The technicians were fielding questions from the crowd and the Director again eased his way to Harrison's side. "When can we talk?" he asked.
Harrison said, "How about in an hour in the lounge?"
With that date made he went back to his room to communicate with Helene. By his watch she would be getting ready for bed. He prepared his notes more fully and sent them off. He was surprised to get an instant response.
"Have you bedded Sylvie yet?" it asked.
"NO," he replied.
"But she's chasing you, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"Then please do so. I won't mind. In fact I'm enjoying the idea."
"I'd feel guilty."
"Don't. Remember I'm a sex fiend myself."
When he didn't answer she wrote, "Okay?"
`"But what about feeling jealous. You said you were."
"That was before I thought about it."
Reluctantly but excited he wrote, "Okay."
The exchange had unnerved him somewhat. Permission, even incitement, to stray outside of marriage was not a usual part of his repertoire and he wasn't sure he liked all its aspects. To some degree he realized he was servicing Helene's desires by responding to Mme. Albana. He would be in a virtual three-way and it made him uncomfortable.
"But I want to, he admitted to himself. "I clearly want to."
Chapter 49
The lounge was above deck inside a glass walled room with sweeping views of the waves and the sky. The Director was waiting at a table already set with a coffee pot and cups and a plate of confections.
"Professor, right on time. Have a seat."
The Director's voice was welcoming, the outstretched hand was inviting and the black eyes were hard, calculating and aggressive. Harrison responded in kind, warm voice, outstretched hand and wariness. As they sat the Director began, "Mme. Albana seems quite pleased to see you."
Harrison kept his face averted for a few seconds to let the blush fade from his cheeks and said, "Yes. She's quite a flirt, though, as I'm sure you've noted. I don't think she's any more glad to see me than any of the other men."
"You're too modest."
"Am I? Am I to see myself as a reborn Lothario in my seventies, Rejuvenao or not?"
The Director quickly backed away from a potentially sore subject and said, "No, no. Just teasing. She is a lovely and appealing woman, but as you say, an outrageous flirt."
Harrison stirred his coffee and looked expectant. The Director pointed past his head and said, "Have you seen our hospital ship?"
Turning his head Harrison saw a large ocean liner emblazoned with the colors of Brasil's flag. "Hospital ship, you say?" he asked.
"Yes indeed. While we are building the medical facility we have moored La Senhora here to provide hospital services."
Harrison smiled, "And plastic surgery?"
The Director grinned widely at him. "It's a way to kickstart the service. Our first cruise ship will dock in two days with the first contingent of customers. Two weeks on the Southern Ocean thrown in gratis with any major procedure."
He stirred two heaping spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee cup and continued, "It will be a good business for Ocean City and for us. It will bring lots of tourist dollars and we'll pay lots of taxes. Every one of these floating encampments needs a way to make money and this is a good fit."
Harrison nodded and made agreeable noises and waited for the point. The Director looked at him appraisingly. "Do you know why I like you, Professor? Why I seek your company?"
Harrison cocked an eyebrow at him, "Because I'm on the board of Gaia and you want our help and support."
The Director laughed, loudly, "Well yes, that too," he conceded, "but more because you're an intellectual compatriot Not many people both think about the world and then actually try to act on their thoughts."
"I'm an academic, notorious for not acting."
"You're also a prime mover in the Gaian movement so you are acting on your thoughts."
Harrison made a non-committal shrug.
"As a historian I know you've thought about the future of humanity..."
"Historians try to illuminate and understand the past surely," said Harrison.
"But one cannot avoid extrapolation when one is possessed of the knowledge of what has come before."
Harrison acknowledged the point with a nod.
"So I ask you, what is humanity's purpose in the universe?"
The question was a surprise and since Harrison felt it was only a lead-in to the Director's theories he said, "Purpose? I'm not sure humanity has a purpose beyond reproduction during our time in the sun."
"Ah, the pragmatist's approach. Well, I have a definite theory about the world and it includes a purpose for humanity."
Harrison leaned back, "Do tell."
"Here is my logic," the Director was leaning forward and grew more intense in his delivery, "We humans are over-brained for the mere struggle to survive. All the other beasts manage the business of living without the need to develop massive civilizations and peering into the very heart of matter and energy. We have outgrown our world, intellectually at least, and we need to see that and find out why evolution has brought us to this point."
The inflection required a response and Harrison said, "Fair question."
"Fair indeed. I believe that life is a natural event in this universe, that it has arisen millions of times on other planets. I believe that Life is the universe's way of experiencing itself."
"Interesting," said Harrison. "Untestable but very interesting."
"We are an exploring species. We spread across the land, we invade the oceans, we fill the skies and our robots land on the planets and moons of our solar system. It is our destiny, our purpose, to explore what we can of the universe. Perhaps even to populate it."
The Director sat back and sipped his coffee. Harrison looked at the dapper man across the table and thought, "It is mad men who drive humanity into the future. Mad ideas coupled with manic energy."
