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“Sexual intercourse?”
“Yes, sexual intercourse,” she replied deadpan.
“I haven’t, no.”
“Like seriously?”
“Yes, I’m serious.”
“Wow. This must be the first time I met a man who never think with his Little Johnny. That’s practically unheard of.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
She waved “never mind”. “Do you think any of the volunteers here today have had sex?”
“It’s not likely. Though a few are elder and may have many years ago before most people lost all interest in it.”
Alana turned in the chair to face him. She looked scandalized. “You’re not even curious about sex, at all?”
“No one is anymore. But some must learn to be, or our species may not survive.”
“Right. That’s why I’m here.”
Ice signaled for the next volunteer to come in. “Brook Windgrass. He’s the Logistic Specialist at Farm Four Two Seven.”
“Hello, Brook,” Alana said. “Can you tell me what you think about dating and marriage?”
Brook paused a moment before saying, “I think they’re novel ideas whose time is past.”
“You don’t wish to be married someday?”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, to start a family and be with someone you love for the rest of your life, maybe.”
“Sounds like little more than a hassle.”
Alana held the stylus above the cube, and seemed to be trying to figure out what to say next. “So you’re saying you’ve never loved someone?”
Brook’s eyebrows drew together in concentration. After a long silence, Alana thanked him and told him he could go. She turned to Ice and raised her eyebrows. He wasn’t sure what some of her expressions meant, but he was trying to learn.
After a few more Crimeans had answered Alana’s questions and given similar answers that Ice fo
und himself nodding in agreement to, Alana sighed and leaned back in the chair. Her hair hung over the back of it in soft waves that looked pleasant to the touch.
Would it?
Ice looked away, and tried to focus on the mission. He didn’t have time for trivial things like imagining the softness of hair or anything else. He cleared his throat. “Shall I send the next one in?”
Alana turned back to her notebook and wrote a few sentences. “Might as well. If I interview enough of you, I’m bound to find some who feel differently than the average Crimean.”
“Do you think so?”
“I hope so. Or I’m not sure how much I’m going to be able to accomplish.”
Ice hesitated before touching the screen. “I believe you can help us, Alana. I do wish you would believe it, too.”
She gave him a little smile and said, “Thanks. I’ll try.”
