by Heide Goody
“Allow me to introduce our pilot community in North Beach,” he said. “These willing volunteers will be among the first to demonstrate the benefits to be gained from our upgraded software. These people have been living together for a short while, but the cracks in this domestic environment are showing already. You will observe on the screen how some have chosen to sit companionably together in the shared space, while others prefer to be alone. Why is that? Does it optimise the accommodation? No, it’s very wasteful. Additionally, there are those who engage in wasteful idiosyncratic behaviours. Here, for example, is an obsessive cleaner.”
My insides lurched. Hattie was on screen, in an apartment space. It was sparkling clean but she was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor. Just visible on the wall was a pinned picture of a baby.
“Cleaning product producers would no doubt approve of this,” said Henderson. “But at Jaffle we’re taking the long-term holistic view. As we all know, the planet cannot sustain the projected population if we continue consumer spending at its current level.”
What was Hattie involved in? Why was she on the screen? I needed to get myself and Wiggler out of there, but I also had to see what this demonstration was.
“Our test subjects will shortly be changed to the most efficient level of operation,” said Henderson. “You will quickly appreciate how economies of scale mean that people operating at the new level will place less demand on all critical infrastructure. Jaffle will optimise accommodation, food and general well-being for all of these subjects. Success is guaranteed. Those of you who represent our government clients will see how budget juggling becomes a thing of the past. We have a system which can run things much more effectively than we are able to on our own. So, without further ado, I want to show you how our pilot group is transformed by being early adopters. Let me welcome Rufus Jaffle back onto the stage, so he can initiate the demonstration.”
There was more cheering as Rufus walked back centre stage. “Thanks, Henderson! It’s such an honour to be able to do this, knowing we’re helping to make a new future possible for these folks.” He stared at the podium. “We have the button, right? No button. We should have had a button.”
Henderson said something to him, off mic.
“Button’s in the future,” said Rufus. “Right we’re gonna do a countdown anyway.” He gazed around at the audience. “Count with me, people! Come on! Five, four, three, two, one! Software roll-out now!”
People on the screen fell into similar, slack poses. Henderson stepped forward again to provide commentary.
“See how peace now reigns over our little community? Activity is scaled right back. In fact, breathing will slow right down in these subjects and the requirement for nutrition and ambient heat is therefore reduced, lowering costs all round.”
He beamed at the audience, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Hattie. She picked herself off the floor, transferred to a chair, sat down and was still. She was an Empty, or as near as made no difference.
Henderson was showing graphs of cost savings. I was too incensed to pay attention. “At a signal, all of the subjects will gather at feeding stations for their optimised food ration. As you can imagine, everyone’s diet will be as good as it can possibly be, so health issues will be greatly reduced. Here are the projections of the cost savings for health care per capita of population. Quite a startling message, wouldn’t you say?”
A hand went up.
“An audience question? Yes?”
“What if people don’t want the new software?” asked a woman near to the front.
“Everyone has already signed up for it,” said Henderson. “The latest set of terms and conditions mandate the upgrade, so it will be rolled out to everyone. Only those members of society who are deemed to be part of the core operation will maintain their current status. I should say, by the way, that everyone in this room is automatically included in this category, so please don’t be concerned.”
People started to chatter with excitement, pointing at the screen.
“We have just issued the signal for the subjects to assemble at the feeding station,” said Henderson.
The people on the screen, Hattie included, shambled from their positions towards a central area.
“The signal to rest will be issued in a similar way. The population will go to sleep at the times deemed most suitable.”
On screen, a feeding bot wheeled in. Pouches of beans were passed quickly around the group, and they all ate in silence.
I could see, very soon, the majority of the population would be reduced to this. A sob escaped me as I grasped the enormity of what was happening.
A woman tapped me on the shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” I heard myself say. “Is my piglet bothering you?”
“I’d prefer you didn’t let it touch my dress.”
I looked up.
“Security!” shouted Claire, grabbing my arm. “We have an intruder! A thief!”
There was noise from all around the room. Security started moving forward.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” said Henderson. “If I can just have some calm…”
“Hey! I know that girl!” called Rufus.
I shook off Claire’s grip, stood and forced my way along the aisle.
“Let’s not make a scene,” said Claire’s husband although I’m not sure who to.
“This might provide the perfect moment to demonstrate the plipper,” Henderson said from the stage.
People were standing. I pushed my way into the crowd as Henderson raised his plipper.