Aloud he said, "A difficult task."
"Indeed. Difficult and fraught with dangers. It may take many attempts before a colony could be established."
"But you're going to try."
The Director looked satisfied, "Yes, yes I am," he said, emphasizing the "I".
Harrison sat up straighter. "You mean you personally are planning to go on that trip you're preparing?"
"Yes."
"But you said it would take another century or more to prepare for it. And then generations to get anywhere."
"Quite so, but I intend to rejuvenate again and the habitat we'll build into the asteroid will contain the means to continue that process indefinitely."
Harrison tried to keep the shock out of his expression, "That would be a huge undertaking," he said, "with reliance on a lot of strangers."
"Strangers?" asked the Director.
"The second generation of your space faring crew. Wouldn't they have to learn to perform the techniques? Maintain motivation? It's a long time that a voyage like that would take, too long to maintain a single ruling idea."
"I think not, Professor. As Gaia has become a religion in pursuit of institutional immortality so will I become a god and my acolytes will tend me as part of their religious duty."
Harrison leaned back, "Well the best of luck. Is this subject still private?"
"Oh yes," said the Director. "I haven't discussed this with anyone else."
"Then I'll keep it quiet."
"But soon I'll need Gaia's support in the councils of the world, moral and intellectual support."
Harrison wore his most non-committal expression.
"And continued access to your network," added the Director. "It is the most useful forum we have found."
Harrison nodded assent, "No problem there."
"Good. You know, I think having someone to speak openly with about my plans is as important to me as the support. So I thank you, Professor, for being my confidante."
"G
lad to be of service," said Harrison smoothly.
Chapter 50
The Director walked off and Harrison rose to leave as well. Before he had gone several steps Mme. Albana was at his side. She was dressed in a conservative outfit, a large, loose fitting tunic over a dress, and carried a tablet in her hand. Her hair, normally flowing loosely around her shoulders, was pulled back in a severe bun.
"Good day, Professor. Do you have a few minutes to discuss the Gaia Meeting here at Ocean City?"
Harrison strove to keep his emotions in check, particularly as she was presenting a business-like, no fooling around aspect of her personality. "Why yes, certainly Madame," he said.
"Good." She held up a basket and said, "I've packed a picnic. Perhaps your rooms would be acceptable?"
Harrison smiled and nodded and followed her to his room below decks. He was feeling his lust rise and his voice growing shaky with anticipation but when they reached his quarters she sat primly at the table and began discussing the Gaia meeting. She spoke of how many new members showed up each week and how they were introducing Gaia lesson plans in the school.
Harrison hid his disappointment but turned his attention to what she was saying. She continued her report and outlined her plans for future growth. She asked questions about who among the Gaians she should contact about help in gaining more support for the educational outreach and whether she should plan to attend the Gathering.
Harrison responded in a neutral manner, waiting for the real Mme. Albana to appear but she was intent on the business at hand. When she turned off her tablet she asked, "How was the Director today?"
Surprised by the question Harrison said, "About the same as ever."
"Mad, you mean." she said.
"Mmm, the same. Very complimentary about you. Asked if you were greeting me more warmly than others."
She grimaced. "He's always watching me. I don't like it. I do think he's mad."
"Perhaps. You say he's always watching you?"
"Yes. And gives me sly winks. Creepy."
She stood and retrieved the basket from where she had set it down and said, "And now for some lunch."
From the basket she withdrew a bottle of champagne and a plate of little sandwiches. She then turned off the lights except for a small one near the table, "So we can watch the fish while we eat," she said. "Will you open the champagne?"
Harrison began to work on the cork and out of the corner of his eye watched her remove the blousey tunic she was wearing. The dress she wore was a form-fitting knit cut low in front. It clung to her curvy figure and showed her breasts off to good advantage. The cork popped and she rushed to hold two glasses out to catch the foaming liquid.
"Ah, champagne," she said. "A votre sante'."
They clinked their glasses together.
"You look, umm, quite stunning in that dress, Madame."
"Thank you Professor. Please, please call me Sylvie."
"Quite," said Harrison.
"And may I call you Harrison?"
"Certainly."
They sat across the table from each other. She nibbled daintily on a sandwich and said, "Oh, I brought you a present." and produced two pills which Harrison immediately recognized as Love Potion #9.
"These?" he said.
"No." She leaned forward exposing more of her breasts. "Me. These are in case you need persuading."
"I don't think I do," said Harrison, his voice cracking a bit, "but if you wish."
They popped the pills and washed them down with the champagne.
"Music?" she asked and walked over to the entertainment console to put on a rhythmic dance tune, heavy on bass and percussion but muted to just bearable levels. She turned to him, arms outstretched. "Dance?" she invited.
When Harrison took her in his arms a lot of his ambivalence fell away. She slipped her body neatly against his with a sigh of satisfaction and effortlessly followed his slow steps. He held her closely and breathed her scent and felt himself responding in the most natural way.
