False Idols - Published Version

Chapter 15

                  

Laura stepped around from behind the apple tree, her long white robes flowing behind her in the breeze and her golden tiara glinting in the sun. She was giving Nick a severe look, as if she were annoyed or concerned by his sudden appearance.

"We need to talk."

"We're talking now."

"About twenty different government organizations are investigating Sparkwise."

Laura smiled and her features relaxed a little. "Oh is that was has you worried? I'm already taking care of it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you can go back to dating your nat girlfriend."

"Don't change the subject. What is Sparkwise doing that has the government investigating us?"

"Nothing. We're doing nothing at all, Nick. Nothing except fulfilling our destiny. The investigations are politically motivated. The have-nots are in a jealous rage against those more successful than them."

"How can I be sure? There are files I don't have access to."

Now Laura's face hardened. "You would have access to all the files, if you were fully focused on your duties. But you're not. Just now you accused me of changing the subject when I said you can get back to your nat girlfriend. In fact I wasn't changing the subject. That is the subject. Even when you're in Sparkwise strategy sessions, you're only half there. Part of you is always dreaming about your Sarah. So don't blame me if certain details of our operations have escaped your notice."

Nick was off balance from the direction of Laura's anger. He'd expected a confrontation about Sparkwise, not about Sarah. He looked away. "Kobus spends hours in the ether chasing nymphs or whatever turns him on. But you let him in on all of Sparkwise's operations. What's the problem with me dating a real person?"

"I want to know why you're wasting your time on someone so unworthy of you."

Nick's eyes narrowed and he glared back at Laura. "You don't even know her."

"I don't want to."

"Why do you hate her without the slightest clue about who she is?"

Laura's face relaxed into an empathic expression and she placed a reassuring hand on his cheek. "I don't hate her. She is what she is, just another natural human dependent on the Aeons to save her. What bothers me is not Sarah, but you. You're infatuated with her. You're taking advantage of someone inferior to you. And you should know you deserve better."

Nick pulled away, disgusted at her patronizing attitude. "Better? Why do I deserve better?"

"Because you're an Aeon."

"And what is so special about being an Aeon?"

"You know as well as I do, Nick. You have a great destiny. You have infinite knowledge, innate and-"

"Infinite knowledge? Infinite? What is my favorite color, Laura?"

Laura stared at him blankly.

"Do you begin to see that our knowledge is not infinite?"

"That's a trivial example," said Laura shrilly, defensiveness creeping into her normally confident tone. Her hands shook in anger. "I know the things that are important. We know them."

"Yeah, I know the price of crude oil in Latvia and I know the pass through rates of every gas pipeline in the nation. I guess those are important."