ch04:04 Istain

The older Proctor looked at her with an expression that matched Istain’s sentiments closely. “In any case, rest assured that both of you are important for your government’s efforts in Virgin Soil.”

“And those efforts are?”

“All right.” The Proctor leaned back into his cushion and addressed Istain in his most professorial voice. “So tell me. What do you know about Warrior Maidens?”

“What’s to know?” Istain answered. “They worship a warrior goddess, who gives them magic that only works for virgins, girl virgins.”

“The phrase is ‘pure in thought and deed,’” Madene quoted, sanctimoniously.”You know, Istain, I think he was asking me.”

“No, Madene,” Istain said, “if he wanted your opinion he would have asked us about our psychoses constructed to justify our social maladjustment. We’re going to the real Virgin Soil, Madene, not the fairy-land spoiled middle-class Rationalist girls use as a setting for their bi-curious fantasies.”

But Madene was talking over him. “The Warrior Maidens’ patron deity’s full name is Deusca Maw, which means the Maiden Mother. She’s very much like Naobel of Between, because she protects her people from the Kingdoms of Evil.”

“Well except for the whole conquest and oppression thing,” said Istain, “or did your grandparents flee Virgin Soil because they didn’t like the décor?”

That did it. Madene blew up. “What the hell is wrong with you?” she shouted at him, “Don’t you have any respect for me?”

Finally, a good argument! “I sure as hell have no respect for your culture-crush on those imperialistic, man-hating psychopaths. You can’t have sex or you lose your magic? What kind of deity would promote a magical system like that?”

“Yeah, this is not about Virgin Soil, Istain,” said Madene, “this is about you and your sexual insecurity.”

“Trust me, Madene, sex with me is extremely secure.”

“All right,” Clanat said, in a bark that would have carried to the back of a crowded lecture hall or the far end of a drill-sergeant’s practice yard. In the confines of the rail carriage, it rang off the inside of Istain’s skull. “I should have known the didactic method would be useless on Eldritch students. Both of you kindly shut up while I tell you what I need you to know.”