The first tendrils of the drug began to flow through his body and hers and she led him to the bed, unbuttoning his clothes as they went. While he hastened to shed his clothing she pulled her dress off over her head and Harrison gasped in pleasure. She had the full middle-aged body he preferred, pendulous shapely breasts, rounded thighs and buttocks and a striking black thick bush of hair in her crotch. He was fully aroused by now and they fell into bed clutching each other. She was also fully aroused and moist and they came together easily and rolled in each other's arms until he climaxed.
She would not let him roll off her but held him close and kissed him fervently. She rubbed him until he became hard again and turned onto her stomach.
"From behind," she whispered, "and hold my breasts."
He did as he was told and felt her respond with great passion and moans she muffled in the pillow. This time they climaxed as one. This time she let him roll off her but held his arm. She shuddered once in delight.
"Don't get up," she said. "Let me hold you."
They lay together on the narrow bed until she said, "Ah, the time. Come and shower with me."
He followed her into the shower cubicle appreciating her body as she walked. The hot water ran over them and she soaped up his body caressingly. Predictably he got hard again and when he did she turned her back and inserted him once more.
"Hard," she ordered. "Do it hard."
He tried his best to comply and was rewarded with her moans of pleasure and another orgasm. As they toweled off and dressed she said, "That's why I like the pills. Once is never enough for me."
Harrison could only nod.
Dressed again with her hair back in its bun she said, "I hope we can do this again, cheri. I find you wonderful."
Harrison could only nod again.
Chapter 51
Maeve was looking over the latest membership statistics for Gaia. She didn't need the numbers to tell her the movement was growing exponentially as the volume of contacts clearly rose every day. Messages, requests, purchases of merchandise and new memberships were flooding the ranch house on a daily basis. So much so that the sounds of new construction went on every day as well.
The army of volunteers necessary to handle the growth expanded to keep up with the demand and the construction of housing to hold them was barely keeping up. By and large the volunteers were young people inspired by idealism and taking advantage of the training and education in conservation Gaia offered along with the free room and board and a small stipend to them. One segment of the volunteer army were older folks, retirees whose idealism was tempered by experience making them valuable as executives. They handled the new members and new groups entering the fold and were instrumental in the ongoing funding effort.
The Gaia Foundation was wealthy but no amount of wealth could fund the explosive growth they were experiencing. Helene had overseen the crafting of Gaian outreach to include fund raising in all its aspects and the retirees were the most adept at keeping the money flowing. Maeve made a note to visit the volunteers during the week to express her appreciation for their ongoing efforts.
Lucas came by to say the engineers had arrived with the mining machine and that he would need to siphon off some more of the young volunteers to help with the digging. The news reminded Maeve that there were forces arrayed against Gaia but she showed Lucas the statistics saying, "Well, with this kind of growth those people don't have a chance."
Lucas smiled and said, "Great," but was thinking "Growth won't protect us from bombs." He did, however, hug her tightly before going down to the tunnel.
The engineers were efficient, setting the machine up at the face of the rubble and directing the hand digging effort. Lucas looked over the site, spoke briefly with the Chief Engineer and left with the request that he be called for any important events. "And if you find the body stop digging until either Sam or I get there."
When he arrived at his desk he found a message from Fran which, when decoded, read "Wol
f among the Kazakhs. Monitor these sites," followed by a list of network addresses. Lucas turned the list over to his coders saying, "Keep me posted on any activity. He'll be looking to tap new sources of his money to replace the bank. Let me know of transfers, withdrawals, anything."
From there he went to Sam's office, "They're working on the tunnel. We've located Radnich and are monitoring what we can. Why do I still feel nervous?"
Sam said, "Because she's your wife. You wouldn't be human if you weren't concerned about her safety. So come and help me with this."
He was working on a three dimensional schematic of the venue and its surroundings. "I think we've pushed the checkpoints with metal detectors and bomb sniffers far enough back but I want to put up some more blast walls. I want to have a little maze they walk through before reaching the entry point."
"Why?"
"That way if someone detonates a bomb the people behind the bomber would be behind the blast walls."
"That's a good idea, let's do it."
"Okay. Now air cover. I want scanners in the sky and armed drones as well. I want to be able to take out a squad if necessary."
"No problem. Work out what you need and tell me and I'll see you get it."
They looked over the schematics together deciding that for the moment they had their plans in good shape.
"I think what worries me," said Lucas, "is that once people go through the process and get inside our guard will be relaxed. I’ll have to ask Helene how she's doing with her Harridans. We can't have too many suspicious watchers in the crowd."
A clock in the corner of Sam's screen counted down the time to the Gathering. It showed them there were only seventy nine days to show time which looked ample but felt rushed to both men.
"Some of this will be close," said Sam. "Getting all the equipment delivered and set up in time will need someone to follow up constantly until we have it all. I need someone with the right set of skills to do that."
Growth (GAIA Trilogy Book 2) Page 15
