Chapters 15 and 16 Summary

Chapter 15 - In her attempt to travel to visit Luciente, Connie transports herself to the New York of the future and into the "partment" of Gildina, a surgically-altered sexual service provider. Initially reacting with disbelief to Connie's presence, Gildina eventually shows Connie around the completely enclosed "partment," chattering about what she has to undergo to stay in the right kind of condition to please her man, how that man is largely cybernetic and becoming more so, and how the ways of the world are controlled by the few rich families remaining. Connie is shocked to discover the complete artificiality of Gildina's life - of the woman's body, of the food, the view, and Gildina's values. Suddenly their conversation is interrupted by the angry arrival of a cybernetic guard, who tells Gildina she will be turned over to the "organ bank" for...