[70—Invitation]

"Hey Heywood," A voice woke me from the strangest dream. 

In it, I was a boy, and had this toy...

"What is it?"

I was too tired to track.

"Phone call."  It was Chibani, shaking me lightly.

"Who is it? Can't it wait until daylight?"

The only time I'd used the phone here was for official business.

"It's from Missouri."

If it was from home, then something had happened.  Mother would never call in the middle of the night unless it was an emergency.

"All right," I shot back, grabbing my watch from its perch.  I followed him to the CQ tent, unable to see the face until we came inside.  It was 1:09. 

Lieutenant Nguyen was there, in a bathrobe and slippers.  She'd been very strange around me lately, like she didn't want to be alone with me.

"Telephone," I asked.

The Lieutenant pointed to it on the desk.  It was an old-fashioned rotary, and couldn't dial UTES numbers.  I wondered if it could receive calls from a UTES location, like from space. 

I picked up the receiver, dreading what it was that would have her calling me two time zones away at 11:00 in the evening.

"Hello?"

"Dani, this is Gina."

"Gina?  What's wrong?  Where are our parents?  Are they alright?"

"They're fine, Dani."

"Then why are you calling me instead of them?  Tell me what's wrong Gina, I can take it."

"Dani, I'm calling you because I need your help."

Uh-oh.  That didn't sound good.

"Is this about Sonjin?"

"Yes," she began, but before the next word came out, my brain was firing off scenarios at a prodigious rate.

Was she pregnant? Did Daddy greet Sonjin with a shotgun?  No, that would be Mother. 

At least I had the money saved up.  I could help her with that.

Did he get accepted into Julliard and now she's freaking out?

"...and they want us to dance there, Dani, and I'm afraid Mother won't let me.  I need your help."

"Wait, what?"

"I said I got a letter from a Commodore Cannesmore, with an 'S'.  She invited Sonjin and me to dance at Ophiuchus station, in orbit."

"What?"  Wow, the Old Lady did it—she called in a marker for me.  Sonjin and Gina, up there?  It would be incredible. 

"You should go, Gina.  Definitely."

"But Mom won't let me."

"What?  She said no?"

"I haven't asked her yet."

"Why not?"

"Because, I know she'll say no.  She's already suspicious about Sonjin; ain't  no way she's gonna let us go to outer space together."

"What about Daddy?"

"He's on a short leash, if you haven't noticed."

"He came through for me, when she got on me about taking drugs."

"You weren't taking drugs.  And he talked a good game, but in the end, he folded faster than Superman on laundry day."

"How do you know about that?"

"We live in the same house, Dani.  Or did."

That brought the gap right there, in my face.

"You need to point out to her that she believes in your dancing, and that this is a golden opportunity for the both of you.  Tell her if you don't take it, you might as well stop dancing."

"Dani!"

"No, I'm serious.  She'll geek.  She wants you to be a famous ballerina some day. 

"You need to convince her that the day just came, in a handwritten gilt envelope, if I don't miss my guess."

"Yes.  So this Commodore is classy?"

"The classiest.  Her name is Jane, and she wrote me an introduction to Noam Chomsky, who is the head of Linguistics at MIT."

"Wow.  So, what about Sonjin?"

"You couldn't possibly do this without him, you are partners.  This was an invitation to both of you?  I'm guessing again."

"Yes, Sonjin got one too.  But Mother already suspects we are having sex; this will set her off for sure.  I'll be lucky if she leaves me with so much as a foreskin."

"Gina!  I really didn't need to hear that.  Why can't you be that brash with Mother.  Tell her you need birth control."

"She'll faint."

"Yeah, and then she'll wake up.  She'll get it for you, you can bet, because the alternative is unthinkable."

"No, I mean she'll stroke out.  Dani, she'll never admit I am having sex, not if she can get by with it.  You're the perfect one in that way, too.  They know you'll never have sex."

"Gina, I think you underestimate our parents.  They are smart, educated and well-bred.  They love us and want what's best. 

"The problem is that they don't know what is best for us, which is what will make us happy.  Think about it, they were born in the Civil War; that may not be that many years ago, but the world has changed so much. 

"No doubt they're using mores that haven't changed since the 1920's.  They're trying to hold back the floodwaters of liberalism with a rake."

"What does this have to do with Sonjin and me?"

"Mother is smart, just misguided by the idea that she can force others to do her will.  She's read Romeo and Juliet, and she knows that the story can only play out so many ways.

"She doesn't want Shakespeare's ending, that's for sure.  If you tell her, or even hint broadly, that you have had sex, are having sex, or are contemplating having sex, then she'll take you to see the doctor and they'll put you on the pill."

"Why are you so sure, Dani?"

"Because, having a baby right now would ruin your life, and we all know that.  None of us want that.  We want you to dance, with Sonjin. 

"Mother will come around, when Sonjin has paid his dues; she did with Topher."

"But there's more at risk here.  You are her golden girl.  It's not even possible for you to have sex."

"I'm finding that such is not the case."

"What do you mean by that?  Dani?"

"Just that you have a narrow view of sex.  Being here, with my Odd-fellows, has opened my eyes to a lot."

"My view of sex is always with Sonjin.  Do you think it will work?"

"I think you should ask her about going, first.  Mary Jane will get you enough condoms if you need them for the trip.  But be warned, they don't like you taking personal stuff up there, for some reason.  I couldn't even take a toothbrush.

"My guess is you can buy them there.  There's a lot for sale on Level 93."

"Oh, my God, Dani.  Is this for real?"

"Yes, Gina, it is.  Commodore Cannesmore is a real person and I've met her.  She is the commanding officer of all forces in the ISA spacefleet."

"Oh, my God!"

"Calm down, it's not going away.  You will love zero-gee, Gina, you really will.  And you'll adore Jane, as I'm sure she will adore you.  She has a cushy pad and her twin brother is her chef.  She really pampered my taste buds while I was there.  Sell a kidney to go, if you have to—but not one of your own."

"No, they said if we can get ourselves to any spaceport, they would provide all accommodations."

"That's incredible.  Listen, you gotta talk to Mom about this; if she balks, call me up again, and hand her the phone.  I think I can convince her."

"Okay, thanks big bris."

"Stop calling me that."

"Thanks Dani.  This is so awesome."

"No problem  Listen, Gina, I gotta go.   We've been on almost ten minutes.  This must be costing a fortune.  I love you."

"Okay, Love you too.  You're the best sibling ever."