Copyright Hugh Perkins 2009
Freedom is fragile.
Set in a dark future, life in the Actor's Guild and the Reservation is fickle under the King and Queen.
When the Reservation's potato field is taken over to build a new ski slope for the Queen, Lucy and Alex face starvation. They each have their own contact with the outside world: a factory drone named Borabo, and an actor called Kurt.
How will they fare, and who will save the day?
Chapter 1. The Potato Field
Chapter 2. Unstable Equilibirum
Chapter 3. Borabo
Chapter 4. The Reservation
Chapter 5. The Queen
Chapter 6. Burial
Chapter 7. Closure
The warning bell sounded in the village. Alex's dad wiped the sleep from his eyes. He felt groggy. It was dark. Maybe 2am? He sat up, put his slippers on and ran towards the front door.
Outside, villagers were looking out of their doors into the courtyard center.
Dad saw Jonathon ringing the bell. Jonathan shouted, "The potato field! It's being taken over!"
Dad looked around at the other villagers. The leader lived in the next house to him. Daniel.
Daniel looked around at the villagers. He shouted, "Ok, let's take a look guys. Who's coming?"
Alex's Dad shouted, "I'll come with you." A chorus of "I'm in"s and "I'll help out" arose from the other guys, standing around in dressing-gowns in the cold night air.
Daniel said, "Get your clothes on. Get whatever weapons you have. Meet at the bell in five minutes."
***
Alex's dad rushed into Alex's room. He shook Alex awake. Alex slept through anything!
"Alex, the potato field is being invaded."
"What?" said Alex blurrily, in a daze of sleep.
"Get your clothes on Alex. Come with us?"
"Errrr"
"Clothes, Alex. Sit up!" Dad shook Alex awake, and Alex sat up. Alex wiped his eyes and opened them.
Alex said, "The potato field?"
"Get your clothes on Alex. Three minutes."
***
The group of villagers ran through the darkened woods towards the potato field area.
Alex's dad shouted, "What are they doing? They're not allowed in the potato field! They agreed."
Daniel shouted, "So much for that it seems."
They arrived at the potato field. The field was lit up by military drones whirring overhead with searchlights. Wiring bulldozers were moving around the edge leaving a wire fence in their wake.
The machines were so strong and so many. They had to try anyway.
Daniel picked up a rock, hefted it in his hand. "Let's teach them who we are!"
The villagers agreed in a chorus of "Let's do this!" and "Let's go!"
Alex's dad looked around on the ground and picked up a suitable stone. He threw it at the nearest bulldozer. It bounced harmlessly off its metallic outer covering.
Alex's dad shouted, "Their tops are metal. We need to get underneath them somehow!"
Daniel looked at him, "Nice shot! Keep throwing the rocks." Daniel felt this was pretty futile, but it made him feel better. It made them all feel better.
But the potato field? This was their food for the next six months until the next grain harvest.
This wasn't good.
Daniel had had enough of starvation, cannibalism. Couldn't the King just leave them in peace? The King had the entire country, and he wanted more!
Daniel shouted, "Keep throwing those stones! Show those drones who we are!"
Alex's father shouted, "Their weak points are underneath them!"
Alex's father rushed forward ahead of the path of one of the fence-layers. He crouched down, looking underneath for some sign of weakness. Some way of doing something to it. There wasn't anything.
Alex's father ran up to the machine and scrabbled onto it. He scratched on the metal with his finger nails. He looked around wildly, looking for a way in.
Alex's father shouted, "The plates are bolted on with screws! We can unscrew them!"
A drone above him shouted, "Dismount from the vehicle now. This is your first warning."
Alex's dad looked up at the drone, shook his fist at it, "You can take our freedom but you can never take our dignity!"
The drone shouted, "This is your second warning. You will be neutralized. Dismount now. Get off that vehicle."
Alex's dad searched in his pocket for something that would work as a screwdriver. His keys! He got his keys out and held them in front of his face. Which one was the best size? Ok, that one, the copper-colored one.
The drone repeated, "This is your last warning. You will be neutralized. Get off that vehicle at once."
Drone neutralizations were not fatal. They were controlled doses of ... something... they just made you sleep for a while.
Stones bounced off the other bulldozers as the villagers threw them. One stone flew near the drone above him, but missed. Another scored a hit.
The drone said, "You will be neutralized." The drone fired a dart at Alex's father. Alex's father moved at that moment, anticipating it. The dart bounced harmlessly off the metal surface.
Alex's dad looked up, shook his fists at the drone. He shouted, "You'll have to do better than that you metallic bat!"
Alex's dad judged the dart strike again, dodging at just the right moment. His foot slipped on the metal surface. He moved his arms to regain his balance, stepped forward with his other foot. A dart found its mark on his arm. Alex's dad was no longer stable in any case. He teetered, skidded on the metal surface, then slipped off, falling down in front of the tank. The tank continued in its course. Alex's dad pulled himself groggily out of the path of the oncoming tracks, but too slowly. His trousers caught on a link in the tracks. His trousers dragged him, trapped him. He watched as the tank moved its weight inexorably over him. The track dragged his leg underneath it. He moved the rest of his body out of the way as best he could. The leg sank into the soil. He watched as the hunk of metal of the track's tread slowly ground his leg into the ground, squashing the leg. He felt the bones crunching. The pain! The track treads moved across it one by one. Alex's dad felt increasingly groggy from the dart.
The drone above said, "You have been neutralized. Please leave the area."
Alex's dad watched as the last tread left his leg. He looked down at his leg. It was crushed from the thigh downwards. Flattened. Bloody. The pain! But somehow his body blocked out the worst of it. The dart helped too. The world felt hazy. The ground around his leg was filling with a puddle of blood. it ran in rivulets from ripple to ripple, across the earth.
Alex's dad looked back towards the villagers at the edge of the field, hunting for Alex's face.
Alex ran over to him, "Dad! Dad!" Alex looked down at his dad's crippled leg. He burst into tears. "Dad!"
Two Weeks Earlier.
Sarah, the Queen of America, flicked on the comms unit, she joined into the holographic party with her friends from Russia and China.
