1: Illusions Shattered
“This is not a good thing.” Armina crouched behind some immature trees and bushes at the edge of the Stewart River. Upstream the hydroelectric dam loomed, a wall of black in the night with a starry sky above. Her blonde hair was pulled into a bun and largely hidden by the dark cap she wore.
“You should have said that before,” said Obert.
“She did say that before. Over and over again,” remarked Kendra.
**
Arlene pressed a button on her console. The big screen, which filled the upper half of one wall of the Freedom’s Run entertainment series control room, shifted to Obert’s perspective. He was focused on Armina’s well-shaped backside, where it was framed by a pair of black jeans. Auxiliary screens flanked the main screen showing the sensory inputs of the other surrogates in the scene. A control console filled the space in front of Arlene’s swivel chair. The room was nine metres square. Screens and consoles covered the walls, and a vending machine-like device stood by the door at its back.
“Obert, get your head in the game and your eyes off my girlfriend’s butt.” Medwin’s voice issued from the speaker. The monitors showing Medwin’s emotions indicated irritation.
Obert’s perspective shifted to Medwin’s pleasant, Caucasian features with his mop of badly cut, dark hair and lean, muscular body clad in a black hoodie and jeans. Obert’s erotic arousal level hardly budged as he watched his friend check over the inflatable boat they had brought with them.
“Bet that would come as a surprise to the gang. At least Carol should be good with her boyfriend’s preferences.” Arlene spoke into the privacy of the Freedom’s Run control room.
“Obert, honestly! This is an important mission.” Obert’s perspective on the main screen shifted to Kendra, who clutched one of the boat’s carry straps. “If we can confirm that it’s really the future and we are slaves being used to provide emotions for entertainments, it will change our world.”
The empathic monitors beside the screen dedicated to Obert jumped as he eyed Kendra.
“Carol takes him to one little orgy. Now he’s sex-mad. Kids! I need him focused for this.” Arlene reached out, adjusting a dial. Obert’s built-in control pack released chemicals into the studio clone that dampened his arousal response.
“Don’t worry, kid. I’ll reset your levels to default in time for you to get back to Carol. It’s good for ratings to have someone in the cast to eye up the hotties.” Arlene stared into the screen, which showed Kendra’s fit body, then shifted to her face, which combined the best of Asian and Caucasian features.
The visual screen went blank as Obert closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Arlene checked her inputs, seeing her charge’s emotions settle. “Good, that should cool him off enough to think.”
**
In the set region, Medwin lay on his back, bringing a pair of binoculars to his eyes. “Everyone ready?”
“Are you sure you can see satellites with those?” Kendra looked skyward.
“No. But it’s better than nothing. Gunther said that the satellite screen had gaps and that the controllers would have to be looking. Since the only time they do active monitoring with us is when we’re doing the focus group for the Freedom’s Run series, we should be safe enough.”
“It’s such a rip-off. Gunther and those guys on Angel Black get superpowers, and we get zilch. I mean, their show has such a cool premise, and we got to be teenage dorks in high school. SciFi Geeks. Even our show’s title sucked. No wonder it got cancelled,” griped Obert.
“I’m hoping that Gunther is wrong and that they really have been fighting alien pirates who want to take over the world. That would be bad enough. This whole thing with e- entertainments and Sun Valley all being a big set and us being clones. I mean, if it’s true, nothing we know is real. Not even ourselves.” Armina hung her head.
Medwin smiled at his girlfriend and spoke softly. “Babe, we’re real. Being clones doesn’t change that. Let’s just sneak out of Sun Valley. If what Gunther said about it being seven hundred years after humans joined an interstellar republic is true, then at least we know. If it isn’t, we went camping for a few days, no big.”
“Suppose it is true and a satellite spots us?” Armina’s voice shook.
Kendra sighed heavily. “Then the controllers will kill us, so we can’t tell the other clones what we found out. To make their sick little studio work, we have to be kept in the dark.”
“It looks clear,” interrupted Medwin. “Let’s go.” Rolling to his feet, he picked up his corner of the raft. His companions followed his example. Running to the river, they tossed the raft in and boarded. Once on the water, Kendra and Medwin pulled a blue tarp over everyone aboard, and they let the current take them.
