"Four hundred and three, sir. Your son Gordon"s current wife Marian."
"Keep me posted on it. That was the baby Gordon I was thinking of, Miss Smarty; Gordon"s son Gordon . . uh, by Evelyn Hedrick, I think. Lazarus, I deceived you. The truth is that I am migrating because my descendants are crowding me off this globe."
"Father, are you really going to? Not just talking?"
"Still top secret until after the decennial Trustees Meeting, dear. But I am. Want to come along? Galahad and Ishtar have decided to go; they"ll set up a rejuve shop for the colony. You"ll have five to ten years in which to learn something useful."
"Grandfather, are you you going?" going?"
"Unlikely to the nth degree, my dear. I"ve seen a colony."
"You may change your mind." Hamadryad stood up, faced Lazarus. "I propose to you, in the presence of three witnesses -four; Minerva is the best possible witness-a contract for cohabitation and progeny, term to be selected by you." Ishtar looked startled, then wiped all expression from her face; the others said nothing.
Lazarus answered, "Granddaughter, if I weren"t so old and tired, I would spank you."
"Lazarus, I am your granddaughter only by courtesy; you are less than eight percent of my total ancestry. Less than that in terms of dominant genes, with a vanishingly small probability of unfavorable reinforcement; the bad recessives have been weeded. I"ll send my genetic pattern over for your inspection."
"That"s not the point, dear."
"Lazarus, I"m certain you"ve married your descendants in the past; is there some reason to discriminate against me? me? If you"ll tell me, perhaps I can correct it. I must add that this submittal is not contingent on your migrating." Hamadryad added, "Or it could be for progeny only, although I would be proud and happy to be permitted to live with you." If you"ll tell me, perhaps I can correct it. I must add that this submittal is not contingent on your migrating." Hamadryad added, "Or it could be for progeny only, although I would be proud and happy to be permitted to live with you."
Why, Hamadryad?"
She hesitated. "I am at loss to answer, sir. I had thought that I could say, "I love you"-but apparently I do not know what that word means. So I have no word in either language to describe my need , . and went ahead without one."
Lazarus said gently, "I love you, dea-"
Hamadryad"s face lit up.
He continued: "-and for that very reason I must refuse you." Lazarus looked around him. "I love all of you. Ishtar, Galahad . . even that ugly, surly father of yours, dear, sitting there and looking worried. Now smile, dear, for I"m certain that there are endless young bucks anxious to marry you. You smile, too, Ishtar-but not you, Ira; it would crack your face. Ishtar, who is relieving you and Galahad? No, I don"t care who is scheduled. May I be alone the rest of today?"
She hesitated. "Grandfather, may I keep the observation station manned?"
"You will anyhow. But will you limit them to dials and gauges or whatever it is you use? No eye or ear on me? Minerva will tell you if I misbehave-I"m certain of that."
"There will be neither eye nor ear on you, sir." Ishtar stood up. "Come along, Galahad. Hamadryad?"
"Just a moment, Ish. Lazarus-have I offended you?"
"What? Not at all, my dear."
"I thought you were angry with me over . . what I proposed."
"Oh, nonsense. Hamadarling, that sort of proposal never offends anyone; it is the highest compliment one human can pay another. But it did confuse me. Now smile and kiss me good-night, then come see me tomorrow if you wish. All you kids kiss me good-night; there"s n.o.body sore at anybody. Ira, you might stick around a bit if you will."
Like docile children they did so, then went into Lazarus" penthouse and took transport down. Lazarus said, "A drink, Ira?"
"Only if you are having one."
"We"ll skip it then. Ira, did you put her up to it?"
"Eh?"
"You know what I mean. Hamadryad. First Ishtar, now Hamadryad. You"ve manipulated this whole deal from the moment you s.n.a.t.c.hed me out of that flophouse, where I was dying decently and quietly. Have you again been trying to tie me down to whatever scheme you have in the back of your mind by waving pretty tails under my nose? It won"t work, man."
The Chairman Pro Tem answered quietly, "I could deny that-and for the hundredth time have you call me a liar. I suggest that you ask Minerva."
"I wonder if that would be any a.s.surance. Minerva!"
"Yes, Lazarus?"
"Did Ira rig this? With either of the girls?"
"Not to my knowledge, Lazarus."
"Is that an evasion, dear?"
"Lazarus, I cannot lie to you."
