The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect (71 page)

As if by magic, the pain vanished. So did the blood which had been jetting all over the floor from her wound. She stood up, apparently unhurt.
"This would of been a great trick to pull in a bar," Fred said grinning.
"Except everybody can do it now."
"Yeah." Fred sighed.
They went inside and talked some more. Caroline kept thinking about that burst of pain, the happy look on Fred's face as he stood over her, the strength it took not to call Prime Intellect and run. For the first time since the Night of Miracles she had been too busy feeling something to worry about whether it mattered in the long run. She had felt real, ersatz youthful body and all. And she realized with thin humor that she finally wanted something in this world where want had been banished.
She wanted to do it again.

Caroline stayed with Fred overnight, and they had pedestrian sex on his squeaky bed. She played hard-to-get and made him overpower her, but the game was hollow. It was pleasant to feel a warm body next to her but beyond that there was no sense of excitement.
The next morning there was an unwelcome visitor on the porch. "Prime Intellect," Caroline announced. "Nobody called for you."
"Sorry. But I have to know something personal, and I didn't just want to materialize. It wasn't urgent, but it will be soon. I need to know if you want to be able to get pregnant."
"Pregnant?"
"You had intercourse last night..."
"I remember that."
"...and Fred is fertile. I need to know whether to do the
biologicals
or not."
Do the
biologicals
?
What the hell kind of phrase was
that?
"Is this a matter of letting nature take its course, or of doing something extra to allow me to get pregnant?"
"It's something extra I have to do."
"Then don't bother."
"As you wish."
It turned.
"Wait."
It turned back.