Chapter 2: Chapter 2

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“Taar 5-2, you have been charged with man-love. How do you plead?”

Taar hung his head. There was little point in lying. He had been caught with another man’s cock in his mouth in a public park. His anonymous partner had been faster, had escaped, leaving Taar at the mercy of the police. He knew what the penalties were. Even in an overpopulated world, same-sex love was illegal. Many before him had argued the fact that if the government was so concerned about overpopulation that it would limit each family to one child—and that was after the couple had applied for a licence that wasn’t always granted—then surely same-sex love was a solution they should be happy to tolerate. Every protestor and rights activist had failed. Same-sex love was seen as a threat to what shreds of “family” still remained, and a threat to the moral fibre of a crumbling society. It was a law clutching at straws.

“Guilty,” said Taar, his voice monotone.