The Altian Plague by DM Arnold (best book club books for discussion .TXT) 📖

pointed to a building illuminated with colored lights. “That's the Arcade,” he said.

They approached the entrance and walked in. In a doorway was a young woman waving to them. “What's that?” Suki asked.

“One of the round-the-clock sex clubs. If you're into anonymous, no- strings-attached sex - - this is the place.”

“No thanks... Although -- there was a time in my life when this would've appealed to me.”

He led her to an escalator to the second level. “Here's the drug store. Care to look around?”

“I've been in the drug store in Sudal.”

“This place has it all. Come on in -- we don't have to buy anything. This is part of what Florans are all about. Look -- euphoriants, inhibition relaxers... sex aids ... performance extenders ... orgasm enhancers. Those are Senta's favorites...”

“It's sensory overload,” she replied.

An attendant approached them. “Only looking,” Nyk said and pointed to a display. “These are experimental. You can try a few for free and report how you liked them. Senta tried an experimental combination performance extender and orgasm enhancer once. I almost didn't survive the night... Do you see anything that appeals to you?”

“I'm afraid not.”

He nodded toward the door and stood in the corridor. “Down there is the food store -- not too different than the one in Sudal. Over there is the clothing shop. Down that way is the body art salon -- probably where our walking fashion plate had her work done... At the far end is the kids' club -- no intoxicants, adult supervised -- a place for young people to go and hang out, listen to music...”

“And, fool around?”

“To a degree. Lewd touching isn't allowed there, and no one can rent a trysting room until they're past the age of consent. It doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Speaking of which...” He gestured toward an archway. “The trysting rooms are down here.” He led her to another escalator and rode to the ground floor. “Here are some other clubs. This one is Klub'Fraxi...”

“Club Smash?” she asked.

“Yes -- loud music -- popular with the middle-age set.”

“Loud music is a middle-age thing here?”

“Here, middle-age refers to the period between the ages of consent and majority -- 20 to 25 Floran years. You haven't heard that expression?” She shook her head. “Maybe it's a City thing...”

He guided her into a doorway labeled Xi Dulxe Nota.

“The Soft Note?” she asked.

“The Sweet Note -- it's the club I told you about. The music is quieter in here.” He scanned his wrist and Suki scanned hers.

The hostess led them to a table in the dark corner of the club. Most of the other tables were empty -- a pair of young men sat at another table near the stage.

“Why did she seat us here?” Suki asked.

“Because of you.”

“Because I'm Asian? Nykkyo -- I thought I left such prejudices on Earth. I never expected to encounter racism here. Maybe we shouldn't stay.”

He shook his head. “She's not racist, korlyta. No one on this planet has ever seen an Asian. She would've deduced you were a naturida gone wrong.”

“Naturida?”

“You've seen how homogenous is Floran's population. Most children are conceived in vitro with genetic counseling to select specific traits. Some parents will opt for a natural child, conceived the old-fashioned way. It's considered a testament to the couple's love as they must accept whatever is born. We don't tolerate infanticide.”

“So, she thought I was a ... freak?”

Nyk nodded. “She thought by sitting you in this corner, she'd spare you uncomfortable stares.”

“I'm becoming accustomed to stares.”

“You know, Suki -- your genes remain scattered in our population pool.”

“I wonder if it's possible for Asian characteristics to surface on their own.”

“I don't know -- you'd have to ask Senta that.”

An attendant approached and Nyk placed his order. She returned with a basket of pencil- like objects and a portable scanpad. He pressed his wrist to it to pay for the purchase. “I thought we'd start with some euphoriant inhalers.” He picked one up, held it to his lips and inhaled sharply. He held his breath and exhaled.

“Looks like you're tokin' a joint,” Suki said. She picked one up, held it to her lips and inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes and held her breath for a slow count to ten, then exhaled slowly through her nose and smiled.

“You did that like an expert.”

“Just like tokin' a joint,” she replied. “This stuff feels really good. How long does it last?”

“Not long. Go ahead and take another hit when you feel like it.”

Suki picked up another inhaler, drew on it and set it down. “Oh! That feels REALLY good... Mmm...”

A musician took the stage with a multi-stringed instrument. He began playing a meandering melody, accompanied by chords, electronically enhanced. Nyk called over the attendant and she brought a tray with more inhalers.

“Try one of these,” he said. “This is a psychedelic inhaler. It's designed to go along with the music.” He took his hit and closed his eyes. The blackness dissolved into colored patterns, shifting and blending with the music.

Suki took her hit and closed her eyes. She smiled. “This is neat...” She giggled. “I can see it when I talk...”

The dancing colors faded and he opened his eyes. “Would you like to try an injectible?” he asked. “That way, you won't need to keep hitting on inhalers. One cartridge should last the whole concert. We can cuddle up and listen -- and watch.”

“It sound so hard-core...”

“Everyone uses them,” he replied. He called the attendant over again. She returned with a tray containing a plastic gadget and several small tubes with protruding needle guards. Nyk pressed his wrist to her scanpad. She presented it to Suki. “Scan your wrist,” he said.

Suki complied. The attendant reviewed the scanpad and set the tray onto the table. “What was that about?” Suki asked.

“I ordered some class-A euphoriant injectors as well as some psychedelics. It's a little out- of-character for me, but why not? The euphoriants are subject to abuse. She needed to see either of our profiles were marked psychological addictive -- if so, she'd have been prohibited from serving us.” Suki's lips formed an O. She picked up a euphoriant cartridge.

“Do you know how to use one of these?” Nyk asked.

She shook her head. “I never had the occasion.”

