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Post By Visionary admits it's slightly more than a *single* "vignette" Sat Nov 13, 2004 at 09:40:27 pm EST |
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Untold Vignettes of the Transworld Challenge #3: Pure Thoughts | |
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“All this?” Visionary choked, seeing the stack of documentation the Librarian had laid out for him. “I don’t think I had to study this much to pass Organic Chemistry.” Lee Bookman didn’t bother to look up from the data pad he was working over. “Yes, well… clues to the quality of your education aside, the Caphan Vina Drea ceremony of transference of ownership is over 3000 years old and is a sacred part of their culture...” he noted without pity. “It’s inevitably going to be a bit involved. You’re trading in sentient young women… not used automobiles.” Visionary flinched at the scorn inherent in the comment (and Lee was one of his more tolerant teammates). “I don’t want to sell them at all…” he complained by way of excuse. “Well, I mean… I do… but…” he sighed. “This whole thing makes my stomach churn. I thought it would just be a little fiction for their benefit and the Shoggoth’s sense of obligation… He gives me a Princess Mononoke DVD or something, then takes them where they can live happily ever after.” He flipped to page 147 of the ceremony. “I don’t think royal weddings are this elaborate. It says here I have to wear a… muidos of spun eulav hair, woven by the most valuable to show the nimbleness of her fingers” He blinked in confusion. “What’s a muidos? Is it a hat? I don’t look good in hats…” “In many ways, a wedding is the closest analogy there is in the Caphan culture” the librarian observed clinically, pointedly ignoring the other ramblings. “Caphans don’t marry as humans traditionally have… Females are transferred from one house to another through the rights of the Vina Drea, and riches returned in exchange. Once bound to the new house, the female is charged with duties both actual and ceremonial… as well as endowed with unwritten rights and honors. In Caphan custom, a house that breaks these sacred rights would be ostracized from the rest of the civilized world, and trade with them would cease. Well… ideally.” He looked up at Visionary with a frown. “There are less then honorable men on every world, it would seem… and more than the fair share in positions of power. Those young woman should have never been traded off planet… it stripped them of any protections they had been raised to expect, and left them open to the depravities of ‘civilizations’ that completely twisted their customs and stations. Something, I fear, they were forced to learn the hard way.” Visionary didn’t answer, but instead began to gather the copious amount of books and scrolls and data disks the Librarian had collected for him into his arms. It occurred to him that, in comparison, the distaste of his teammates was something that he could withstand. And a little heavy reading wouldn’t kill him… especially if he could get Fleabot to do it for him. “You, ah… wouldn’t happen to know where Ebony is, would you?” “I believe she’s in her guest quarters studying the copies of the information that I supplied for her” he noted, turning back to his data screen. “If it’s any consolation, her expression showed about as much enthusiasm for this as you did. She was, however, noticeably less whiny.” “Thank you for inviting me, Tom” the talking head on the television began somewhat civilly. “Of course I feel that the adoration being heaped on these returning ‘heroes’ is dangerously overblown. Really, the massively sexist nature of this entire enterprise couldn’t have been more apparent, from riding a ‘female’ ship completely controlled by men, to gambling a woman as the stakes in the contest. What kind of message does this send to the youth of the nation about sexual equality? And now there are these disturbing rumors that the one known as “Visionary” has returned with a bevy of women ‘won’ in combat to serve as a personal harem… sex toys for the conquering hero. If true, it takes what was a clear case of chauvinism way over the edge into offensive, degrading, and repugnant… no, it’s actually downright criminal… behavior. There definitely needs to be an investigation, and if these allegations of slavery are true, then a trial and imprisonment are far more appropriate responses to these ‘heroic deeds’ than a parade…” Kerry thumbed the mute button on the remote control. “What crawled up her ass?” she growled. “If Aunt Sally was there to debate her, she’d be roadkill in no time.” Miiri frowned. “Instead of hailing him as a hero, they hold him up to scorn. They threaten him. They say bad things about him… Because of us.” Kerry waved that off. “Hey, it’s not your fault. People say bad things about him all the time… and