[fic} VF AU: You Think the Moon is a Harsh Mistress?
Title: VF AU: You Think the Moon is a Harsh Mistress?
Pairing: Asami x Takaba
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None for VF, some for TMIAHM
Warnings: setting and style borrowed from another book.
Notes: No, this isn't the AU for the contest, because, well, there's no SF category. It's a ficlet for ophelia314 for her birthday, taking place in the setting of a book we both like, Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIA!
Couple notes under the cut.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is old school ScF, pretty techie, but still fun reading after all these years. It takes place in the underground Lunar colonies, which started out as Earth's prison, and now they're looking to be a soveriegn nation of their own. With the help of a self-aware computer named Mike/Adam Selene, they start a revolution.
The Loonies speak a little differently than we do. They get rid extraneous words. At first that caused me confusion while reading the original, thinking that the publisher made a major goof LOL. But no, it's supposed to be that way. I stuck with that to the best of my ability.
------------------
Takaba Akihito, Loonie of the newest sort, stood with his back to the stone, breaths coming hard and fast. Been sent up on a truancy charge of all things. Whoever heard of such in these days and times? Not Akihito.
Didn't find out it was trumped up until he reach Luna. Got a look at a vid of the Warden. Akihito's no idiot. Figured it out real fast. Went on the lam. Wasn't about to be the Warden's toy.
Was running out of time though. Had no cash. Had no connections. Had no options left. Thought about stealing. Bad idea. Loonies don't like thieves. They'd space him right quick. Sank into a crouch. Would have cried if he could have spared the water to make tears.
Hand on his shoulder made him look up in alarm. Was a kid. Late teens. Wore a cap, said "Free Luna".
"You in trouble?"
Sighed. "Big trouble."
"You new?"
Kinda suspicious, that. "Who wants ta know?"
Kid stepped back, hands up. "Just asking. Don't want trouble. You looked like you needed help. No help needed, I'm gone."
Akihito gambled. "Wait. Sorry. Don't know who to trust. Big trouble means big. Way up."
Kid's eyes widened. "Authority?"
"Yeah, and high up."
Kid's eyes got scared. "Warden? You in trouble with the Warden?"
"You a fink?"
"No fink! Who you callin' fink?"
"Not callin'. Just askin'."
"Not a fink!"
"OK. Got it. Ease off. You blame me?"
Kid softened. "No, that's big trouble. No kidding. You need help."
"What you got that can help?"
Kid leaned in, got whispery-like. "Got Adam Selene. Got revolution. Got a whole bunch of Loonies ready to fight."
Akihito was impressed. "This Selene, he's big stuff?"
Kid nodded. "Biggest."
"You get me in to see him?"
Kid shook his head. "No one sees him, 'cept maybe on vids. Talks on phone. We'll call. We'll get you set up."
Akihito and the Kid hit a vid booth, set privacy high, placed the call. Akihito watched the numbers, remembering them. Might be useful later.
Kid was talking. "This is Gary. Got a new one. Fresh Loonie. In big trouble. Told him we could help. Wanna talk?"
Kid, Gary, stood up. "Thanks Gary."
Kid scoffed. "That's my codename. You'll get one too. Tell my real name later. Now talk-talk."
New voice. Mild. Educated. Speaking Earthschool speak. Akihito'd been schooled. He knew the words.
"Hello, Takaba Akihito. I understand that you're in trouble. It seems that the Warden specifically requested that you be arrested and brought to Luna on a charge of truancy. Is that a joke?"
"It's no joke, sir. The magistrate said no one had been charged with such a crime in decades, yet the prosecutor dug this old law out and got me. It was the only thing illegal I ever did."
"I see. The Warden wanted you here, and waited for the smallest infraction of the law, no matter how ancient."
"Yes sir."
"Do you know why he wants you?"
"Y-yes sir. He saw me once, on a trip to Earth. I didn't know he was Warden, just high up. I'm a photographer. I was covering a political event in Tokyo. He was there. He grabbed me. He wanted stuff."
"What kind of stuff? Photos?"
"N-no sir. Sex stuff. Male-male stuff. Wanted a toy."
"I... see. I take it you said no."