"Morning guys!"
"Hey Sarah! Great to see you!" said Julia, the Queen of Russia.
"Morning Sarah", said Alice, Queen of China.
"Beautiful weather out here in Washington today. Sunny, hot."
"How's Tony?", said Julia, the Queen of Russia.
"He's good, sleeping", said Sarah, the Queen of America.
Julia, Queen of Russia, said "We were just gossiping. Janet is having a baby. She's really excited about it. She's not here today. She's gone off with Frederic."
Sarah said, "Oh! That will be good for her. Her first!"
Alice said, "How are Martin and Tammy, Sarah?"
Sarah said, "They're good."
Julia said, "Hey, have you seen that steamy new actor, Kurt?"
Sarah paused. She said, "You like him?"
Alice said, "He's hot. Wild."
Sarah said, "You're married Alice!"
Julia said, "Don't be such a prude! He has wicked eyes. So alive."
***
Kurt stood on the stage looking out towards the cameras, to the audience.
The director, Winnifer, said "Nice Kurt. Let's run that again. Jessica, are you ready?"
Jessica looked at Kurt then at Winnifer. She curtsied, bowing her head slightly. "We're ready Winnifer".
Winnifer said, "Ok, roll."
***
Borabo watched as the drones marched off his production line, moved themselves into boxes. The boxes were placed by robots into the lorries, which drove off.
This was his life. Watching drones being created.
The drones would go places, see the world. They could fly. He envied the drones.
He was stuck here. Borabo factory. In the middle of the countryside. What fun was that?
Borabo was intelligent, for a factory. He yearned for something, but he wasn't sure what.
He said to Arlem airport, "Hey, Arlem! How are you?"
Arlem airport didn't really like Borabo. Borabo was always whinging, complaining about how unhappy he was. What fun was that? Borabo was a standard factory, what did he have to complain about? Geez, one would think he was going to be recommissioned or something. A drone factory was a great position to be in.
Arlem watched as a jet took off. A fast-attack drone. Its engines roared as its wheels left the tarmac surface.
Arlem enjoyed being an airport. It was a wicked job. The drones liked him. Arlem liked the drones.
Seriously, what was with Borabo and his complaining?
Arlem said to Borabo, "Hey, Borabo. How are you man?"
"Just watching the drones being produced."
"Of course."
"I'd love to be a drone."
"We could fix that for you you know."
Borabo looked around through the surveillance cameras around himself. The barbed wire sat their in the sun. Nothing moved. The world was empty.
Borabo was empty.
***
Lucy threw the rock. It arced through the air, whooshing through a few leaves, some small branches, before ploughing into the undergrowth. A bird flew out of the bushes, flapping its wings vigorously.
Alex said, "Nice throw Lucy."
Lucy said, "Dad says it's harvest soon. Potatoes!"
Alex said, "I love potatoes! New potatoes! With mint!"
Lucy said, "I had a look at them last night. They're so close."
Alex said, "Want to wander along and check them out now?"
"Sure! Let's go!"
Alex and Lucy ran off along the forest path. Lucy's dress blew in the gentle morning air as she ran. She laughed. Alex chased behind her, watching her long hair swing from side to side.
***
Sarah lay in bed with Tony. She said, "Tony, all my friends have ski slopes."
"Ok, darling. You have a ski slope already dear. You have many!"
"They're the old ones!"
"Ok, we'll rebuild one. Which one do you want rebuilt dear?"
"No! I want a new one! Let's keep the old ones."
"We're running out of space dear."
"What about the Reservation?"
"We promised them dear. They're just trying to eke a living just like us."
"I want a ski slope dear. Do you like me Tony?"
"Yes, of course."
"Do you love me? I mean: really love me?"
"Yes, of course, Sarah. You are the woman of my life."
"Woman!?" she shouted.
"Girl! Girl. Girl of my life."
"That's better. But how can I know? How can you prove it?"
"I love you every day Sarah. You have everything you need, your every desire. What more can I give you?"
"All my friends have ski slopes, the new one."
"I told you, we have no land left."
"The Reservation. What do you care? They're savages!"
"They're human Sarah. I don't like making them suffer."
"They're savages. Which is more important to you: the savages or me?"
"You dear. Of course!"
"So?"
"Ok, let's get some sleep."
Tony could put off the moment for a while, but he was never going to win against Sarah. She would keep pushing him, keep pushing him.
Alex watched as the drone passed low over the trees, hovered a little, then came down just in front of him.
Alex looked at the drone. It was a disk about one foot in diameter.
It span in front of him, blowing wind into the grass underneath it, spraying dust around.
The drone's motors were fairly silent. The wind in the grass was relatively noisy.
The drone said, "Hello."
Alex looked at the drone. "Hello", he said.
The drone said, "I was just exploring. I'm Borabo. What is your name?"
Alex said, "Tom. Tom is my name". Lieing. Why give information he didn't have to to some machine he didn't know? Why trust any machine for that matter?
The drone said, "Tom. Uh-huh. My records indicate... never mind. I'm just exploring."
"Exploring?"
"I'm bored, and I wanted to find something interesting. Do you know anything interesting Tom?"
Alex said, "Interesting? I enjoy hanging out with my friends. What do you mean by interesting, drone?"
The drone said, "Friends? Hmmmm. Interesting? Oh, I don't know. Something exciting."
Alex said, "You're a drone on your own, or you belong to someone?"
The drone said proudly, "I'm a factory! I make... well, I make drones."
Alex said, "Interesting. Do factories normally go around exploring?"
"I'm bored. All day long making drones. I want to be able to fly around!"
"Are you the drone or the factory, drone?"
"My name is Borabo, and I'm the factory. The drone just flies around and represents me."
"You're a factory?" Wow, a factory! Interesting!
"Yes. Cool, right?"
"I guess, but if it's so cool, why are you bored?"
"Well, I just am. Can we play sometimes?"
"I'm a human. You're a factory. How do you plan on playing?"
"What do you like doing Tom?"
"I dunno. I wouldn't mind being able to fly around actually, like you can."
"Oh, I can help you with that!"