"Well . . I think you could if Ira wanted you to, but there is no point in my inquiring into it. Give us privacy for a few moments, dear-recording mode only."
"Yes, Lazarus."
Lazarus went on, "Ira, I wish you had answered Yes. Because the only other explantation is one I do not like. I ain"t pretty and my manners are not such as to endear me to women-so what do we have left? The fact that I am the oldest man alive. Women sell themselves for odd reasons and not always for money. Ira, I do not choose to stand at stud for pretty young things who would not waste a moment on me save for the prestige of having a child by, quote, The Senior, end of quote." He glared. "Right?"
"Lazarus, you are being unjust to both women. As well as unusually obtuse."
"How?"
"I"ve watched them. I think they both love you-and don"t give me any double-talk about what that verb means; I am not Galahad."
"But-Oh, c.r.a.p!"
"I won"t argue on that basis; "c.r.a.p" is a subject in which you are the Galaxy"s top authority. Women do not always always sell themselves and they sell themselves and they do do fall in love . . often for the oddest reasons-if "reason" is a word that can apply. Granted that you are ugly, selfish, self-centered, surly-" fall in love . . often for the oddest reasons-if "reason" is a word that can apply. Granted that you are ugly, selfish, self-centered, surly-"
"I"m aware of it!"
"-to me. Nevertheless women don"t seem to care much how a man looks . . and you are surprisingly gentle with women. I"ve noticed. You say those little wh.o.r.es on Mars all loved that blind man."
"Some of them weren"t little. Big Anna was taller than I am and weighed more."
"Don"t try to change the subject. Why Why did they love him? Don"t bother to answer; why a woman loves a man-or a man loves a woman-can be rationalized only in survival terms, and the answer has no flavor, unsatisfying. But-Lazarus, when you"ve completed rejuvenation and you and I have finished our Scheherazade bet, however we finish it-are you going away again?" did they love him? Don"t bother to answer; why a woman loves a man-or a man loves a woman-can be rationalized only in survival terms, and the answer has no flavor, unsatisfying. But-Lazarus, when you"ve completed rejuvenation and you and I have finished our Scheherazade bet, however we finish it-are you going away again?"
Lazarus brooded before answering: "I suppose so. Ira, this cottage-and garden and stream-that you"ve lent me are very nice; the times I"ve gone down to the city I"ve hurried back, glad to be home. But it"s just a resting place; I won"t stay here. When the wild goose cries, I go." Lazarus looked sad. "But I don"t know where and I don"t want to repeat the things I"ve done. Perhaps Minerva will find that new thing for me, when it"s time to move on."
Ira stood up. "Lazarus, if you weren"t so stinking suspicious and mean, you would give both women the benefit of the doubt and leave them each with child to remember you by. It wouldn"t cost you much effort."
"Out of the question! I do not abandon children. Or pregnant women."
"Excuses. I will adopt, in the womb, any child you sire before you leave us. Shall I have Minerva place that in permanent and bind it?"
"I can support my own kids! Always have."
"Minerva. Transfer it and bind it."
"Completed, Ira."
"Thank you, best Little Nag. Same time tomorrow, Lazarus?"
"I suppose so. Yes. Call Hamadryad, will you, and ask her to come, too?-tell her I asked you to. I don"t want the kid"s feelings hurt."
"Sure, Gramp."
COUNTERPOINT.
IV.
On the level in the Executive Palace of Mr. Weatheral"s private apartments Hamadryad waited with Galahad while Ishtar left orders for the rejuvenation technicians on watch there. Then the three took transport down and across, still inside the Palace, to an apartment Ira had placed at Ishtar"s disposal-a dwelling larger and more lavish than her quarters in the Rejuvenation Clinic and much more luxurious than the penthouse cottage save that it had no garden; it was intended for a Trustee or other V.I.P. guest-not that its luxury mattered much, as Ishtar and Galahad spent most of their time and took most of their meals with Lazarus, and used it mainly for sleeping.
Minerva had placed a dozen-odd lesser accommodations with Ishtar for her watch list, one of them for Galahad. He did not need it and Ishtar had Minerva rea.s.sign it to Hamadryad when she had become an unofficial part of the team caring for the Senior. Hamadryad sometimes slept in it rather than go to her country home-without telling her father, as the Chairman Pro Tem did not encourage members of his family to use Palace quarters unnecessarily. Or she sometimes stayed with Ishtar and Galahad.
