“Yes, it’s hard waiting helpless, isn’t it?”
“Oh, that is the usual fate of humans. You wait for the medical lab results or the jury’s verdict or how the next shell will fall on a battlefield or- whateffer.” Frieda sucked her cheroot into an Aldebaran redness at its end.
“What is terrible here is, we may be mankind’s last chance of truly reaching the stars. Our enemies will not stop if they wipe us out, spurlos versenkt. They will fear the Betans or somebody might come, and for that reason work to get control, until they can openly put weapons at the Sol and Phoebus T machines for keeping a hermit kingdom. It is too possible. My folk remember the Soviets.”
Side 101
Anderson, Poul – Avatar, The
“Unless the Others intervene,” Leino said. “Is that altogether a daydream? Did you get the least clue in Emissary?”
Frieda’s expression sharpened. “No. What sign besides the Voice did the Others effer giff us. . . or the Betans, or any uff those races the Betans know?” She swigged her bottle dry, dropped it clunking to the deck, and struck fist upon knee. “Martti, I do not like thinking about the Others. We did for eight years. They haunt the Betans, more than Christ haunted Europe- oh, I could feel when I began learning language and helping in our studies, I could Ted. I told you I come from a country full uff remembered dreams and nightmares both.”
Violently: “Forget the bloody Others! We make our own destiny!”
“Well, yes, maybe.” His answer was subdued. “I’ve wondered myself. I’m a Christian- not awfully good, I’m afraid- That’s made me wonder about their effect on us. Oh, doubtless they are nothing more than a species ahead of us in science~ and technology. Brains likewise, I suppose, but do brains count for that much? I wouldn’t be surprised but what our holothetes are as intelligent as them; or more, even. If they are angels, as our pastor in my home town thinks they might be, or if they’re simply free from original sin, then why did they let the Troubles happen? And the heresies, the wild cults that center on them?
Could they actually be damned, or be outright demons? I don’t know, I don’t know.”
Surprised, Frieda said, “Let us leaff religion be.” She was silent a minute or two. “Can I punch for music, Martti? Beethoven, I wish- the First Symphony, while he was still happily learning from Haydn and Mozart. I want to hear happiness.”
“Sure,” Leino said, and stroked her.
She came back to him amidst a gamboling of harmonies, to put aside her smoke and snuggle close. “This is excellent background for fucking, too,” she said.
“Uh, wait,” he demurred. “I need a rest.”
She reached for him. “I am certain you will find you haff more capability than anybody showed you before.” Pause; calculation; stab: “Caitlin Mulryan can do likewise, or I miss my guess.” Seeing him wince: “Neffer mind. A joke. You are a dear sweet man.
Let us enjoy this short while before we enter the gate.”
Again he closed his eyes.