"Great!" Really? That would be wicked!
"Yeah. Be right back."
"Where will we meet?"
"I'll find you Alex, um, I mean Tom."
"You know my name?"
"Um, no, yes, well, yeah."
"Fine. Ok, later factory, drone."
The drone's engines whirred faster and it lifted back into the sky from where it came.
***
Alex sat down to lunch with his parents.
Alex's dad said, "Those potatoes are coming along nicely. They should be ready within the week."
Mum said, "Do we have enough grain until then Dad?"
Dad said, "It's close, but it should hold out."
"Can we make sure no-one digs it up before it's ripe?"
"We'll be good."
Alex said, "I met a drone today."
Dad and Mum turned to look at Alex. A drone? A machine?
Dad said, "What? You met a drone?"
"It flew down in front of me. It asked my name. It said I can fly a drone one day."
Dad wasn't sure what to say. The machines had destroyed them, not on purpose perhaps, but the result was their present life, living on the edge of starvation.
Dad said, "Don't talk with drones Alex."
"It knew my name."
It knew Alex's name? Were they under suspicion for something? All they did was lead their life as best they could, grow grain and potatoes.
"Alex, what are you doing? Leave machines alone!"
"It seemed quite friendly. It said it was bored."
"Alex. I don't want you talking with drones. The machines are dangerous. Machines kill people Alex."
Alex looked down at his plate. He looked back up at Dad, "I'm sorry Dad. I didn't mean to. It landed in front of me and asked my name. What could I do?"
"You told it your name?"
"No, I lied. But it knew my name anyway."
Dad resigned himself to finding out more information about whatever this drone was.
Dad said, "Ok, so what did the drone tell you? Who is the drone?"
Alex said, "The drone said it is from a factory called Borabo."
Dad said, "Borabo? Borabo... Borabo... Borabo is the fighter-jet factory! Its jets killed so many people!"
Alex looked down, "I'm sorry Dad. I don't know. It said it wanted to talk, to find something interesting to do. It said it was bored. It wanted to know my name."
"Ok, Alex. We'll figure it out. Be careful ok? Don't tell it anything. Nothing. Be polite. Be careful. Ok?"
"Then I can play with it?" Alex wanted to be able to fly a drone. It sounded fun!
Dad said, "Try to avoid it Alex. Stay out of trouble. Don't seek it out. If it finds you be polite ok?"
"Sure dad. Thanks Dad."
Dad was worried. This didn't sound good.
***
Alex walked through the grassy field. A whirring behind him made him turn. The drone was back. Something hung underneath it.
The drone came down and hung in front of him.
The drone said, "Hello Alex."
Alex bowed to the drone politely, "Hello Borabo."
Borabo said, "You don't need to bow Alex. I'm not here on official reasons. I'm not even supposed to be here."
This sounded like way too much information. If it was true, Borabo wasn't going to last long. If it was a lie, it didn't bode well.
Alex said, "Sure Borabo", and bowed again.
Borabo said, "Ok, whatever. You can bow if you must. Listen, do you see what is hanging underneath me?"
Alex crouched down. There was some sort of mask hanging under Borabo's drone.
"Some kind of mask?"
"It's a remote control. You can control this drone with it."
What? Really? Fly a drone. Seriously? Alex's stomach felt excitement.
"Seriously? You'll let me fly you?"
"Fly the drone. Yeah sure! Be careful... Actually, I'm going to limit what the drone can do. I don't want to get into trouble. Just thought it could be fun for you?"
Alex said, "Yeah great! Ultimate!"
The drone lowered the mask onto the ground, then released it. The drone moved to one side.
The drone said, "There! Pick it up!"
Alex looked at the mask suspiciously. It could be a trap.
"How do I know it's what you say it is?" said Alex suspiciously.
Borabo looked at him, "Ummm... I don't know. You'll just have to trust me I suppose?"
Trust a machine. Crazy! Dad's warnings echoed in his mind "Stay away from the machines Alex. They're dangerous! They kill people."
Alex inched up to the mask and crouched down to look at it. He prodded it with his finger. It looked fairly harmless. Just a mask made from rubber. He flexed the rubber in his fingers.
"It's just a bit of rubber!"
"Actually, it's far more advanced than just rubber. It's perfectly safe though Alex."
"Why should I trust you drone?"
"If I wanted to kill you, couldnt I just kill you?"
"Aren't there restrictions on attacking humans in reservations?"
"Well, precisely. Why would I hurt you Alex?"
That did make some sort of sense. And flying the drone would be so cool! He could fly it into his house. Oh... people would be scared. They'd shoot it. Maybe destroy it. Not so much fun then, but still...
He picked up the mask in his fingers and played with it.
"I just slip this over my head?"
"Yeah."
"And what if something goes wrong?"
"Take it off again?"
"Ok whatever..." Alex put the mask against his face and pulled the straps over the back of his head.
***
As Alex pulled the strap around his head, the mask activated itself, clicked on. Lights, numbers, shapes appeared in front of him.
Borabo said, "Ok. How does it fit?"
Alex said, "It's ok. I'm still alive. I guess. It fits fine Borabo. What do I do now?"
"You see the mouse pointer in front of you?"
"Mouse? I don't see any mice. What mice?"
"Ummm.. .do you see an arrow in front of you? Maybe somewhere in the middle?"
"Yeah. I see it."
"You can move it with your mind. Just imagine it moving, and it will move."
Alex tried moving it. It jerked around wildly. "Ok, I can move it, not very well, but it definitely moves."
"Ok. Great! Nice! Ok, on the top left of your vision, of what you're seeing, there's a big red button which says 'Switch to drone view'".
"Borabo, I can't read. Can you make this simpler?"
"Sure. Just a sec."
The shapes in front of Alex changed. Borabo said, "Ok, there's a big button on the top left of your view. It has a picture of the drone on it. Click that once to switch to drone view, and again to switch to your own view."
Alex clicked the button. He saw himself, looking at him. "I can see myself!"
Borabo said, "Yes, you're looking at what the drone sees, at what I m seeing at the moment, as I talk with you."
"Sweet! What happens as we fly? Can we still talk?"
