No).
About the middle of June the ship suddenly asked me to go to Oslo for the day. Linter had asked to see me.
A module dropped me in woods near Sandvika in the bright, early morning. I caught a bus to the centre and walked up to the Frogner park. I found the bridge over the river which Linter wanted to use as a rendezvous, and sat on the parapet.
I didn't recognize him at first. I usually recognize people from the way they walk, and Linter's gait had altered. He looked thinner and more pale; not so physically imposing and immediate. Same suit as in Paris, though it looked baggier on him now, and slightly shabby. He stopped a metre away.
'Hello.' I held out my hand. He shook it, nodded.
'It's good to see you again. How are you keeping?' His voice was weaker sounding, less sure, somehow.
I shook my head, smiling. 'Perfectly well, of course.'
'Oh yes, of course.' He was avoiding my eyes.
He made me feel a little awkward, just standing there, so I slid down off the parapet and stood in front of him. He seemed to be smaller than I remembered. He was rubbing his hands together as though it was cold, and looking up the broad avenue of bizarre Vigoland sculptures into the northern blue-morning sky. 'Do you want to walk?' he asked.
'Yes, let's.' We started across the bridge, towards the first flight of steps on the far side of the obelisk and fountain.
'Thank you for coming.' Linter looked at me, then quickly away.
'That's all right. Pleasant city.' I took off my leather jacket and slung it over my shoulder. I was wearing jeans and boots, but it was a blouse and skirt day, really. 'So, how are you getting on?'
'I'm still staying, if that's what you want to know.' Defensively.
'I assumed you were.'
He relaxed, coughed. We walked across the broad, empty bridge. It was still too early for most people to be up and about, and we seemed to be
I looked at Roghres and she looked at me. Some drugs do turn you into a blabbering moron for the duration.
'I think you know something you're not telling us,' Roghres said. 'And I don't think I'm going to coax it out of you.' She smiled. 'I know; if you don't tell, I'll say to Li that you told me you're secretly in love with him and just playing hard to get. How about that?'
'I'll tell my mum, and she's bigger than yours.' Roghres laughed. She took Djibard by the hand and they both stood. They moved off, Roghres guiding Djibard, who as she moved away was saying, 'You know, I think it's because we don't mature the way they do. I mean the females -'
A drone carrying empty glasses passed by and muttered, 'Gibbering Djibard,' in English. I smiled, and waggled my feet in the warm water.
4.3: Ablation
I was in Auckland for a couple of weeks, then Edinburgh, then back in the ship again. One or two people asked me about Linter, but obviously word got round that while I probably knew something, I wasn't going to tell anybody. Still, nobody seemed any less friendly because of that.
Meanwhile Li had embarked upon a campaign to get the ship to let him visit Earth without modification. His plan was to go mountain descending; have himself dropped on a summit and then make his way down. He told the ship that this would be perfectly safe security-wise, in the Himalayas at least, because if he was seen people would assume he was a Yeti. The ship said it would think about it (which meant No).
About the middle of June the ship suddenly asked me to go to Oslo for the day. Linter had asked to see me.
A module dropped me in woods near Sandvika in the bright, early morning. I caught a bus to the centre and walked up to the Frogner park. I found the bridge over the river which Linter wanted to use as a rendezvous, and sat on the parapet.
I didn't recognize him at first. I usually recognize people from the way they walk, and Linter's gait had altered. He looked thinner and more pale; not so physically imposing and immediate. Same suit as in Paris, though it looked baggier on him now, and slightly shabby. He stopped a metre away.
'Hello.' I held out my hand. He shook it, nodded.
'It's good to see you again. How are you keeping?' His voice was weaker sounding, less sure, somehow.
I shook my head, smiling. 'Perfectly well, of course.'
'Oh yes, of course.' He was avoiding my eyes.
He made me feel a little awkward, just standing there, so I slid down off the parapet and stood in front of him. He seemed to be smaller than I remembered. He was rubbing his hands together as though it was cold, and looking up the broad avenue of bizarre Vigoland sculptures into the northern blue-morning sky. 'Do you want to walk?' he asked.
'Yes, let's.' We started across the bridge, towards the first flight of steps on the far side of the obelisk and fountain.
'Thank you for coming.' Linter looked at me, then quickly away.
'That's all right. Pleasant city.' I took off my leather jacket and slung it over my shoulder. I was wearing jeans and boots, but it was a blouse and skirt day, really. 'So, how are you getting on?'
'I'm still staying, if that's what you want to know.' Defensively.
'I assumed you were.'
He relaxed, coughed. We walked across the broad, empty bridge. It was still too early for most people to be up and about, and we seemed to be
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