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〃…Ira and Galahad and Justin don't treat us as children…〃
〃…but you do and it's not just humiliating； it's downright heartbreaking when we may never see you again…〃
〃…when you didn't make any real fuss about knocking up Minerva…〃
〃…not to mention Tammy and Hamadarling and Ish…〃
〃Stop it！〃
… They stopped。
〃I concede a remote possibility with respect to three of them； although mathematically most unlikely。〃
Lorelei said quietly； 〃Mathematically extremely likely； Lazarus； because we were all in on it。 Justin and Ira and Galahad hung back at the right times just the way they insured that Minerva's first baby was Ira's and Tammy's first was Justin's。 But if ~t did not work out…for any one of four； not 'three'…then Ishtar will correct it from the sperm bank。〃
〃I'm not in the sperm bank！〃
The girls exchanged glances。 Lapis Lazuli said； 〃Want to bet？〃
The puter said； 〃It's a sucker bet； Buddy。〃
Lazarus looked thoughtful。 〃Unless Ishtar tricked me almost twenty years back。 When I was her rejuve client。〃
Lorelei said quietly； 〃I suppose she could have； Lazarus。 But she did not； that I know of…and this is fresh sperm。 Frozen not more than a year ago； any of it。 After the day you announced a date for this trip。〃
〃Impossible。〃
…442
443〃Better not say 'Impossible。' What is the perfect container for keeping … sperm fresh and alive until a technician can bank it？'
Lazarus looked very thoughtful。 〃Well 。 。 I'll 。 …。 be
damned！〃
〃Correct； I~rother。 Place a woman around it。 You were being oh so careful to pick your bedmates by their cycles so that you wouldn't leave any babies behind 。 。 and they were being oh。 so careful to see Ish or Galahad as soon as you fell asleep 。 。 as well as fudging calendars； too。 The point is；
beloved brother of ours； you don't own your genes…nobody does。 We've heard you say so； in discussing how Minerva was constructed。 Genes belong to the race； they're simply lent to the individual for his…her lifetime。 And all of us…knowing you were going to try this reckless thing…decided that； while you were free to throw away your life； you weren't free to waste a unique gene pattern。〃
？azarus changed the subject。 〃Why do you say 'four'？〃
Lorelei answered；… 〃Brother； are you ashamed of Minerva？ I do not believe it。 Nor does Laz。〃
〃Uh… No； I'm not ashamed of her； Fm proud of her！ Damn it； you two have always been able to get me mixed up。 I simply did not know that she had told anyone。 I have not。〃 The other twin said； 〃Who would she turn to but us？〃
〃You mean 'To whom would she turn。〃
〃Damn it； Brother； this is a hell of a time to be correcting our grammar！ Minerva turned to us for advice…and fort！
…because we're in the same difficult position with respect to you that she is。 That she was； I mean； for she came out of the bushes looking as smug as a cat。 You made her happy…〃
〃…when she had been crying her eyes out…〃〃…and she'll stay happy now； even if she missed catching…〃
〃…because once is enough for a symbol and if she missed…〃 …
〃Lsh will fix it…〃
〃…and of cowse we knew about it when you finally quit dithering and did what you should have done for her years ago…〃
〃…because we helped rig it so that she could get you alone and twist your arm…〃
〃…and told her that if tears weren't enough； to chuck in some chin quivering…〃
444〃…and it worked and she's happy…〃…
〃…but we're not so damned happy； not at all； but we won't cry at you…i…〃
〃…or quiver our chins； that's childish。 If you won't do it simply because you love us…〃
〃…then the hell with it and we probably won't even fall back on the sperm bank； Instead…〃
〃…it …might be better to have Ish sterilize us…〃
〃…permanently…not just offset fertility temporarily…〃
〃…and quit being females； since we're failures at it…〃
〃STOP IT！ If you're not going to cry at me； what are all those tears' for？〃
第61节
Lapis Lazuli said with quiet dignity； 〃Those aren't weeping tears； Brother； they e from sheer exasperation。 e on； Lor； we've swung and we've missed…let's go to bed。〃
〃ing； Sister。〃
〃If the modore will excuse us？〃…
〃He damn well won't！ Sit back down。 Girls； can we talk about this quietly without you two whipsawing me？〃
The two young women sat back down。 Captain Lorelei glanced at her sister and said； 〃Laz agrees that I will speak for us both。 No whipsawing。〃
Lazarus said thoughtfully； 〃Do you two run your brains in tandem or in parallel？〃 …
〃We 。 。 do not think that is relevant to the discussion。〃
〃Just scientific interest。 If you could teach me how to do it； 。〃
〃That can be only conjectural； Lazarus 。 。 since you reject Us。〃
〃Damn it； girls…I have not rejected you； I will never reject you。〃 …
They said nothing； he went on； unfortably： 〃There are two aspects to this； one is geic； the other is emotional。 Geic… We three are a weird case； male and female；… yet quasi…identicals。 More than quasi…forty…five forty…sixths to be exact。 Which makes the probability of bad reinforcement far greater than it is for ordinary siblings。 But besides that； we are Howards only by courtesy； as our genes have not undergone some twenty…four centuries of systematic culling。 I'm so close to the head of the column that there was no culling at all； my four grandparents were among the first selectees； so when I was born in Gregorian 1912； I had behind me no inbreeding； no culling out； no cleaning of the gene pooi。 And you dears are in the same predicament as even that forty…sixth
445chromosome 〃es from me； since it replicates my forty…fifth Yet you two seem willing to accept this high risk of re inforcement。〃
