Romance 4
By now Lata and Marcel were sick of their fellow humans, preferring to socialize with aliens. Councillor did not have ship duties per se - these belonging to the Captain. Her job was to prepare her clients as well as possible.
She found it hugely ironic. The people showing the most promise were the same ones most worried. Lata and Marcel must have asked her several thousand angst-ridden questions. She did her best, answered honestly. The other set, didn't seem to have one iota of interest in where they were headed, so caught up in the dance of dispute.
Councillor Zir could have taken the approach, let Dept of Civil Housing deal with them. But that went against the grain. She had a long, successful career, prided herself on a job well done. So one time, she flat out asked Lata and Marcel about it. What would they recommend she do?
Both looked at each other sheepishly. Finally, Marcel in a tentative voice, "ma'am, it's hopeless. In our world, gays don't change. Period."
To her credit, Councillor was honest, "you'd better hope he does. If our counselling program fails, it's off to the proverbial salt mine for him and Meena becomes your #2 wife."
Both gasped. "Ma'am there is such a thing?"
"Of course, men have higher death rates due to accident and addiction. Roughly 1/10 of men, have 2 wives, it being their civic duty."
Seeing them turn pale, she quickly added, "your ah legal wife. You have seen photos of apartments, do understand there's lots of room if you choose to avoid her."
Looks of relief.
Suresh and Meena reached such an impasse that they ceased to speak. Bored, Suresh started sifting through his assigned reading material. Soon discovered it useful to compare notes with both Lata and Marcel. Oh yes, he knew both were impostors. But both were knowledgable in their fields before leaving Earth and both were way ahead of him on the learning curve on this voyage. At this point, neither Suresh nor Meena was aware that DCH was awaiting.
On a daily basis, Suresh was engaged in shop talk with the happy couple. Soon came to envy their easy way, their obvious love. Now if he were straight, he's simply grab Meena and start French-kissing. He knew what would happen, set off the explosion.
But he couldn't. His whole identity was gaydom. To even once go to bed with a fish would be the end of the world as he knew it. Still, he mused, she is one panther, be superb in bed, but only with a straight guy of course.
Meena retreated into her manuscripts. With all the fantasies she had these days, her sex encounter scenes sizzled. Much more alive than the stilted bedroom romps of yore. So that crazy gay guy had given her some energy. Writing before had been hard work. Now it was fun, rolled off her fingertips effortlessly.
Councillor was happy to see her 2 recalcitrant clients back at work. If they could at least become happy professionally, they'd accept their social fate with better grace. She was quick to praise and encourage both. In no time, Suresh was responding, asking a lot of lifestyle questions.
Eventually the topic did come up and she had to be honest, explain what would happen on docking. DCH would prepare the marriage certificate within the hour.
He was aghast.
"But dear," she consoled, "your ah wife legally. You've seen photos of accommodation, know it's large enough should you choose to avoid her. Law says you must be married, but no law says what you must or must not do in the bedroom."
"We-ell, with 3,000 square feet, I suppose we could manage, not trip over one another."
"That's the spirit, dear, you'll fit right in, soon come to enjoy our world. See when I understood the problem, I ordered Sgt to go back, retrieve your porn collection."
Gratitude came to his eyes, he hugged her, kissed her.
"You see dear, DCH doesn't have to know any of this. Just so long as you have the proper certificate."
"So ma'am, why do you do such a difficult job?"
"It's needed. Our society is strangling on its own mediocrity and political correctness. If we did not import foreign experts, we'd have long since collapsed. You have no idea how important you really are. If someone doesn't get a handle on the underground economy, the government will collapse, and sooner not later. If Meena doesn't write, enliven the trade, one of these years the sad sorry publishing industry will teeter over the brink."
"Just one thing ma'am, see in our world it's a huge problem if wife gets many times the income level of husband. What do you suggest?"
"The published salary figure is ridiculous. We don't mind if you take bribes, just so long as you stay within the rules. Not allowed to take more than 15 times your salary level."
"In that case ma'am, I could marry her, on paper I mean."
It is impossible to write in a vacuum, you need feedback, outside critique. And so, Meena found herself asking Lata to do just this, read her manuscript and comment.
As Lata handed it back, she was blushing ferociously, "I ah well ah don't know where to start."
"What do you mean?"
"Well ah these well sex scenes. Transparent, you're drooling over Suresh, would love to try."
Blustering, "I am not."
"Come on now, are you lying to yourself or to me?"
"He's a disgusting pervert. But yeah, you are right, I have had rather a lot of fantasies of late."
"So throw your arms around him, nibble his ear, French-kiss, tell him to close his eyes and fantasize anything he chooses."
It worked. When you are already 200,000 light-years away from Earth, you are a little more open to compromise than when you live a $4 cab ride away from the bathhouse. They spent 3 days together in bed. When they emerged, they decided to be a little more open-minded about their new world.
As they sat on their 500 square foot balcony on the 300th story of a posh building, admiring a sunset far more beautiful than on Earth, they held hands.
Councillor Zir was on loan to both couples for several months, to help sort things such as publishing offers. Proud? You bet. All four of her clients had come through, both socially and professionally. She had an amazing batting average, far better than anyone else in the field.
