Descending Road - THEN WE WILL DISCUSS YOUR RELUCTANCE by Dana W. Paxson

THEN WE WILL DISCUSS YOUR RELUCTANCE

1563 4D

He clambered to his feet. “You! Why did you bring me here? Who are you? Where is Arlen?”

Parthren said, “My name is Parthren. He is here.” She inclined her head to the left. A lock of dark wavy hair falling over his round face, Arlen stood smiling down at Andrew.

“Welcome to my garden. I see you have met Turiosten. Turiosten!”

Andrew‘s mouth moved in spite of him, speaking Turiosten‘s words. “Yes, Arlen?”

“Have you fed yet?”

“No, Arlen.” Andrew tried to regain control but his muscles refused to do anything for him. Turiosten had overridden his mind. He tried thinking at the alien, Let me go, Let me kill him, but the words echoed and died in his thoughts.

“Have you told Andrew about your diet?”

“No, Arlen.”

“Why not? He should know. Tell him.”

Recoiling, reluctance turned in Andrew like a snake; then Turiosten‘s low, musical voice said, I must eat human flesh. It is a need, for survival.

Andrew‘s voice came back to him, and he groped, dazed, for words. “No. You’re trying to make me crazy. You don’t—“

Yes, I do. The soft voice in his mind swelled, became tumescent with desire and meaning, with hunger. That is why Arlen keeps these people here. For me.

“Arlen, you can’t do this to people!” Andrew‘s anger burst out and he took a step toward Arlen, but Turiosten cut him away from control, and he fell to his knees.

Arlen smiled. “You heard for yourself. Now you can see it. Even experience it. Turiosten, wake up Indrio. Make her docile, and stay in Andrew.”

Andrew‘s body rose, walked to Indrio, knelt by her, and kissed her. A sour tide washed across his tongue. Indrio woke up and looked around without raising her head from the grass.

“Indrio,” Arlen said, “We are about to witness a banquet. Bear with me.” She nodded, lowering her head in a seeming daze. Arlen turned to Andrew. “Turiosten, I will have Andrew feed for you, if you like.”

Andrew‘s mouth said, “He may not want to. Shall I take him over?”

“No, no. He is to do the eating himself.”

Andrew‘s mouth returned to his control. “I’ll die first,” he said.

“Let’s see about that. I will offer you a choice, out of many choices here. You can dine on Indrio, for Turiosten. Or I can have Turiosten leave you and help Indrio dine on your wife here, while you watch.

“Or else you can at long last tell me what I want to know about the things you found up at that farm. I’ll give you a few minutes to think about this. Come, Parthren.” The two of them walked out of the sunken circles of the garden, into the light of a pebbled sunlit path, and disappeared. Andrew tried to follow, but his legs only kept him standing in the same place.

“Why can’t you let me kill him?” Andrew muttered to Turiosten. “I could kill him in seconds.”

He knows that. He carries some tool, some weapon which can destroy me. He has used it, once. Turiosten‘s voice broke. It is tuned to my essential parts. He has placed others here. Besides, he feeds me very well. Again the near-sexual surge of Turiosten‘s hunger. Why do you resist so strongly? To feed for me is a great pleasure. Others resisted too, but they learned to accept it. Even your—

“Stop! Stop! Don’t tell me that!” Andrew looked down at Leil‘s young form. “Tell me what happened to her. I’ve got to know.”

She was deeply burned, burned to death, when I… entered her. I reconstructed her systems, one by one, all except for her later memories. It took me three complete feedings to get the energy to bring her this far. Turiosten‘s voice swelled with strength. Are you pleased?

“Yes. No! I don’t know how to feel.” Andrew looked around the garden at all the sleeping people. Which ones were food, which ones fed? He pondered Arlen‘s proposal. No use. Footsteps crunched and clacked among the pebbles.

“Have you decided?” Arlen asked. Parthren smiled from behind his shoulder.

“If you will let us go, I will feed Turiosten for you.” Andrew looked Arlen in the eye.

“No conditions. The only choice is to feed, or watch your wife be eaten. Then we will discuss your reluctance to share your knowledge with me.”

“You tortured me. I already told you everything I know.” Andrew folded his arms, clutching in his fear and rage. His legs stayed like stone. “Your people cut me up, threw me away, left me for dead. You’ve got all I have: my wife, my farm, my children, everything.” Unreasoning terror began to crawl through Andrew‘s chest, making his heartbeat knock in his throat.

Turiosten sensed the panic. Andrew, I can relieve–

Arlen seemed to waver for a split second, but he quickly said, “Not everything. You’ve made your choice. There is Indrio. Get to work.” Andrew stared down at the beautiful woman sprawled asleep on the grass, her veil of metal parted here and there over the rich glow of her skin. Turiosten‘s hunger welled up again; disgust, desire, shame, and anger roiled through Andrew. His body knelt down over the sleeping form.

Parthren leaned over to Arlen, stretched up on her toes, and whispered in his ear. Arlen raised a hand. “Wait. Luce, I’m inviting someone else to the meal. Parthren, since you suggested it, you may go and fetch our additional witness. Turiosten, a little longer, please, you may wait.”

“But it’s dangerous up in Sobi right now,” Parthren said to Arlen. “I could get hurt trying to find him up there. Send someone else.”

“You will do quite well, as always,” Arlen replied, “and I’m sure Frei will join you, especially if you tell him Indrio is down here. He’s a real romantic. I look forward to his reactions. His own ongoing transformation should make the whole thing fascinating. Who knows, he might even join my friend Andrew here at dinner. Now go.” As Parthren departed, Andrew, sickened, looked up at Arlen‘s soft smile.

