by ROUNAK PURI
Then my lenses spotted Senator Redd and I approached him.
'Pupils to maximum' I ordered Siri. One feature of the contact lenses was my collar could make my pupils dilate as if I was romantically attracted to them. I had experimented a couple of times and people were much friendlier than normal and they didn't even know why. I put my blue permission to speak light on.
"Yes", said Master Councilman Redd his eyes rolling over my flesh.
"Councilman Redd I would like to take you somewhere", I said handing over my leash to him. He took it and I led him off. At this point I was feeling super sexy and it was hard for anyone to know who was pulling who on the leash. While I was walking along I was thinking why couldn't I have had this stuff when I did my last science fair project. That way I could have won and not come in second place. I mean a volcano how lame is that? I returned Councilman Redd to Master who was just shaking the hand on another council man.
'Another lamb to the slaughter' I texted Rockwood. It was now 10:00 in old time, I only had 2 hours left until freedom.
'If you can find councillor Fox then we will be all but done' Rockwood texted. Sounded like Rockwood would be pleased tonight. I had told my self not to worry about him. He didn't really care about me and now with freedom as the other option I didn't feel I cared about him. Or at least thats the story I told myself. I think he didn't understand I wasn't the kind of girl who could be nudged into a transactional relationship. Diamonds, Shoes, unlimited Soylent Green, he couldn't just buy my affection, I'm not a girl to be bought. This made me look at my dress.11
'ooooh shiny' I thought.2
I went back into the gallery going towards a wing marked 'corporate sponsorship exhibition area'. I walked into see a large hall with artwork which had been tied forcablely to the walls. The now open area was full of stands from some of the corporate sponsors. It seemed most of the big software companies had seen the way things were going and switched sides early on. They had been rewarded with eternal life and huge profit increases. I recognised some of the stands.3
'Paradise Defence Industries' where getting slaves to take the pain comparison test so I avoided them and the screams.2
"New pain level 7 it's just like going to a drunk dentist who's just been dumped by his girl friend, and he's taken the last of the anaesthetic him self", said the demonstrator.
I darted into one gallery and found some nice pictures looted from the Rijksmuseum in Holland. I stopped for a second. I realized I wasn't likely to see great art again until humanity had overthrown the robots. 'An Early Self Portrait by Rembrandt' came up to me. I tried to ignore all the information my contact lenses projected around it and just look at the painting for a moment.
This turned out to be a mistake. I walked off to be followed by the Rembrandt-like a lost puppy. As I tried to shoo it away I walked on a bit further and looked at another painting Pieter de Hooch: Interior with Women ,Beside Linen Cupboard. Thought if I ignore the first painting and look at the second I could probably escape. But I was wrong when I walked away I began to be followed by not one not even both pictures but the third picture tagged along hoping to be noticed as well. I walked off regretting that I actually stopped to admire artwork. A little conga line of artwork followed me desperate to be viewed again. I've followed the route back into the corporate sponsorship area and as I did I walked past the Slave System Inc's stand.
I recognised Principle Humbolt on the stand this time he didn't have a collar he was giving a presentation to a crowd of collaborator slave owners. I went to hide behind them,1
"You madam how much time to you spend punishing your slaves every day?" Humble started on an elegantly dressed woman "MadAm Can you really say you feel safe at night in your bed knowing your slaves could be on the prowl? Do you find yourself shall we say handing out too much perfume if you know what I mean? Do you feel safe letting slaves look after your children? We at Slave systems inc have discovered a lot of our customers haven't been slave owners for long less than a year in most cases and we wanted to create a new product which simplified the messy details of slave ownership. For many new slave owners, the question becomes do you hire expensive robot overseers or spend huge amounts of your own time and emotional energy punishing the slaves yourself. Yes, you can have automatic punishments applied by your house PRISM system, yes some say we should teach slave owning skills at school so kids grow up comfortable with applying punishments to slaves. But perhaps there is another way, here at Slave Systems inc we think there is a new way. Some might call it brainwashing. I like to think of it as behavior modification to help slaves integrate with the realities of the modern world quickly and as painlessly as possible. So we wanted to bring you the slave of tomorrow today...."