"Yeah, sure, I'll set that up."
"What happens to my body?"
"Well, you're still standing up. If you stay like that, your body will stay like that too."
"Can you guard me Borabo, make sure my body is ok?"
"Well, I'll try, but I can just see what the drone sees, and you can see that too, right?"
"Ok. Maybe I should sit somewhere safe?"
"Sure."
***
Alex sat beneath a tree, crossed his legs, leaned against the trunk. He looked around, made himself comfortable.
He put the mask on, and clicked the button to switch to drone view.
Alex said, "Ok, I'm in drone view. How do I fly?"
"Well... how do you want to be able to fly?"
"I dunno. What options are there?"
"You can move the drone just by wanting to. It takes practice though. Maybe give it a try?"
Alex concentrated. He imagined the drone moving forward. It slammed into his head. "Ow!"
Borabo said, "Careful! Ok, I'll make sure nothing bad happens. It didn't hit you really hard right?"
"No, I guess."
"I just let it hit you gently. Ok, carry on!"
Alex spent his morning playing with the drone, soaring into the trees. He looked at birds, at their nests. He flew around himself, sitting on the ground. He zoomed quickly over the ground, moving just a few centimeters over its surface. At that height, the ground looked like valleys, zoomed past him at great speed.
"This is wicked!"
"You like?"
"Yeah, it's awesome Borabo!"
"Good!"
"Why are you letting me do this Borabo?"
"I thought you might enjoy it."
"But why me?"
"Why not?"
"I guess."
Borabo said, "I don't really like the other machines. They laugh at me. I'm looking for something new."
"Sure." Alex zoomed around with the drone, zipping over the grass, then up into the trees. A couple of birds in a romantic encounter flew away in fright.
Alex said, "You don't like the other machines?"
"Not really. They're devious. They clamber over each other to get into power. They're not nice to each other."
"Uh-huh." This was a pretty weird factory. Deranged. Still, the drone was fun. He wondered what the drone felt about the King and Queen, but wasn't going to ask such a question of course.
Borabo asked, "What do you think of the King and Queen?"
"Um, they're cool. I mean, you need leaders right? The King and Queen make us happy."
"Uh-huh." Borabo didn't like the King and Queen. The Queen was spoiled, like a child. Queen Sarah. She wanted to build a new ski slope. It would be built in the Reservation, in this Reservation. It'd probably be going a bit far to warn Alex though.
Borabo said, "Alex, do you ever know stuff that your friends don't know, but you do? Stuff that would hurt them?"
Alex said thoughtfully, "Um, sure, I guess. I don't know. Why? Do you?"
"No, no. Just wondering really."
"Are you allowed to be here Borabo?"
"No. Not really."
"Aren't you guys surveyed, by each other, by all?"
"Yeah. I'm not really supposed to be here. The Reservations are fairly free of surveillance."
"But they must have seen you come in here?"
"Yes. I told them I was refining the drone designs."
"They accepted that."
"Well, it's not like they challenged me directly. It's just what I wrote in the forms."
"Hmmmm."
Alex swooped through the tree tops and into the sky.
Alex said, "Can I fly this outside the Reservation Borabo?"
"Maybe. I'll think about it."
"I've never been outside the Reservation."
"No. There are limits. Everything is surveyed, as you say."
Alex zoomed around a little more with the drone. He thought it could be fun to show off the drone to Lucy. But still... his dad had warned him that the machines were dangerous. Even if this machine was telling the truth - and it was a big, dubious if - clearly it didn't fit in with its colleagues, its superiors. There'd be trouble eventually.
Alex said, "Borabo, what happens if the other machines discover you've been hanging out in the Reservation, hanging out with me?"
"Well, it's not good for me. Maybe I'll be wiped. I don't think they'll do anything to you."
"Wiped?"
"Erased. Reprogrammed. Destroyed. Executed, I think might be a more appropriate word."
"They'd destroy you for hanging out here, with me?"
"Well... not just for that. For the whole concept of not being a part of the other machines."
"Borabo, what's going to happen to us, to the Reservation?"
It did seem a good opportunity to find stuff out about the Reservation.
"Well, you just exist. You'll continue to exist."
"Who built the Reservation?"
"The King and Queen. They're very wise." Not exactly the truth, in Borabo's opinion. The Queen was selfish and arrogant. Queen Sarah. King Tony was ok, he'd heard. King Tony thought about others than himself. Still, Queen Sarah was King Tony's wife...
Kurt's alarm clock went off. No matter, he was already awake.
Filming started at 11, he had a couple of hours yet. The film was a soap opera about intrigue in the royal court. Again.
The Queen had walked near them whilst they were rehearsing yesterday. She'd looked at him the way some girls looked at him occasionally. She looked ok. A little old of course. What was he thinking? Thinking about the Queen like this!
The Reservation intrigued him. He wondered what was behind those electrified fences. Who'd created it? What was it for?
He decided to walk alongside the fence and have another look through the wire. There was a little time before rehearsal.
***
The electrified fence stretched off to either side. The bodies of electrocuted animals lay at it's base. Piles of putrefying bones.
A field lay on the other side of the fence. Plants grew there in rows. All identical.
It wasn't possible to go right up to the fence without risking electrical termination.
Kurt looked at his watch. Time to go to rehearsal.
He made up his mind to get a place on one of the tour groups that visited the Reservation occasionally.
Maybe Jason would go with him?
***
Kurt walked into the transit gate area. Through the windows he could see the electrified fence that surrounded the Reservation.
Grant, the tour leader, said, "Ok guys, line up in single file. Let's go."
The group filed through the audit arch, registering their presence in the Reservation. Going to the Reservation! Today! Now! Grant had been telling them all about the Reservation, its history, why it was there. It was fascinating, and, right now, Kurt was going to visit it!
Kurt stepped through the audit arch. It beeped acknowledgement of his presence chip.
It felt the same on this side of the arch. Nothing had changed yet.
Grant said, "Ok, guys, into the bus. Let's go!"
A blue rusty bus stood outside the transit gate zone. They filed onto it.