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	THEN WE WILL DISCUSS YOUR RELUCTANCE 1563 4D He clambered to his feet. “You! Why did you bring me here? Who are you? Where is Arlen?” Parthren said, “My name is Parthren. He is here.” She inclined her head to the left. A lock of dark wavy hair falling over his round face, Arlen stood smiling down at Andrew. “Welcome to my garden. I see you have met Turiosten. Turiosten!” Andrew‘s mouth moved in spite of him, speaking Turiosten‘s words. “Yes, Arlen?” “Have you fed yet?” “No, Arlen.” Andrew tried to regain control but his muscles refused to do anything for him. Turiosten had overridden his mind. He tried thinking at the alien, Let me go, Let me kill him, but the words echoed and died in his thoughts. “Have you told Andrew about your diet?” “No, Arlen.” “Why not? He should know. Tell him.” Recoiling, reluctance turned in Andrew like a snake; then Turiosten‘s low, musical voice said, I must eat human flesh. It is a need, for survival. Andrew‘s voice came back to him, and he groped, dazed, for words. “No. You’re trying to make me crazy. You don’t—“ Yes, I do. The soft voice in his mind swelled, became tumescent with desire and meaning, with hunger. That is why Arlen keeps these people here. For me. “Arlen, you can’t do this to people!” Andrew‘s anger burst out and he took a step toward Arlen, but Turiosten cut him away from control, and he fell to his knees. Arlen smiled. “You heard for yourself. Now you can see it. Even experience it. Turiosten, wake up Indrio. Make her docile, and stay in Andrew.” Andrew‘s body rose, walked to Indrio, knelt by her, and kissed her. A sour tide washed across his tongue. Indrio woke up and looked around without raising her head from the grass. “Indrio,” Arlen said, “We are about to witness a banquet. Bear with me.” She nodded, lowering her head in a seeming daze. Arlen turned to Andrew. “Turiosten, I will have Andrew feed for you, if you like.” Andrew‘s mouth said, “He may not want to. Shall I take him over?” “No, no. He is to do the eating himself.” Andrew‘s mouth returned to his control. “I’ll die first,” he said. “Let’s see about that. I will offer you a choice, out of many choices here. You can dine on Indrio, for Turiosten. Or I can have Turiosten leave you and help Indrio dine on your wife here, while you watch. “Or else you can at long last tell me what I want to know about the things you found up at that farm. I’ll give you a few minutes to think about this. Come, Parthren.” The two of them walked out of the sunken circles of the garden, into the light of a pebbled sunlit path, and disappeared. Andrew tried to follow, but his legs only kept him standing in the same place. “Why can’t you let me kill him?” Andrew muttered to Turiosten. “I could kill him in seconds.” He knows that. He carries some tool, some weapon which can destroy me. He has used it, once. Turiosten‘s voice broke. It is tuned to my essential parts. He has placed others here. Besides, he feeds me very well. Again the near-sexual surge of Turiosten‘s hunger. Why do you resist so strongly? To feed for me is a great pleasure. Others resisted too, but they learned to accept it. Even your— “Stop! Stop! Don’t tell me that!” Andrew looked down at Leil‘s young form. “Tell me what happened to her. I’ve got to know.” She was deeply burned, burned to death, when I… entered her. I reconstructed her systems, one by one, all except for her later memories. It took me three complete feedings to get the energy to bring her this far. Turiosten‘s voice swelled with strength. Are you pleased? “Yes. No! I don’t know how to feel.” Andrew looked around the garden at all the sleeping people. Which ones were food, which ones fed? He pondered Arlen‘s proposal. No use. Footsteps crunched and clacked among the pebbles. “Have you decided?” Arlen asked. Parthren smiled from behind his shoulder. “If you will let us go, I will feed Turiosten for you.” Andrew looked Arlen in the eye. “No conditions. The only choice is to feed, or watch your wife be eaten. Then we will discuss your reluctance to share your knowledge with me.” “You tortured me. I already told you everything I know.” Andrew folded his arms, clutching in his fear and rage. His legs stayed like stone. “Your people cut me up, threw me away, left me for dead. You’ve got all I have: my wife, my farm, my children, everything.” Unreasoning terror began to crawl through Andrew‘s chest, making his heartbeat knock in his throat. Turiosten sensed the panic. Andrew, I can relieve– Arlen seemed to waver for a split second, but he quickly said, “Not everything. You’ve made your choice. There is Indrio. Get to work.” Andrew stared down at the beautiful woman sprawled asleep on the grass, her veil of metal parted here and there over the rich glow of her skin. Turiosten‘s hunger welled up again; disgust, desire, shame, and anger roiled through Andrew. His body knelt down over the sleeping form. Parthren leaned over to Arlen, stretched up on her toes, and whispered in his ear. Arlen raised a hand. “Wait. Luce, I’m inviting someone else to the meal. Parthren, since you suggested it, you may go and fetch our additional witness. Turiosten, a little longer, please, you may wait.” “But it’s dangerous up in Sobi right now,” Parthren said to Arlen. “I could get hurt trying to find him up there. Send someone else.” “You will do quite well, as always,” Arlen replied, “and I’m sure Frei will join you, especially if you tell him Indrio is down here. He’s a real romantic. I look forward to his reactions. His own ongoing transformation should make the whole thing fascinating. Who knows, he might even join my friend Andrew here at dinner. Now go.” As Parthren departed, Andrew, sickened, looked up at Arlen‘s soft smile.