“It’s an extra feature we have developed for situations where some immediate control is needed,” he shouted over the confusion. “It affects the first Jaffle Port it detects in front of it, so I’m going to need a clear line of sight to deploy this.”
I didn’t need telling twice to duck and run. I was as keen to mingle with the crowd as they were to get away from me. People shrank back, even screaming as I approached them, bringing the threat of Henderson’s plipper into their orbit. Someone tried to grab my arm and thrust me in front of them but I tugged sharply away.
“Come on, Wiggler, we need to get out of here!”
Henderson’s security men piled into the room, heading straight for me. Without thinking, I held Wiggler out in front. The piglet wiggled and clawed at the air, squealing alarmingly. Having a piglet thrust at them made the hardened professionals back up in momentary apprehension. It bought me just enough time to barge through them and out of the nearest door. I ran along a corridor and through a swing door.
I was in a kitchen, filled with steam and fragrance. It drew the attention of Wiggler. As soon as I saw his nose twitching at the air, I knew he was going to be trouble. He slipped from by grip, jumping onto a counter. He trotted towards a tray of pastries, just pausing to sniff and dismiss an ice sculpture in the shape of a swan.
“No, Wiggler! We don’t have time!”
I made to grab him. A security guard ran into the kitchen, alerted by the smashing crockery. The large ice sculpture was the only weapon I could see, but I wasn’t at all sure I could lift it. I grabbed it by the neck and gave it a hefty shove. It slid along the counter top, me running alongside, pushing to give it some more momentum. The guard paused, eyes on the approaching swan. As it reached the end of the counter, I held onto its neck and swung the whole thing round. It connected with the guard. He dropped like a stone, the swan coming to rest on top of his head.
I ran for another door, piglet back in hand. I found myself outside, near the rear of the building. Which way? I knew Jaffle Tech’s security men were sweeping the building, probably working on the assumption I’d be heading for the obvious exits. The low-hedged rear garden was just ahead, so I ran for that, although as cover, it was almost useless. I heard further shouts behind me.
There was a gardening cart further up the path, blocking the way. It was a big yellow thing with wheels. I was pretty sure gardeners use them to carry rubbish away, but right now i
t was an obstacle. Or ... could it be a blessing in disguise? I ran to it and launched myself on top. Wiggler squeaked in alarm. The cart wheeled rapidly away, spurred by the momentum of my flight. I wriggled forward, only now wondering how I might steer my runaway chariot. Luckily, the narrow garden paths had a raised edge, so when it tried to veer off course we were bumped back into the middle. I was hurtling faster now, leaving my pursuers behind. I tried to look back and check but the rattling cart blurred my vision. Maybe they were trying to plip me. If I was lucky, they were standing there, vainly clicking their remote controls at my weird, invulnerable brain.
I was going even faster as the path sloped downwards. I saw it ended at a gravel slope before the beach. I clung on as the cart bumped over a change in surface. It slewed sideways, tipped, and I rolled out.
A quick check on Wiggler and I ran on, across the beach. I had some half-formed plan that I might slip into a neighbouring property and make my way out to find transport. As I ran, I heard the sound of a personal drone overhead. I looked up. The drone had passed but I kept my eyes open for Jaffle Swarms. Or whatever else they might send after me.
I struggled across the dry and difficult sand. High dunes, ridged with tufts of grass, bordered the way ahead.
“Please let there be a road,” I muttered. A road and a car I could use. Or a friendly open gateway and a house where they’d take me and my piglet in. Sanctuary of some sort. “Please.”
A figure appeared at the top of the nearest dune. I hesitated, fearing it was one of the security guards, even Henderson. But then I realised I was looking at Rufus Jaffle. I kept my head down.
“Hey, it’s Alice, right?” He didn’t look angry. He didn’t even look like he comprehended the chaos I had unleashed. “Remember me?”
“I do,” I said, playing along. “Sure.”
“Nice pig.”
“Thanks.”
He tickled Wigglers’ nose. “Hey, you remember that time when you helped me get the whale out of my head?”
“I do,” I said and started to walk away. “I must be going.”
“There’s no time out here on the beach. You should relax, Alice. Now, before you do go, I want you to know that I’m real grateful for what you did for me back there.”
“Back where?”
“The office. The whale. If ever I can repay the favour, you just need to ask, yeah?”
“Well, right now, I just want to get away from here, as discreetly as I can,” I said. “Boyfriend problems, you know. I’m just going to walk this way.”
