"Marlon!" It was the first thing Lynette said since dinner had started.
"There's a large study down the hall, three doors to the left," said Christophe. "You may use the terminal in that room. But be warned, Mr. Donnely. It is even better protected than your system on Utopia." There was a glint in Marlon's eye as he all but ran out the room. Christophe gave a small chuckle. "And that should keep him busy for the evening."
"He'll try and crack it," said Reginald.
"That's the point. I've had about enough of his attitude for one day."
"I'm sorry," Lynette began.
"Do not apologize for your brother." Christophe stood. "I'm going to relax in the gardens. It is such a warm evening and it's been so long since I've had the luxury. Would anyone care to join me?"
All of the adults jumped to go with him. "Why don't you and Lynette explore your castle a bit?" Ralph suggested. I looked at Lynette. She shrugged. I shrugged. We made it a plan.
We walked around aimlessly for awhile. Everything was so foreign. In all honestly, I didn't know what half the things I was looking at were for, if they were for anything. Nothing Lynette showed me over the past weeks seemed to relate. After awhile, I was beyond frustrated. "What the hell is all this crap anyway?"
Lynette laughed. It was the first smile I'd seen all day. "Rich people junk," she said honestly.
I pointed to container on a stand. It was all by itself on a large, rock stand by a window. "That. What is that?"
"It's a vase."
"What's it for?"
"Flowers."
I frowned. "There aren't any flowers in it."
Her eyes went wide. "Of course not! It's old, Jake. Really, really old. No one would use it anymore."
"Then why is it here?"
She shrugged. "To look at. It is pretty," she said.
I frowned and walked around it, trying to see the point. I didn't, and I still don't. "So my family has enough money to buy something useless and build a stand for it to show to everyone that we're so rich we don't need to actually use the things we buy?"
"Yep."
"That's so stupid." I went to touch the vase and Lynette gasped. "What?"
"Oh, don't touch it! If you break it..."
"What? What will happen if I break it? It's mine, right?"
She actually looked very upset. "You don't understand. If you don't want it, give it to someone who does."
"Would you want to own something like this?"
"Of course. Who wouldn't?"
"Good, then. It's yours."
She laughed. I wasn't kidding. "I...I can't take that from you, Jake."
"Why? I don't want it. Apparently no one else in my family could think of a use for it." But she wouldn't take it. I sighed, and she looked uncomfortable. "I don't understand. I don't want it. You do."
She shook her head. "It doesn't work like that. It's too much. It's too expensive for you to just give away."
It was not too expensive for me and my family to completely ignore, never use, and let sit around collecting dust. It was, however, too expensive to give to someone who did have a use for it. I will never understand this. Never.
I let it go, but it bothered me. We walked through my house, my house filled with useless things like the vase. Little boxes, gold and silver. Bells. Little bells with fancy handles. "Your mother collected them," she insisted. I could not imagine Mother collecting these silly trinkets. There were useless crystal figures and large useless marble figures. There were plates stuck up on walls, on walls! There were teacups in a case that was never to be opened. There were rugs hanging, never to be walked on. There were paintings. Okay, I'll concede that those I like. They made the place look nice. But everything else? It was all too much.
Lynette went to bed sad that night, and I wandered around feeling guilty without knowing why. I wanted her to help me understand, but she didn't. Or couldn't. Or worse...wouldn't. I would have loved to have a conversation with Christophe about it, because I got the feeling he could help explain it. All the adults were drinking in the garden. Loudly, too. Having a great time by the sounds. So I ended up in the study with Marlon.
"I suppose you expect me to drop what I'm doing and entertain you."
"No," I said, sitting in a chair in the room. "Just answer my questions."
"I'm busy."
"It's my house."
Marlon sighed. "That's rude."
"Is it?"
"Of course it's rude! You can't invite guests to your house and then throw it back in their faces."
This was exactly what I was hoping for. It would be brutal, but it would be honest. "I didn't invite anyone here."
"You sayin' you want us to leave?"
"Hell no! You're not leaving me here alone."
Marlon gave a grunt. If I didn't know better, I would have called it a laugh. "So what do you want?"
"I offered Lynette presents and she wouldn't take them."
He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. I really did have his interest then. "What kind of presents are you offering my sister?" There was a threat in his tone.
"A vase. Some little bells. A couple paintings. Things she liked. I said she could have them."
"Why?"
I shrugged. "I don't want them. And she seemed to really like them, so..."
"Ah. Pride," he said, as if that cleared everything up.
"What?"
"Pride. It's Lynnie's pride rising."
"Pride? About what? I don't want that junk. She does. Why shouldn't she take it?"
"Lynnie's the type to want to earn everything she gets."
I frowned. I was supposed to be getting explanations, not getting more confused. "You don't have to earn a present from a friend."
Marlon sat and looked at me for a minute. He was still scowling. I had no clue what he was thinking. After a minute, he swore and shook his head. "I thought it was an act. Wow. You really don't understand money, do you?" Before I could answer, he got up and came around the desk and leaned back to give me a good lecture. "This is how things work in the real world. In the real world, we go to work. We bust our chops. We give a hundred and ten percent and get a handful of credits and a kick in the pants for our efforts. We take that tiny pittance and try to buy enough food, a place to live, clothes...everything. We eke out a pitiful life until we die. And that's the way it should be and that's what Lynnie thinks she should have to do."
I sighed. This was getting nowhere. "I don't need a Marlon rant..."
"I'm not ranting, space monkey. I'm telling you how Lynnie sees life. How a lot of people see life. In Lynnie's mind, she will never, ever be able to own one of those vases or bells or whatever."
"But she's already earned it."
"No. She's earned a handful of credits and a pat on the back."
To Lynnie, my payment exceeded what she earned. "It's just junk, Marlon."
"It's expensive junk."
I laughed. "So? It's useless. It has absolutely no value to me whatsoever."
He waved a finger at me. "You'll change your tune once you're here for awhile."
No. On both counts. "I won't, and I'm not going to be here for awhile. As soon as I can get a ship and head out, I'm doing it."
Marlon shook his head slowly. "You're an idiot. Low-g rotted your brain."
"Why? Because I don't care about silly vases?"
"Yes! And the food and the staff...my god, Jake! You have a staff! You have people that are waiting to do whatever you ask. It's the very best life anyone on Earth can ask for, and you have it."
I didn't want it, though. I looked at him for a few minutes, assessing. "Would you take the vase?"
"Hell yes I would."
"Why?"
"That vase, that one vase, would give me a comfortable life."
I had to laugh. "So you'll take it where Lynette never would."
"Absolutely." He spread his arms and gave me a grin. "I'm a sell out. I embrace it. If there's a way for an easy life, I'd take it."
"And do what? Just soak up all this pampering?"
He rubbed his chin. "No, not all the time." He nodded his head toward the terminal. "The pull of that crap is too strong."
"Then what would you do?"