Piers Anthony & Robert E. Margroff by The Ring

Author:The Ring [Ring, The]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781401043988
Google: D5PKngEACAAJ
Amazon: 1401043984
Barnesnoble: 1401043984
Publisher: Xlibris Corp
Published: 2002-03-01T06:00:00+00:00

"Then the good ringer will rush to the nearest call box. There's always one around."

"Suppose there isn't time?"

"More dessert, Captain?"

"No!"

"Then I'd like some."

"Oh." He began feeding her abstractedly. The stuff had a tangy, sweet flavor that was hot and chill at once and seemed constantly to change in both temperature and texture. It was a so-called psychedelic pastry—one of her favorites.

"But suppose there's no choice—really no choice," he continued. "I mean a child in front of a speeding car and the only chance to avoid hitting her is to violate a traffic law. Either way the ringer's damned.

What's the answer, does the conflict short out the ring so that he can act for himself or—?"

"Captain, I really don't know," she said, savoring the dessert. "But something like one percent of our population is ringed, now. I haven't heard of much trouble."

"That's no answer either. What do you think would happen? You must have some idea."

"I think the ring would shock him. That's the law, after all."

"And what about the child?"

"The child?"

"The child his car may hit while he's getting shocked?"

"Well, Captain, there's a tragedy every second." She finished her bite and realized that the next would be the last one. "You and I can't help it so why worry about it?"

"Don't you think it's unfair?"

"Captain, it's not for you or me to say what's unfair. We don't make the laws. We don't commit the crimes. We don't put the rings on the murderers and the rapists and the kidnappers. They make their beds and I don't cry for them. We don't have anything to do with it. We're not involved."

"But you don't feel particularly bad about it?"

"Captain, Earth is not a starship. If one feels bad for everyone who suffers a tragedy, there's no time left for gaiety."

He put the spoon down. "Get me a drink."

She signaled the waiter, hoping he hadn't given out already. He had been so delightfully intense. "Your pleasure, Captain."

"Triple Bombast."

She turned to the robot. "A triple Bombast for our guest, a mocker cocktail for me. And see what the others want."

It mixed, shook and handed. Darlene placed the Bombast before Smith and sipped delicately at her mocker while she studied him.

He drank it fast and hard, space fashion.

"My, Captain, you'll become intoxicated."

"Yes. Waiter, another triple, on the double."

The robot chucked disapprovingly but obeyed.

She watched him, amazed. "Captain, you really don't have to impress me with your capacity."

He stared thoughtfully at the empty glasses. "Darlene, I've been thinking. Those ringers are really better than us."

"Why, Captain! How can you say that?"

He nodded, the powerful drinks working rapidly on him. "It's true. You didn't mind bringing that girl here and embarrassing her, and I know I'm no better than the other."

She shrugged. "Captain, you seem to forget that the rings are for punishment. They're criminals."

"Punishment? Not for cure?"

"Well, that too. Cure through punishment, perhaps."

"You know, Darlene," he said, taking her hand, "out in space it's like being in prison. A captain there is a law unto himself, but all the time he's there he's separated along with his men from the society he comes from.

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