Variation - #10

The Grand Inquisitor

Nooj: If you're done playing, let's go.

Gippal: Chill out.

Nooj: Lost your nerve?

Gippal: Hey, we're talking about Vegnagun. How the heck do you fight that thing? We can't even walk up to it without freakin' it out.

Nooj: Or making it mad. But I've got a plan.

Gippal: If it doesn't work?

Nooj: Death will be my apology.

Gippal: Whatever, man. When a Deathseeker dies, that's no apology. What about Leblanc?

Nooj: Well, she—

She was sitting curled up at the foot of the bed, brushing out her silver-gilt curls to frame her conventionally pretty face. She looked archly over at the man propped up on the lacy lavender pillows.

"I've been meaning to ask you," she said. "What was it you told Gippal after you walked out of range of the Commsphere?"

Nooj yawned, covering his mouth with his right hand. "When? With all the Commspheres scattered around, people are always walking in and out of range." He stretched and seemed about to go to sleep.

LeBlanc batted his thigh with her hairbrush. "You know perfectly well when - and where. That time you and Gippal were on the FarPlane hunting Baralai. You were talking about me." She bridled.

"Talking about you? Gippal and I? Are you sure?" He cast his eyes upward as if in thought.

"You hypocrite! You know what I'm talking about. When Gippal fixed the broken 'Sphere. You remember." She seemed on the verge of frustrated tears.

He took pity on her. "Oh, that time! Yes, I remember Gippal getting the thing to work - we thought. We couldn't be sure. It was all just a try on his part to keep from going on into more dangerous territory. Don't tell anybody but the lad's something of a coward in spite of the bravado he projects. I can remember several occasions ..."

"Stop it!" Her voice had risen to a screech. "Stop it! You're trying to get out of answering me. I don't care if Gippal's a coward or not. I don't care what Gippal is. I want to know what you were going to tell him about me!"

"LeBlanc, I honestly don't recall the details of that conversation. It's been a long time and a lot has happened since then."

"Would it help if I told you what you said before you went out of range? You said if you failed death would be your apology. Then Gippal said, "When a Deathseeker dies, that's no apology. What about Leblanc?" And you said, "Well, she..." and that was when it all died away. What were you about to say?"

"I have no idea. We were just talking to keep our minds off what we were going to face when we reached Baralai. It's not important. After all, I survived and so did you. Here we are together. I don't know about you but I'm sleepy. That was a real workout. Come lie down and let's nap." He caught her arm and pulled her down next to him. Spreading the sheet over them both, he murmured, "Sleep now; we have a busy day ahead."

"I'm not sleepy, Nooj. And we don't have a thing we have to do tomorrow. We can sleep all day if we want to. Nothing's waiting for us and you know it." She rolled over to align her body against his at its full length.

He ran his left hand, the machina one, down her side, stopping to cup her breast and tweak her nipple. She giggled and squirmed.

"Shh." He laid a finger across her lips. The fact that it was a metal finger hidden in a black leather glove did not dismay her.

"Dear Nooj, you're just plain inexhaustible, aren't you?" She snuggled close to him and reached down.

-X-

"There. You sleepy yet?" He raised a quizzical brow.

"Actually, I'm not. That was fun but it sort of woke me up," she explained apologetically. "Want to give it another go?" She gave an affectionate pull to a certain area.

"Lustful woman, you're the inexhaustible one." He detached her hand and settled her head on his shoulder. "I'm afraid I'm not quite up to another session right now. Men need to recharge, you know."

"OK. Then let's talk 'til I feel sleepy. Tell me what you said to Gippal about me."

Nooj moaned and cast his gaze to the heavens. "Why are women so endlessly persistent?"

"We wouldn't have to be if you'd just tell us what we want to know without so many delaying tactics. So, what did you tell him? It's been long enough ago that you don't have to keep it a secret anymore." She looked at him in triumph.

He thought he saw an opening. "It's been so long I can't remember. A lot's happened since then. You can't expect me to remember everything. Now let's sleep. You've worn me out." He yawned extravagantly.

"Huh!" She snorted and pinched him in a sensitive spot. "You're not all that easy to wear out. You just don't want to tell me what you said. Well, I won't be put off. I'll keep you awake until you talk and you know I can and will do it."

Nooj sighed. "I know and I guess I'll have to make up some sort of answer to satisfy you. This sort of constant nagging is no way to get the truth, you know. It's like torture - satisfying to the tormentor but useless in the pursuit of knowledge." He closed his eyes and laid his forearm across his brow.

"Damn you!" LeBlanc pounded her closed fist on his broad smooth chest. "You can't get away with this! You'll tell me and tell me the truth."

"How do you propose to make me do that, madam?"

"I'll kick you out of my bed, that's how."

"And which of us would suffer the most?" He smiled with his eyes still closed and his body relaxed.

"Nooj, don't do this. Can't you see I've been tortured all this time wanting to know what that answer to Gippal's question was? Please, please tell me. You're just being cruel." She threw herself across his body, embracing him and flooding his chest with tears. She always had a considerable store of tears to call upon.

Nooj let her cry for a while. He had the feeling that a good cry usually did her a service, leaching out the bitterness and overbearingness which were her worst qualities. After she had sobbed and slobbered for a sufficient length of time, he began stroking her, starting at the head and ending at the hips.

"All right, LeBlanc. That's enough. Stop pretending to be a child. Let's discuss this like adults." He slapped her more firmly than gently on her rear.

At once, she raised her head, revealing an astonishingly dry face. "Why did you hit me?"

"Because that's what adults do to children who won't stop their manipulating. Are you ready to hear the truth?"

"Yes, I'm ready. Dear Nooj, I can bear it. Tell me. I'll be strong." She lifted her chin as though to take a blow.

"What I said was, 'Well she's stronger than she acts. She knows I have to follow my duty and will be able to bear whatever happens.' That's what I told him and it was the exact truth as I tell it to you now."

"Do you really believe that? That I'm strong and able to understand you?"

"Yes."

"That's so sweet!" She cuddled up even more closely. Nooj, unseen by her, rolled his eyes and smiled uneasily. Lying did not come naturally to him.

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

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