Into the Loliverse: Taboos : Act III

by Aunt Molly

Abraham found Sable at the slip, working on a repurposed sunlance. With its explosives removed it would have room for the deflated probe. "I would like to talk to you. Are you still talking to the Mission?"

Sable looked up from the probe. "I don't know what to think. If you want to do things the 'old fashioned way' I guess that's Ruth and Michael's business. Its just on a Habitat this size..."

"This was an accident." there was a long awkward silence, "It won't happen again."

"Yeah, I know how accidents can happen." small electrical sparks shot from a small tool Sable was using. "Goldie says good things about you. Have you come to help me with the probe? I've been having problems with the chilp, but I am pretty sure the hardware is up to shape."

"I can't right now, I have an appointment at the infirmary."

"Then why are you here?"

"I've been thinking of a few new ideas. I wanted to ask if you would look at them for me, make sure they're doable and not an old man's foolishness."

"You're the engineer, I just tinker. Besides, I'm not as young as I look."

Abraham, waved the comment away, "You are younger than *I* look." Abraham chuckled to himself," It's all formulas you can look up. I'm sure you would have done fine without me. I put my plans and ideas in your account, check on them when you have time."

"Abraham. I hope we work together real soon."

"God willing." he paused for a moment as if he might say something else, he waved goodbye and walked out.

***

Amber and her followers went to the square. If the Mission was going to have its service, why couldn't they? No one objected when Amber began to speak.

" Those of you with learner age short-hairs know who I am. I am an anthropologist, an expert on cultures both human and semi-human. From the dawn of time until the most recent counter culture. Those nations and cultures that are strongest are simply those that embrace positivity and encourage it in their citizens.

Our positive energy - happiness, tolerance, openness, trust, and love, when it is focused on a single task there is very little we cannot accomplish. We are stronger when we are positive.

What can weaken us, negative energies - intolerance, anger, distrust, closed mindedness, envy and selfishness. We are weaker when we are negative or when we are around those who are negative. We must be positive, and even if we cannot be positive we must try to seem positive so as not to affect the positivity of others.

I have come to the conclusion that the being the Mission calls 'God' is not but a projection of themselves onto a patriarchal archetype. Not unlike Zeus, Odin, or any other sky-god. The healing power they ascribe to prayer is simply positive energy focused on a single individual.

By creating a sky god and having us worship him, they can exploit our energy for their own ends. Much as the Constructionists exploited our bodies, the Mission wants to exploit our energy.

You have probably heard by now that one of the Mission has contracted an IUG. I know, I know, in this day and age one would think that was unheard of. Still, it has happened. The thought that the Mission would engage in such a barbaric practice, one that causes women so much pain and discomfort, shows us how much they embrace the negative.

Still, as hard as it may be, we cannot respond to negativity with more negativity. We must focus our energy on them. Help them to understand that they are part of a larger community, and they simply cannot do as they choose. They must understand that their every action affects those around them, and to take responsibility for these actions.

Let us close our eyes and focus."

Vermillion was in the audience. She stood and shouted, "So that's it? The grumps could be breeding us out of existence, and all we're going to do is wish them into submission?"

Amber very calmly took a deep breath, "I did not say 'grumps', I said 'the Mission'. It is impolite to call the humans 'grumps' anyway. I also would ask that you stop using such foul language."

"I don't give a shrag about being polite to them. All I know is that we aren't allowed to have any children, but they can breed at will.Does that frighten anyone besides me?"

"Your negativity is not helping, I suggest that you leave." Amber closed her eyes and focused.

"You can't make me. This is a public space. I have a right to speak my mind as much as you do. I say we march down to the human district and tell the Mission under no uncertain terms that they are not to see this IUG to its completion!"

"Yes, this is a public space. This public does not need to be subjected to your negativity."

Maroon, a member of the custodian guild rose up in response, " What do you plan to do Vermillion? Reach in and remove the gestation yourself? You can't violate someone's body that way."