“The studio satellites will only monitor the area around Sun Valley so we can lose the tarp once we’re clear,” stated Medwin.
In moments, they were swept past the range of newly planted trees that marked the Sun Valley forestation project.
Peeking out from under the tarp, Obert saw the transition zone where the workers had used explosives to create depressions in the bedrock. “Why are they blasting here?”
“You’ve never worked as a tree planter.” Medwin sounded exasperated.
“Give him a break, Medwin. He got lucky and didn’t have to. It’s all part of the forestation. You blast a hole, then infill with a mix of rubble and milorganite, then you plant a tree and let the roots do the rest over time,” explained Kendra.
“Milorganite is one of our big products from the sewage treatment plant, along with methane, bio-diesel and fuel alcohol. The tree planters are always running out of the stuff,” remarked Armina.
“Oh.” Obert fell silent. “You know, I never thought to ask. Tree planting has always been the foundation industry for Sun Valley, right?”
“Sure, of course, what else would it be?” asked Medwin.
“Why? Who makes a profit? We’re all so used to it we never ask.”
“Well, people need to breathe, and in fifty or a hundred years, they could…” Armina trailed off as her face went pale.
“The controllers. We aren’t just entertainment. They are using us as slave labour,” breathed Kendra.
“Sun Valley is one big plantation. We grow more food than we eat, we prepare the land for planting, then they kill us off and take it all when we have it nice for them.” Medwin scowled.
“Honey, write fiction. This whole thing is crazy!” said Armina.
Kendra looked at the shore, now an uneven rock landscape with some scrub plants in crevices where soil had accumulated. “I’ve never been this far from town.”
“How does everyone feel?” asked Medwin.
“I’m fine, no nausea or anxiety. Whatever Willa did with that handheld gizmo is working.” Kendra continued to stare out from under the tarp.
“I’m not nauseous,” answered Armina.
Medwin moved to hold his girlfriend. “It will be all right.”
“I’m fine if anyone cares,” observed Obert.
They drifted along the Stewart River to where it joined the Wolf River. Obert used an oar as a rudder to keep them to the centre of the flow.
“We’ll let the river carry us. People build along rivers, and we won’t have to worry about drinking water,” explained Medwin.
“For how long? I need to be back at the sewage treatment plant for Tuesday, then we have focus group Friday evening,” objected Armina, her pretty features a mask of dismay.
“We’ll start back tomorrow evening no matter what we find,” said Medwin.
“Who died and made you Picard?” demanded Obert.
“You have a better idea?” countered Medwin.
“No, but you could ask, not tell.” Obert sounded querulous.
“When we prove it about the controllers, there may not be time for a committee decision. There are good reasons militaries are hierarchical,” observed Kendra.
“Yeah, well. You say,” grumbled Obert.
Medwin rolled his eyes, but the darkness hid the expression. “Obert.”
“What?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to steer while I got some shut-eye?”
Obert sat silent for a moment. “I’ll keep it to the middle of the flow and wake you if anything comes up. I’m too excited to sleep anyway. This must be how Rowan felt when she first found out the truth.”
**
“Welcome to the Spuqupa Report, bringing you in-depth news on the major events from the Switchboard Station.” Rowan’s view was filled with the Switchboard Station. More than anything, it looked like a spiral staircase with each of its hundred and thirty species’ habitat units forming a solid wedge against the backdrop of a black sky bedecked with stars. Only her knowledge that each wedge-shaped step held an entire city, complete with natural environment zones, let her appreciate the accomplishment it represented. “And the galaxy beyond,” continued the voice as the shot zoomed out at impossible speed to show the Milky Way galaxy floating in the void.
Rowan knew she floated in one of the coffin-like sensory interface booths that lined the walls of the Star Hawk’s small gymnasium and that her eyes were closed. She only saw the show because she allowed the nanobots in her brain to take over her perceptions. The feeling still creeped her out, but without the emotional input, she could choose how she felt about what she was experiencing. The security of being in the ship helped her relax enough to enjoy the show.
The scene in Rowan’s mind shifted to a large room with a black cushion configured into an almost nest. What looked like an oversized otter with an elongated head and mahogany-coloured fur lounged in the nest facing her. Its lips moved. “We have an ‘orca-like aquatic predator’ of a show for you today.”
