The Point is Probably Moot

Chapter 9 - Alice

They don't write 'em like that anymore

They just don't write 'em like that anymore

-- Greg Kihn Band (The Breakup Song)

=/\=

Dazed, foggy and still feeling tired, but also feeling very, very good, Kevin tentatively opened one eye. That was, it was a bit of paranoia, a fear on his part. He'd always felt that way with women. There was that morning after moment, a little scary, when he couldn't be sure that the woman hadn't sneaked out in the middle of the night.

He saw silvery blonde hair on the form sleeping next to him, facing away from him. Excellent. He tapped his left ear, "Yeah, Carmen? The computer's done compiling. I'll be in, uh, in a few hours. O'Connor out."

He wasn't sure if he could perform again. But at least he'd give it the old college try. Win one for Madison, he thought. On Wisconsin, plunge through that line! Heh, he chuckled to himself, imagining Badgers cheerleaders at the foot of the bed for a split second.

There was also breakfast. That would be safer, and easier. Plus he figured he needed sustenance. It took a lot to maintain a near quarter-metric ton physique. So that would have to come first, "G'morning," he said, "what do you like to eat for breakfast?"

She turned over and he saw that, incredibly, she had antennae, "Kevin, we've been married for close to twenty years. Don't you know what I like for breakfast by now?"

The woman, naked, got up and grabbed a short robe and put it on. She leaned over and kissed him, antennae twitching. He just lay there, slack-jawed, staring.

For she was not Yilta. She was whole and she was happy and she was healthy and she was, most definitely, Aenar.

Josie.

=/\=

Conference Room six slowly filled up with the members of the Human Unit, all yawning and stretching.

"Mister O'Connor tells me that the computers have finished compiling," Carmen said, "he will be here in a few hours. In the meantime, what have we got?"

"I think I've found why we have a theocracy, or at least why it's such a mishmash of cultures and faiths," Polly said.

"I have something as well," Boris said, "I stumbled upon it quite by accident. But, please, go ahead."

"Well, it's like this," Polly said, "the official state religion seems to be a mix of everything but Islam."

"Islam? Is that what you found, Boris?" Carmen asked.

"I did. It's as if they erased the Koran from history."

"Agreed," Polly said, "there are only a few fragments floating around. It's as if we were looking at the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans."

Alice walked in. "Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything?"

"Well, we think we figured out the religion thing," Deirdre said.

"Religion thing?" Alice asked, "I don't find that to be terribly funny."

"No one's suggesting anything," Dan said.

"They'd better not be," Alice said, "for we have the one, true faith."

=/\=

Kevin sat down to pancakes. "You're quiet today," Josie said.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I am. Uh, how are ya feeling?"

"Me? I'm fine. Like I always am! You're such a worrywart!"