The Gaia Effect

by Claire Buss

  'What do you mean another incident?'

  The Consultant stared at the angry, confused faces around him.

  'Perhaps we should move into one of the relative rooms? We can discuss everything in private there.'

  'Very well,' Mr Hamble said. 'But we keep confidentialities already discussed. This has gone far enough as it is.'

  They all walked into the side room indicated by the Consultant. Grace began to cry. Kira could feel her face getting redder and redder as, all fingers and thumbs, she struggled to get the baby out of the stroller and find her milk. Jed tried to help but she batted his hands away.

  'I got this,' she said.

  After a few uncomfortable moments, Kira sat down, settled Grace with her milk and motioned for the Consultant to begin.

  'Well, about half an hour ago a young woman..'

  'Dina Grey.' Kira interrupted again.

  The Consultant scowled at her.

  'Yes. Miss Grey came in to Medical experiencing severe stomach cramps and blood loss,' he paused, looking around the room. 'It appears she had a miscarriage. Whilst these are not unknown to Corp Medical, it has been almost fifty years since our last incident and there are certain protocols we must follow. One of which includes extensive medical testing and isolation of the patient. In order to begin this process we need family permission. It transpires that Miss Grey has no family,' he raised his voice in order to finish his sentence sensing Kira about to interrupt again. 'So we called Force for legal witnesses to the process.'

  'You can't be serious,' Martha said, pale faced. 'You can't expect a young woman to surrender her freedom so you can prod her and poke her whilst she tries to come to terms with losing a baby she never knew she could have. It is inhuman!' She turned to stare at her father, imploring him. 'Father, you can't let them do this.'

  'Yes, well. It's somewhat out of my hands Martha, without legal guardianship, I don't see what I can do.'

  Martha rounded on him furiously.

  'You sweep legislation to one side for me and then expect me to accept my friends being persecuted. I can't believe you will stand idly by and let the Corporation ruin Dina's life!' She leaned forward. 'She is nineteen Father, nineteen! I won't let her go through this alone. Let her come home with Kira and I. We will make sure sweeps do not get hold of this and we will allow Medical to treat her at home, non invasively.' She looked up at him with unshed tears in her eyes. 'Father please?'

  Mr Hamble stared at his daughter for a moment.

  'I'll have to pull some strings. Let me speak to my man.' Turning to the Consultant, he fixed him with a glare. 'I want this whole incident redacted. No evidence. Turn all files over to these two.' He pointed at Jed and Pete. 'I'll have my man come in and get you to sign a binding confidentiality. I'm sure I don't need to warn you of the consequences should a word of this be breathed to anyone.' He looked around the room glaring. 'Let's get this girl discharged, I want everyone out of here pronto.'

  Pete stood.

  'I'll get Dina discharged.'

  'I'll come with you,' said Martha. She paused as she passed her father, touching his arm. 'Thank you, Daddy.'

  Mr Hamble cleared his throat and spoke to Jed.

  'I'll send my man over for agreements. I know you are all friends now but things change and I don't want to leave anything to chance. You will agree to never discuss this with anyone else, especially anyone with Anti-Corp ties.'

  Scowling, he included Kira in his statement.

  She flushed, knowing he was talking about Ruth. Although none of them knew the extent of her involvement with Anti-Corp, it was obvious she had some kind of tie.

  The consultant coughed letting them know he was still in the room.

  'Yes?' Mr Hamble asked.

  'If the detective will follow me, I'll see about getting the memory wipes we discussed organised. I'd prefer to include myself with that course of action otherwise the temptation - you understand this is a double medical anomaly. I don't know that I could trust myself..' he trailed off under the stern gaze of Mr Hamble.

  'Very well,' he nodded. 'Good man for volunteering, know your own weaknesses and act. Admirable, admirable.'

  Jed gave his wife and daughter a kiss and whispered, 'see you later hon,' as he escorted the Consultant out of the room.

  'Right then. I'll have some things sent over and get my man to organise the medical checks. Kira,' Mr Hamble paused as he tried to find the right words. 'My daughter.. ahem..it's important...' He trailed off as Kira came up to him and put her hand on his arm.