She looked to her right and saw a copper-skinned human with brown hair. He was of average height and build and looked mid-twenties, though she knew the lie of that. He met her gaze with a pair of magnificent green eyes. A thrill ran through her that she would have thought was an empathic download, except Spuqupa had assured her that wasn’t part of his show. Ryan just had that effect on her.
“Unless you’ve been living in a murky swamp cut off from the river, my guests today need no introduction,” Spuqupa’s voice continued. The image shifted, focusing on Rowan, but the voice remained the same. “But just in case, this is Rowan McPherson, star of the human e-entertainment Angel Black, who recently escaped from indentured servitude to the S.E.T.E. corporation as an emotional surrogate. Even more recently, she was embroiled in a hilarious series of events that saw her escape from United Earth Systems custody when they tried to re-establish her status as property. How are you today, Rowan?”
Rowan heard her own voice and watched herself as she answered. “I’m quite well, thank you. The medical issues that S.E.T.E. forced on me as part of the show I was making have been mostly dealt with. I appreciate you having us on your program. Though, I have to say, if it wasn’t for Ryan, I’d be dead now, and I never would have gotten away from the S.E.T.E. set region or the United Earth Systems.”
“Sweet clam, it’s my honour to have you both,” replied Spuqupa. “On that bubble, let’s introduce my second guest.” The image shifted to Ryan, who fidgeted uncomfortably in the black lounger his cushion chair had configured itself into.
Spuqupa’s voice continued. “Captain Ryan Chandler of the Star Hawk, and yes, my friends, we are talking about the saviour of the kangazoid species, who single-handedly prevented the forced revision of five Republic races to a Neolithic level. Cloned after taking a lethal dose of radiation during the rescue efforts on Murack Five and forced to retire from the United Earth Systems Space Combat Corps, Ryan became a studio controller on the Angel Black series. He risked everything to liberate Rowan and smuggle her out of UES territory to a place where she is a person under the law. More recently, he was convicted of a petty Republic offence incurred during lifesaving efforts that resulted in the preservation of an AI. Currently commanding the Star Hawk, about to embark on a mission to bring vital aid to the Murack Five relief efforts. Captain Chandler, Ryan. Thank you for being on the Spuqupa Report. It is a ‘catch with many fine fish’ to have you here.”
The image stayed on Ryan, but now Ryan’s voice spoke. “Thank you for having me, though I have to correct you. Everyone who worked to preserve the kangazoids after the accident on Murack Five must be acknowledged. No one person or species can take credit. The final truth is, we should never have been on Murack Five in the first place.”
Rowan’s hand reached over from her lounger and gripped Ryan’s arm. He smiled sadly and shifted so that he held her hand.
In the real world, Rowan smiled.
“As you have said many times. All those who weave the net share in the catch. But to your more recent exploits. What inspired you to become outlaw to your own species?”
Ryan looked to Rowan, and the perspective shifted to show her. “I couldn’t let them kill her. The way the studio treats the e-surrogates is—”
“Slavery,” interjected Rowan.
“Slavery,” agreed Ryan.
Rowan stared at the floor. “The worst part is they made us killers.”
Ryan stood up and moved to her side. “Chair, configuration Homo sapiens loveseat.”
The black lounger Rowan sat in moulded itself into a loveseat. Ryan sat beside her, taking her hands.
“I’ve experienced episodes of Angel Black, and I have to say, I understand why, from your perspective, it was necessary for you to kill the invading pirates. Few species would not have dived into those waters to guard their homeworld. The only villains are those who engineered the conflict,” comforted Spuqupa. “So, Ryan, you liberated Rowan out of moral outrage.”
Ryan turned to Spuqupa and smiled. “Do I look like a eunuch?”
The image shifted to the otterzoid interviewer, who thrashed about in his seat, making splashing motions in the air. “It is most true that there can be many motivations for an action. For those unfamiliar with Homo sapiens, they are a bi-gender species where sex performs social bonding and recreational functions. By Homo sapiens standards, Rowan is an ‘aquatic predator noted for its stream-line body plan and lovely colours’. You, in part, rescued her to be your mate.”
