hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues- 第31节

　
　CHAPTER　20
　I　looked　around　at　the　peaceful　female　bustle…and　suddenly　felt　very；　very　tired。　My　side　hurt　and　I　felt　sure　that　a　couple　of　ribs　were　broken。　I　sipped　the　wine　but　it　didn't　help。　What　I　really　needed　was　a　couple　of　Blast…off　pills　to　restore　me　to　something　resembling　life。　In　my　pack
　〃My　pack！〃　I　shouted　hoarsely。　〃My　equipment；　everything。　Those　masculine　momsers　have　all　our　gear！〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Mata　said　in　soothing　tones。　〃As　soon　as　you　left　we　saw　to　it　that　the　porter；　Veldi；　was　rendered　unconscious　and　both　your　packs　are　here　now。　Your　associate　Steengo's　equipment　was　not　in　your　residence　so　we　can　assume　that　it　is　now　in　the　possession　of　Iron　John　or　his　associates。〃
　〃Not　good。〃　I　worried　a　fingernail　with　my　incisors。　〃There　are　things　there　they　shouldn't　see　。　。　。〃
　〃Might　I　interrupt；〃　Tremearne's　voice　spoke　through　my　jaw…a…phone。　〃I　was　waiting　until　things　quieted　down　to　tell　you。　Steengo's　pack　as　safe。〃
　〃You　have　it？〃
　〃Rather　I　should　have　said　‘made　safe。'　All　of　your　packs　are　boobytrapped　with　a　canister　of　rotgrot。　Which；　when　released　by　a　coded　radio　signal；　causes　the　contents　of　the　pack　to　instantly　decay　to　their　ponent　molecules。〃
　〃Nice　to　known。　A　lot　of　secrets　are　being　revealed　of　late；　aren't　they？〃
　There　was　no　response　from　my　jaw。　I　held　out　my　wine　glass　for　a　refill。　〃Some　simple　answers　；　to　some　simple　questions；　if　you　please。〃　My　anger　had　been　blasted　by　fatigue；　excoriated　by　fear　of　imminent　death。　Mata　nodded　in　response。
　〃Good。　On　a　historical　note…how　e　guys　over　there；　girls　here？〃
　〃A　union　of　convenience；〃　Mata　said。　〃Many　years　ago　our　foremothers　were　forcefully　relocated　to　this　planet。　This　inadvertent　transplantation　had　a　sobering　effect　on　them。　Whatever　excesses　of　zeal　they　had　displayed　on　other　worlds　were　not　repeated　here。　Peace；　cool…reasoning　and　logic　prevailed。　We　became　then　as　you　see　us　now。〃
　〃Women；〃　I　said。　〃A　society　of　women。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　Life　here　was　a　running　battle　for　a　good　long　time；　or　so　it　is　written。　The　Fundamentaloids　tried　to　convert　us；　while　our　next　door　neighbors　tried　to　wipe　us　out。　The　inferior　sex　they　called　us；　a　threat　to　their　existence。　When　we　first　came　to　this　planet　we　found　that　those　macho　crazies　were　already　well　established。　Our　group　was　forced　to　spend　a　good　deal　of　effort　just　staying　clear　of　them。　This　was　time　and　energy　wasted；　our　founding　mothers　decided；　so　they　sought　for　ways　to　bring　about　peace。　Eventually　they　convinced　the　male　ruling　clique　that　they　could　prosper　by　utilizing　their　energy　in　a　more　positive　manner。　It　was　a　pletely　selfish　appeal；　arranging　ways　for　the　males　on　top　in　their　society　to　stay　on　top；　while　providing　absolute　control　of　the　rest　of　the　men。〃
　〃Sounds　pretty　terrible；〃　Madonette　said。　〃Turning　all　those　men　into　slaves。〃
　〃Never　say　slaves！　Willing　collaborators　is　more　like　it。　We　showed　those　in　charge；　and　in　particular　the　one　now　called　Iron　John；　how　much　easier　it　would　be　to　rule　by　brain　rather　than　muscle。　We　demonstrated　to　their　satisfaction　how　a　great　deal　more　could　be　acplished。　With　our　intelligence　and　knowledge　of　science；　and　their　muscles；　two　separate　societies　were　born。　In　the　beginning　there　was　much　hatred　and　clashes　between　the　groups。　This　died　away　when　it　was　decided　that　only　the　male　leaders　knew　of　our　existence。　This　suited　the　leaders　to　perfection。〃
　〃That　was　when　the　two　cities　were　built…and　the　wall？〃
　〃Correct。　This　planet　is　rich　in　red　clay　and　fossil　fuel　so　the　males　soon　became　manic　brick　makers。　After　we　showed　them　how　to　build　kilns；　of　course。　There　were　contests　to　see　who　could　mold　the　most　bricks；　or　fire　the　greatest　number；　or　carry　the　most。　The　champion　was　named　brickie　of　the　month　and　achieved　great　renown。　This　went　on　until　you　couldn't　see　the　trees　for　the　mountains　of　bricks。　We　quickly　researched　brick　laying　in　our　data　bases　and　put　the　men　to　work　on　that。〃