  'It's okay, Mr Hamble. We love Martha very much and we won't let anything bad happen to her. I promise.'

  He reddened and nodded, then patted her hand before leaving the room. Kira exhaled loudly and looked down at the little girl happily babbling away in her arms.

  MED4C: Hamble seen at Med Centre again. No Comment status released - again.

  ANTIC: The number of authorised memory wipes has risen.

  What are Corporation trying to hide?

  MAHA: Healthy and happy – nothing to worry about. More ferns soon.

  Notes from Anti-Corp Meeting at Academy Student Bar, June 30th 2215

  • Next beach trip planned for mid July to celebrate end of finals.

  • September's drive for new recruits to be headed up by Bobby as usual. We've lost 17 members so it's important to replace and increase.

  • Successful bugging of Corp Tech achieved – we should be able to find out what new tech is on its way. Corporation can't hide anything from us.

  • Next on the bugging list is to get into Science Division so bring some ideas to our next meeting. We need to know what new genetics are being planned.

  • Concerns raised again about the militant splinter group 42nd Army who are now holding their own meetings and talking about extreme violent action against Corporation. Our leader Victor Bianchi will speak to their leader Zane and report back.

  Meet again in a month's time. Bring all your ideas for new rallies – let's keep fighting Corporation! Think free – be free.

  Chapter Eight

  CORP: Report suspicious behaviour for the good of your community. Illegal goods hurt Corporation, we care about you so look after us.

  Ruth stubbed out her cigarette into an already overflowing ashtray. She didn't have many packets left and it would be several months before the next shipment arrived, but the nicotine kept her feeling calm and in control. The black market thrived with low tech solutions to everyday life, and there was nothing Corporation could do about it.

  They had used 'The Event' to consolidate their power, and now a hundred years later most people could never imagine life without the omnipresent Corporation telling them what to do. When a younger, more idealistic Ruth had joined Anti-Corp she'd have done anything to effect change but both her and the movement had changed. These days she only passed on details of students who might be interested in joining Anti-Corp - being a lecturer of advanced studies had few perks, and certainly no high credit rewards, but what it did have was access to a steady stream of young, impressionable minds.

  Ruth coughed as her lungs rebelled against the effects of the cigarettes, and looked down at the short list on the tablet in front of her. At the top of the list was Dina's name. Ruth picked up her stylus and carefully drew a thick line right through it.

  Dina has been bought up in City Fifteen, the closest geographic city to Forty-Two. Fifteen was smaller with a lower gross profit margin, meaning Corporation had had no qualms in downgrading the city after the uprising. After they had relocated the orphans. Dina's parents had been extremely vocal against Corporation. Others had listened to them, and it was the Grey's suspicious deaths that had sparked the Fifteen riots. Dina had been too young to understand what had happened at the time, and when Ruth first heard about her background she thought Dina would've been desperate to join Anti-Corp. So far, she had shown no interest and Ruth didn't want to push the issue.

  If she hadn't taken her to Kira's party,
Dina would have never met Ben and never been distracted by that handsome face, and she would never have been invited to join the circle. Not that Ruth minded her inclusion. Being friends with Kira and Martha had originally been part of an Anti-Corp objective but after spending so much time with them Ruth had come to care for them both. It was one of the reasons why she was still on the fringe of Anti-Corp, involved with casual recruitment, rather than heading up new protests.

  You can't be an activist and be best friends with the daughter of the Marketing Director of the Corporation Board. Victor had encouraged her to use Martha to discover Corporation weaknesses and opportunities for Anti-Corp to cast doubt over Corporation rule, but she had refused. Ruth shifted in her seat as she thought about the latest scheme she'd been involved with - using Pete's infatuation with Ingrid, Jed's sister, to plant a bug in her office at Corp Tech. Ruth hadn't been keen but felt sure Corporation security sweeps would catch the bug and remove it. Pete thought he'd been delivering a cute teddy to his lady. Ruth had no idea what Pete saw in Ingrid. He was a good looking guy, but Ingrid, she was tall and blonde, with the personality of a stick. The scheme had worked though. Detailed scans of the Corp Tech building had been downloaded by Victor and his team.

