I realized that somewhere along the way my reluctance to have kids of my own was inhibiting her from doing the same.I realized that somewhere along the way my reluctance to have kids of my own was inhibiting her from doing the same. I mean, in twenty years back after she was decanted there were three, so she must enjoy the task." "Who asked first? You or her?" "Uhmm... Basically, she was afraid to tell me, but she talked... griped?... to friends about the one thing in her life that was missing. They told me, and I decided to tell her." "Do you think you're up to it, Shardik?" "Wait a minute," I said, getting all sorts of angry. "I can take that question from P'nyssa. I can take it from Ember, who's lived with me. I can even take it from my local AI. But what is it that makes you, a total stranger, ask that question?" She thought for what seemed a long time, then said "I'm not a total stranger to you. We've got all the radiofeeds here, even the 'wire. It's kind of hard to not want to pay attention to your local god." "I am not a god." Was she deliberately making me angry? "What do you call someone who builds planets and then willfully creates the sentients who live there?" she asked in reply. "A thief. Look, I built Pendor with stolen technologies, and, well, as for making you and y'all... That's based on the immortal's rule: An unaging person can do anything he wants, simply because he's got long enough. Dagmar, I didn't come here to discuss with you my involuntary deification. I came here because I am a man incapable of giving his love the child she wants. |