Oberheim (Voices): A Chronicle of WarLeadem, Christopher
Science
Oberheim (Voices): A Chronicle of War
Leadem, Christopher
Science fiction
In his late forties or early fifties, he was a man of average height,
blonde-gray and gaunt, still retaining a taut musculature that showed
itself in the square shoulders and stiffly upright posture. He had a
lean, hard face with prominent cheekbones and brow. But what held her
attention most---Morgan opened a bedroom door for one of the
soldiers---were his eyes. Steel gray and cold, they looked out
restless and insatiable. And though they did not flit, as with lesser
men, they nonetheless seemed unable to rest their gaze on anything for
more than a short time, as if never satisfied with what they saw, angry
and bitter because of it. But when they returned again to her, she
knew it would be very hard. He followed the silk dress up the long
length of her body, and into her eyes. Here was something he wanted.
But even as she looked away, she felt a new determination growing out
of her despair. And though for a moment she had seen him with woman's
eyes, sensing the underlying weakness and need, she felt no pity for
him. His self-malignation and inner violence had cost thousands of
lives already. If it were at all within her power, they would cost no
more.
It was at this same time that she decided upon a strategy. Morgan's
plan had been to lie and act as little as possible, and to decide at
the time which of three contingent courses to adopt. In this way he
hoped to avoid unnecessary risk. She glanced over at him quickly,
looking broken and hurt, and both understood: she had been told of
this ahead of time, and though no longer shocked or capable of much
fear, she felt shamefully and bitterly betrayed. She sat down again
dejectedly and hung her head, without having said a word. Then let a
single tear trickle down her cheek, and wiped it away.
Had they known it, this was probably the best course they could have
adopted. This was not what he wanted---a broken and dispirited
prisoner. He wanted something still alive, desiring freedom and
capable of struggle. At once he called the soldiers to him.
"That is all. Leave the one at the door and get below."
"He has a rifle in the study," said one.
"I know that as well as you. You have your orders."
They touched their chests with a closed right fist and were gone. He
seated his guards in two chairs placed on either side of the bedroom
doors.
"I would like a drink, Morgan. Bring one for yourself, and for the
lady. Whatever she likes." When he had left the room, Hunter moved to
sit in a high-backed chair across from her. She looked up at him,
puzzled.
"Please, you must not be afraid of me. Your master is a hard man
because he has to be. We are not ogres." It was suddenly important to
him that Morgan had never had her. "No one is going to hurt you.
Please, won't you trust me?" She said nothing, continued looking down.
The tall man began to re-enter the room, but Hunter waved him off.
"Has Morgan been treating you well?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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