Saronna's Gift by Carmen Webster Buxton

Author:Carmen Webster Buxton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: femist romance, far future romance
Publisher: Carmen Webster Buxton
Published: 2016-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“Hello, Dad,” Duncan said.

“Sit down,” Vladimir said, “and tell me why a patriarch attacked our ground car with his staff.”

Duncan took a seat across from his father’s desk. “Well, it started because he was using that staff as a weapon to beat a woman older than Mom. I didn’t feel like watching it, so I stopped him.”

Vladimir’s eyebrows went up. “How did you stop him?”

“I grabbed the staff, and then I told him she was my mother.”

Surprise became confusion as Vladimir knit his brows. “But he must have seen that you’re an off-worlder?”

Duncan nodded. “Of course, but so is she. Her name is Zelda Amoy, and she’s a sociologist who’s doing research among Kruegerian women.”

His father let out a snort of derision. “In the native quarter? She’s nuts.”

Duncan couldn’t disagree. “Maybe, but she didn’t deserve to get beaten for it.”

Vladimir twisted his lips into a grimace. “Was that all that happened?”

“No. Even after I told him Zelda was my mother, the patriarch kicked her while she was lying on the ground. So I hit him.”

“Kutra ilas hrogh ‘ul!” Vladimir said vehemently. It was a Miloran curse that meant literally, ‘You spawn your offspring,’ although usually was it translated more colloquially. If you said it to a Miloran, it would get you thrown through the nearest wall, and Duncan had never heard his father use the phrase. “What do you mean, you hit him?” Vladimir asked.

“Just that,” Duncan said. “I punched him in the jaw—not very hard, I’m afraid. I did manage to knock him down, but he wasn’t hurt at all.”

“Did anyone see it?”

“Yes. His wife and daughter and another woman, and a few of the neighbors.”

His father looked even more grim. “Does he have any way to trace you?”

“Well,” Duncan said, finally feeling guilty, “I told him my name.”

Vladimir groaned and put his head in his hands.

“Is it really all that bad?” Duncan asked. “Don’t I get any slack if he believed the part about Zelda being my mother? Was I supposed to watch him kick her and not do anything?”

Vladimir sighed and sat up. “Yes, to the first question. No, to both the others. Believe me, it’s bad. I don’t think the man has much sense if he couldn’t stop himself from kicking a woman after you claimed her as your mother. And I suppose I couldn’t expect you not to react.”

“Thank you for that,” Duncan said dryly. “Maybe it’ll all blow over?”

Vladimir snorted. “Quit dreaming. Does this man have grown sons?”

“I don’t know. Zelda didn’t know, either.”

“What’s his name?”

“Sire Longworth was the only name I heard. His house is just four doors down from your friends the Sopkos.”

“I’ll find out,” Vladimir said grimly, making a note on his scheduler. “Meanwhile, you be careful. Don’t go anywhere without a security escort.”

Duncan frowned. “Look, Dad, I know I’ve caused a problem here, but let’s not overreact. I don’t need a babysitter. I can take care of myself.”

Vladimir threw his stylus down on the desk in disgust. “Take care

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