“Want this on? Or would you prefer to slip into someone comfortable—when I’ve finished with you.”

“Neither.”

“Nor me,” he said. “Nothing’s ever new for people like us. It takes a lot to turn us on—if anything does at all.”

“What else is there? Why have we done this?”

“But there is something left. You don’t know?”

“Not unless you go to the trouble of telling me,” I said.

“Murder. It is the deepest, loveliest thing. You haven’t tried it yet?” I shook my head. “One must experience everything once, don’t you think?”

I said, “No one’s ever hit me like that.”

“Shame.”

“Why did you do it?”

He touched my neck, chest, and stomach. “I considered that body for myself, but wanted something a bit wider and more chunky. I’m surprised it hung around there for so long. Still, they did have an excellent choice of new facilities. It would have looked good on me. It doesn’t look bad on you. How does it feel?”

I moved my limbs a bit. “Fine—until you attacked me.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Not even three months.”

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“I’ll survive,” I said. “I’m just a little annoyed. Thanks for the concern.”

“It was your body I was thinking of, rather than you. Hey, what d’you think of my body?” Without waiting for a reply, he removed his shirt. “Sometimes, all you want is to be able to look in the mirror without disgust.” I nodded approvingly, but, obviously, not approvingly enough. “What about this?” he said. He was showing me his penis, even slapping it against his leg with obscene pride. “It just goes on and on.”

“Incomparable.”

“That’s what they all say. How are my buns?”

“Jesus. With those you could be your own hotdog.”

“I’ve been in this body for three years. You get used to bodies, and the person you become in them. As with jeans, New-bodies are better the more they’re worn in. You forget you’re in them.” He pulled at his stomach. “Look at that: I’m increasing here, but I don’t want to be perfect. I figured out that perfection makes people crazy, or feel inferior.”

“Whereas,” I said, “it’s one’s weaknesses that people want to know?”

“Maybe,” he said. “No one ever gets rid of those. I think I’ll do another ten years—or even longer, if things go well—in this facility before moving on to something fitter.” He filled his glass once more and held it out. “To us—pioneers of the new frontier!”

“We have a secret in common,” I said, “you and me. Do you get to discuss it much with others?”