Shoshone Station: The Galactic Consortium season 2

Episode 8: The Sting #2

The station's financial offices were on the same level as the captain's quarters and State Department offices. Jack and Iokina walked back from the meeting together. "What do you make of this?" Jack asked her as they walked. "Honestly," he added to her uncertain look.

"I respect your captain a lot," she said, "but . . . I don't know. I think he's blowing this out of proportion. What's the big deal?"

"It's against our law," Jack said. "That's what the big deal is."

"Why? I don't get that."

"It's against . . . our morality."

"Exactly. Morality. The state has no business dictating people's morality."

"Yeah, but there's also the part about protecting women from being exploited," Jack said. He hadn't expected Iokina to be supportive of prostitution and was unprepared to have to defend his country's laws.

"Exploited?" Iokina was genuinely puzzled.

"It's often young women on the surface, girls really. With few other options."

"Young? How do they get through training so quickly?"

Jack laughed. "They don't have training."

Her brow scrunched up. "But doesn't that kind of defeat the whole point?"

"The point?"

"Yeah, I mean why would you pay an amateur? I mean if you are paying for it, don't you want a professional?"

"I supposed. Would you? Pay a professional?"

"Now? No, I'm pretty happy with my love life. But I have in the past."

"You've been to a prostitute?" Jack was shocked, and it must have been obvious in his manner and voice because she giggled at him.

"The look on your face. Is it that big of a deal? I was young. My boyfriend . . . well, I thought it was me. I thought I didn't know my body well enough. I couldn't find the pleasure that should have been there. So, I saw a professional. Had him show me around my body, learn how to please it. What would you do? Go years not getting pleasure from sex?"

Jack thought about it. "Yeah, that's what most people on the surface would do." He held his hand up in supplication. "I get it. I've seen enough of your system. What you call prostitutes . . . well, they are trained to the point where it's more like sex therapy. But, trust me, it's not like that on the surface, and it's going to be hard to reconcile the two."

They had reached her office, and he asked, "So, if it's not too personal . . . did he help you?"

Iokina scowled. "Let's just say my body is fine. My boyfriend should have gone. Just a bad lover. But I was young." She shrugged.