that’s just the people who like him. Just wait until he tries to tell me I can’t go out tonight because of being grounded for the whole ‘secretly sneaking wanted felons in the house for weeks on end’ thing. Then you’ll know what scorn is.” She got up and took the empty popcorn bowl back towards the kitchen. “Besides, there are always feebs with axes to grind against people in the public eye. Price of fame, and all that. Trust me… it’s all like water off a duck’s back with fake-o.” The young Caphan looked back towards the television where the angry muted faces were still hotly debating their points. “I do not believe that is so” she said to the empty room. She didn’t even need to know what a duck was to see that it bothered the master indeed. Hallie answered the hail with her brightest smile. “Hey Vizh.. what can I…” She blinked as she finished materializing a two way video link on the communicard surface. “Oh… Miiri. I wasn’t aware you had been issued a card.” “I am sorry to disturb you, sister…” the slave girl bowed apologetically, cradling the activated cards in the palms of her two hands. “Master Visionary provided us with this device should we need assistance in our duties… He said that you would be happy to provide any that you could.” Hallie tried to keep her face carefully neutral and her voice evenly modulated… These Caphans were a skittish bunch, as she had discovered at the EEE warehouse. You would think anything with that much ample flesh would have considerably more self confidence. “I’m not one of your sisters, Miiri… I explained before in simple words that I’m green because that’s the color wavelength of light which I emit most efficiently, allowing for longer operation at higher resolution with less signal interference. And Visionary can’t speak to what I’d be happy to do. I’m not his property.” The green skinned face on the other end turned slightly pale, and Hallie guessed her neutral mask hadn’t held. “I… My apologies… I… meant no offense to you… or to imply… or suggest the master did... I know he…” She bowed her head again, but this time the holographic woman suspected it was to hide tears in her eyes. “I am sorry to disturb you.” Hallie sighed, feeling guilty for further stressing the overwhelmed woman. It wasn’t her fault she was what she was… in all the annoyingly right places. “Look… don’t apologize, okay? It’s completely my fault. Vizh was right, I’d be… happy… to assist you. What did you need?” Miiri looked up hopefully. “Is it possible that I might speak to sister… I mean, to the one called Yo?” “No problem… just one sec” Hallie said, opening a line to Yo’s communicard. “I have a person to person call for a Mr. Yo…” she announced. “Yes?” The pure thought being’s smiling face quickly answered. Hallie patched him through and faded into the background, though after a moment’s hesitation, she left the line open on her end. “Ah, cute Miiri! What is to be the problem?” “Sister Yo…” Miiri began, holding back tears. Hallie noted that Yo did indeed switch to a more feminine appearance at the sight of the slave girl. “It has become clear that, despite all our efforts to bring our master happiness and comfort, we did nothing of the sort. Instead of being welcomed as a hero, he is derided and scorned because of his association with us. Your Master Epitome says we are abominations. We are used to bringing honor to our masters, but here we can only bring shame.” “Did you not see the lovely parade?” Yo asked kindly. “Is hardly an expression of scorn. Visi is still cute to most everyone, even if they grumble a bit. Is not to be worrying so… Besides, he is not one to be blaming you for even the slightest uncuteness towards him.” “No…” Miiri admitted. “The Master is kind and caring, and has been very good to us. But I can tell we cause him discomfort… and cause him to lose face in the eyes of others. Thankfully for him, we are soon to be gone from his life, but I must know… Being his dear friend, why did you pass our burden onto him?” Yo shook her head. “Cute slave girl is having it all backwards. While is true that you were deserving someone like Visi to help you after your experiences with the uncute Lovetoad…” the pure thought beings face darkened at the mention of the interstellar slaver villain, “I suggested you go to Visi for his sake, not yours.” Hallie and Miiri blinked in confusion. Thankfully, the slave girl asked the question Hallie wanted answered. “What? What need could the Master have of those such as us?” (Decidedly not the way Hallie would have had the nubile, half-naked young woman phrase things, however.) The legionnaire sighed sadly. “The majorly uncute Z’Sox tried to be cheating during the scavenging leg of the Transworlds race. They had been abducting an entire village of cute villagers and held them as hostages unless Visi surrender that part of the Challenge.” Hallie