Tangle in the Dark - Kassidor

"Thom and Elmore?""Elmore and Alfred at least.""They should be grown men by now, they’ve both seendivorces before, Elmore's had one."Alan knew about that, "And lost a wife to a republicansoldier as a mortal," he also knew."We've all got wounds Alan. I had to tend my mother'sinjuries when thugs beat her up for the groceries on her wayhome. I had to get her patched up enough to work the nextday or she would lose her job. I saw my sister get raped todeath in a constable's patrol vehicle. You've only had to dealwith your own fantasies Alan, you haven't faced mortal fleshand blood reality, no matter how well it is simulated."The only mortal reality he had faced was in an artificialenvironment in the bowels of a starship, tended with androidsand totally alone. Everyone else was as an Angel, there wasnothing that he had experienced directly was there? "Vic toldme about the constables and the judges. Her family hadproblems in spite of their aboriginal permit.""New England was like the Promised Land to us. Wedreamed of escaping to it.""I still want to retain Elmore's friendship.""In other words, lie?" she asked. "Tell everyone we neverhooked up?""I guess that is the alternative isn't it?""If he's going to be hurt by the fact that I cheated onThom and take it out on your friendship, then the only way to88