"Just a minor question first. Why no clothes?"
"Why not?" Diana replied. "Clothing was exploitive and designed by men to enslave us. Here we are sisters, and free of such things. And besides, the climate is com pletely controlled."
"Do you understand your historical roots?"
"Oh, quite well. Our memory systems have survived intact, and our leaders, who first created our society a thousand years ago, live yet in those memories. Through their inspired guidance we re-learn daily of our ansisters ' exploitation by your gender. Each generation that is born here learns it as well from our teaching library."
That would explain their almost perfectly preserved twenty-first-century pre-Holocaust speech, Ian suddenly realized. The vocabulary and pronunciation would be learned from an unchanging source, thereby guiding the language and arresting it at a particular point. A philologist would be fascinated with their society-it's a living ex ample of a language long altered on Earth.
It was fascinating, as well, since the founding philos ophy had survived, unlike the Friends of the Light who had quickly evolved into something beyond the wildest imaginings of their founders.
"So you artificially inseminate out of your frozen bank and then train your children through the library."
"Not artificially" came a voice from the audience. "Ours is the natural way; yours the abomination."
"Have you ever tried it?" Richard shouted back. "It's not so bad."
"God damn it, Richard," Ian shouted before the uproar swept over them, "are you trying to get us killed?"
"We'd prefer if you didn't take Her name in vain," Diana said coldly. "And as for getting killed, you might not be too far off the mark."
Richard looked at Diana with a weak smile. "May I ask one or two other questions?"
Diana nodded an affirmative.
"How do you administer your system?" Ian said before Richard could ask another question.
"We have a system of support groups."
"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that term. What is a support group?"
Several of the women laughed.
"We are all organized into groups of ten sisters who provide support and encouragement to each other. From each such group one is selected who, with nine others selected by their groups, participates in the next level of administration. So the structure progresses up to the Sis ter Eldest, the position I now hold."
"It sounds like a logical management system," Ian re plied, trying to smile in a friendly fashion.
"Watch it, sisters," Diana said sarcastically, "he's ap pearing to support us, but we all know that underneath he still wishes to exploit."
"Okay." He hesitated for a second, unsure if "okay" signaled agreement or expression of anger. They didn't show any stronger hostility so he assumed his colloqui alism had been correct.
He tried for another. "I can relate to that and to your struggle."
"Don't patronize us!" several dozen shouted.
He wasn't sure of that term either, but the tone of the response was enough. "Let me make this a more personal question then. It's obvious you don't like us, I can accept that. So why not return our clothes and Richard and I will be on our way. And if our two sisters desire, they can head out, as well. Is that okay?"
Diana's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why? So you can run back to your male-dominated world and give them the word as to where we are?"
Diana turned away from Ian and faced the audience. "Sister Ellen has already told me that you can make a voyage of a thousand years in just a matter of months. No thank you. We don't want you running home and then bringing back your contemptible breed to gawk and ex ploit. We know a pig named Stasz is hiding in your ship. Sisters, once we figure out the way, we'll break into the pigs' ship and take it for ourselves!"
The women cheered while Ian looked at Richard and grimaced. The women were serious, and there would be no turning on the charm and talking their way out. Ian looked appealingly at Shelley, hoping that she would speak out. She looked him straight in the eye then brushed her hair back off her small rounded breasts, so that he could see them more clearly. She favored him with a tiny smirk.
"So, what are you going to do with us?"
Diana smiled at his question.
"The Primary Council support group has debated that question and we've come up with a proper answer.
"Our frozen sperm is a thousand years old, and in creasing numbers of samples are flawed after the extended deep freeze. Sister Ellen has assured me that your medical backgrounds are adequate, even if your physical appearance is substandard.
"Therefore," Diana continued, "we propose to use you to resupply our bank."
"Suppose we won't cooperate," Ian snapped back, his dignity insulted by the mere thought of what she was suggesting.
"We've thought of that, as well. We understand that you men find the watching of the sexual act between women to be particularly exciting. Perhaps after several such voyeuristic experiences you'll be willing to, how shall I say, give us a hand."
"Oh, God, I've died and gone to heaven," Richard moaned.
The doorway slipped open and Shelley signaled them to be silent. Ian had half suspected it all along, but know ing it was true caused him to kiss her with relief.
"Let's go," Shelley whispered. Ian nudged Richard awake. Richard looked at him bleary-eyed and groaned. He had been taken out hours before for a "session," or at least that's what Diana had said, and must have been returned when Ian was already asleep.
Ian pointed to the door where Ellen and Shelley stood.
"Is this an escape?" Richard asked. "Well, if so, count me out, you'll never make it."
"Come on, asshole," Ellen commanded, "we're going."
"Leave without me, this setup isn't so bad. At least let me offer a couple more samples first."
Ellen slipped into the room and pulled out a stun prod like the one Diana used. "If you don't get your ass up and moving," Ellen hissed, "I'm going to put it on your butt and jolt your backside clear across this room. Now move!"
"All right, damn it." Richard cursed wearily and got to his feet. Ellen fell in behind him and Shelley led the way. Twice they encountered a "sister," and in both cases Shelley managed to drop them with a stunner. And in both cases Richard had to be dragged away from his at tempt to "make sure there was no lasting damage."
Finally they reached the airlock entry and a brief scuf fle ensued as they fought their way past half a dozen guards then finally managed to secure themselves inside the airlock.
"Now let's hope Stasz didn't decide to abandon us here," Ian said.
"Not to worry," Ellen replied. "I managed to lift the radio out of my suit and I stayed in touch with him." She pulled the unit out of the pouch hanging from her shoulder, which was the only stitch of clothing she had on.
"We're in the airlock, Stasz."
"How the hell do I know it's you?" The fear in his voice was obvious.
"Listen, you drunken idiot," Richard replied, "I know you've already snatched two of my bottles and hidden them under your bunk since we left Earth. God knows how many more you've taken while I've been away. In fact, that's the only damn reason I've come back-"
The airlock hatch opened.
"Blast my eyes with a nova," Stasz muttered as Ellen and Shelley drifted past. Shelley even stopped for a mo ment, leaned up and kissed Stasz on the cheek, then pushed off and floated away to the main cabin-the three men looking after her.
"What happened?" Stasz asked, as he looked mockingly at his two now slightly self-conscious companions.
"Paradise," Richard replied.
"Docking unlatched," Shelley said, her eyes on the main instrument board. She was back in a light coverall, and Ian found himself looking at her and imagining what he had seen earlier.