　She　sipped　her　wine　delicately　and　waved　her　hand　in　a　circle。　〃Here　are　the　results…and　quite　attractive　they　are　too。　While　our　physical　scientists　were　sorting　the　males　out　this　way；　our　cultural　engineers　were　looking　at　the　sloppy　mucho　…　macho　theories　that　had　been　keeping　them　going　up　to　this　point。　The　Iron　Hans　myth　was　only　a　part　of　their　pantheon。　We　simplified　and　altered　it。　Then　used　genetic　biology　to　modify　the　physical　structure　of　their　leader；　so　he　is　as　you　see　him　now。　At　first　he　was　grateful；　although　gratitude　has　long　since　vanished。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　〃Hundreds　of　years。　Cellular　longevity　was　part　of　the　treatment。〃
　I　was　beginning　to　catch　on。　〃And　I'll　bet　that　you　remember　this　firsthand…since　you　and　the　other　lady　leaders　have　had　the　same　treatments？〃
　She　nodded；　pleased。　〃Very　adroit；　James。　Yes；　the　authorities　on　both　sides　of　the　wall　have　had　the　treatments。　This　makes　for　continuity　of　leadership…〃
　〃And　the　need　for　secrecy　of　each　other's　existence　that　keeps　the　powerful　in　power？〃
　Mata　shook　her　head　in　wonder。　〃You　are　indeed　most　perspicacious。　How　I　wish　you　were　in　charge　next　door　rather　than　that　hairy　halfwit。〃
　〃Thanks　for　the　job　offer…but　no　thanks。　So　the　men　beyond　the　wall　don't　know　that　you　women　are　here。　The　same　must　be　true　of　your　women…〃
　〃Not　at　all。　They　know　about　the　males…and　just　don't　care。　We　have　a　plete　and　satisfactory　society。　Childbearing　for　those　who　wish　it；　a　fulfilling　intellectual　life　for　all。〃
　〃And　religion？　Do　you　have　a　female　equivalent　of　Iron　John？〃
　She　laughed　merrily　at　the　thought；　as　did　all　the　other　women　who　were　listening　to　our　conversation。　Even　Marionette　was　smiling　until　she　saw　my　glare；　turned　away。
　〃That's　it；〃　I　snapped。　〃Enjoy　yourself。　And　when　you　are　through；　if　you　ever　are；　you　might　kindly　let　me　know　the　joke。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　James；〃　Mata　said；　laughter　gone　and　really　quite　serious。　〃We　were　being　rude　and　I　apologize。　The　answer　to　your　question　is　a　simple　one。　Women　don't　need　myths　to　justify　their　femininity。　All　of　the　myths　about　Iron　Hans；　Iron　John；　Barbarossa；　Merlin　and　other　mythological　men　with　their　salvation　myths　are　all　purely　male。　Just　think　about　it。　I　am　not　making　a　value　judgment；　just　an　observation。　Such　as　the　observation　that　men　are　basically　bative；　confrontational；　insecure　and　unstable…and　appear　to　need　these　myths　to　justify　their　existence。〃
　There　was　a　lot　to　argue　with　there；　maybe　not　a　lot　but　some。　A　good　deal　of　jumping…to…conclusions　and　more　than　a　bit　of　rationalization。　I　sidestepped　for　the　moment；　until　I　knew　more　about　how　this　society　ticked。　I　raised　a　finger。
　〃Nov；　let　me　see　if　I　have　this　straight。　You　ladies　have　a　fortable　existence　on　this　side　of　the　wall。　You　provide　the　scientific　backup　to　the　males　on　the　other　side。　To　keep　them　chuntering　along　in　their　locker…room　paradise。　Correct？〃
　〃Among　other　things。　That　is　basically　correct。〃
　〃Dare　I　ask　what　they　supply　in　return？〃
　〃Very　little；　if　the　truth　be　known。　Fresh　meat　from　the　nomads。　Who　not　only　won't　trade　with　us　but　now　heartily　deny　our　existence；　though　they　secretly　would　love　to　wipe　us　out。　Then　there　is　an　occasional　supply　of　sperm　to　top　up　our　cryogenic　sperm　bank。　Little　else。　We　watch　them　and　keep　them　going　mostly　by　habit…and　for　our　own　safety。　If　the　man　in　the　street　doesn't　know　that　we　exist　he　can't　cause　us　any　trouble。　The　men　also　get　a　lot　of　pleasure　in　bashing　the　nomads　when　they　start　bothering　us。　Altogether　a　satisfactory　relationship。〃
　〃It　certainly　sounds　that　way。〃　I　finished　the　glass　of　wine　and　realized　that　I　was　beginning　to　feel　the　effects　of　the　alcohol。　Which　was　better　than　feeling　the　bruises　and　sore　ribs。　Which　should　be　looked　at　soon…but　not　too　soon。　The　unfolding　drama　of　cultural　mish…mash　was　just　too　interesting。　〃If　you　please…a　question　or　two　before　we　call　in　the　medics。　First　is　the　most　important　question。　You　mention　sperm　banks　so　I　assume　that　pregnancy　and　motherhood　still　exist？〃
　〃They　certainly　do！　We　would　never　consider　depriving　women　of　their　hormonal；　psychological　and　physical　rights。　Those　who　wish　to　bee　mothers　be