Vermillion stood face to face with Maroon, "I will do whatever I have to protect my fellow loli."

"We have never, ever, done any such thing." Maroon stood closer, their noses almost touching.

"We have never needed to before."

"I won't let you." Maroon's gaze was determined.

"How are you going to stop me?" Then Vermillion did something almost unheard of amongst the loli, she shoved her fellow loli.

The already large eyes of those in attendance grew even wider.

Maroon then shoved back.

Then Vermillion kicked.

A pair of positivists ran up to restrain the two combatants. A few sympathetic to Maroon and Vermillion rushed to restrain the positivists. Soon the shoving and hitting and even hair pulling spread through the crowd like a meme.

Amber pleaded, "Please please, focus, with our positive..."

***

Ruth walked into X-Utero. The ceiling was higher than Ruth expected. High enough to accommodate her. She stretched, glad to be done with crouching for a bit.

The lower half of the wall was blue and the upper half pink. The large X logo with a human fetus at the center of the X. Along the back wall their were a couple dozen tanks, half of them with gestating fetuses in them. Some old enough to swim about,

Along another wall was a set of drawers, possibly storing samples of the genetic material of every loli living in the Habitat. Possibly many of the humans had already donated samples. Along the third wall the equipment used to create the embryos, to get the process going. In the center of the room were three chairs.

In simple gray dresses, with the X symbol medallions, in neat pony tails. Red, Yellow, and Blue. It was eerie to see child-like faces with such serious expressions. They stared intensely, with complete focus. They sat far enough apart that it was difficult to get all three of them into Ruth's field of vision.

Ruth took a deep breath and mustered all her defiance, "I am not terminating my pregnancy, I refuse to believe one child could disrupt the entire habitat. No one made this much of a fuss when the refugees first came on or with nurse Ikeda."

Red folded her hands on her lap, " With the humans that had been brought on initially it was assumed it would be on temporarily."

Yellow picked up for Red, "Nurse Ikeda came on right after one of the humans had died. Balance had been maintained."

Blue turned toward Ruth, "However with IUG's there is no upper limit to the population increase."

Ruth clenched her fists, "Its one child."

Red shook her head, " Yellowstone city started with one cabin in the woods. A few idealists returning to nature. Then a few more idealists joined them. Now, where a park once was, there is now a sprawling slum."

Yellow tilted her head, "The same happened in the favelas in Rio. They started with a few huts in the jungle."

Blue's eyes squinted, "One cabin then two then four, then you have a community."

"A community that wants to grow and thrive."

Red raised her hand, "Still, there is no reason for you to fear. We have no power to force you to end your IUG. The right of choice is God given. We brought you here to help us with our problem."

Yellow got up from her chair and walked to the two dozen gestation tanks, "Each of these gestations is someone's hope, someone's dream. The couple they belong to went to a lot of trouble, a lot of planning,

They took parenting exams and competed with other loli couples. They waited patiently on waiting lists for the time they could start their family."

Blue got up off of her chair and stood beside her colleague, " In order to keep the habitat in balance, one of these must be terminated. We will let you choose."

Red was the last to leave her chair, "If you examine the occupied tanks with your spex you can learn the names of their mothers. You can learn what their parenting scores were and how long they had been waiting."

Blue waved her hands over the tanks, "Some of the lolis have even left messages for future daughters of there hopes and expectations."

Red folded her hands in front of her, "Please, take your time. Choose carefully."

Ruth bit her lip and examined the tanks, some of their occupants the size of kidney beans, others swimming about, nearly ready to enter the world. "I can't do that."

"But you are doing that."

Blue stared intently at Ruth, "You are forcing us to break our promise to an expectant loli."

"Why can't we just make room for one more?"

Yellow held her hands in front of her, "We can't know it will just be one more."

"I swear by God, I have no intent of overpopulating this habitat."

Blue shook her head, "Promises can be broken. We require certainties."