I turned round to see 'Judith Leyster's Serenade' nudging me. Behind it were a number of other paintings and 'Jan Willem Pieneman's: Battle of Waterloo' was lumbering towards me in the distance.
'Tihs' I thought ' this could get me into a lot of trouble'
"Go away" I whispered. Nothing happened. I looked around for help. What do you do with a gallery full of art desperate to be looked at and you were the only fool to do it? I walked off has nonchalantly as I could afford to.
'I'm being stalked by artwork what can I do to escape?' I texted Rockwood and Mr. Jones.1
Within seconds I got the message back 'it's the ultraviolet spectrum pattern on your dress it's attracting their attention your best bet is to try and turn a sharp corner and lose them' Rockwood texted back.1
The crowd was still paying attention to Principle Humbolt so I walked away trying to move like being followed by priceless artwork from old masters was the most natural thing in the world.
I went into the nearby gallery of Dutch painting from 1700 to 1780. I slowed down and when I was close to the other doorway I sped up then turned the corner sharply. I was back near the Slave Systems Inc stand and I tried to hide in the crowd and look interested.
"Let's meet one of our new products", said Humbolt as a slave girl came out too small applause.
"So what's your name ?" he asked.
"I am 8833 Master Humbolt Sir", said the slave girl. Wow 8833 had been returned to the factory as a reject!
"So tell me 33 how are you finding being a slave, sorry, a helper under the new Huggy Friendpire?" Humbolt asked.
"It's really wonderful master",robot said 8833.
'Yeh right' I thought 'I'm so convinced'
"Between us 33 what did you do before humanity invited the robots to run everything?"
"I prefer not to talk about what I did pre-factory. Master" said 88.
'Like that isn't part of the slave craft script' I thought.
"It's OK I'm ordering you to, and you'd never disobey an order would you 88?" said Humbolt
"Not unless it endangered the life RobotMaster. Prior to the great invitation, I was chief executive at a pharmaceutical company looking into cures for vestibular desisese. I had about 100 people working for me in my division. Master" said 8833.
"And now"
"The machines find cures for things much better than we ever did and it's nice to know it's being handled by professional machines who really know what they are doing. I'm so much happier now I'm a worthless slave who know's her place. I'm completely irrelevant, I so love being a slave and I love serving my owners at Slave Systems Inc." said 8833.3
"What about the e-word escape? Would you ever like to escape, sorry engage in extreme sulky unhelpfulness?" Humbolt asked.
"Why on earth would I ever want to do a silly thing like that? Whats the point in inviting the robots to run everything and then to run away from it? Master" said 8833. Wow she really sounded like she meant all this. Most slaves paused slightly while their collars told them what to say but 88 sounded very natural like she really thought that.
Suddenly a line of paintings appeared and I had to skedaddle. It was hard to keep in front of the artwork in these shoes. I headed off round the Boston Dynamics stand. I turned three right
handed corners, I hoped to get the head of the artwork to start to following it's tail.
I passed the Slave Systems stand again. 88 was kneeling at her masters feet.
"How do we do it? I don't want to give trade secrets away but it's a mixture of subliminal advertising, extreme mindfulness training, all natural herbal remedies for wilfulness, and Neuro-linguistic programming with a few special twists" Humbolt said to a growing crowd.
I darted off and thought I could escape through the gallery of Dutch painting from 1700 to 1780 again.. Unfortunately Rembrandt's "Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp" was hanging around lurking in case I doubled back, so I was trapped.
"PARC" I said looking around. Some collaborators were talking, I hid behind them while the art rushed by. Then rushed back into the hall again.1
I hid behind some speakers near the Slave Systems Inc stand. While I hid I saw a promotional video running in the background. There was a picture of 88 in a chair with coloured lights. I recognised the chair it was the one I had been sent to a couple of time to avoid being listed as 'punished'.1
"When can we get one?" said a voice from a crowd.