He paused。 There was ilo ment。 He… shrugged and wen on： 〃The emotional objection es only from me； you twc don't seem to have it 。 。 reasonable； I suppose； since …th concept it is based on…from the Old Testament…has beer ~replaced by the concept of following the advice of Families geicists。 I'm not arguing with th？wisdom of that； I agre with it…since they say No to a couple of unrelated strangen just as readily as to siblings if the gene charts give 'No' a~ the answer。 But I was talking about feelings； not science。 I don't suppose any but scholars read the Old Testament anymore； but the culture I was brought up in was soaked in it~ attitudes…'Bible Bult；' you've heard me call it that。 Girls； i：
is hard to shake off any taboos a child is indoctrinated witi in his earliest years。 Even if he learns later that they ar~ nonsense。
〃I tried to do better with you two。 I've had time enougi to sort out my taboos and my prejudices from what I reall） know； and I tried…I tried very hard！…not to inflict on yo~ two any of the irrational nonsense that was fed to me undei the pretext of 'educating' me。 〃Apparently I succeeded； or w would never have reached this impasse。 But 9~ere it is… You two are modern young women 。 。 but； thotigh we shan the same genes； I am an old savage from a very murky time。' He sighed。 〃I'm sorry。〃 …
Lorelei looked at her sister； they bo~h stood up。 〃Sir； ma~ we be excused？〃
〃Huh？ No rebuttal？〃
〃Sir； an emotional argument permits no refutation。 As foi the rest； why should we weary you with arguments when youi mind is made up？〃
〃Well 。 perhaps you're right。 But you listened courteousl） to me。 I want to pay you the same respect。〃 …
〃It is not necessary； sir。〃 Her eyes and those of her sistei were welling with tears； they ignored them。 〃We are sure 01 your respect； and…in your way…of your love。 May we
Before Lazarus could answer； the puter spoke up：
〃Hey！ I want a piece of this！〃
〃Dora！〃 Lorelei rebuked。
〃Don't give me that； Lor。 I'm not going to stay politel） quiet while my family make fools of themselves。 Buddy Boy
Lor didn't tell you about the whammy they considered pulling on you…and that 1 still can。 And will！〃
〃Dora； we。 don't want that sort of help。 Laz and I agreed on that。〃
〃So you did。 But …you didn't ask me to vote on it。 And I'm no lady and never was。 Buddy 01' Boy； you know it makes no difference to me who does what to whom； I couldn't care less…except that it's so funny to hear 'em squeal and grunt。 BUt you're being mean to my sisters。 Lor and Laz talked over the fact that you can't make this trip without their help
and … they rejected that gambit as being beneath their dignity or some such twaddle。 But I don't have any dignity。 Without my help nobody makes a time trip。 Shucks； if I go on strike； you can't even get back to Tertius。 Now can you？〃 …
Lazarus looked wryly surprised； then grinned。 〃Mutiny again。 Dorable； I concede your point； you can keep us out here…wherever 'here' is…until we starve。 I suspected centuries back that a flesh…and…blood might someday find himself in just such a helpless position。 But； dear； I won't let your threats affect my decision。 You can keep me from time…tripping
…but I doubt if you will let Lor and Laz starve。… You'll take them home。〃
〃Oh； hell； Pappy…you're being mean again。 You're a real whirling son of bitch！ Do you know it？〃
〃Guilty on both counts； Dora；〃 Lazarus admitted。
〃And Lor and Laz are being stupidly bullheaded。 Lor； he politely offered you a chance to speak your。piece 。 。 and you turned him down。 Stubborn bitch。〃
〃Dora； behave yourself。〃
〃Whuffor？ When you three don't。 Blow your noses and sit down and give Buddy the straight tell。 He's entitled to it。〃
〃Perhaps you had better；〃 Lazarus said gently。 〃Sit down； girls； and talk with me。 Dora？ Keep her steady between the hawsepipes； baby girl…and we'll get her into port yet。〃
〃Aye； aye； modore！ But you get those two silly bitches
straightened out。 Huh？…
〃I'll try。 Who's the spokesman this time？ Laz？〃
〃It doesn't matter；〃 answered Lapis Lazuli。 〃I'll talk for us。 Don't worry about Dora。 When she realizes that we are con
…tent to accept your decision； she'll stop being difficult。〃
〃Oh； you think so； do you？ Shape up； Laz…or we'll be back in Boondock faster than you can say 'Libby pseudoinfinities。' 〃
〃Please； Dora； let me tell Brother。〃
446 …
〃Just be sure you tell him everything 。 。 or I'll tell him about things that went on in here a full year before he said…
you were old enough。〃
Lazarus blinked and looked interested。 〃Well； well！ Did you kids steal a march on me？〃
〃Well； Mama Ishtar told？us we were old enough。 You were the one being stuffy about it。〃
〃Mmm 。 。 stipulated。 Someday I must tell you about something that happened to me at an early age in a church belfry。〃
〃I'm sure we'd like to hear it； Brother…but do you want to hear us now？〃
〃Yes。 Dora and I will 。keep quiet。〃
〃Let me say in preface that we are not going to ask Ishtar to thwart your wishes by using the sperm bank。 But there are other possibilities to which you can hardly object。 Consider how we were born~ I could easily bear an implanted clone from my own tissue； and so could Lor…although we might swap clones 。 。 for reasons purely sentimental since we have identical genes。 Do you see anything wrong with that？ Geically； or emotionally？ Or otherwise？〃
〃Mmm 。 。 no。 Unusual…but your business。〃
…〃Just as easy…since Ishtar still has living tissue of yours in vitro…is to clone you 。 。 and Lorelei and I would bear identical twins…both of them 'Lazarus Long' in every gene
lacking only your long experience。 Would you find that offensive？〃
〃Eh？ Now wait a minute！ Let me …think。〃
〃Let me add that we regard this as a last resort 。 。 if you are dead。 If you don't e back。〃
〃Don't start sniffling again！ Uh； if I