had seen this happen live on the television signal relayed to Earth, although the full explanation of what was occurring had to wait until the people of the small European village were returned and interviewed for days on end. “Yes, the one called Trickshot was kind enough to expound in detail on the heroic accomplishments of the Master… Although his own accomplishments tended to get more focus. Master Visionary bravely stood up to what he called ‘terrorists’, and refused them, though it meant the pain of death for the many peasants.” Hallie gasped at this news, then quickly covered her mouth. Luckily, Yo showed no sign of hearing this interruption. “Yes. It is not being a moment that poor Visi looks on with pride. It is an uncute choice to have to be making, and even though it was to be turning out okay due to wonderful Amazing Guy, is still a choice that is haunting poor Visi. He is seeing it as a failure at being a hero.” Miiri looked confused at this, but to Hallie it explained so much. She had seen the change that had come over him from that part of the race onward, but had attributed it to lack of sleep and the mounting pressures of the contest. “But… why then do you force him to take us on as well, when it is clear your society finds it so wrong to do so?” Yo smiled kindly. “Visi was needing another chance to be what we all know he is being, if only to see it for himself. I was thinking that you might be good for each other that way. You are needing kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness as much as he is needing to be giving it to know again he is a good man. And if he must suffer a little, well… Is not that what makes it heroic?” Damn, Hallie thought… That Yo is good. Miiri pondered it, then bowed to Yo. “I believe I begin to understand now… Thank you sister, for the explanation… and your decision on the gameship.” Yo grinned at her. “No need to be thanking me yet…” she noted. “I am still picking out your cute Vina Drea present. Which color bunny do you prefer? I am thinking something brown and especially fuzzy…” The slavegirl gave a only slightly baffled smile this time. “Whatever you think is best, sister… I shall treasure it always.” Her eyes scanned the communicard’s features. “The one called Hallie… are you there?” Hallie jumped guiltily, then brought her features back into the picture. “Um… yes, actually. And… Miiri? I… wouldn’t mind if you called me sister after all.” Miiri smiled warmly. “Thank you for your assistance, dear sister. The light you give is soothing and nourishing.” Hallie nodded. “Yours too. And for what it’s worth… I do think you bring honor to Vizh.” With one last thankful bow, the slavegirl’s features blinked out, leaving Hallie acutely aware that Yo was watching her with a broad grin on his face. “What?” the holographic woman demanded defensively. “Nothing” Yo noted with a happy wink before moving his thumb to the disconnect button. “…is cute is all.” “Are you sure you don’t want me to translate the works of Shakespeare into Latin by tomorrow morning as well?” Fleabot noted sarcastically, looking at the mountain of documents Visionary had dumped onto the condo’s kitchen table before him. “You know Latin?” the Regular asked absently as he went back to get the rest of the materials he had left in the trunk of his car. “Who doesn’t?” the little robot queried. “Hey… tell me again why I’m doing this for you?” “Because the Caphans deserve a decent send off” Visionary noted at the door. “And, let’s face it, if I tried to do this on my own I’d likely make an unholy mess of it.” “No argument there” Fleabot agreed. “But jeeze… Could they make this more elaborate?” He paged through the description of the ceremony. “It says here you’re supposed to make your entrance completely naked riding a ‘gelded three toed Kerhsk of purest white, with muscles lathered in the oil of the Reeb Toor vines’… Mercifully for my mental image, it’s not quite clear whether that refers to your muscles, or the kerhsk’s.” “Um… yeah…” Visionary admitted. “We’re obviously going to be pairing down the ceremony somewhat. Ebony is on speed dial… Try to come up with something that’s an adequate compromise without quite reaching ‘Vegas $10 wedding’ levels, okay?” “Wait...!” the little robot protested as the soon to be ex-slave master skipped out the door again. “What are you going to be up to while I’m doing your homework?” “I borrowed Epitome’s van…” he called back as the front door to the condo opened. “The Caphans and I are going to take a little day trip downtown while we have the chance.” “Right” Fleabot noted bitterly to the empty kitchen. He called up his communication subroutine. “Ebony? It’s Fleabot. You know the part with the naked Vizh and the Kerhsk? Yeah… that one. Tell me… How would you feel about substituting a rabid bobcat?” |
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