He picked up the injector and flipped it open. “This spring-loaded roller pushes the drug out.” He cocked the roller, dropped the cartridge into the device and snapped it shut. “This is the trigger.” He pulled off the needle guard and handed it to Suki. “Into the thigh muscle and press the button. The needle's so sharp and fine -- you won't feel a thing. And, it's coated with salve, so the wound closes immediately.”

She lifted the hem of her tunic and hesitated. “I can't do it,” she said shaking her head.

“Here...” He took the device, poked her thigh and triggered it. “Nothing to it.” He ejected the spent cartridge. “Massage the spot -- it'll distribute the drug so it absorbs faster.”

She pressed her thumb against her thigh and rubbed in a circular motion. “Yes -- I feel it coming on.” She closed her eyes and lifted her face. “Oh! That feels SO good... mmm...”

Nyk injected himself. “Now, try overlaying the psychedelic on top.” He handed her the injector. She paused for a moment, then jabbed her leg and pressed the trigger. He moved his chair close to hers and she leaned against him.

“This is wonderful,” she said. “So pretty -- so soothing... mmm...”

The musician played through a set of songs. Nyk glanced at Suki and smiled. Her dark hair shimmered with colors pulsing in time with the music.

She began to sway and hum to herself.

The musician finished his set and then left the stage. The colors in Nyk's mind were beginning to dim. Suki looked around. “Where's the music?”

“He'll be back -- he's taking a break.”

“In the meantime...” She picked up another euphoriant cartridge and loaded it into the injector.

“Be careful, Suki... I think two of those is your limit.”

She injected herself and rubbed her skin with her thumb. “Oh! Feels good!”

“Suki -- keep your voice down. You're drawing attention to us.” She picked up another psychedelic and loaded it into the injector. He put his hands on her thighs. “No more...", he said, sliding his hands along her thigh. She giggled, jabbed her left deltoid and triggered the device.

Suki picked up a euphoriant inhaler and took a hit, and then one of the psychedelics. She started giggling, then laughing. “It's so funny!”

“What's funny?” Nyk asked softly.

“Laughing...” She laughed more. “I see me laugh... I taste me laugh ... I feel me laugh -- all fuzzy and warm all over... I need another hit...” She reached for the basket and found it empty. “I need another hit...” She began drawing on all the spent inhalers -- then spotted the attendant and waved to call her over.

“She's ignoring you,” Nyk said. “You're behaving like someone's who's over her limit.”

“I'll get her,” Suki said, stood and swayed. She took two steps, tripped over her own foot and fell to the floor, toppling an empty chair on her way down. Nyk stood to help her up. “I need another hit,” Suki exclaimed in English.

The attendant came over to him. “I think your friend has had enough,” she said. Nyk nodded and helped Suki to the table.

“Suki -- korlyta... It's time to go home.”

“I don't want to go home... I want another hit!”

“Suki -- you've had enough. Come on -- fight it off.” He patted her cheek. She swatted his hand away. “Force yourself to think. Take a deep breath.”

“I want a hit! Give me a hit!”

The attendant placed a glass of cloudy green liquid on the table. “Maybe this will help clear her head.”

“Drink this, Suki.”

“I want a hit,” she hissed.

“Drink it.”

She picked up the glass, took a sip and glowered at him. Then she spat the fluid in his face. “I said I want a hit!”

Nyk wiped the liquid from his nose and cheeks. “Suki -- you'll get us into trouble. Public intoxication is an offense here. Now -- drink this -- drink it down like medicine. It'll help clear your head.” She picked up the glass and drained it. “We'll rest a couple of moments. Try to make yourself think.”

She folded her arms onto the table and rested her face on them. Nyk stroked her back. “Are you better?” She nodded. “Are you ready to cooperate?” She nodded again. “Okay -- let's try to walk. Stand up -- that's it -- one foot in front of the other...”

“I'm so dizzy...”

He put his arm around her and led her from the club. “You're doing fine -- concentrate -- we only need to go as far as the tubecar platform... Try not to appear incapacitated -- if an internal affairs officer sees you like this -- he'll give you a citation...”

He reached the tubecar lift and rode to the platform. There he ordered a car and gave the apartment tower address. She leaned against him as they waited for a car to arrive and slide back its cowl. Suki collapsed into the seat and Nyk sat beside her. The car zipped to their destination and he helped her out.

“Okay, korlyta -- we're home.” He scanned his way into the apartment. “You need to sleep it off.” He unfastened her lifxarpa and slipped her sandals from her feet. “Lie down .. that's it.”

Nyk undressed and lay beside her. He looked into her face and saw her pupils were fully dilated. “You hit your limit, all right. Cuddle up, korlyta.” He pulled her close to him and guided her arm across his chest. “Go to sleep.”

Her eyes began to brim. “Oh, Nykkyo... I'm sorry...” she began sobbing. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry.”

“It's all right,” he said and kissed her forehead. “You sleep.”

“I'm so sorry,” she blubbered. Her sobbing became weeping which became wailing.

Nyk walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer. Senta usually keeps some here, he thought and picked up a cartridge and an injector. He loaded the cartridge and carried it to the bedroom.

“Suki...” She lay on her stomach, wailing into a cushion. “Suki -- this is a sleep aid. I'm going to poke you with it...” Nyk pulled off the guard, jabbed her deltoid, pressed the trigger and massaged her skin with his thumb. He stroked her arm and shoulder until she calmed, closed her eyes and her breathing became deep and regular.

Nyk slipped into his tunic and fastened his sandals. Suki emerged from the bedroom. “Good morning,” he said. “How are you today?”

“My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton,” she replied. “Other than that -- all right.”

He pinned the ends of his xarpa. “Do you remember anything about last night?”

“Most everything,” she replied. “In particular I remember making a complete ass of myself. I'm so sorry, Nykkyo -- I spoiled our evening out.”

“It's my fault for suggesting the club,” he replied.