“Simplest thing would be for me to drop you home in my drone,” he said.
“Drone?”
“Other side of the dunes.”
It was tempting.
“C’mon, we’ll have you out of here in no time.”
As we crested the dune I recognised the drone from Rufus’s dream. There were lines of footprints running from it. We followed them down. A drone was the best way to make up lost time, get back to Helberg so he could help me out of another pickle. I had so much to tell him about Operation Sunrise, poor Hattie and— I swallowed. I couldn’t afford to indulge those dark thoughts right now.
I put on a smile for Rufus. It pained me at the moment I did it.
“What’s wrong, child?” he said. “Your aura’s all…” He waved his hands about mystically.
“Your demonstration back there?”
He whirled to look back the way we’d come as though surprised by the notion of back there. “Demonstration?”
“Operation Sunrise.”
“Oh, that,” he made a dismissive gesture. “It’s all just business, isn’t it?”
“You think it’s fair on those people?”
His handsome carefree face screwed up in puzzlement. “Fair? I don’t see things as fair or unfair, Alice. I prefer to view things holistically, you know what I mean?”
I shook my head.
As we approached the drone, the door slid open automatically. Interior lights came on, illuminating the luxury bucket seats. Sanctuary.
“My brain, your brain,” said Rufus. “It’s all the same really, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know,” I said, deciding this man was either lying to himself or lying to me; a conniving schemer or a deluded fool. Either way, I didn’t like him and wanted the conversation over.
“Besides,” he said, turning to me in the half-lit evening gloom. There was something in his hand. “They do say ignorance is bliss.” He raised the plipper and fired it. Nothing happened. I was too upset and tired to play along. “Ignorance is bliss,” he repeated and fired again. Nothing.
He fired and fired. Wiggler went limp in my arms.
I punched him in the face, hard, and leapt into the drone.
“Take off!” I said.
The drone did nothing.
“Take off! Lift! Elevate!”
No response. Remembering Helberg’s fascinator blocking device I ripped it out of my hair and jipped my instructions. The drone replied I was not an authorised user. I slipped Wiggler’s little comatose body into the seat next to me and jumped out. I was going to beat Rufus until he co-operated and flew me out of there. He was on the sand. There was blood on his nose. He looked up at me, squinting.
“Alice, you got some moves on you,” he said. “You know Maglev by any chance?”
He glanced over my shoulder. I turned in time to see a man raise something before bringing it down on my head with force.
***
Chapter 33
THE VAN PULLS UP OUTSIDE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE DRIVER STEPS OUT.
“THIS WAY.”
THE UNIT IS USHERED OUT.
THE UNIT WEARS COVERALLS. THE COVERALLS ARE GREY. THE APARTMENT COMPLEX IS GREY. THE GROUND IS GREY. THE UNIT’S VISION IS COMPOSED OF SHADES OF GREY. IT SUFFICES.
THE UNIT STANDS AT THE ROADSIDE. FURTHER UP THE ROADSIDE, OTHER UNITS IN COVERALLS ALSO STAND. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME BUT THEY CONGREGATE TOGETHER.
THE DRIVER CLIMBS BACK INTO THE VAN, BUT A SHOUT FROM THE DOORWAY OF THE APARTMENT BLOCK STOPS HIM.
“WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE TO HER,” SAYS AN INDIVIDUAL.
THE DRIVER LOOKS AT A SCHEDULE DOCUMENT.
“THIS SUBJECT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A LOWER LEVEL OF SERVICE BECAUSE SHE HAS VIOLATED THE TERMS OF HER AGREEMENT.”
“WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?”
“THIS SUBJECT—”
“STOP SAYING THAT! SERIOUSLY, THE POWER YOU PEOPLE HAVE.”
“IT’S NOT ME. I’M JUST FOLLOWING—”
“DON’T YOU DARE. DON’T YOU EVEN DARE. HOW DO I RESTORE HER TO HER NORMAL LEVEL?”
“UH, YOU DON’T,” SAYS THE DRIVER.
THE UNIT MOVES TOWARDS THE OTHER UNITS. IT IS NOT A CONSCIOUS DECISION. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME BUT THEY CONGREGATE TOGETHER, DRAWN BY AN INEVITABLE GRAVITY.
