Descending Road - CHANGING HIS MIND by Dana W. Paxson

CHANGING HIS MIND

1560 4D

Arlen, flanked by his team, approached the farmhouse in the bitter mountain wind. These people were hardy, even if they were using modern insulation and energy techniques. Arlen had seen the ruins of house after house, barn after barn, up here, during the years when he drove the Signo shafts and started mining actinides from the deep veins below. Now, the Luce home stood against the wind, solid and whole and alive with soft lights here and there by the windows. Too bad that Andrew would never see it again.

He banged on the door. Beneath the howling air, he heard a tread, the door opened wide, and the woman bracing it stared at him with a look that turned from joy to suspicion. “Andrew… I’m sorry. How can I help you?”

It was Andrew‘s wife Leil. Arlen could not stop staring in her eyes. They were shadowed – light came from behind her – but he could make out their deep sweet brown the color of dark liquor. The lines of her face showed a grace and beauty the rivaled even Indrio at her best, but this woman was more mature, poised and calm in a way no drug or makeover could elicit. He blurted out some pretext and asked if the team could come in, and Leil gestured them inside, shutting the door behind them.

She invited them to sit, and Arlen accepted, motioning his men to the far side of the room, where toys and formbags were heaped in a general family disorder. He couldn’t remember what the next few exchanges were, but he found the sound of her voice so attractive in its lower register that his thoughts seemed to stick together. He shook his head.

“Are you all right?” Leil asked him.

“Oh… yes, of course. Have you lived here for very long? I don’t remember this house being here a few years ago.”

“No, we just built here. We’re farming, and my husband’s brothers are up here too. It’s rich land for this altitude. Could I get you and your friends something to drink to warm against the weather? You look cold.”

Arlen began to stammer out the excuse he had rehearsed about the van running out of fuel, but then he stopped and said, “That offer of yours for a warm drink sounds very good.” He gestured to the others who had come in with him, and they nodded. Leil headed for the kitchen, and Arlen added, “Do you need any help?”

“Oh, no,” she said. A few minutes later she was back, with mugs of hot kaff carrying a hint of cinnaroot. “I hope these will be all right,” she said, setting the last one down on the battered low table where Arlen sat. Her eyes seemed to draw him in.

It was as if everything he had planned – the destruction of this place and the family, the isolation of Andrew, the takeover of the land – wobbled at the edge of his world. The next step was to be killing the family and torching the house, but Arlen‘s vast contempt for so many things in human life faded like spring frost when Leil looked at him.

“Go ahead,” she said, pointing to his mug. “You look as if you really need this.” Her eyes whispered warmth to him.

He sipped, then drank – this brew tasted better than the best he had ever had in the City – and drew a deep breath. It was time to rethink his plan. Maybe he could work his way around this couple, and maybe even between them. It would be a worthy game, and this woman might make for him much more than the toy that Indrio had been. Much more. “Thank you,” he said softly to Leil. “I should be able to reach my office with the comm, and then we’ll be able to go.”

“Are you sure? We have a couple of extra rooms for guests. I can put you all up for the night. My husband should be coming back soon.” Here, her eyes softened, and Arlen could sense the waiting tears.

“He’s been away?”

“Yes. He went to argue for our land with some corp, and I’m afraid for him. It’s been weeks.” Now her tears ran.

This will take some time, but now I see an opening. Arlen inclined his head toward her, and took her hand. “Tell me about it, and I’ll do what I can to find him.” When she gets him back, I’ll be her friend, and the amnestic I give him will insure that he has no recollection of my treatment of him. Then it will be time to play. Arlen signaled the leader of his torch team with a negative. There would be no fires tonight. The only fire he had in mind now was a long, slow-burning desire, with an underlying nagging feeling that once again, he might have let a woman into his life a bit too far.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	CHANGING HIS MIND 1560 4D Arlen, flanked by his team, approached the farmhouse in the bitter mountain wind. These people were hardy, even if they were using modern insulation and energy techniques. Arlen had seen the ruins of house after house, barn after barn, up here, during the years when he drove the Signo shafts and started mining actinides from the deep veins below. Now, the Luce home stood against the wind, solid and whole and alive with soft lights here and there by the windows. Too bad that Andrew would never see it again. He banged on the door. Beneath the howling air, he heard a tread, the door opened wide, and the woman bracing it stared at him with a look that turned from joy to suspicion. “Andrew… I’m sorry. How can I help you?” It was Andrew‘s wife Leil. Arlen could not stop staring in her eyes. They were shadowed – light came from behind her – but he could make out their deep sweet brown the color of dark liquor. The lines of her face showed a grace and beauty the rivaled even Indrio at her best, but this woman was more mature, poised and calm in a way no drug or makeover could elicit. He blurted out some pretext and asked if the team could come in, and Leil gestured them inside, shutting the door behind them. She invited them to sit, and Arlen accepted, motioning his men to the far side of the room, where toys and formbags were heaped in a general family disorder. He couldn’t remember what the next few exchanges were, but he found the sound of her voice so attractive in its lower register that his thoughts seemed to stick together. He shook his head. “Are you all right?” Leil asked him. “Oh… yes, of course. Have you lived here for very long? I don’t remember this house being here a few years ago.” “No, we just built here. We’re farming, and my husband’s brothers are up here too. It’s rich land for this altitude. Could I get you and your friends something to drink to warm against the weather? You look cold.” Arlen began to stammer out the excuse he had rehearsed about the van running out of fuel, but then he stopped and said, “That offer of yours for a warm drink sounds very good.” He gestured to the others who had come in with him, and they nodded. Leil headed for the kitchen, and Arlen added, “Do you need any help?” “Oh, no,” she said. A few minutes later she was back, with mugs of hot kaff carrying a hint of cinnaroot. “I hope these will be all right,” she said, setting the last one down on the battered low table where Arlen sat. Her eyes seemed to draw him in. It was as if everything he had planned – the destruction of this place and the family, the isolation of Andrew, the takeover of the land – wobbled at the edge of his world. The next step was to be killing the family and torching the house, but Arlen‘s vast contempt for so many things in human life faded like spring frost when Leil looked at him. “Go ahead,” she said, pointing to his mug. “You look as if you really need this.” Her eyes whispered warmth to him. He sipped, then drank – this brew tasted better than the best he had ever had in the City – and drew a deep breath. It was time to rethink his plan. Maybe he could work his way around this couple, and maybe even between them. It would be a worthy game, and this woman might make for him much more than the toy that Indrio had been. Much more. “Thank you,” he said softly to Leil. “I should be able to reach my office with the comm, and then we’ll be able to go.” “Are you sure? We have a couple of extra rooms for guests. I can put you all up for the night. My husband should be coming back soon.” Here, her eyes softened, and Arlen could sense the waiting tears. “He’s been away?” “Yes. He went to argue for our land with some corp, and I’m afraid for him. It’s been weeks.” Now her tears ran. This will take some time, but now I see an opening. Arlen inclined his head toward her, and took her hand. “Tell me about it, and I’ll do what I can to find him.” When she gets him back, I’ll be her friend, and the amnestic I give him will insure that he has no recollection of my treatment of him. Then it will be time to play. Arlen signaled the leader of his torch team with a negative. There would be no fires tonight. The only fire he had in mind now was a long, slow-burning desire, with an underlying nagging feeling that once again, he might have let a woman into his life a bit too far.