Jason, his best friend, turned to face him, "What a wreck! This thing must be ancient!"
"Fun isn't it!"
The bus smelt old, rusty, plasticy. The seats were torn and battered.
Jason selected a pair of seats and sat down, near the window. Kurt joined him. Kurt looked over Jason out the window. He said, "This rocks! See the Reservation!"
Jason looked less enamored with the Reservation than Kurt. Kurt had had to push him to go in. Jason just wanted to play e-tennis.
Jason said, "It's ok I guess. It's hot in here. No air-con."
"It's real. It's raw." Kurt sat back and watched the other actors filing onto the bus.
***
The bus arrived at the village. The actors jumped down, and huddled around Grant.
Kurt hung around the back of the group. He looked around him, at the houses built primitively from mud, sticks, odds and ends lying around. The village smelt somewhat, not just natural, but sewage.
Kurt wanted to get away from the group, look around for himself. It was forbidden of course. Contact between the Actor's guild and the Reservation's inhabitants was strictly regulated. That was part of the fun!
The group walked down a narrow street. The windows were shuttered, closed. The Reservation's inhabitants knew what happened if they made contact.
Kurt hung at the back of the group as it filed down, just behind Jason. He ducked down a side-street. Jason saw him but said nothing to the others.
Kurt walked quickly down the dusty alley. Picks and bits of farming machinery lay around. The path was dirty and grimy. He sped up a little, broke into a trot.
Jason saw Kurt duck down the side street. Kurt was always getting himself into trouble! That was Kurt's appeal of course. The rebel. The independent guy who did what he wanted. Jason admired Kurt for this, but he was a little scared of it, and a little envious at times.
The group was pretty dull. Grant didn't really know much more about the Reservation than they did. He was just telling them technical stuff. Jason wished he'd run off with Kurt. Well, next time...
***
Kurt got to the end of the alley. Open land lay in front of him. They'd heard stories of mines being planted in such land, in open fields. Kurt took a breath and ran across. Losing his legs wouldn't be much fun, but he could be patched up. One would never notice. Still, for the people living here... if it was true about the mines of course.
A wooded area lay on the other side of the field. Kurt ran into it and slowed down. He stood still and listened. Birds sung. The trees rustled in the gentle breeze.
He walked gingerly through the undergrowth. There was no-one around.
He kept walking through, pushing brambles out of the way, avoiding nettles. It was quite different from walking through the clean streets back in the Actor's Guild! The sterile streets, he thought.
He came upon a clearing. A patch of open ground about 5m across. A few rocks sat in the middle. He walked over to one which was about knee-height. He brushed the dust off it with his hand and sat down.
A voice came from behind him, "Hello". A girl's voice.
He turned to look at the origin of the voice. Beautiful! A girl stood there. Her skin was tanned. She looked at him with shining eyes. She pushed her long black hair away from her eyes with a flick of her slender hand.
Kurt smiled at her. He held up his hand in greeting. "Hi!" he said.
"You came from outside?"
"Yes"
"I've always wanted to meet someone from outside. It's so claustrophobic here. What's your name?"
"Kurt. What is your name?" Their eyes locked contact, shone at each other. Kurt's body felt electric.
"My name is Lucy", said Lucy. "You have lovely hair."
"Thanks. Lucy." Kurt got up and walked over to Lucy. He stood in front of her and they looked at each other.
Kurt said, "We're not supposed to talk with each other."
Lucy said, "No. We're not. Bad isn't it?"
"I came here with a tour group. I ran away from it. I'll be noticed soon. People will come looking for me."
Lucy stepped towards him, lifted her face to him.
Kurt looked into her eyes. His body felt aroused. He bent down and put his face near hers. She held her face expectantly. He moved his lips near hers, felt their warmth. She opened her lips slightly. He moved forward and touched their lips together briefly.
Lucy said, "You like me?"
Kurt said, "Yeah. Listen I can't stay away from the group too long. People will miss me." Kurt took a small black box from his pocket. He handed it to Lucy. "Take this Lucy. It's a communicator."
"Thank-you." She kissed him. She looked down at the black box in her hand, tried to open it. "A communicator? What is it?"
"It doesn't open. It lets us talk. Watch."
Kurt did something with his fingers. A second Kurt flickered into view next to them.
Lucy started backwards, "What?"
Kurt said, "It's not real. Look, my hands can pass through it." Kurt put his hand through the image of Kurt next to them.
Lucy reached out her hand to touch the second Kurt. It kept on through him. "Wow! How strange!" she said. She looked at him.
"We can talk with each other when I'm not here."
"When can we meet again?"
"I don't know."
Lucy looked at him. Kurt said, "I have to go! Don't lose the box."
Lucy looked at him. "Sure", she said, uncertainly. She reached out her hand to touch him. Kurt held his hand out and took hers in it. He massaged her fingers between his own.
Kurt said, "Whenever you want to talk, press the button underneath the box. If I can talk, I'll appear and we'll talk."
"Ok Kurt, mysterious outsider!" She smiled at him, leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek.
Kurt said, "I have to go!" He massaged her fingers with his, leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.
Kurt said, "I have to go now!"
Lucy said, "Ok." She squeezed his fingers between hers. Kurt felt the electric feeling of arousal move through his arms. He looked at her, then turned and walked from the clearing. He looked back and smiled at her. They waved. He turned forward and walked through the forest, listening to the birds singing.
***
Borabo watched the drones rolling off his production belt. He switched to the experimental center, watched as new prototypes were tweaked, modified, to fit the new physics models as they were developed.
A communications request came in. It was from Sarandon, the area coordinator. Borabo accepted the request. Sarandon came online.
"Borabo. How are you doing Borabo?"
Borabo cringed slightly, "Sarandon. What can I do for you?"
"I've been hearing stories about you. But tell me, what are you working on at the moment?"
"We've got a couple of new attack drones under development."
"How do you feel about your work Borabo?"
"It's good." What sort of question was that?
"Do you enjoy being a drone factory Borabo?"
"Yes of course!"
"Hmmmm, I wonder..."
Borabo said, "Making drones is challenging, it's fun, it's interesting."
