Chapter 7: Thinking it over

The young woman changed the subject while Pru pointedly occupied herself with food. The chatter ranged across unimportant subjects until they had clearly all finished their lunch and Terry rose, with suitable goodbyes, and took Pru back to his office.

Pru turned on him. "What is this, Terry? Where did you get that information? And what did she mean by that business about wanting my body?"

Terry raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy! When you agreed to come for an interview, I did a routine query of our own data, using your name. I found that incident and one or two other minor and creditable things—just raw data, no interpretation. It's the kind of thing our people report all the time. Sometimes, it means something, mostly not. Analysis is the key, and that's what we do on the 'other side': the OSG side. And of course, I checked your security profile. I told you that earlier.

"Most people never appear in our data. But, you have been to interesting places and done interesting things. So, you show up. Simple as that."

"And, that other remark?"

"Neo-Tantra teaches increased empathic awareness. It's the core of our work. A really competent lover has developed a high degree of empathy, and that's what makes our people able to sense the mood and feelings of every one they meet. I'll admit I find you very attractive, Pru, and Suzanne picked up on it. Not just because you are physically attractive, but also because you're one hell of a woman. She recognized that just as I do. I do want more than your body. I want you for our company."

Pru walked to the row of windows that looked out over a garden toward where the nearly transparent energy fields that define a Controlled Area separated the compound from the rest of the OC world. Terry's candor did not shock her; she had sensed his interest, and knew she returned it to some degree herself. She stood for several moments, thinking, considering, then turned and walked across the room to where Terry was leaning against the edge of his desk watching her.

Standing a foot or so from him, Pru raised her arms and reached behind her to unfasten her collar, and tossed it on the desk.

"I'm interested in your offer, Terry. You're right that I play a different role with my friends in the souk. And, in some of the other places, I go in Europe and China. I care about those people. I try, in small ways, to help them and give them new ideas.

"So, I'll consider the offer to work for Neo-Tantra. But, I need to think about it for a few days." She stripped the cuffs off her wrists to follow the collar.

"Right now," she said, unfastening the waistband of her kilt and tossing it on the desk, "I want you to show me what this damned Neo-Tantra can do for me as a woman." Her knife landed on top of the kilt, followed by her briefs.

Much later, the Long Distance Metro sped toward Washington Sector with Pru gazing, unseeing, at the wall displays that pretended to show passing scenery.

In the course of the afternoon Pru had seen the offices, the living quarters, classrooms and all the unclassified parts of the Neo-Tantra compound. She had talked with several of the people there chosen by Terry, she was certain, with an eye to a positive response to her questions. Nevertheless, the place had impressed her as well run, efficient, warm and happy. Everyone was open, responsive, encouraging.

She had asked Terry for the financial information he had promised, and he had unhesitatingly dispatched a copy to her home com so she could review it at her leisure.