be.”
“When you train your dog to blow things up, it tends to be noted,” Isabel said. “And for the record, I don’t talk about it. The only time I did talk about it was at that inquest, which I will remind you, Jack, was caused by your own procedural shortcuts.”
“You didn’t have to talk about it then, either,” Holloway said.
“Really?” Isabel said, thinning her lips. “Because I was under the impression that when one is forced to testify at a company inquest and continuing one’s job is contingent on telling the truth, when one is asked ‘What other unusual surveying practices have you personally witnessed Jack Holloway engage in?’ it might be prudent to describe what they are.”
“It didn’t make my problems any easier,” Holloway said.
“Well, I’m sorry my telling the truth about the stupid things you do is inconvenient for you,” Isabel said, in the clipped, quiet voice she used when she was truly pissed off. “Although now that you mention it, your calling me a liar about that and other things at your inquest didn’t do wonders for me, either. When the inquest gave you the ‘not proven’ judgment, I got a markdown in my employment record. It says that my ‘judgment might be impaired due to close or romantic relationships.’ I suppose that may be true enough, because I was with you, which was a clear case of impaired judgment. But it wasn’t impaired in the way they thought it was, and I certainly don’t deserve a mark against me because you lied, Jack.”
Holloway watched Isabel, remembering the cold fury she’d shown him after the inquest, which this outburst was a pale echo of. “I told you I was sorry,” Holloway said.
“Right, when you tried to give me that rock,” Isabel said. “And I told you then that I’d be happy to hear you were sorry when you meant it. But you’re still angry with me about something you did. So I guess I’m still waiting for you to actually be sorry.”
By this time, Baby Fuzzy had come up to Isabel and tugged on her pant leg. Isabel looked down. Baby Fuzzy held out her arms. Isabel picked her up, sat her in the crook of her arm, and scratched her head. Baby Fuzzy seemed to enjoy this.
“She really is like a cat,” Holloway said. The conversation he was having with Isabel had gone bad quickly. Holloway was ready to dump it and start a new one.
“She’s really not,” Isabel said. “That’s what I had wanted to talk to you about, before you started hammering on me about Carl and we got sidelined.”
“Sorry about that,” Holloway said. “That’s a small, immediate apology. I had a meeting with Wheaton Aubrey the Seventh, and it was brought up.”
“I take it the meeting didn’t go well, then,” Isabel said.
“No,” Holloway said. “He condescended to me, I was antagonistic to him, he made a dismissive offer couched in contempt, I threw it back in his face and promised legal action if he tried to cross me again.”
“So, the usual with you,” Isabel said.
“I suppose,” Holloway said.
“The more I know you, the more I realize why you live hundreds of kilometers from anyone else,” Isabel said.
“Let’s get back to the thing you wanted to talk about,” Holloway said. He started walking toward the cabin; he wanted a beer.
“All right,” Isabel said. “These fuzzys. These animals you’ve discovered. I’m starting to wonder if they are animals.”
“I think you’ll be laughed out of the biologist club if you suggest they’re plants,” Holloway said.
“That’s not what I’m saying, obviously,” Isabel said. “When I say I don’t think they’re animals, I mean I don’t think they’re just animals. I think they’re something more.”
Holloway stopped walking and turned to face Isabel. “Tell me you’re not about to say what I think you’re about to say,” he said. “Because I know I don’t want to hear it.”
“I think they’re sapient,” Isabel said. “I think these creatures are
“When you train your dog to blow things up, it tends to be noted,” Isabel said. “And for the record, I don’t talk about it. The only time I did talk about it was at that inquest, which I will remind you, Jack, was caused by your own procedural shortcuts.”
“You didn’t have to talk about it then, either,” Holloway said.
“Really?” Isabel said, thinning her lips. “Because I was under the impression that when one is forced to testify at a company inquest and continuing one’s job is contingent on telling the truth, when one is asked ‘What other unusual surveying practices have you personally witnessed Jack Holloway engage in?’ it might be prudent to describe what they are.”
“It didn’t make my problems any easier,” Holloway said.
“Well, I’m sorry my telling the truth about the stupid things you do is inconvenient for you,” Isabel said, in the clipped, quiet voice she used when she was truly pissed off. “Although now that you mention it, your calling me a liar about that and other things at your inquest didn’t do wonders for me, either. When the inquest gave you the ‘not proven’ judgment, I got a markdown in my employment record. It says that my ‘judgment might be impaired due to close or romantic relationships.’ I suppose that may be true enough, because I was with you, which was a clear case of impaired judgment. But it wasn’t impaired in the way they thought it was, and I certainly don’t deserve a mark against me because you lied, Jack.”
Holloway watched Isabel, remembering the cold fury she’d shown him after the inquest, which this outburst was a pale echo of. “I told you I was sorry,” Holloway said.
“Right, when you tried to give me that rock,” Isabel said. “And I told you then that I’d be happy to hear you were sorry when you meant it. But you’re still angry with me about something you did. So I guess I’m still waiting for you to actually be sorry.”
By this time, Baby Fuzzy had come up to Isabel and tugged on her pant leg. Isabel looked down. Baby Fuzzy held out her arms. Isabel picked her up, sat her in the crook of her arm, and scratched her head. Baby Fuzzy seemed to enjoy this.
“She really is like a cat,” Holloway said. The conversation he was having with Isabel had gone bad quickly. Holloway was ready to dump it and start a new one.
“She’s really not,” Isabel said. “That’s what I had wanted to talk to you about, before you started hammering on me about Carl and we got sidelined.”
“Sorry about that,” Holloway said. “That’s a small, immediate apology. I had a meeting with Wheaton Aubrey the Seventh, and it was brought up.”
“I take it the meeting didn’t go well, then,” Isabel said.
“No,” Holloway said. “He condescended to me, I was antagonistic to him, he made a dismissive offer couched in contempt, I threw it back in his face and promised legal action if he tried to cross me again.”
“So, the usual with you,” Isabel said.
“I suppose,” Holloway said.
“The more I know you, the more I realize why you live hundreds of kilometers from anyone else,” Isabel said.
“Let’s get back to the thing you wanted to talk about,” Holloway said. He started walking toward the cabin; he wanted a beer.
“All right,” Isabel said. “These fuzzys. These animals you’ve discovered. I’m starting to wonder if they are animals.”
“I think you’ll be laughed out of the biologist club if you suggest they’re plants,” Holloway said.
“That’s not what I’m saying, obviously,” Isabel said. “When I say I don’t think they’re animals, I mean I don’t think they’re just animals. I think they’re something more.”
Holloway stopped walking and turned to face Isabel. “Tell me you’re not about to say what I think you’re about to say,” he said. “Because I know I don’t want to hear it.”
“I think they’re sapient,” Isabel said. “I think these creatures are
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