Eros Descending: Book 3 of Tales of the Velvet Comet Read Free Page A

diseases have been discovered since Man went out to the stars. Only the Comet has the facilities to instantly recognize and cure each of them.”
    “Then that is the misfortune of those who are foolish enough to become prostitutes or to have sexual congress with them.”
    “That's an inadequate answer,” said the Steel Butterfly. “Since you grant that Man always has and always will support prostitution, why not allow him to do so in a controlled and luxurious environment?”
    “Sugar-coating sin doesn't make it any less sinful, only more caloric.” He gestured toward the crowded room. “Look at these people. Are they any less sinful because they pay millions of credits to you and wear formal dress and dine on fine foods before partaking of the Comet 's pleasures? The only difference between them and a cargo loader who seeks quick and inexpensive satisfaction is what they pay, not what they do.”
    “By the same token, why don't you lead your crusade against all the top-rated restaurants that serve meat?”
    “Because the Jesus Pures’ refusal to eat meat is a matter of personal choice, nothing more,” Gold replied. “The Bible does not direct us to avoid meat. The same cannot be said of what goes on aboard the Comet .” He paused. “Besides, I'm not crusading against the Comet , except as it relates to Vainmill. In fact, I doubt that I've mentioned it five times in the past year. If Vainmill offers it as a sop to me, I'll take it, but if they think I will stop or even moderate my attacks on them, they're sadly mistaken.”
    “You keep saying that they're going to kill the Comet ,” she said irritably. “If you really believed that, I would think that the madam is the last person you'd forewarn.”
    “It makes no difference,” said Gold. “I am a moral man; I cannot be bought. Vainmill is an immoral corporation; they will continue to try to buy me, raising their price each time, on the assumption that everyone can be bought. Eventually it will bring about their downfall.”
    “You don't really think you can bring a corporation like Vainmill to its knees, do you?” she asked, amazed by the scope of his ego.
    “One properly motivated man can bring down an empire,” he replied seriously. “No one would remember David if Goliath had been a dwarf.”
    “You realize that if you actually succeeded, you'd do untold harm to the economy, as well as putting literally tens of millions of people out of work.”
    “Your loyalty is misplaced,” said Gold. “Vainmill would cut the Comet loose in two seconds if they thought it would get me off their backs.”
    “And what of the ensuing financial upheaval if you destroy Vainmill?”
    “The Republic will survive, just as the Earth survived forty days and forty nights of flooding. And if it doesn't, then it wasn't built to last, and something better will supersede it.”
    “It must be comforting to be so absolutely certain that you're right,” she said cynically.
    “God vouchsafes precious few comforts to us,” he replied. “That happens to be one of them.”
    “And if you're wrong?”
    He met her gaze and spoke with the same degree of conviction with which he had outlined his future plans. “Then I will spend all of eternity in the pits of hell, suffering the tortures of the damned.”
    “You really believe that?” asked the Steel Butterfly.
    “I do.”
    “Then why take the chance?”
    “Because I believe that when God gave Man free will, it was implicit in the contract that he exercise it.”
    “And what of all the people who exercise it aboard the Comet ?”
    “The very nature of free will implies that Man is also free to abuse God's laws. Your patrons have made their choice, and I have made mine.”
    “You're as slick in person as you are on the video,” she admitted begrudgingly. “I think it might be best to change the subject.”
    “As you wish.”
    “The race is due to start in about half an hour.
    Shall we start making our way to the