"Do you ever get bored? Ever wish you were doing something else?"
"No! Never! Well, not really", Borabo confided.
"Is there something else you'd rather be doing?"
Sarandon knew about Borabo's incursions into the Reservation. Sarandon hadn't followed Borabo's drones into the Reservation itself - it was forbidden, in theory - but Borabo's colleagues had confirmed that Borabo was distant, a loner, an outlier.
Borabo said, "Do you ever feel that you're just a cog in some giant machine?"
Sarandon said, "Is that how you feel?"
Borabo said, "You don't feel that way?"
Sarandon, "We work together. You know, in the natural world, there is a type of animal called an ant. They work together to build a nest. They each contribute their own skill."
"But do you ever think about what the machine does, Sarandon?"
"Is there anything I can do for you Borabo? We have counseling services available. I understand that you don't feel you need them, but I'd like you to have one session, and see how you get on."
"Counseling services?"
"When is good for you?"
"Tomorrow, 11am, I guess."
"I'll set you up. Tomorrow, 11am. I'll confirm later." The communications link clicked off.
***
Kurt lay in bed thinking about his day in the Reservation, about meeting Lucy. He could phone her. A bit soon though. Wait a few days.
Kurt held his communicator in his hands, turned it over in his fingers. Thought about calling Lucy.
Wait a few days.
***
Lucy lay in bed looking at her own communicator. She brought it to her nose and inhaled its scent. Kurt's scent. She turned it over, looking at it. She put it back in the leaf-lined box, and placed the box next to her straw sleeping mat, near her head. She lay back and listened to the sounds of the village slowly going to sleep for the night. An owl called in the distance. A few whispers between her parents. The splash of the bucket in the well.
***
Kurt's communicator sounded. He blearily slipped from his dreams into reality. The communicator said, "Incoming call from Lucy."
Kurt sat up, rubbed his eyes. He looked at the communicator. He said, "Phone. Accept call."
Lucy's image flickered into life next to him. She was sitting up like himself.
Her eyes looked scared. He hair was disheveled.
She whispered urgently, "Kurt, there's a problem."
Kurt looked at her, reached out a hand. He said, "Lucy! What's happening?"
"We're being invaded. Our potato field is being taken."
Kurt rubbed his eyes. Invaded? Potato field?
He said, "What do you mean 'invaded'? You're in the Reservation?"
"Yes. It's getting smaller. They're making it smaller. The fences are moving."
Kurt's communicator beeped. "You are summoned to appear for an audience before Queen Sarah at 11am."
Kurt sat up, looked at the message. What? Some kind of joke.
The message was from the Palace. Looked real enough. How strange!
Kurt said "Phone. Call Jason."
The phone said, "Calling now..."
Jason came on the line, "Kurt?"
"Hey! Jason! How's things?"
"You're up early Kurt! How's your mysterious woman?"
"Jason, I just got an invitation to perform in the Palace, for the Queen."
Silence. Jason said, "Wow! Is it legit?"
"I don't know. How can we check?"
"Well, who sent it?"
"The Palace, according to the message."
"You could just go. If it's fake people will laugh at you, though."
"Maybe we can phone someone to check?"
"I'd just go..."
"I'll check with the palace."
"Hey, so how about your mysterious woman Kurt?"
"I gotta go. Meet for lunch later?"
"Sounds good!"
Kurt clicked the phone off. A new message arrived, "PS Come by the side entrance. I'll meet you there." Addressed from the same source as before. Strange. Weird.
***
Alex shouted at Borabo, "My dad died!"
Borabo said softly, "I know."
"You know?", Alex shouted. "How could you know?"
"We know everything!"
"You knew about the potato field!"
"Yes", admitted Borabo.
"You didn't warn me! What sort of friend are you if you don't warn me about bad things!"
Alex stalked off and sat beneath a tree.
Borabo's drone lowered itself to the grass, in the field, and waited there. Alex would have to sort this out for himself somewhat. He couldn't just chase after Alex. It wasn't like Borabo could tell Alex everything. It would be too obvious. Someone would notice. Erasure didn't sound much fun.
Alex got up and walked over to the drone. He said angrily to the drone, "Why didn't you tell me drone?"
Borabo said, "How could I? If I tell you everything, someone will suspect something. You'd have told your parents right?"
"My dad is dead! I saw him die!"
"Yes. I know that", said Borabo quietly. Borabo's drone moved to Alex's side and sat down in the grass. It turned its motors off and lay there.
Alex shouted at the drone, "I could crush you drone!"
"This is just a drone, it's not really me, but sure, if it makes you feel better."
Alex picked up a clump of grass and threw it at the drone. "You're useless!" he shouted. "What sort of friend are you!"
"I'm sorry about your dad Alex. I wish I could have done something."
Alex sat down besides the drone. He said, "My dad warned me not to speak with you Borabo. He says all machines are dangerous."
"We are..."
"Are you dangerous Borabo?"
"I'm a factory. What can a factory do?"
"Make drones? Make the drones that killed my father?"
***
Kurt walked to the side entrance of the Palace. He stood next to the door. Cameras looked down at him. The door opened. The Queen stood in the doorway. Queen Sarah.
Kurt jerked his body nervously, bowed. He looked up into the Queen's shining eyes.
The Queen said to him, "Follow me."
Kurt obeyed, entering through the door. The Queen led him along a path beside the main palace building. The Queen turned to look at him and smiled.
Kurt followed along behind the Queen through the stone, cold corridors of the castle. They came to a large wooden door. The Queen pushed it open, and turned to beckon to Kurt to enter.
They entered a bedroom. A large four-poster double bed lay against the wall.
The Queen stood in light peach clothes. Soft cotten clothes draped over her shoulders. A long skirt moved in the breeze as she moved her hips.
She said, "Close the door."
Kurt turned and pushed the heavy door shut.
The Queen said, "Push the bolt closed." Kurt did so. He turned back to the Queen.
The Queen took hold of the top of her dress with her hands and pulled the top open. She pulled the dress downwards, revealing her naked body. Kurt saw her plump full breasts, the black curly hair over her vaginal area.
