BooksBarbecue
Back Excession
Chapters (108)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. 1 - Outside Context Problem
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. 2 - Not Invented Here
  13. I
  14. II
  15. III
  16. 3 - Uninvited Guests
  17. I
  18. II
  19. III
  20. IV
  21. 4 - Dependency Principle
  22. I
  23. II
  24. III
  25. IV
  26. V
  27. 5 - Kiss The Blade
  28. I
  29. II
  30. III
  31. IV
  32. V
  33. VI
  34. 6 - Pittance
  35. I
  36. II
  37. III
  38. IV
  39. V
  40. VI
  41. 7 - Tier
  42. I
  43. II
  44. III
  45. IV
  46. 8 - Killing Time
  47. I
  48. II
  49. III
  50. IV
  51. V
  52. VI
  53. VII
  54. VIII
  55. 9 - Unacceptable Behaviour
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. 10 - Heavy Messing
  71. I
  72. II
  73. III
  74. IV
  75. V
  76. VI
  77. VII
  78. VIII
  79. IX
  80. X
  81. XI
  82. XII
  83. XIII
  84. XIV
  85. XV
  86. 11 - Regarding Gravious
  87. I
  88. II
  89. III
  90. IV
  91. V
  92. VI
  93. VII
  94. VIII
  95. IX
  96. X
  97. XI
  98. XII
  99. XIII
  100. XIV
  101. 12 - Faring Well
  102. I
  103. II
  104. III
  105. IV
  106. V
  107. VI
  108. Epilogue

Genar-Hofoen shrugged. ‘It’s a kind of translation,’ he said. ‘You get used to it.’ He munched away for a moment while his uncle’s program - or whatever it was - digested this. He pointed his knife at the image. ‘That’s something I’d want, in the unlikely event I agree to do whatever it is they want me to do.’

‘What?’ Tishlin said, leaning back, arms crossed.

‘I want to become an Affronter.’

Tishlin’s eyebrows elevated. ‘You want what, boy?’ he said.

‘Well, some of the time,’ Genar-Hofoen said, half turning his head to the drone behind him; the machine came quickly forward and refilled his glass with the infusion. ‘I mean, all I want is an Affronter body, one that I can just sort of zap into and . . . well, just be an Affronter. You know; socialise. I don’t see what the problem is, really. In fact I keep telling them it’ll be a great thing for Culture-Affront relations. I’d really be able to relate to these guys; I could really be one of them. Hell; isn’t that what this ambassador shit is supposed to be all about?’ He belched. ‘I’m sure it could be done. The module says it could but it shouldn’t and says it’s asked elsewhere and I know all the standard objections, but I think it’d be a great idea. I’m damn sure I’d enjoy it, I mean I could always sort of zap back into my own body anytime . . . this is really shocking you, isn’t it, Uncle?’

The image shook its head. ‘You always were the oddest child, Byr. I suppose I should have known what to expect from you.

Anybody who’d go out there to live with the Affront in the first place has to be slightly strange.’

Genar-Hofoen held his arms out wide. ‘But I’m just doing what you did!’ he protested.

‘I only wanted to meet weird aliens, Byr; I didn’t want to become one of them.’

‘Heck, and I thought you’d be proud of me.’

‘Proud but worried. Byr, are you seriously suggesting that becoming an Affronter would be part of your price for doing what SC asks?’

‘Certainly,’ Genar-Hofoen said, and squinted up at the hammer-beamed ceiling. ‘I vaguely recall asking for a ship as well last night and the Death And Gravity saying yes . . .’ he shook his head and laughed. ‘Must have imagined it.’ He finished the last of the steak.

‘They’ve told me what they’re prepared to offer, Byr,’ Tishlin said. ‘You didn’t imagine it.’

Genar-Hofoen looked up. ‘Really?’ he asked.

‘Really,’ Tishlin said.

Genar-Hofoen nodded slowly. ‘And how did they persuade you to act as go-between, Uncle?’ he asked.

‘They only had to ask, Byr. I may not be in Contact any more but I’m happy to help out when I can, when they have a problem.’