“We have always been at war with Prescription,” Golda intones.
“I’m not sure it qualifies as war,” says Nestor. “It’s more a dynamic tension that informs–”
“It is too a war!”
“That sounds like received wisdom speaking.”
“It’s not!” Golda backpedals. “It’s description! That’s what we do!”
“That’s an interesting circular problem,” says Roan. “If people choose to become Descriptivists based on our self-description, have we then prescribed a philosophy of–”
“Shut up, Roan,” says Nestor.
“Don’t tell her to shut up!” says Golda.
“Don’t end a sentence with a preposi–” is all he manages before they tear him apart.
In a moment, Francine is going to reach out and touch his shoulder. She’s learned that this is beyond her control; her will, when he needs comfort, is not her own.
But she can change what “moment” means.
A spider spins a web from the tip of her finger. The silk turns to cobweb, the cobweb to dust. Through the French doors the path of the sun elongates into streaks of fire. Buildings sprout buildings. Mountains lose their tops.
A geological heartbeat is measured in the movement of magma. Still and outstretched, Francine waits for her hot stone blood to recede.
They’ve shoved him in the back and buckled him in, treating him like a five-year-old, treating him as if a little time in the spotlight is going to turn him into a slobbering drunk. As if they’re so much wiser! As if they behaved any better when they were Narrator.
Brunhilde’s eyes show white and she bites her lip when she smiles back between the seats at him. “I promise you can have your keys back once you”re more used to it, okay?” she says.
The Narrator knows she is lying, though (she is a total bitch like that).
This is a con for one artist, two shills and as many marks as you can get your filthy hands on.
- First, become Pestilence incarnate. Next, have your shills pose as explorers and compete for the favor of a moneyed patron (not the mark!). He or she will feel compelled to fund one or the other, on the promise of enormous return on investment.
- The chosen shill will “discover” a populated area. These are the marks! Unleash yourself! The area will become nonpopulated. Return the patron’s investment, which is paltry compared to the natural resources now at your command.
- Profit!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
“So what you do is click the refresh button,” says Magret, “and just keep on clicking it until it says the count is done. Then you print that out and walk it down to Detton.”
Erhard waits.
“Oh, that’s… that’s all there is,” he says, at length.
“Yep!” Magret beams.
“This is a job,” says Erhard, choosing words with care, “that a monkey could do.”
Magret’s smile inverts. “That is absolutely untrue! We have tried it with monkeys and they can’t stay focused. They need more mental stimulation.”
Erhard feels his spine weaken a little.
“They also cost more,” Magret says.