She found it hugely ironic. The people showing the most promise were the same ones most worried. Lata and Marcel must have asked her several thousand angst-ridden questions. She did her best, answered honestly. The other set, didn't seem to have one iota of interest in where they were headed, so caught up in the dance of dispute.
Councillor Zir could have taken the approach, let Dept of Civil Housing deal with them. But that went against the grain. She had a long, successful career, prided herself on a job well done. So one time, she flat out asked Lata and Marcel about it. What would they recommend she do?
Both looked at each other sheepishly. Finally, Marcel in a tentative voice, "ma'am, it's hopeless. In our world, gays don't change. Period."
To her credit, Councillor was honest, "you'd better hope he does. If our counselling program fails, it's off to the proverbial salt mine for him and Meena becomes your #2 wife."
Both gasped. "Ma'am there is such a thing?"
"Of course, men have higher death rates due to accident and addiction. Roughly 1/10 of men, have 2 wives, it being their civic duty."
Seeing them turn pale, she quickly added, "your ah legal wife. You have seen photos of apartments, do understand there's lots of room if you choose to avoid her."
Looks of relief.
Suresh and Meena reached such an impasse that they ceased to speak. Bored, Suresh started sifting through his assigned reading material. Soon discovered it useful to compare notes with both Lata and Marcel. Oh yes, he knew both were impostors. But both were knowledgable in their fields before leaving Earth and both were way ahead of him on the learning curve on this voyage. At this point, neither Suresh nor Meena was aware that DCH was awaiting.
On a daily basis, Suresh was engaged in shop talk with the happy couple. Soon came to envy their easy way, their obvious love. Now if he were straight, he's simply grab Meena and start French-kissing. He knew what would happen, set off the explosion.
But he couldn't. His whole identity was gaydom. To even once go to bed with a fish would be the end of the world as he knew it. Still, he mused, she is one panther, be superb in bed, but only with a straight guy of course.
Meena retreated into her manuscripts. With all the fantasies she had these days, her sex encounter scenes sizzled. Much more alive than the stilted bedroom romps of yore. So that crazy gay guy had given her some energy. Writing before had been hard work. Now it was fun, rolled off her fingertips effortlessly.
Councillor was happy to see her 2 recalcitrant clients back at work. If they could at least become happy professionally, they'd accept their social fate with better grace. She was quick to praise and encourage both. In no time, Suresh was responding, asking a lot of lifestyle questions.
Eventually the topic did come up and she had to be honest, explain what would happen on docking. DCH would prepare the marriage certificate within the hour.
He was aghast.
"But dear," she consoled, "your ah wife legally. You've seen photos of accommodation, know it's large enough should you choose to avoid her. Law says you must be married, but no law says what you must or must not do in the bedroom."
"We-ell, with 3,000 square feet, I suppose we could manage, not trip over one another."
"That's the spirit, dear, you'll fit right in, soon come to enjoy our world. See when I understood the problem, I ordered Sgt to go back, retrieve your porn collection."
Gratitude came to his eyes, he hugged her, kissed her.
"You see dear, DCH doesn't have to know any of this. Just so long as you have the proper certificate."
"So ma'am, why do you do such a difficult job?"
"It's needed. Our society is strangling on its own mediocrity and political correctness. If we did not import foreign experts, we'd have long since collapsed. You have no idea how important you really are. If someone doesn't get a handle on the underground economy, the government will collapse, and sooner not later. If Meena doesn't write, enliven the trade, one of these years the sad sorry publishing industry will teeter over the brink."
"Just one thing ma'am, see in our world it's a huge problem if wife gets many times the income level of husband. What do you suggest?"
"The published salary figure is ridiculous. We don't mind if you take bribes, just so long as you stay within the rules. Not allowed to take more than 15 times your salary level."
"In that case ma'am, I could marry her, on paper I mean."
It is impossible to write in a vacuum, you need feedback, outside critique. And so, Meena found herself asking Lata to do just this, read her manuscript and comment.
As Lata handed it back, she was blushing ferociously, "I ah well ah don't know where to start."
"What do you mean?"
"Well ah these well sex scenes. Transparent, you're drooling over Suresh, would love to try."
Blustering, "I am not."
"Come on now, are you lying to yourself or to me?"
"He's a disgusting pervert. But yeah, you are right, I have had rather a lot of fantasies of late."
"So throw your arms around him, nibble his ear, French-kiss, tell him to close his eyes and fantasize anything he chooses."
It worked. When you are already 200,000 light-years away from Earth, you are a little more open to compromise than when you live a $4 cab ride away from the bathhouse. They spent 3 days together in bed. When they emerged, they decided to be a little more open-minded about their new world.
As they sat on their 500 square foot balcony on the 300th story of a posh building, admiring a sunset far more beautiful than on Earth, they held hands.
Councillor Zir was on loan to both couples for several months, to help sort things such as publishing offers. Proud? You bet. All four of her clients had come through, both socially and professionally. She had an amazing batting average, far better than anyone else in the field.
posted by afghangirlscifi @ 8:02 AM
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