"You bet I said no! Didn't do any good. Not with him. He just took. Took me, and was gonna keep taking me, all the way back to Luna. Got away. Ran. Thought I was safe, once he was gone. But not safe. Not from him. Got picked up. Should have been fined. Got sentence jacked up to felony. For skipping. Bullshit. No appeals. Sent straight here. Now I'm runnin'. Got no choice. You got revolution? Sign me up!"
"Well Takaba Akihito, it certainly sounds as if you're a good candidate. You'll be in Gary's cell. Your code name will be...let me see...the next up is Huey."
"Huey? I ain't no Huey!"
"I'm afraid you are, if you wish to be in this organization. Gary will be your leader. You will obey him in all things. He'll see that you get three square."
Akihito was mad. But not too mad to turn down three square.
"OK I'm in. You feed me, I'll fight. Thank you Comrade Selene. Free Luna!"
--
Akihito was used for quiet stuff, night stuff, stuff a good cameraman would be useful doing. Good stuff too. Pics found their way into the underground, onto the net, into papers. Shots of the Warden's goons roughing up kids, insulting ladies, didn't play well with the femme population. Started a whole new revolution inside the home, teaching kids, talking to husbands, pushing for change.
New, that. Warden had been popular with ladies. Now his numbers slipped. Now they didn't like pretty looks over manners, over doing what's right.
Warden got angry. "Get me that photographer!"
Get him they did. Perfect plot, set him up, nabbed him waiting for a shot of the Warden. Akihito aimed and froze like a Loonie on the surface without a p-suit. Warden was spying back straight through the viewfinder. Akihito hoped for spacing. Better than what his imagination held.
--
"Takaba Akihito. We meet again."
"Meet, hell! You planned. I got caught. Stupid. Should've known. Wanted your ass. Get it someday too."
Akihito struggled. Tied too well. Looked like an Earthworm in zero-gee.
Warden's eyebrow lifted. "Funny thing, that. You want my ass. I want yours. Guess who wins?"
Akihito swore. "Bastard Warden. Wait till your pic's in Lunar Enquirer."
Warden picked up Akihito's camera. "You want pics? I'll take pics. I'll even give you copies."
Warden started snapping, enjoying himself. Bondage in Lunar-gee is versatile. Slipped Akihito happy gas. Akihito started enjoying things.
Akihito this way. Akihito that way. Akihito inside out for all he cared.
"Not inside out!"
"Not? You sure?"
Fumble here. Tumble there.
"Ooooh. OK. Inside out."
Warden laughed.
Akihito couldn't help it. Was too good. Wanted more more more.
Warden smiled and delivered.
By the time film was gone, Akihito surrendered. Male-male, not so bad. Kinda good. Little sore, but the Warden, he got moves. Plus if kept, I'd get three square.
Spent three days down there, at the Warden's. After, he stayed. Why move? Liked sex. OK loved sex. Maybe even liked the Warden a little.
Akihito remembered the revolution. Told the Warden. Warden told him.
Used the vidphone. Privacy off. Called Adam Selene. "I'm sorry sir. I'm out. You'll have to start the revolution without me."
Selene studied him through the vid. "You know, son, that it's only a matter of time before he's overthrown."
Akihito glanced at bed. "Maybe. He's got moves. He might even surprise you, Mike."
Selene's eyebrows shot so high they disappeared off the vidframe.
Akihito grinned. "How better to keep a mainframe and a bunch of bored Loonies occupied, then letting them play at revolution? Free Luna!"
Akihito closed vidchannel and secured. Laughed. Ran to bed and jumped on Warden. "Think he believed it?"
"Doesn't matter. He might be a dinkum thinkum, but I control programming. I can make him think whatever I want."
"Not right now you won't. Time for more male-male. Get crackin', Warden."
Warden surrendered. "You got it, Loonie."
--
"Threats of rioting in the Lunar colonies over grain prices were averted in the latter part of the 21st century by a brilliant plan by the Warden of the time, Asami Ryuichi. He programmed the main Lunar computer into setting up a separate personality known as Mike aka Adam Selene, and triggering it into subversive activities intended to release social pressures. The revolution, of course, never made it beyond a number of speeches and small demonstrations. The controlling computer was, unbeknownst to itself, programmed to interfere with its own actions, thus rendering them harmless. The movement collapsed under its own weight by the end of the year 2076.
The Loonies were so dispirited by their failure that there has been no talk of revolution since."
The Revolution that Never Was. Asami-Takaba Kimiko. 2198. Selene University Press, New Hong Kong, Lunar Colonies.
