Part 22 (1/2)

But Kelexel had said the Chem were immune to personal violence. They were immortal. They couldn't be killed. They never died.

The thought made her feel like an infinitesimal mote, a dust speck, lost, alone, doomed. She threw herself onto the bed, turned onto her back and stared up at the crystal glittering of the machine which she knew Kelexel used to control her. There was a link to it under his cloak. She'd seen him working it.

Thought of the machine filled her with an agony of prescience: she knew what she would do when Kelexel returned. She would succ.u.mb to him once more. The golden ecstasy would overcome her senses. She would end by fawning on him, begging for his attentions.

”Oh, G.o.d!” she whispered.

She turned, stared at the pantovive. That machine would contain the entire record of her mother's death -- she knew it. The actual scene was there. She wondered then if she would have the strength to resist asking for that scene.

Something hissed behind her and she whirled on the bed, stared at the door.

Ynvic stood just inside, her bald head glistening in the yellow light. Ruth glared at the gnome figure, the bulge of b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the stocky legs in green leotards.

”You are troubled,” Ynvic said. Her voice was professionally smooth, soothing. It sounded like the voices of so many doctors she had heard that Ruth wanted to cry out.

”What're you doing here?” Ruth asked.

”I am s.h.i.+psurgeon,” Ynvic said. ”Most of my job is just being available. You have need of me.”

They look like caricatures of human beings, Ruth thought.

”Go away,” she said.

”You have problems and I can help you,” Ynvic said.

Ruth sat up. ”Problems? Why would I have problems?” She knew her voice sounded hysterical.

”That fool Kelexel left you with an unrestricted pantovive,” Ynvic said.

Ruth studied the Chem female. Did they have emotions? Was there any way to touch them, hurt them? Even to cause them a pinp.r.i.c.k of pain seemed the most desirable thing in the universe.

”How do you ugly creatures breed?” Ruth asked.

”You hate us, eh?” Ynvic asked.

”Are you afraid to answer?” Ruth demanded.

Ynvic shrugged. ”Essentially, it's the same as with your kind -- except that females are deprived of the reproductive organs at an early stage in their development. We must go to breeding centers, get permission -- it's a very tiresome, boring procedure. We manage to enjoy ourselves quite well without the organs.” She advanced to stand a pace from the bed.

”But your men prefer my kind,” Ruth said.

Again, Ynvic shrugged. ”Tastes differ. I've had lovers from your planet. Some of them were good, some weren't. The trouble is, you fade so quickly.”

”But you enjoy us! We amuse you!”

”Up to a point,” Ynvic said. ”Interest waxes and wanes.”

”Then why do you stay here?”

”It's profitable,” Ynvic said. And she noted that the native female already was coming out of the emotional spiral that had trapped her. Resistance, an object to hate -- that's all it took. The creatures were so easy to maneuver.