This time all three went to Ishtar"s apartment; they had matters to discuss. On arrival there Ishtar checked: "Minerva?"
"Listening, Ishtar."
"Anything?"
"Lazarus and Ira are talking. Private conversation."
"Keep me advised, dear."
"Certainly, dear."
Ishtar turned back to the others. "Who wants a drink or something? Too early for dinner. Or is it? Ham?"
Galahad answered, "A bath for me, then a drink. I was all set for a dip-hot and sweaty-when Lazarus kicked us out."
"And stinky," Ishtar agreed. "I noticed it in the transport."
"A bath wouldn"t hurt you, you, big a.r.s.e; you were exercising as hard as I was." big a.r.s.e; you were exercising as hard as I was."
"Regrettably true, my gallant knight; I was careful to sit downwind from our elders after that last match. Ham, get us all something tall and cold while Stinky and I get clean."
"Will you two settle for Idleberry Jolts or whatever is handy? While we all bathe? I don"t have the excuse of heavy exercise, but I broke out with fear stink when I put the proposal to Gramp. And m.u.f.fed m.u.f.fed it! After all your coaching, Ish. I"m sorry!" She started to sniffle. it! After all your coaching, Ish. I"m sorry!" She started to sniffle.
Ishtar put her arms around the younger woman. "There, there, dear-stop it. I don"t think you m.u.f.fed it."
"He refused me."
"You laid a good foundation-and shook him up, which he needed. You startled me with your timing but it will work out all right."
"He probably won"t even let me come back!"
"Yes, he will. Stop shaking. Come, dear; Galahad and I will give you a long, relaxing back rub. Stinky, fetch the fizz and join us in the shower room."
"With two women around I have to work. Okay."
When Galahad arrived with cold drinks, Ishtar had Hamadryad stretched out facedown on the ma.s.sage table. Ishtar looked up and said, "Dear, before you get wet, see if there are three towel robes in the rack; I didn"t check."
"Yes, ma"am; no, ma"am; right away, ma"am; will that be all, ma"am?-plenty of robes; I dialed for more this morning. Don"t bruise her, you don"t know your own strength. I"m going to need her, later."
"And I"m going to swap you for a dog, sweetheart, and sell the dog. Pa.s.s around those drinks, then come help, or you won"t get either of us later. If ever. We"re busy agreeing that all males are beasts." She continued to ma.s.sage, gently, firmly, with professional skill, down Hamadryad"s back while the ma.s.sage table matched her appropriately down the subject"s front. She let Galahad hang a drink around her neck and place its nipple in her mouth without slowing her careful fingers.
He snapped Hamadryad"s drink to the table, placed nipple in her mouth, patted her cheek, then took the other side and started to help, following Ishtar"s lead. The table changed action to match four hands.
Some minutes later he let the nipple for his drink retract, and spoke. "Ish, any chance that Gramp twigged? About you two broads?"
"We"re not all that broad. At least, Ham is not."
" "Broad" is a usual English idiom for a female, and you said we should talk and think in English as long as we are on this commitment."
"I simply said that Hamadryad is not very broad. Even though she"s had more children than I have-and I haven"t had any since rejuvenation. But it"s a colorful idiom; I like it. I don"t see how Lazarus could guess that we are pregnant. Not that it would matter if he did, in my case-except just how I am pregnant, and he can"t know that as I fudged the record on the source of the cloned cell. Ham, you haven"t hinted anything to Lazarus-have you?"
Hamadryad surrendered her drink. "Of course not!"
"Minerva knows," Galahad said.
"Of course she does, I discussed it with her. But-Now you"ve got me wondering. Minerva?"
"Listening, Ishtar." The computer added, "Ira is leaving; Lazarus has come inside. No problems."
"Thank you, dear. Minerva, is there any possible way that Lazarus could know about Hamadryad and me? That we are pregnant, I mean, and why and how."
"He has not said so, nor has anyone mentioned it in his presence. Evaluation of pertinent data available to me makes it probable by less than one part in one thousand."
"How about Ira?"
"Less than one part: in ten thousand. Ishtar, when Ira told me to supply you with service and to a.s.sign to you a restricted memory, he programmed me so that any later program will simply wipe your a.s.signed box. Truly, there is no way for him to retrieve from your private memory file, nor can I self-program to get around it."
"Yes, so you a.s.sured me. But I don"t know much about computers, Minerva."