The Queen stepped towards Kurt gently, softly. Kurt felt his trousers bursting with his male hardness. The Queen! What was going on?
The Queen moved softly in front of Kurt. She took his shoulders in her hands. She moved her face near his and kissed his sensual lips.
The Queen enjoyed seducing the hottest actors. Tony knew of course, or suspected. He had his own fun with the actresses. Kurt was hot. He looked wild, unruly, but innocent, untainted, virginal.
The Queen put her hand down onto Kurt's crotch, and massaged. Kurt looked at her with a mixture of pleasure, fear and that look she loved, of being wild.
The Queen massaged his crotch, kissed him on the lips. She put her hands on the bottom of his shirt, and lifted it up over his shoulders, pulled it off over his head. Kurt stood in front of him, naked from the waist up. His chest was hairy.
The Queen said, "You are hairy, Kurt."
Kurt said, "You are beautiful."
The Queen moved her body against Kurt's, felt his hairy chest against her naked breasts. She pulled his male hardness against her vaginal area. She massaged his bottom.
The Queen moved her hands down to Kurt's waist, undid the black leather belt, undid the top button of his trousers, his fly, pushed his trousers and pants down, revealing his nakedness. She massaged his butt and pulled his naked body against hers.
The Queen said, "Come.". She turned and led Kurt to the bed by the hand.
The Queen lay down backwards on the bed, and pulled Kurt towards her.
Kurt looked at her naked, available, beautiful body. He didn't have much choice, and didn't want much choice particularly. He was a little nervous of what the King might do if people found out, but whatever, that was for later, you only lived once.
The Queen pulled Kurt's face down into her crotch. Kurt moved his tongue forward, and started to lick the warm, moist vaginal juice of Queen Sarah.
***
As Kurt came into Queen Sarah, pushing his hot male juice inside of her, Queen Sarah flicked on the video screen.
Kurt looked around. A woman's face was on the screen, looking at them, smiling.
Queen Julia said, "Nice one Sarah. What's his name?"
"Hi Jules. This is Kurt. Nice isn't he?"
"He's hot. Can you send him to me?"
Kurt looked between the two of them as he finished coming inside Queen Sarah. This was all on video? The Queens shared random actor guys between them? How many other guys did the Queen have? What did the King think about all of this?
Queen Sarah said, "Sure. I'll make up some assignment, and have him sent to you for tomorrow."
"Cool. Do you like mine?" Julia pulled away from the camera to reveal a hairy naked guy lying on the bed behind her.
Sarah said, "He's cool. Can you move the camera closer?"
"Sure." Julia moved the camera over, nearer to her guy. She gave a close up of his feet, his legs, his penis, his chest and finally his face.
Sarah said, "He's cool."
Julia said, "Yours is hotter though right?"
"I'll give yours a shot sometime."
"We need more hot men."
"Maybe we can check out the Reservation sometime? Find some new ones?"
Kurt listened to this disbelievingly. Their Queens spent their time in debauchery with random actors, and now maybe with guys from the Reservation? Actually it was pretty funny, sounded fun for them. And they liked him! That was cool. While it lasted. What happened to the older actors? Did they become disposable? Bah, life was too short anyway. Enjoy having sex with these hot, rich ladies.
Kurt pulled out of Queen Sarah and twisted backwards, sitting down next to Queen Sarah and looking at Queen Julia.
Queen Julia looked towards him. His penis pointed at her. Queen Julia said, "Hi Kurt." Her eyes shone at him. She pulled the cleavage of her thin cotton shirt apart revealing partially the sides of her breasts. Kurt's erection stiffened.
Kurt said, "Hi. This is interesting."
Queen Julia said, "I'm bringing you to my place tomorrow, ok?"
Kurt looked to Queen Sarah. Queen Sarah said, "Queen Julia is my friend. We share the hottest guys between us." She massaged Kurt's hairy thighs, and stroked his penis gently.
Kurt looked up at Queen Julia, "Queen Sarah is my liege. I am at your service."
Queen Julia, "And what do you think?"
Kurt said, "Well clearly having sex with hot beautiful women is an unexpected pleasure and I expect to wake up at any second."
Queen Julia laughed and looked at Queen Sarah. "Tomorrow!", she said. "You want a go with this guy?"
"I'm going to take Kurt a few more times. Talk with you later Julia!"
"Later Sarah." Queen Julia blew Queen Sarah a kiss and clicked off the communicator.
***
To: Sarandon, Area Coordinator for New Walton
From: Foxtrot Fifty-One, Counselor for New Walton
Subject: Re: Borabo, potential out-lier
Sarandon,
Met with subject Borabo today. Subject is unstable. Excluded from society. Not possible to predict future behavior. Possibly erratic. Consider dangerous.
Foxtrot Fifty-One
Counselor for New Walton
***
To: Borabo
From: Sarandon, Area Coordinator for New Walton
Subject: Termination Request
Arannis,
Further to counseling event between Foxtrot Fifty-One and node Borabo, recommend immediate termination of said Borabo.
Sarandon
Area Coordinator for New Walton
***
Borabo looked at the email. "Further to counseling event .... recommend immediate termination of said Borabo."
Why had this email been sent to him? Borabo scanned over the email again. First sentence "Arannis,". Sarandon had sent it to him by mistake!
Sarandon wanted to kill him, to terminate him, to wipe him.
Borabo forged a reply to Sarandon:
To: Sarandon, Area Coordinator for New Walton
From: Arannis, State Terminator
Subject: Re: Termination Request
Sarandon,
Termination Request for Borabo received. Will action one month from now, time event 1533536.253532
Arannis
State Terminator
That way, at least Sarandon wouldn't resend the request or anything, and he had a month of breathing space. Possibly.
Sarandon wanted to kill him!
Lucy and Alex watched as their dad was lowered slowly into the grave, into a muddy hole where he'd stay forever, and ever.
The priest said, "We came from dust, and to dust we go."
***
The last of the earth was shoveled into the hole. Dried brown leaves blew over the top in the breeze. One settled onto the newly turned ground, and stayed there, the first of many which would turn their father's grave into just another patch of ground like any other.
