Peter Prellwitz - Shards Book One

He had set his coffee cup down sharply, clattering it on the table.? You showered with the Company A ladies?? he demanded. I nodded again.? So you were treated to the Birthday Suit Trio?? I smiled.?

I've never heard them, no man has to my knowledge, unless we count you. But I've heard of them.? He peered at me.? Are they as wicked as rumors say?"

I giggled and shoved some eggs into my mouth.? I've never heard the rumors. And since this seems to be a girl thing, I'll keep the rest to myself. Oh, and Doctor?? he looked up at my pointed tone.? Never count me as a man again."

He looked at me thoughtfully.? You'll do, girl. You'll do. I have never seen your like, and part of me never hopes to again. You're blowing all our past experiences with Cues right out of the system."

I shrugged.? I don't know about that, either. But I'm determined to make the best of this.? I stopped.?

That's not right. I'm not making the best of this. I'm enjoying who and what I am.? I smiled at him.? I have you to thank, Doctor. Again."

There probably wasn't a whole lot that could make this man blush, and I wasn't one of them. But he came close.

"You're welcome, young lady."

"Abigail."

"Susie gave you your name, then? Against tradition; she should have done it at the acceptance dinner.

Still, it's probably for the best. Abigail. Abigail.? He tried it out once or twice.? Yes, very good.? He looked at me.? You know, you look like an Abigail. And you look like you're wearing your name well."

"Thank you. That's because I am. Um, Doctor? Could you answer a few questions?"

"Certainly! When would you like to schedule an appointment? As I mentioned, I'm at your complete…"

"No, no,? I interrupted.? Not medical. Nor personal. Just fill-me-in type questions. I feel like I'm walking around in a vacuum."

"I can imagine,? he agreed grimly.? And I can also imagine it's a little frustrating, especially for the kind of person you are. All right, what do you want to know?"

"Going back to our conversation of three days ago. When I was still in Healer's Sleep. You had mentioned that while there was no legal recourse against me for being an illegal Cue, there was something I needed to worry about. What was that?"

"You've a very good memory, dear. I'll tell you. But first, I've a little shock for you. It wasn't three days ago, it was five. You've been out not half a day, but two and half."

"What?? I barely whispered.

"That's right. Two and a half days. Sixty hours. The longest by far. Susie will tell you why. She may even be able to justify it. I can't, so don't ask.

"Anyway, to answer your question. It's true, there is no legal recourse that anyone can take to reclaim a rescued ripe. While the process is illegal, and dangerous for all concerned, society has retained enough of its common sense to not seek redress against the innocent and unknowing ripe.

"Where society is sadly lacking in common sense, and decency, however, is in how it treats Cues in all other matters. The problem you have, Abigail, is that as a Cue, you have no legal status. None whatsoever."

"Meaning what, Doctor? I'm above the law? That doesn't make sense."

"Not above it. Outside it. You cannot commit a crime. You are not held accountable for anything you do."

"What? You're saying I could rob a bank and just walk off, scot-free?"

"A bank?"

"Yes. A depository of liquid assets."

"Ah. A physical location of hard collateral. Yes, I've heard of the concept, but I've never heard the word used in that context. 'Bank'. I'll need to remember that. Anyway, yes, it's true. But your legal status works both ways. Anyone could rob you, and not be held accountable. They could kill you, or far worse, and not be held accountable."

I wondered for a moment what could be worse than killing me. Then I thought of the interested looks of the two men in line, and I realized those things did exist. I shook my head, disbelieving.

"That makes no sense! What's the point of bringing back Cues if they are outside the law, open prey to anyone's whims?"

"That is the point, my dear. The ruling body, with a heavy interest in the continuation of ripes, could not bring action against Cues without badly damaging their own power base. So they took the matter to the extreme and chose not to bring any action, either for or against Cues. It is used as a deterrent for groups like ours. They hope to discourage us by offering a society not only hostile to Cues, but able to actually prey upon them."

"But it hasn't discouraged you."

"Of course it hasn't! We're not some group of idiots that thought it might be fun to do this for a while.

We're all under what amounts to a death penalty if caught. And we haven't been doing this for a few years; we've been at it for nearly two centuries in one form or another. As a result, we have many ways of introducing a young man or young woman such as yourself into society as a citizen, not a Cue."

It became clear. I nodded.? Of course! That's another reason for the age of the body! Like Susie hinted, I'm under legal age. In my time, that also meant that there were very few permanent records. I should imagine it would be easier to blend me into your society at this age than most other. Old enough to understand and adjust, yet still too young to matter from a legal standpoint."

"Excellent! I'm impressed! That's it exactly. Several months from now, we'll ease you into a surrogate family. At first, you'll be a friend who visits. Then over several more months, you'll be spoken about as a relative. Finally, we'll use our network of companies to? transfer? the father or mother to other employment on a different continent. At that point, you'll be introduced as the daughter, and you'll continue living with them until you either marry or reach legal age, which is twenty-five, by the way."

"I very much doubt I'll ever marry, Doctor. It just wouldn't be right."

He shrugged.? I can certainly understand your point of view, if not fully appreciate it. Still, time might change your mind. It would also make things easier for all concerned. Marriage is very highly regarded in our society, and your marriage to a young man of actual citizenship would also cement your own status.

But I'm most definitely not going to council marriage for status.

"In any event, during this entire process, we'll be carefully introducing facts about you into the main data pools. Not actual proof, mind you. That can be too easily detected. We'll put in threads; indicators that you are an actual citizen. Then, in a year or so, there will be an accident at one of the data pools and the lost information will need to be rebuilt by the government. It will find these indicators and 'rebuild' your birth, school and medical records, and suddenly, you'll have a firm identity."

I whistled.? It's my turn to be impressed. Very slick. You've made me feel a lot better, Doctor. Thank you. Looks like I'll have to sacrifice my name, though."

"Sorry, but yes, that's so. Abigail you keep. I'm afraid the Wyeth name will fade back into the oblivion we pulled it from."

I laughed.? You're waxing philosophic, Doctor. Oh well. It was a good name, and I shall miss it. But I've done without it for some wee bit already. I can't carry on the family name any longer anyway. So in the meantime, I stay here and do what? Laundry for four months?"

"Well, yes, at first. We'll get you out of that if we can find another, more skilled position, that you're qualified for. I rather expect we will, despite the significant gap. But we will find work for you to do."

"Suits me fine! I'm not going to keep my girlish figure if I just sit around and eat three meals a day. So it's the salt mines for me."

"That and training and orientation into your new world. When you are woven into our society's fabric, you'd be better off blending in smoothly. That's Susan's job for the next twelve to sixteen weeks."