Roger Zelazny - Keys To December

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Roger Zelazny. The Keys to December

BORN OF MAN and woman, in accordance with Catform Y7 requirements,

Coldworld Class (modified per Alyonal), 3.2-E, G.M.I. option, Jarry Dark was

not suited for existence anywhere in the universe which had guaranteed him a

niche. This was either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you looked at

it.

So look at it however you would, here is the story:

It is likely that his parents could have afforded the temperature

control unit, but not much more than that. (Jarry required a

temperature of at least -50 C. to be comfortable.)

It is unlikely that his parents could have provided for the air

pressure control and gas mixture equipment required to maintain his life.

Nothing could be done in the way of 3.2-E grav-simulation, so daily

medication and physiotherapy were required. It is unlikely that his parents

could have provided for this.

The much-maligned option took care of him, however. It safe-guarded his

health. It provided for his education. It assured his economic welfare and

physical well-being.

It might be argued that Jarry Dark would not have been a homeless

Coldworld Catform (modified per Alyonal) had it not been for General Mining,

Incorporated, which had held the option. But then it must be borne in mind

that no one could have foreseen the nova which destroyed Alyonal.

When his parents had presented themselves at the Public Health Planned

Parenthood Center and requested advice and medication pending offspring,

they had been informed as to the available worlds and the bodyform

requirements for them. They had selected Alyonal, which had recently been

purchased by General Mining for purposes of mineral exploitation. Wisely,

they had elected the option; that is to say, they had signed a contract on

behalf of their anticipated offspring, who would be eminently qualified to

inhabit that world, agreeing that he would work as an employee of General

Mining until he achieved his majority, at which time he would be free to

depart and seek employment wherever he might choose (though his choices

would admittedly be limited). In return for this guarantee, General Mining

agreed to assure his health, education and continuing welfare for so long as

he remained in their employ.

When Alyonal caught fire and went away, those Coldworld Catforms

covered by the option who were scattered about the crowded galaxy were, by

virtue of the agreement, wards of General Mining.

This is why Jarry grew up in a hermetically sealed room containing

temperature and atmosphere controls, and why he received a first-class

closed circuit education, along with his physiotherapy and medicine. This is

also why Jarry bore some resemblance to a large gray ocelot without a tail,

had webbing between his fingers and could not go outside to watch the

traffic unless he wore a pressurized refrigeration suit and took extra

medication.

All over the swarming galaxy, people took the advice of Public Health

Planned Parenthood Centers, and many others had chosen as had Jarry's

parents. Twenty-eight thousand, five hundred sixty-six of them, to be exact.

In any group of over twenty-eight thousand five hundred sixty, there are

bound to be a few talented individuals. Jarry was one of them. He had a

knack for making money. Most of his General Mining pension check was

invested in well-chosen stocks of a speculative nature. (In fact, after a

time he came to own considerable stock in General Mining.)

When the man from the Galactic Civil Liberties Union had come around,

expressing concern over the pre-birth contracts involved in the option and

explaining that the Alyonal Catforms would make a good test case (especially

since Jarry's parents lived within jurisdiction of the 877th Circuit, where

they would be assured favorable courtroom atmosphere), Jarry's parents had

demurred, for fear of jeopardizing the General Mining pension. Later on,

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Jarry himself dismissed the notion also. A favorable decision could not make

him an E-world Normform, and what else mattered? He was not vindictive.

Also, he owned considerable stock in G.M. by then.

He loafed in his methane tank and purred, which meant that he was

thinking. He operated his cryo-computer as he purred and thought. He was

computing the total net worth of all the Catforms in the recently organized

December Club.

He stopped purring and considered a sub-total, stretched, shook his

head slowly. Then he returned to his calculations.

When he had finished, he dictated a message into his speech-tube, to

Sanza Barati, President of December and his betrothed:

"Dearest Sanza--the funds available, as I have suspected, leave much to

be desired. All the more reason to begin immediately. Kindly submit the

proposal to the business committee, outline my qualifications and seek

immediate endorsement. I've finished drafting the general statement to the

membership. (Copy attached.) From these figures, it will take me between

five and ten years, if at least eighty percent of the membership backs me.

So push hard, beloved. I'd like to meet you someday, in a place where the

sky is purple. Yours, always, Jarry Dark, Treasurer. P.S. I'm pleased you

were pleased with the ring."

Two years later, Jarry had doubled the net worth of December,

Incorporated.

A year and a half after that, he had doubled it again.

When he received the following letter from Sanza, he leapt onto his

trampoline, bounded into the air, landed upon his feet at the opposite end

of his quarters, returned to his viewer and replayed it:

Dear Jarry,

Attached are specifications and prices for five more

worlds. The research staff likes the last one. So do I.

What do you think? Alyonal II? If so, how about the price?

When could we afford that much? The staff also says that an

hundred Worldchange units could alter it to what we want in

5-6 centuries. Will forward costs of this machinery shortly.

Come live with me and be my love, in a place where there

are no walls....

Sanza

"One year," he replied, "and I'll buy you a world! Hurry up with the

costs of the machinery and transport...." When the figures arrived Jarry

wept icy tears. One hundred machines, capable of altering the environment of

a world, plus twenty-eight thousand coldsleep bunkers, plus transportation

costs for the machinery and his people, plus...Too high! He did a rapid

calculation.

He spoke into the speech-tube:

"...Fifteen additional years is too long to wait, Pussycat. Have them

figure the time-span if we were to purchase only twenty Worldchange units.

Love and kisses, Jarry."

During the days which followed, he stalked above his chamber, erect at

first, then on all fours as his mood deepened.

"Approximately three thousand years," came the reply. "May your coat be

ever shiny--Sanza."

"Let's put it to a vote, Greeneyes," he said.

Quick, a world in 300 words or less! Picture this...

One land mass, really, containing three black and brackish looking

seas; gray plains and yellow plains and skies the color of dry sand; shallow

forests with trees like mushrooms which have been swabbed with iodine; no

mountains, just hills brown, yellow, white, lavender; green birds with wings

like parachutes, bills like sickles, feathers like oak leaves, an inside-out

umbrella behind; six very distant moons, like spots before the eyes in

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Roger Zelazny - Keys To December

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