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Band of Brothels: The Circle of Silken Flowers, as mentioned under Platonic Prostitution, along with a couple of its lesser cousins (including the more educational Guild of Erotic Artistry). In less platonic senses, the Negotiable Affection Division of the Eldinimieuthunimis runs a few of these abroad. (But even these latter
If you recall my mention of a first commercial sale… Here it is! (direct link) But don’t just chase the direct link.  It’s part of “Miscellanea: a transdimensional library” at Eggplant Literary Productions, so do take a browse through the index of everyone else’s writing while you’
Platonic Prostitution: Played straightish for a variety of reasons: perhaps the primary of which is that the techlepathy (and in particular the telempathic component) that’s about to be mentioned when we get to Psychic Powers somewhat breaks the business model of the regular kind. Turns out basking in the
Conjoiner’s Gullet, Merathy System, Starfall Abysm The stargate orbited alone, far from its sun; the moil of distorted space that made up its throat constrained around the inner framework, exotic matter holding the passage between stars open, itself embedded in the complex of supporting reactors, processors, antennae, traffic signals,
Free-Love Future: Averted, mostly, even though Imperial society has long since built contraception in, made STI cures relatively trivial, and the decoupling of sex and reproduction is close to complete (most people come about either through ectogenesis or digital genesis). Nevertheless, what is still there is the mental linkage between
Kiss Me, I’m Virtual: Subverted inasmuch as the virtual people are actually people. …okay, well, yes, lonely people do use probably terabytes of simulation space for this sort of thing, with full awareness of the situation. Although I should probably mention that anyone who tried using a real person’
This rose-and-yellow orb is Paltraeth, homeworld of the kaeth. Most think of Paltraeth the way it is today: a dry, mostly desert world baking under the fierce glare – in light, heat, and hard radiation – of its hot blue-white sun, its dust-laden atmosphere stripped thin and its oceans reduced to small
The golden room was already full of armor when the man in the shimmering papersilk suit stepped up to the podium. ”Gentlesophs.” ”Thank you for attending this invitation to tender. I am Surian Cheraelar, Vice President of Special Collections for Gilea & Company. You all come highly recommended by our
Banana Republic: While not in the fruit sense, usually, a number of the (usually single-system) misfortunate client polities of the Magen Corporate and Iltine Union are exactly this. One could make a case, possibly, for those polities unfortunate enough to get themselves into serious debt to Gilea & Co., and
Unidentified Habitat, Moons of BranĂthár, MĂrlan System – Mission Complete The view from the hab’s for’ard lounge was spectacular, Morria decided. Outside, storms and swirling winds swept the blue face of BranĂthár, and the upper limb of the planet flashed with periodic fluorescence as TehelmĂr’s radiation swept over
Badass Creed: Not the Imperial motto (that’s “Order, Progress, Liberty”), but more of a simple statement the eldrae, at least, have been using in tight situations – those who are not of one of the various institutions that have one of their own – for a very, very long time: “The