  It would be the first time Anti-Corp had access to a high security Corporation facility, provided of course they could get past the security measures. Ruth shook her head, not her problem she tried to tell herself. Her ear comm pinged and Kira, sounding stressed, was on the line.

  'Ruth? Can you do me a huge favour? Can you swing by Dina's place and pick up some overnight stuff for her? She's going to be staying with us for a little while. I can't talk now but I'll fill you in when you get here. Dina said you still have an access key?'

  Ruth nodded, then realising Kira wouldn't be able to see her spoke aloud. 'Yeah, yeah I have. I'll go now. Is she alright? What's happened?'

  'Just get over here Ruthie, it's too much to even try and put into words.' Kira clicked off.

  Ruth gathered her things together. Whatever was going on sounded serious, trying to find new recruits could wait.

  ANTIC: Calling all Academy Freshers – free drink and VR experience in the Quad today.

  Martha held Dina's hand as they sat in the back of the private air car, courtesy of her father. Both women were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and said nothing to each other but each felt reassured at the close contact.

  Kira and Jed sat in the seats in front of the two women, behind the driver. Kira looked back at her friends, then leaned over to Jed. In a low tone she spoke Jed's name to get his attention.

  'Jed. What are we going to do now?'

  Jed glanced up at the driver and whispered.

  'There's barely any evidence left at the Medical Centre. Pete's on clean up and he won't leave anything behind. I suggest we get home and call a family meeting.'

  He smiled at his wife, confident that Dina could be cared for and helped if she stayed with them. In a louder voice he added,

  'It'll mean we'll have an extra guest, but luckily we have all the spare space. So I say, the more, the merrier.'

  Kira leaned even closer towards him.

  'Don't you think it's a bit odd, though?'

  'How do you mean?'

  'Well, first Martha's attack and all the sightings and now … this. A miscarriage for frag sake. They don't just happen Jed. It's clinically improbable. Since The Event I mean. We physically can't have children – any of us. So how did Dina get pregnant?'

  Jed hushed his wife.

  'I don't know love. I'm sure this is an isolated incident. Just like Martha's attack – which is unrelated I might add.' He glanced at the driver who seemed oblivious to their topic of conversation. 'I don't think we need to worry about a sudden population explosion. Anyway, Corporation will investigate and let us know if we need to be concerned.'

  'You are joking?'

  'As for the 'sightings'. Kira, they were random projections for some product that never made it past initial tests. Ingrid says it happens all the time. It's just a coincidence that so many people we know were test subjects.'

  Kira refused to give in.

  'What about Mr Hamble then? Don't you think his behaviour is a little strange? I mean I know he loves his daughter but what's with all the secrecy. You have to agree that isn't normal procedure is it?'

  As the aircar swung into parking for their apartment, Jed replied,

  'You'd be surprised at what the Board gets brushed under the mat love.'

  CORP: Collect your updated water ration allocation and discover more ways to conserve with Corporation – we care about every drop.

  Ruth arrived at the apartment within half an hour of Kira calling her, laden with two large bags of Dina's clothes and other essentials. As Kira settled Grace on her play mat, Jed offered to make the drinks. Ruth took one look at Martha and Dina's pale faces, eyes red from crying and quietly asked what was going on. Neither answered, so she sat down with them and waited. Kira plonked herself on the floor, within arms reach of the baby.

  'You want to start Ma?' she asked.

  'Firstly I don't want to hear any wild fantasies about Anti Corp or resistance or any of that nonsense.' She glared at Ruth who held her hands up in mock submission. 'I mean it. We know you have ties with AC but this time you have to be on our side, otherwise you leave now.'

  Ruth looked at the three women and saw how serious they all were.

  'I'm in,' she said.

  Martha looked over at Dina who gave her a slight nod. She continued.

  'Dina had a miscarriage this morning, a medical anomaly. And I, well, I'm pregnant.'