“WHEN PEOPLE DOWNLOAD UNAUTHORISED SOFTWARE AND ACCESS HIGHER FUNCTIONS THAN THEY’VE PAID FOR, IT’S A DEAL-BREAKER,” SAYS THE DRIVER, “WHEN IT COMES TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT.”
“I DON’T ACCEPT IT,” SAYS THE INDIVIDUAL.
“THIS IS HER LAST REGISTERED ADDRESS, SO I’M GOING TO LEAVE HER HERE, RIGHT?”
“YES, SHE LIVES HERE. WAIT, WAIT. WHAT ABOUT HER STUFF THOUGH? WHERE ARE HER THINGS AND HER CLOTHES?”
“HER NEEDS ARE MET BY THE GOVERNMENT. IF ANYTHING REMAINS IN HER PREVIOUS LIVING QUARTERS, THEY WILL BE REMOVED BY A SERVICE TEAM.”
“I DON’T THINK SO.”
“SORRY?”
“FINE. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. LEAVE HER WITH ME.”
THE VAN DRIVER LEAVES.
SOME TIME LATER – TIME IS NOT SOMETHING THE UNIT MEASURES – THE INDIVIDUAL TAKES HOLD OF THE UNIT’S HAND.
“ALICE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT’S ME. PATRICK. HELBERG.”
THE INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT LET GO OF THE UNIT’S HAND.
“LET’S GO INSIDE, SHALL WE?”
THE INDIVIDUAL PULLS THE UNIT AWAY FROM THE OTHER UNITS. THE UNIT DOES NOT RESIST.
THE UNIT WILL DRIFT BACK TOWARDS THEM EVENTUALLY BUT THE UNIT DOES NOT RESIST. THE INDIVIDUAL PULLS HER INSIDE.
“ALICE, SIT DOWN.”
THE INDIVIDUAL PUSHES THE UNIT DOWN INTO A SEATED POSITION ON SOMETHING THAT IS YIELDING AND NOT SOLID.
“YOU CAN AT LEAST HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT.”
THE INDIVIDUAL MOVES AROUND THE UNIT. THE UNIT DOES NOT REGISTER THE INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY. THE INDIVIDUAL IS JUST A CLOUD OF MOVEMENT, A BLUR IN A WORLD OF GREY.
SOMETHING IS PRESENTED TO THE UNIT’S FACE.
“EAT.”
SOMETHING IS PRESSED INTO THE UNIT’S MOUTH. THE UNIT CHEWS AND SWALLOWS. THE UNIT FEELS NOTHING, TASTES NOTHING. THERE IS ONLY THE CHEWING AND THE SWALLOWING. IT SUFFICES.
“BACON SANDWICH,” SAYS THE INDIVIDUAL.
THE INDIVIDUAL MOVES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS WITH WORRIED ENERGY. THE UNIT INSTINCTIVELY DRAWS BACK.
“AND DO WE KNOW WHERE HATTIE IS? I ASKED HER TO COME AND VISIT BUT I CAN’T FIND A TRACE OF HER.”
THE UNIT RECEIVES A NOTIFICATION AND STANDS.
“WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”
THE UNIT GOES OUTSIDE ONTO THE STREET, TO THE POINT WHERE FOOD WILL BE DISPENSED. THE INDIVIDUAL FOLLOWS THE UNIT. THE UNIT COLLECTS FOOD STUFF AND EATS. WHEN THE UNIT HAS EATEN, THE INDIVIDUAL BRINGS THE UNIT INSIDE AGAIN.
THE INDIVIDUAL HOLD THE UNIT BY THE SHOULDERS.
“I’M GOING TO FIX YOU. YOU KNOW THAT, DON’T YOU? LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT ME.” THE INDIVIDUAL RAISES THE UNIT’S CHIN. “I’M NOT SURE HOW I’M GOING TO DO IT YET, BUT JUST HANG IN THERE, ALICE.”
THE UNIT DOESN’T RESPOND. A WHILE LATER – TIME IS NOT SOMETHING THE UNIT MEASURES – THERE IS ANOTHER NOTIFICATION. THE UNIT LIES DOWN TO SLEEP.
AS THE UNIT BEGINS TO SHUT DOWN, A LARGE FORM SWIMS INTO VIEW. THE LARGE FORM IS BLUE, THE ONLY BLUE IN A WORLD OF GREY.
“Sleepy head, sleepy head. Down by the sea, fishies are making their beds,” SINGS THE WHALE. “Blankets and a mattress for you. Nice guy, that.”