~end~
Pairing: Asami x Takaba
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None for VF, some for TMIAHM
Warnings: setting and style borrowed from another book.
Notes: No, this isn't the AU for the contest, because, well, there's no SF category. It's a ficlet for ophelia314 for her birthday, taking place in the setting of a book we both like, Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIA!
Couple notes under the cut.
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is old school ScF, pretty techie, but still fun reading after all these years. It takes place in the underground Lunar colonies, which started out as Earth's prison, and now they're looking to be a soveriegn nation of their own. With the help of a self-aware computer named Mike/Adam Selene, they start a revolution.
The Loonies speak a little differently than we do. They get rid extraneous words. At first that caused me confusion while reading the original, thinking that the publisher made a major goof LOL. But no, it's supposed to be that way. I stuck with that to the best of my ability.
------------------
Takaba Akihito, Loonie of the newest sort, stood with his back to the stone, breaths coming hard and fast. Been sent up on a truancy charge of all things. Whoever heard of such in these days and times? Not Akihito.
Didn't find out it was trumped up until he reach Luna. Got a look at a vid of the Warden. Akihito's no idiot. Figured it out real fast. Went on the lam. Wasn't about to be the Warden's toy.
Was running out of time though. Had no cash. Had no connections. Had no options left. Thought about stealing. Bad idea. Loonies don't like thieves. They'd space him right quick. Sank into a crouch. Would have cried if he could have spared the water to make tears.
Hand on his shoulder made him look up in alarm. Was a kid. Late teens. Wore a cap, said "Free Luna".
"You in trouble?"
Sighed. "Big trouble."
"You new?"
Kinda suspicious, that. "Who wants ta know?"
Kid stepped back, hands up. "Just asking. Don't want trouble. You looked like you needed help. No help needed, I'm gone."
Akihito gambled. "Wait. Sorry. Don't know who to trust. Big trouble means big. Way up."
Kid's eyes widened. "Authority?"
"Yeah, and high up."
Kid's eyes got scared. "Warden? You in trouble with the Warden?"
"You a fink?"
"No fink! Who you callin' fink?"
"Not callin'. Just askin'."
"Not a fink!"
"OK. Got it. Ease off. You blame me?"
Kid softened. "No, that's big trouble. No kidding. You need help."
"What you got that can help?"
Kid leaned in, got whispery-like. "Got Adam Selene. Got revolution. Got a whole bunch of Loonies ready to fight."
Akihito was impressed. "This Selene, he's big stuff?"
Kid nodded. "Biggest."
"You get me in to see him?"
Kid shook his head. "No one sees him, 'cept maybe on vids. Talks on phone. We'll call. We'll get you set up."
Akihito and the Kid hit a vid booth, set privacy high, placed the call. Akihito watched the numbers, remembering them. Might be useful later.
Kid was talking. "This is Gary. Got a new one. Fresh Loonie. In big trouble. Told him we could help. Wanna talk?"
Kid, Gary, stood up. "Thanks Gary."
Kid scoffed. "That's my codename. You'll get one too. Tell my real name later. Now talk-talk."
New voice. Mild. Educated. Speaking Earthschool speak. Akihito'd been schooled. He knew the words.
"Hello, Takaba Akihito. I understand that you're in trouble. It seems that the Warden specifically requested that you be arrested and brought to Luna on a charge of truancy. Is that a joke?"
"It's no joke, sir. The magistrate said no one had been charged with such a crime in decades, yet the prosecutor dug this old law out and got me. It was the only thing illegal I ever did."
"I see. The Warden wanted you here, and waited for the smallest infraction of the law, no matter how ancient."
"Yes sir."
"Do you know why he wants you?"
"Y-yes sir. He saw me once, on a trip to Earth. I didn't know he was Warden, just high up. I'm a photographer. I was covering a political event in Tokyo. He was there. He grabbed me. He wanted stuff."
"What kind of stuff? Photos?"
"N-no sir. Sex stuff. Male-male stuff. Wanted a toy."
"I... see. I take it you said no."
"You bet I said no! Didn't do any good. Not with him. He just took. Took me, and was gonna keep taking me, all the way back to Luna. Got away. Ran. Thought I was safe, once he was gone. But not safe. Not from him. Got picked up. Should have been fined. Got sentence jacked up to felony. For skipping. Bullshit. No appeals. Sent straight here. Now I'm runnin'. Got no choice. You got revolution? Sign me up!"