  Jed chose that particular moment to bring hot drinks over to the women and stopped in amazement at what Martha had said. The sudden scalding pain on his hand alerted him that he was spilling synth-caf everywhere.

  'Ah! Frag, that's hot,' he cried, and danced around Grace trying not to lose any more burning liquid, rushing to get rid of the mugs. 'Pregnant? Pregnant! No wonder Mr Hamble is desperate for everyone to sign a disclosure. Oh, my fragging hand.'

  Ruth's mouth hung open, her eyes wide - this was huge. This could be the sweep of the century.

  'This could ruin Corporation.' Ruth spoke out loud and glanced quickly at Kira to see if she had heard her.

  'But you won't say anything, will you Ruth,' Kira said.

  'I won't tell anyone. I swear.' Ruth began fiddling with her thick hair hanging over her left shoulder. 'But have you thought about the implications? Corporation...'

  'We have to decide what to do next,' Kira said, interrupting Ruth and trying to sound far more confident than she felt. 'Dina honey, you can stay here as long as you want. Do you want to call Ben and let him know what's happened?'

  Dina shook her head while Ruth glowered at Kira.

  'Not yet,' Dina said in a small voice. 'I'd like to go lie down to be honest.'

  'Of course.'

  Martha realised her presence was probably acting as a vicious reminder of what Dina had recently lost.

  'I am so sorry Dina,' she said.

  'I know.' Dina's voice trembled and her lower lip wobbled. 'I just can't talk about it right now.'

  Tears began to roll down her cheeks. She put a hand out to stop the others from hugging her.

  'Please, don't.'

  Getting up from the floor, Kira gestured to Dina to follow her and took her through the adjoining door into the second apartment and found the spare room. She returned a few moments later and scooped baby Grace up for a cuddle, then turned to the others.

  'What the frag is going on?'

  Ruth tried to speak but Jed cleared his throat loudly.

  'Before anyone says anything else, I have to remind you all this is still a Force investigation. I have to interview Dina and Martha officially because even though Mr Hamble has asked Corp Medical to purge their records, the information on their pregnancies has to go somewhere.'

  He looked nervously at Martha as she realised what he wa
s saying,

  'You mean my case still exists?'

  Jed nodded.

  'Case, what case?' Ruth asked, frustrated at not being able to speak. 'Is this about what happened three months ago?'

  Kira looked at Martha who was staring into space.

  'Yes,' Kira explained. 'Martha was assaulted and Mr Hamble wanted it off permanent record.'

  Jed chimed in.

  'Only Force doesn't work for Corporation. We uphold the law and part of that law means keeping a record of crimes committed. It has the highest possible clearance attached to it. Only myself, Pete and the Chief have access.'

  He turned to face Martha.

  'No-one will ever see the details Ma but you can't let your father know that we kept the case file open. Pete and I nearly lost our jobs over the news sweep leak and if he knew the file still existed, well I don't think we would come out the other side this time.'

  Martha shook her head. 'I won't say anything, Jed.'

  'Wait a parse,' exclaimed Ruth. 'You mean Martha was the ra..I mean sexual assault that was swept? Does that mean you did or didn't catch him? Was the termination a cover too?'

  Kira poked Ruth in the arm for being so thoughtless.

  'Ow,' she muttered. 'Sorry Ma.' Ruth continued rubbing her arm. 'This is all news to me. Maybe if you'd kept me in the loop a bit more....'

  Ruth hadn't known for sure that Martha had been the rape victim. She'd wondered at all the strange behaviour at the time, but feeling protective of her friend, Ruth had never reported those suspicions to Victor.

  'Sorry, what?' She realised everyone was looking at her.

  Jed repeated himself.

  'I said, you can't breathe a word of this to anyone. You might think we are being ridiculous but I'm serious about this. We all know you have links to Anti-Corp but we choose to believe that you wouldn't put your friends in danger.'

  Ruth shifted uncomfortably.

  'It wasn't me who told the news sweeps about the rape – I only just found out about it!'

  Grace started to fuss, reacting to the raised voices and Kira began to hush her, rocking her from side to side.