Red lifted her head, "Colleagues, please access the public square. Something extraordinary is happening."

***

The resolvers had run from the garden and made their way to the square. Cherry and Emerald had been told to take the foam guns with them. They had been told what to expect, but once they saw it, it still hit them hard.

Punching, kicking, shoving, hair pulling. For the first time in the habitat's recorded history, the lolis had turned against each other.

Emerald and Cherry unleashed the full force of the foam guns on the rioting crowd, "Cut it out!"

The lolis were stuck to the floor, stuck to a wall, stuck to each other, but no one was fighting. anymore.

"Alright - does anyone want to tell me what the shrag is goin' on?"

After a time the lolis calmed down, and Emerald and Cherry collected statements.

Amber had somehow gotten glued to the floor of the public square, "I didn't start this."

"Cherry sees in the securitty cameras that Amber didn't start the riot. Amber is not in trouble."

Amber sat on the floor, some foam still stuck to her, "I don't understand what happened. I don't know where all that negativity came from."

Emerald stood in the middle of the square and called out to the other lolis,, "I want y'all to go back to yer rooms and cool down. ".

Cherry put a hand on Amber's shoulder, "Amber, the grumps are doing this to the loli."

Amber looked left then right, "Really? I don't see any humans here. I just see us." Amber got up and went back to residency hall.

***

Ruth had watched in horror as the peaceful humanoids were turned upon one another by hatred of humans, by the fear and hatred inspired by "breeders".. Ruth hung her head.

Ruth rubbed her stomach, "I'll do it. Its not worth tearing your society apart."

Red tilted her head, "Interesting. Your father has come up with a counter proposal." she grabbed an injector off of one of the counters, and shoved it into a pocket.

"Will you tell me what it is?"

Yellow shook her head, "That would ruin the surprise."

***

X-Utero caused human and loli alike to dive out of their path. A kind of reverence not afforded to any other on the habitat, not even the Mayor. Or was it fear?

Ruth felt an increasing sense of dread as she was moved through the habitat. The infirmary was a quarter turn away. Ruth did not understand why the two clinics would be so far apart.

When they walked into the infirmary, Dr. Umber did not seem surprised to see them. She was tending to Ruth's father. Abraham lay down a mediband was wrapped around his wrist.

"Abraham, your daughter is here."

Ruth ran to her father's side, "Dad, what are you doing?"

"I am going to restore balance. An old man dies so my grandchild can live. I am over sixty, I can elect for Euthing if I choose."

Umber's expression was hard to read, "So who's stupid idea was this? Originally?"

Ruth nodded, "I would rather have my father live, I want my pregnancy terminated."

Abraham grumbled, "I am going to euth whatever you do, so there is no point to terminating."

Umber stared at the X-Utero clinicians, her hands on her hips," You came to watch? Want to watch as this young woman has to choose between a gestation she wants and her father?"

Red's face was emotionless, "Yes."

Umber turned back to Abraham, "You are over sixty so this is your choice. Still, I happen to think you have plenty of good years left to your life. ", she rubbed tired eyes, " The mediband can be activated with your spex. It will feed a powerful sedative into your blood stream. Should you change your mind, you can cause a stimulant to be released to counteract it. So far as we can tell you should feel no pain."

A red light on Abraham's mediband lit up. Ruth watched in horror as her father's heart rate slowed to a crawl, his breathing grew ever more shallow. Slowly he raised his hand and Ruth kneeled down beside her fahter's bed, "It alright dear. The doctor is right, there is no pain."

His eyes closed, his breathing stopped, and his heart monitor flatlined.

At first Ruth was stunned, then as the reality of her father's death finally hit home, she wept openly, laying her head on her father's chest. She heard Red approach, Ruth glared at her, "Are you happy now? You have your 'balance'."

"Not just yet." Red, pulled an injector from under her robe and pushed it into the exposed skin of Abraham's neck.

It was Umber's turn to be shocked, "You can't interfere with someone's euthing!"

