Scorched Earth: A Future History of Planet EarthPetrovic, Walter D.
Science
Scorched Earth: A Future History of Planet Earth
Petrovic, Walter D.
Science fiction
"Thank-you, Dam Lehnar!" Lloyd accepted her invitation but before he
left he moved close to Boyce and whispered to him that the Sedash knew
who they were.
Boyce responded with a nod and motioned for him to go with Lehnar.
Throughout the day and evening, Dam Lehnar escorted Lloyd to various
parts of interest in the city. Many of the sights that she showed him
dated back to the time of the first colony of hermaphrodites that
established a settlement on the Sedarin Plateau.
In the late evening Lehnar took Lloyd to the theatre and they watched a
very graphic account of the Sedash becoming a great and powerful people
in their region. There was much violence and bloodshed.
Lehnar sat very close to Lloyd during the evening. He noticed it
immediately and prayed that another situation would not develop with
her as it did with Grenadine. He also did not feel sexually inclined
towards Lehnar, even though she was predominantly feminine and was
generally speaking, pleasant to the eye.
Shortly after midnight Lehnar took Lloyd back to the palace. They
continued to stroll through the gardens where she was showing Lloyd the
various statues that dotted the path. All were of hermaphrodites in
erotic poses. She was hoping that he would become interested in her by
what he saw. The opposite was true.
"I must thank you for your kindness, Lehnar. Boyce and I appreciate
the gracious hospitality that you and your father have extended to us
during our stay." Lloyd was starting to become diplomatic. He wanted
the stroll to end soon because he was afraid that Lehnar would begin to
expect something from him that he was incapable of giving to her. "If
you ever come to Besten, it is my hope that you will enjoy yourself as
much as I have!"
He thanked her and she began to melt for him. The tone of his voice,
expressing his gratitude and trust, made her want him all the more.
She had also become very sad, knowing what Trephor had planned for the
both of them.
"I feel that I love you, Lloyd!" she announced to him.
He tried to keep any emotion from showing. He tried not to give her
any impression of his feelings in regards to her declaration.
"I am very flattered, Dam." he finally replied.
She looked at him as they walked back towards the garden entrance to
the palace, and before entering she took his hand. She kissed him on
the cheek then asked him a question that made him feel very uneasy.
"Would you mind it very much if you were to live in my city?"
Lloyd wasn't at all perplexed by her question. It was a clear
invitation and it clearly displayed her intentions towards him.
He slowly turned away from her resuming his way to the state-room.
"Besten is my home." he answered her. "My family and friends are
there. You do understand?"
"Yes. I understand. It seems that you pure humans will never accept
our kind!" she said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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