PeterWatts_Blindsight

Peter Watts 176 Blindsight
flawed, decaying organs were still able to hypnotize me on
occasion.
"Now," Chelsea said. "What do you mean by that?"
I shrugged. "You keep pretending this is a partnership. We both
know it's a competition."
"A competition."
"You're trying to manipulate me into playing by your rules."
"What rules?"
"The way you want the relationship run. I don't blame you,
Chelse, not in the least. We've been trying to manipulate each
other for as long as—hell, it's not even Human nature. It's
mammalian."
"I don't believe it." She shook her head. Ropy tendrils of hair
swung across her face. "It's the middle of the twenty-first Century
and you're hitting me with this war of the sexes bullshit?"
"Granted, your tweaks are a pretty radical iteration. Get right in
there and reprogram your mate for optimum servility."
"You actually think I'm trying to, to housebreak you? You think
I'm trying to train you like a puppy?"
"You're just doing what comes naturally."
"I can't believe you'd pull this shit on me."
"I thought you valued honesty in relationships."
"What relationship? According to you there's no such thing.
This is just—mutual rape, or something."
"That's what relationships are."
"Don't pull that shit on me." She sat up, swung her feet over the
edge of the bed. Putting her back to me. "I know how I feel. If I
know anything I know that much. And I only wanted to make you
happy."
"I know you believe that," I said gently. "I know it doesn't feel
like a strategy. Nothing does when it's wired that deeply. It just
feels right, it feels natural. It's nature's trick."
"It's someone's fucking trick."
I sat up next to her, let my shoulder brush hers. She leaned
away.
"I know this stuff," I said after a while. "I know how people
work. It's my job."