[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
status would be seen near the docks or the District. I didn't know much of the
language, but it wasn't hard to get the message across with gestures. If she
or he or whatever would get me an outfit like that and not tell Boday or
anybody, I'd give her a small fortune. She didn't even wait til the next day.
She had the outfit back that afternoon. The first day off I had I put it on
and walked out and went down and walked around the block. It was a wonderful
sense of freedom and total anonymity. I was a little worried at first that the
bracelets on my arms would give me away or that somebody would notice the
earrings under the hood but nobody ever said a thing. The hair was a bigger
problem. I had to let it go down under the hood and then down so it was
completely out of sight, but then I had troubles sitting down. You learn."
Sam listened, feeling more ashamed than ever that she'd allowed herself to,
well, vegetate was the right term, while Charley was figuring.
"After maybe three months," Charley continued, "I had lots of money, freedom
of movement, and with a lot of concentration I picked up enough of the
language to make my wants known. I don't speak it, really, but I can
understand a lot of what's said if I really concentrate. I always was good at
languages and I didn't have much else to do. Reading's different-they have
like thousands of characters-but I know the most common ones, like which is
the ladies' room and
'store,' 'restaurant,' and stuff like that. I bought different foods to try,
got a bunch of nice other things, and after I spotted a couple of the goons
who'd mugged us staking out this building I bought a knife and a blow gun. The
blow gun's neat. But they never came in. I figured, though, that was why you
never looked in. I didn't dream you were having such a bad time. When the time
passed and there was a tenth little bottle-I kept careful count-I figured the
heat was still on or maybe expenses were high. I really didn't care. This was
the best time I had since getting sucked into this place." She paused, and
added, in a slightly more distant tone, "It's the best time overall I ever had
in my life."
She looked at Sam and then kissed her gently on the cheek. "Poor Sam! Well,
your
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20L.%20Chalker/Chalker,%2...201%20-%20When%20the%20Changew
inds%20Blow.txt (98 of 156) [1/19/03 4:09:40 PM]
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20L.%20Chalker/Chalker,%20Jack%20L%20-%20Changewinds%201%2
Page 115
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
0-%20When%20the%20Changewinds%20Blow.txt demon's right. I kind'a think that
neither one of us come close to the descriptions. You know, I wonder what
Boday could do with you as you are?"
"Huh? Charley-look at me!"
"I know, I know. I don't mean body painting, and I don't mean me, but maybe
she can make the best of a bad situation. We have a ways to go."
Sam stared at her. "Charlie-you just finished soundin' to me like you don't
wanna go, don't wanna give this up."
"I don't," she admitted, "but you need me. You don't know what this has done
for me, Sam. But, anyway, a girl can't operate independently in this society,
and you need Boday. Don't hate her too much for this, Sam. She did it for you,
but she also was kind'a being a secret revolutionary. Women would control all
the vice in this town, top to bottom. That's power, Sam. And influence, if you
know the names of the ones who use it most. Come on-get out of that ridiculous
set of tatters and tell Boday to go to sleep in the corner, then get some rest
yourself. Order her to wake us up if she wakes up first. Once we're rested we
can find out how much we're worth and go from there."
Sam stripped, which wasn't hard and gave great relief, but she didn't just sit
Boday in a corner. She used the jewel.
"Boday--I wish that you would be totally obedient to my needs and wishes," she
said. "I also wish that from this point on you will be incapable of lying to
me or to Charley, of doing anything concerning me or Charley without telling
me first, and that you will obey any order that either of us gives to you. I
wish that from now on your sole interest in me will be satisfying my desires,
not anticipating them."
Done! said the demon, and there was a bit of satisfaction in its usual cold
tone.
Boday was not exactly a changed woman when they awoke, and had no regrets, but
now she wanted only to be cooperative and promised that she would never think
of doing something like that again.
She had a perfect eye for figures, even bad ones, so they sent her out that
afternoon to find out just how much money they had, to cancel her deals, and
to buy some appropriate doming for Sam while Charley cooked breakfast. Sam did
more than clean her plate. In fact, she ate most everything that was left in
the kitchen.
Charley watched, fascinated in spite of herself. "How much do you weigh,
anyway?"
"The demon says about two forty-five. Don't say it. I'm a walking bowling ball
with two huge fingers and I know it. I'm gonna eat compulsively and I got to
live with it. At least I don't hav'ta worry 'bout my figure."
Charley smiled, but she knew it was killing Sam. It was the perfect demonic
punishment. Sam would get to Boolean or die now. Her friend just hoped that
the near perfection that would accompany that journey would inspire rather
than breed envy and resentment.
Charley had a couple of saris she'd bought in case she had to make a run for
it.
They were kind of pretty but her eyes and jewelry would mark her, of course,
as one of those kind of women. She didn't care anymore. Boday returned with a
cotton robe with hood that fit loosely and a pair of sandals and a lot of
material. "Darling-much more in your size Boday will have to make," she said
apologetically. Shari's costumes and few personal belongings were packed in
two black bags. The bags were there anyway; Shari, after all, had been set to
move.
Where they moved was back to Boday's loft.
The account information was not bad, less than great. Between fees and tips
Charley had earned in the year more than thirty thousand sarkis, and Boday,
with her "art" for others, had brought in another ten thousand and still had
two of her creations. Charley didn't like it, but it was too late to do much
for them.
They would bring perhaps two thousand five hundred more. That was forty-two
Page 116
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
hundred, and Charley had held out about a thousand, of which she had something
like five hundred now. Forty-two five in sounded good. But almost six thousand
had gone for Charley's support services, and their initial money had covered
only the first and last month on Charley's apartment, and there went another
six thousand. The loft had been renewed for another two thousand. Another
eight had
file:///F|/rah/Jack%20L.%20Chalker/Chalker,%2...201%20-%20When%20the%20Changew
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]