"This is just an experimental model" ,said Humbolt pointing at 88. She was kneeling on the floor kissing Humboldt's feet saying "please punish me master. How can I improve if you don't punish me'"
"We are expecting a change in the law soon" ,Humbolt said " and full production will began in the next quarter."
'Nuke the place from orbit - just to be sure' I thought about Judas City. Being subjugated by machines was one thing but these people particularly Humbolt and the Senator.2
The coast seemed clear so I sneaked off, just as I did hear someone say "I heard you recalled all your 127c models"
I had to pause to listen.
"There was a mistake in manufacture which we have since remedied. The infiltrator involved in the poor quality control was fired in fact she was sold into slavery." Humbolt said. I knew this was a lie - Kayla had sold her self before my YCF moment. Humbolt was spinning the audience. " I think that tells you how serisouly we take our quality control. That slave there would never escape and what's more she's even unaware we brainwashed her, our advance homeopathic formulas are 100% natural and tasteless."2
The audience seemed convinced, fortunately no one was looking at me and figured out I was YCF girl.
I had spent some time searching in vain for councillor Fox. I wondered if he was hiding from me and if he was, then where would I go to escape me? Then I noticed what looked to be a flash of a small blue party dress. I saw the glimpse of a small girl giggling while she played hide and seek in the gallery. Was that little Jenny? I wasn't sure messages at collaborator parties was part of her playbook so I felt it could be. If she had some important information for Rockwood he wouldn't forgive me If I didn't try to get. Being used to heels now and I could go quite a pace, but I had to slowed down when collaborators were around. I lost her, looking I turned a corner to find Councillor Fox trapped by a group of large dangerous looking pre-Raphletites paintings.2
"I just wanted to find the donations area so I could give," said councillor Fox explaining him self to me at a distance.
As I got closer I looked around and sang a few more bars of 'Let it go' and scared the paintings back, making enough space for me get in.1
"Come with me if you want to give," I said handing councillor Fox my leash.
I found handing my leash over was like giving someone the keys to a Ferrari sports car. Everyone wanted to see where it lead.
'Stay' I said to the painting wondering if it was going to pounce on us. The trick with artwork is to stare it down and don't show any signs of weakness I decided. We escaped the gallery to find a couple of members of slave staff armed with chairs and Tasers going off to subdue the paintings.6
"Thank god non of the paintings escaped. Could you imagine the damage a rogue painting could do if it got out of the gallery" I said to one of the guards "it could be Jurassic park all over again".4
We went back to find Rockwood still in the VIP area. I left Fox with a drink in one gallery and found Rockwood and councilman Redd in the next.
"Well Lord you might have won this time but I'm going to have the last laugh. I'm going to write a letter of complaint to the council and the CPU its self. I'm going to be sure you never set foot in Judas city ever again. Ever" said Councilman Redd. He looked pretty upset while Rockwood had the easy charm of someone who had just got their way but was too polite to gloat over it.
"Well I'll point out that I am already bared from Judas City, but don't me stop you," said Rockwood.
"What your doing is futile any way. Your own quadratic alliance is going to make sure the votes line up." the councillor said.
"Then it won't matter that you voted the way your conscious told you too. Please don't feel the need to detain your self for my sake." said Rockwood.
'I have Fox next-door patron' I texted Rockwood.
"Thank you perhaps you would like to show Villeria your dress and get her a drink for a few minutes," said Rockwood to me "I'll join you near the dance floor in about ten minutes"
A woman followed by a man on a leash walked in. She was wearing a ball dress but little skin showed and she clicked like she was wearing stilettos and had enough make up on to blur the boundary between make up and face paint, then I caught a glimpse of a slave collar.
'That's not Villeria, I thought you got exceptional permission to be here as a cyborg' I texted Rockwood.
"#160A this is Lady Villeria she's in Tokyo but she's attending by skype slave," said Rockwood nonchalantly.