"He does not really want to die."

Abraham's heart started again, his eyes fluttered open. His first moment of consciousness was used to turn the mediband off.

Ruth and Umber stared at Red. They were a bit confused.

Yellow put her hand on Ruth's stomach," 'Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him.'"

Blue approached Ruth, "We have, in our accounts, obstetrics information up to the mid twenty second century. Around the time when In-utero births ceased to be commonplace. I will have a copy sent to your account."

The clinicians of X-Utero left without further comment.

Abraham regained some motor control of the rest of his body, and removed the mediband.. His mind a bit hazy from the drugs, his speech was slurred, " I changed my mind."

Umber put the band away, "Good. There is too much life left in you. Rest, it will take at least an hour for all those drugs to clear your system. What was it that Yellow said?"

"I think we passed some sort of test in their minds. We have shown them that we fear God."

Ruth wipe away a tear, "What if they just let you die?"

"Then I would be dead. I was dead, for a second. It not entirely unpleasant, you just float."

"The loli fought amongst themselves. We're disrupting their society."

Abraham took hold of Ruth's hand, If we have damaged their society, then we will do what we can to fix it." he then turned to the doctor, "Dr. Umber, can you cleanse us temporarily? Say, six months or so?"

"I could, but why six months? Why not permanently?", Umber respected their convictions, but she could not fathom why someone would want to go through an in-utero birth.

"After that we won't be on the habitat any more. I think its why we were brought here. We're going to the planet. Not right away. We will need to set things up first. We will need a way eventually to bring the planet's resources up here.

It would be easier if we didn't have the extra baggage of an entire X-utero clinic."

"You are aware that the Puritans lost half of their number during their first winter, and they were in a much more habitable place. On top of that they had the help of friendly natives."

"I think we're smarter than they were, and we can always call home for advice."

"There will be no friendly natives down there to save you."

"How do you know? We haven't met them yet. If we do meet some, we'll try to be better neighbors this time around."

"Twenty humans will not be enough genetic diversity to start a society."

"No, but sixty might. Oh, they don't all have to go down with us, just their genetic material. Even if sixty isn't enough, loli are 99% human. Two thousand and sixty should be plenty."

***

The meeting was in a maintenance tunnel, a place normally only traveled by the mechanics and the custodians. Pipes carrying water, waste, heat, electricity, light, lined the walls and were color coded. Even for the loli the maintenance tunnels were a tight squeeze.

This was a good place to meet, Gray had set up a blind spot in the security cameras, and since people rarely gave a thought to the maintenance tunnels no one was likely to notice if they were off for a few minutes every few days.

Maroon seemed genuinely upset, "Did you have to shove me so hard?"

Vermillion tilted her head, "I had to make it look good."

Footsteps were heard and everyone froze, when they saw who it was everyone relaxed, "Cherry is sorry to be late."

V2 leaned against the side of the passage, "Is Emerald one of us?"

"No, Emerald does not see loli verses grump, only duty. Cherry did not like seeing loli fight other loli."

"No one was hurt. Besides, it helps us build our truth construct."

Vermillion's eyes shifted left and right, "What? We're Constructionists now?"

Gray stood in the midst of the small group, "If we have to be, yes. If that is what it takes for them to see the truth."

"The constructionists didn't believe in truth, only constructions."

"Fine. How about we construct a group identity? I was thinking we could call ourselves the Resistance."

"Cherry likes Danes of Chaos."

Vermillion rolled her eyes, "Seriously we are here arguing about our name? Don't we have better things to do?"

Gray took a deep breath, "Since everything is just a construction, then a name is as important as anything else."

"I didn't say *I* thought everything was only a construction."

Cream adjusted herself, feeling stiff in the cramped confines, "I like 'Guardians'. They can wait and watch quietly, until it is time to act."

"Cherry likes 'Guardian' too."

They held hands and bowed their heads. From that moment on, their small group had a name and the beginning of an identity.

***