NORTHWORLD

learning... but books were a symbol, and symbols had a particular reality here on
Northward, "There's something we don't see...," Eisner murmured, "We're
changing, Eisner," the man said as he watched his hostess through the corners of
his eyes. "We don't change," Eisner snapped, crossing her arms over her chest as she
turned her back, on Rolls. Her breasts, as unremarkable as her face and hair, were
hidden beneath the loose folds of the coveralls she habitually wore. "We're old and
we're getting older, but we don't change. We don't have the power to change
ourselves— " Rolls tucked the woman's shoulder. "You know what I mean," he
said. "—except for Penny with her necklace," Eisner continued, her voice, never
particularly attractive, cut the phrase like a hacksaw. "She can change," "Penny
got what she wanted," Rolls said. Rater than try to turn Eisner to face him, he
stepped around her. "You have—" He gestured with his left hand. "You wanted
knowledge, you wouldn't trade that for Penny's necklace, would you?" "No, no,"
Eisner agreed, forcing herself to lower her arms, though she met her guest's eyes
only for a moment. "I have exactly what I want, of course…" "But we don't have
to limit ourselves to one thing," Rolls said, "Eisner, we have all powers, we're like
gods. But we're focusing down to —" his hand described an empty circle"— to
caricatures, like Penny and her appearance." "And her men, you mean!" Eisner
said, Rolls' expression softened to see the pain in the woman's eyes. "That's all part
of the same thing, Eisner," he said gently. "You know that. There's no reason that
we can't change things back. Become— "He reached out slowly, his fingers curled
to cup Eisner's breast."—complete human beings again." Eisner slapped his hand
away and turned her back again, "I don't want that!" she said, In a voice almost
too faint to hear, she added, "And you don't want me, not really." "I do want you,"
Rolls said, "I wants you to be—" "Go on!" Eisner said, facing Rolls to gesture
imperiously toward the door. "Get out. Your sympathy is quite unnecessary."
"Whatever you wish," the big man said as he obeyed; but key paused, hunched in