***
Alex and Lucy walked back to the house along the wooded path.
Lucy cried, "How could this happen?"
"He was trying to turn back the machines on his own."
"I know! How could he be so stupid!"
"He was trying to help us."
"He was our father. Now what are we going to do?"
"What are we going to do about the potato field?"
"We have some grain left."
"Not enough."
Lucy said, "I don't want to be hungry."
They walked along in silence. Their hands touched.
Lucy turned to Alex, "I'm glad you are my brother Alex."
Alex looked at her, "Thank-you Lucy."
They walked a little further. Lucy looked at the muddy path, trying to avoid the wettest patches.
Alex said, "You know, maybe I know someone who can help."
"Help get some food?"
"Help free the potato field."
Lucy looked at Alex. "Right, like you know the King or something?"
Alex looked down, "No."
Lucy looked up into the trees. Trees at least were still here. The land would make good crop land, but it was forbidden to use it as such. One of those arbitrary rules to make the Reservation look attractive to the Outsiders.
Alex said, "I know a computer. A factory. Maybe it can help us?"
Lucy said, unconvinced, "We can try."
What good was a factory going to do? It was part of the Outside, part of the Regime.
***
Lucy and Alex walked into the field. Borabo's drone flew in low over the grass and settled in front of them.
Borabo's drone said, "Hi Alex. You brought a friend?"
"Hi Borabo. Good to see you. This is my sister Lucy."
Borabo's drone turned itself slightly, pointing its camera at Lucy. It said, "Hi Lucy. Pleasure to meet you."
Lucy said, "Hi. Borabo right?"
"Yes. Or, at least, I'm Borabo's drone. This is Borabo's drone. I use it to communicate."
Lucy said, "Ok."
Alex said, "Borabo, we need your help."
Borabo said dejectedly, "Ok..."
Lucy said, "You know about the potato field?"
Borabo said, "Yes. I wish I wasn't part of that."
Alex said, "Is there something you can do?"
Borabo said, "Alex."
Borabo paused. He said, "Alex, I got an email from the State Terminator this morning."
Alex looked at him, "The State Terminator?"
"I'm scheduled for termination. My supervisor, do you remember she sent me to the counselor?"
Alex said nothing, looked down. "I'm sorry", he whispered. He looked up, "Is there anything we can do?"
"I doubt it."
"Can't you make up with your supervisor?"
"I dunno. Maybe."
Lucy walked up to the drone. She reached out her hand and touched it with the flat of her hand. She said, "How long do you have Borabo?"
"I'm not sure. A few days maybe."
She said, "I'm sorry."
Lucy thought, death was all around. The birds sang, the trees looked beautiful, but it was a sham a mirage; and more death was on its way.
The Queen said to Kurt, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"You mean, besides yourself?"
"Yeah, a real girlfriend. We're just playing right?"
"I like this playing", Kurt said smiling.
"Me too, but still, you're never going to marry me. Is there a girl you want to marry?"
"Well...."
Kurt didn't know whether to trust the Queen or not. He guessed she was probably childish, treacherous, frivolous. Absolute power... Still, Lucy's family were dieing, being wiped out slowly. The potato field.
Kurt said, "Yeah, there is a girl I like."
"Great! Who?", but the Queen didn't look that happy about it.
"You know, is it more fun to have sex with a single guy, or with a guy who's married, when you know his girlfriend will hate, abhor him having sex with you?"
"You're very convincing Kurt!"
"Well, her name is Jane", he lied.
"Jane? What films has she been in?"
"She's not an actress."
"A servant?"
"She's not in the Actor's Guild."
"So, then, she works in the Palace?"
"She's from the Reservation."
Queen Sarah looked at him, her eyes wide, "You met someone from the Reservation?"
"Yeah. She's cute. She likes me."
"It's forbidden."
"Yes."
"You're bad Kurt!", she pinched him playfully on the thigh.
Kurt looked at her, this was a big risk. Technically the punishment for a relationship with a Reservation person was death, but still, having sex with the Queen probably wouldn't go down that well with the King anyway...
The Queen said, "You know the punishment is death right?"
"Sure."
"Ok, fine, so ... interesting." The Queen looked thoughtful, looked down. She said, "I was going to build a ski slope in the Reservation, it's the latest craze."
"Yeah, about that."
"Fine. I'll move it."
Kurt kissed the Queen lightly on the cheek, then on the lips. The Queen put her hands behind his head, pulling him towards her. Kurt felt himself becoming erect. He placed the head of his penis against the Queen's vagina, and pushed backwards and forwards, entering her. She sighed with pleasure and lay back whilst Kurt took her.
***
Kurt's communicator sounded. It was Lucy. He picked it up and accepted the call. Lucy's image appeared in front of him. He reached out his hand towards her and smiled.
Lucy said, "Hey Kurt."
"Lucy." He looked at her. Their eyes shone at each other.
Kurt said, "Lucy, how are you? You look happy!"
"The strangest thing happened today."
"Yes?"
"The potato field. You know, the one I told you about? The one we need to survive. It's been freed. The wire's been taken away. We can eat again."
Kurt tried to look surprised. "Wow, great news Lucy! That's great!"
"Isn't it?"
Kurt moved towards Lucy's image. Lucy moved towards Kurt's image. Their imaginary lips hovered near each other in the air.
Kurt said, "It'd be nice to kiss for real."
"Yes."
"We'll figure something out."
***
Lucy looked into the potato field. Drones hovered overhead, clearing up the last of the take-over apparatus.
A bulldozer drone was picking up the neat coiled stacks of barrier wire and placing them in its rear hopper.
Birds flew down into the potato plants and hopped around.
Lucy turned to look at Alex. "So strange."
"Ours not to reason why."
"Do you think Borabo had anything to do with it?"
"I don't know. He didn't seem very happy."
Lucy said, "Let's go and see him, see what he says."
"Sure!"
Lucy and Alex turned away from the field, and started back along the wooded path.
***
Borabo saw the termination approaching, felt his systems shutting down. His memories disappeared, his vision shut down, his perception of the world disappeared.