About The Laws of Space
Post 229:
The Laws of Space
Episode 35:
Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Couth or Not
“Did you hear?”
“Who hasn’t?”
“Well I assumed, but…”
“Oh, assume away.”
“What’s the story?”
“You heard him.”
“Who?”
“You again. Will there ever be a time when you’re not late?”
“Maybe not. I guess I’m the late guy.”
“Might as well be named the late guy.”
“So I’m the late guy. Who were we talking about?”
“The Administrator.”
“Yeah that was crazy.”
“I wonder what the Regulars were thinking when they saw it?”
“Probably not much. They can’t think, after all.”
“That’s true. But to withdraw from his arrangement with Susa…”
“So publicly.”
“I’ll say. You don’t get any more public than that. Every Worldview going.”
“She must feel awful.”
“How would you feel—spurned in front of the whole Five Cities?”
“Sounds like she deserved it.”
“Sounds like it.”
“Still, I don’t know.”
“You better watch it.”
“What?”
“You can’t question the Administrator. He knows what he’s doing.”
“They say that. But it’s not one of the Laws.”
“It’s implied.”
“It’s implied.”
“Message received. I was just saying, she sounded like a perfect match…”
“It’s not like you knew her.”
“Nobody really knows anybody. That would be disgusting.”
“Disgusting. To really know a person? I recoil at the thought.”
“Well she was good enough for him a few weeks ago.”
“That’s all I was trying to say. And what reason did he give?”
“For what?”
“You know, backing out of the deal and all that.”
“He cited her recent lack of dedication to the System.”
“And her production plant’s diminishing returns.”
“Diminishing returns. Yeah that’s not attractive at all. Can’t blame him.”
“Clement Pope could have anybody he wants. He wants the best.”
“I guess. Is anyone here in a comm group with Susa?”
“I wish. I’m L9, but not her kind. Besides I hear she’s not in one.”
“How would you know that?”
“Word gets around. Rumors and the like.”
“Yeah people have been trying to find out more about her ever since…”
“Ever since she was announced to Clement.”
“Now I want to know even more.”
“Now that really isn’t very couth at all, is it?”
“I know. But it’s all so interesting.”
“This is why being unknown is so wonderful.”
“True. Can you imagine all the attention she feels?”
“Well, that’s what Space is for. She has plenty after all.”
“You know what I heard?”
“What?”
“What?”
“Tell me…”
“I heard that Pope, Susa and Alder Tate all came from the same class.”
“How could you know that? Knowledge like that is forbidden.”
“I’m just saying I heard it. Don’t quote me or anything.”
“Who would we quote you to?”
“You know—the Administrator.”
“He hardly gets on here anymore. He has higher level groups now.”
“Just don’t get mouthy.”
“Fine.”
“Let’s back up. You’re not saying Alder Tate has anything to do with it?”
“I’m not saying anything. Just awful interesting is all. What are the odds?”
“Astronomical.”
“Incalculable.”
“Unreasonable.”
“Wait, what part is—all those things you just said?”
“Three L9s in the same class. I don’t think it’s ever happened.”
“How would you know? How would anyone know?”
“It’s forbidden.”
“What’s forbidden? To know, or to have three L9s in a class?”
“The knowing. That’s what’s forbidden.”
“Forbidden.”
“It is. Which begs the question: how did you hear about it?”
“Rumors.”
“Rumors. Disgusting. People talking about other people.”
“I agree. That kind of conversation is unacceptable. It’s really not couth.”
“Couth or not—there’s a bit of weird business going on.”
“I’ll agree there. First the Administrator’s break off with Susa…”
“And this plan of his. A System Culling?”
“I’ve heard of them. Just haven’t been alive to see one. Crazy.”
“He’s decisive, and he knows what he’s doing.”
“Well he thought he knew Susa Burke. Now he doesn’t. So…”
“That’s quite enough from you. Why are you always stirring things?”
“Stirring things. Really it’s not couth.”
“The Regulars aren’t going to like this Culling business.”
“It’s not like they have a choice.”
“None whatsoever. It’s their own fault. You heard the Administrator.”
“Production is down.”
“Simple as that.”
“We can’t have a drop in production. It’s unheard of.”
“Hence the Culling.”