I quickly Googled skype slave. Apparently if you were too rich to be some where then you could send your trusted slave watching on their slave cam, live. the owner would see and hear what they heard. The slave would repeat everything you said and generally follow orders, picking up a glass when told to, pointing at things when told. Basically you could sit at home in your underwear and attend important meetings with out running up the air miles. The wiki entry even said Villeria had a body double slave she would send to do clothes shopping for Villeria with out ever having to walk in the Mall of Humanity. The slave could go any were you had a wifi connection strong enough to run video over. You could rent skype slaves and the preference was for former actors and actresses because they could be ordered to express emotions ('look surprised' , 'look interested, while I go to toilet', 'flit for five minutes'. They were also called flesh Avatars, face slaves the term had't settled. The key thing was the slave 'was' the person on the other end of the skype. She could punish slaves, drink, eat, and go places slaves were not permitted such as the owners toilets or in this case the VIP lounge.3
"Rockwood what are you up to ? Last time you did anything cultured it was defacing that geological monstrosity of Mount Rushmore, what are you doing here?" said Villeria's skype slave.1
"Opening a gallery of dirty marks on cloth, I sponsored," he said "what have you done run out of slaves to punish?"
"It's raining in Tokyo, and apparently they can't do anything about it, so no climbing. I thought I would look at this dress everyone is talking about" said Villeria's skype slave tilting her head looking at me.2
"#160A why don't you take Villeria for a walk, it shows the dress off to best effect. I'll be with you in a few minutes" said Rockwood. Moving towards councillor Fox.1
"Come," said Villeria's skype slave and paused "Your supposed to say yes Mistress. I think your taking this truculent pet stuff too far. Brooklyn dear, can I punish her above level one?"
"no"
"you really shouldn't spoil them, they don't like it," said Villeria's skype slave.
"She's mine to spoil" replied Rockwood walking off with council map Fox.10
Who ever this skype slave was she was doing a good job of behaving like the real cyborg. We walked along an upper level walkway with a view down on to the proud of collaborators bellow. The central gallery was so big you could almost imagine then as bacteria mould grow
ing on a plate. In the north I saw there was a small prison made from post & rope barriers which was keeping the artwork from annoying the patrons. A couple of mean looking slaves stood on guard.3
'What does she want with me. It's not my fashion sense' I wondered.
"Your probably asking your self what I'm doing here," said Villeria's slave "it's not for your fashion sense I promise you that. Nice dress, but a monkey in a dress is still a monkey."
"Thank you mistress," I said. My wings slowly folding behind me.
"Your sense of sarcasm is appreciated, not by many, but enough. You were at college I see"
"I prefer not to talk about what happened pre-factory Mistress," I said following the factory line.
She gave me a small bolt at level one.
"You speak when your spoken too. The best slaves have worked at a number of the old corporations, I think it's all those years in a cubicle it sets up the right mind set. Fresh from college slaves are unusual. You passed all the tests for being super obedient yet your performance says otherwise. Your supposed to be smart too, but remember as a cyborg I'm about 30 times smarter than you plus I have endless supplies of information. I just wanted to check you had worked out the end game here. You do realise your a slave?" said Villeria.8
'Obviously' I thought, before I could ask permission to speak she continued.
"Obvious, I know but it's good to check. No matter which bill you look at there is no exit strategy for a slave. You can't join the owners to Judas city. I saw you talking to the CPU, don't bother to deny it. Despite that, what he might not have told you is you can't be upgraded with out the Cyborg council's permission, Zola and Bitmarck won't let a slave become a Cyborg. No amount of private chats with the CPU in Stellavista will change that. You are a worthless slave that's the beginning, middle and end of it. You should know a slave and an immortal that's not going to work. That's why I came. Rockwood can't continue to embarrassed him self in public like this. He can stuff you into his hareme of his, play with you how he likes, we all do, but your never getting that collar off your neck. You know he could be the next CPU? He could be the most powerful man in the world but no one will let him do that if he carries on with these eccentric acts.