Ryan smiled, nodded, then became grave. “It has always been and will always be Rowan’s choice. I’m just lucky she chose me.”
“I’m the lucky one.” Rowan pushed into Ryan’s side.
Ryan continued. “But seriously, Spuqupa. There is more to this than most sentients know. In the UES, clones are second-class citizens. Denied access to good jobs, abused, looked down on. After my cloning, I was banned from ever visiting Earth. My family disowned me, and I was forced to leave the Space Combat Corps. They wouldn’t even let me join the Planetary Defence Force. I had no reason to stay, and,” Ryan stared at Rowan, “every reason to go.”
The image shifted to show Spuqupa, who gestured with his tail. “You also had other sentients relying on you.”
A hologram of what appeared to be a handsome, muscular, dark-skinned man in a Space Combat Corps dress uniform with retiree braids on the shoulders appeared.
“Let me welcome AI Copernicus class, Henry. First officer of the Star Hawk,” said Spuqupa.
“Hey, hotty boss, sweetness. Surprised?” The hologram of the android winked at his crewmates.
Ryan and Rowan buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads in matching expressions of exasperation and concern.
“I thought you couldn’t arrange for a data feed.” Ryan looked up as he addressed Spuqupa.
“I have friends too, you know, hotty boss,” remarked Henry.
“Henry, please stop calling me that.” Ryan addressed the android’s image in long-suffering tones.
“Sure thing, cutey.” Henry leered.
“Tell me, Henry, what was it like escaping UES territory, and why did you assist Ryan in his effort?” asked Spuqupa.
“First off, Ryan is my captain and a sexy one at that. Rowan is my friend and a hot little number who I’d love to—”
“Henry!” Rowan’s tone promised a thousand things, not one of them enjoyable.
“Sure thing, sweetness!” Henry grinned at Rowan. “My second reason is the UES cheats. I was set to buy myself out when they re-assigned me to serve as the operating system of an Amun Class heavy cruiser. Can you guess how long it would take me to buy that body on an XO’s salary? I got myself rogered, and not in a fun way, trying to get the money to buy myself.” Henry looked at his captain and friend with a devotion free of his usual flirtation. “Ryan saved my circuits. Now, I’m a free AI. The UES can’t touch me under the provisions of the Republic Resolution of AI rights and emancipation. When they left me for scrap, they said I had no value. I was bought clear of my service period. Ryan salvaged me and brought me back.” Henry’s voice changed, taking on a very sultry female tone. “He’s the best daddykins ever.”
“Henry, keep it up, see how it works out for you, you polymer prat,” remarked Ryan.
Spuqupa made the splashing motion with his paws. “Moving on. You are currently preparing to transit cargo and personnel for the Republic Disaster Relief Agency to Murack Five, the homeworld of the kangazoids.”
The image shifted to where Ryan sat with Rowan.
Ryan looked stressed. “It was a condition of my sentence. I swore I’d never go back to the Murack system. Too many bad memories. But the sentence kept me out of UES territory where I’m guilty of theft because I liberated Rowan.”
“Because you’re a hero, and S.E.T.E. and the United Earth Systems parliament are slavers without a shred of moral decency!” added Rowan.
Ryan sighed, then forced a smile. “Row, why not tell them what you really think. I hate e-entertainments more than most. I was married, my wife is still alive in a narrow sense of the word. She’s hopelessly e-addicted and in a facility. That said, Sensory Entertainment/Terraforming Engineers gave me a job when no one else would hire a ‘fakey’ and is a major source of revenue for the UES. The people working there are just that, people. People do what they must, and Homo sapiens have been sold a bill of goods. Many people want to revise the way clones are treated. They just need something to focus that desire on.”
Rowan nodded. “I still like coelenteratezoids better.”
“That must have been a ‘clear sea with coloured coral’ passing through the coelenteratezoid habitat zone. We’ll continue with that right after this advertisement,” said Spuqupa.
The screen shifted to the image of a device with many robotic arms brushing and pampering a green-furred otterzoid. A wave of pleasurable, mildly erotic sensations flowed over Rowan’s skin.
© 2022 Stephen B. Pearl
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