"Well Takaba Akihito, it certainly sounds as if you're a good candidate. You'll be in Gary's cell. Your code name will be...let me see...the next up is Huey."
"Huey? I ain't no Huey!"
"I'm afraid you are, if you wish to be in this organization. Gary will be your leader. You will obey him in all things. He'll see that you get three square."
Akihito was mad. But not too mad to turn down three square.
"OK I'm in. You feed me, I'll fight. Thank you Comrade Selene. Free Luna!"
--
Akihito was used for quiet stuff, night stuff, stuff a good cameraman would be useful doing. Good stuff too. Pics found their way into the underground, onto the net, into papers. Shots of the Warden's goons roughing up kids, insulting ladies, didn't play well with the femme population. Started a whole new revolution inside the home, teaching kids, talking to husbands, pushing for change.
New, that. Warden had been popular with ladies. Now his numbers slipped. Now they didn't like pretty looks over manners, over doing what's right.
Warden got angry. "Get me that photographer!"
Get him they did. Perfect plot, set him up, nabbed him waiting for a shot of the Warden. Akihito aimed and froze like a Loonie on the surface without a p-suit. Warden was spying back straight through the viewfinder. Akihito hoped for spacing. Better than what his imagination held.
--
"Takaba Akihito. We meet again."
"Meet, hell! You planned. I got caught. Stupid. Should've known. Wanted your ass. Get it someday too."
Akihito struggled. Tied too well. Looked like an Earthworm in zero-gee.
Warden's eyebrow lifted. "Funny thing, that. You want my ass. I want yours. Guess who wins?"
Akihito swore. "Bastard Warden. Wait till your pic's in Lunar Enquirer."
Warden picked up Akihito's camera. "You want pics? I'll take pics. I'll even give you copies."
Warden started snapping, enjoying himself. Bondage in Lunar-gee is versatile. Slipped Akihito happy gas. Akihito started enjoying things.
Akihito this way. Akihito that way. Akihito inside out for all he cared.
"Not inside out!"
"Not? You sure?"
Fumble here. Tumble there.
"Ooooh. OK. Inside out."
Warden laughed.
Akihito couldn't help it. Was too good. Wanted more more more.
Warden smiled and delivered.
By the time film was gone, Akihito surrendered. Male-male, not so bad. Kinda good. Little sore, but the Warden, he got moves. Plus if kept, I'd get three square.
Spent three days down there, at the Warden's. After, he stayed. Why move? Liked sex. OK loved sex. Maybe even liked the Warden a little.
Akihito remembered the revolution. Told the Warden. Warden told him.
Used the vidphone. Privacy off. Called Adam Selene. "I'm sorry sir. I'm out. You'll have to start the revolution without me."
Selene studied him through the vid. "You know, son, that it's only a matter of time before he's overthrown."
Akihito glanced at bed. "Maybe. He's got moves. He might even surprise you, Mike."
Selene's eyebrows shot so high they disappeared off the vidframe.
Akihito grinned. "How better to keep a mainframe and a bunch of bored Loonies occupied, then letting them play at revolution? Free Luna!"
Akihito closed vidchannel and secured. Laughed. Ran to bed and jumped on Warden. "Think he believed it?"
"Doesn't matter. He might be a dinkum thinkum, but I control programming. I can make him think whatever I want."
"Not right now you won't. Time for more male-male. Get crackin', Warden."
Warden surrendered. "You got it, Loonie."
--
"Threats of rioting in the Lunar colonies over grain prices were averted in the latter part of the 21st century by a brilliant plan by the Warden of the time, Asami Ryuichi. He programmed the main Lunar computer into setting up a separate personality known as Mike aka Adam Selene, and triggering it into subversive activities intended to release social pressures. The revolution, of course, never made it beyond a number of speeches and small demonstrations. The controlling computer was, unbeknownst to itself, programmed to interfere with its own actions, thus rendering them harmless. The movement collapsed under its own weight by the end of the year 2076.
The Loonies were so dispirited by their failure that there has been no talk of revolution since."
The Revolution that Never Was. Asami-Takaba Kimiko. 2198. Selene University Press, New Hong Kong, Lunar Colonies.
~end~