Кейт Форсит - Relics, Wrecks and Ruins - Anthology of Speculative Fiction Short Works

“Seven-Dot-Three-Dot-Four-Dot-Six, identify,” he said.

“I am Seven-Dot-Three-Dot-Four-Dot-Six,” she replied.

He put the ID reader away. “You’re coming with us.”

Mrs. Kensington ducked past the two junior uniforms and pulled on the senior uniform’s arm. “You can’t take our Dot! We need her.”

He pushed her away. “I’ll return her. We just want to take her in to the station for a cup of tea.”

People emerged from the shadows, advancing menacingly on the uniforms, who saw the large group around them and began to look nervous.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t do anything that anybody will regret,” Dot said loudly. “Just go back to your houses, I’ll be here later to give you more water.”

She walked between the uniforms willingly, calmly. What the hell was this about? Her trip to the overcity to recharge? Naoki’s visit? Something else? A “cup of tea at the station” meant anything from a mild slap on the wrist through to permanently disappearing.

“They call you Dot?” the senior uniform said as they went up the elevator to the overcity.

“I help them out.”

“Listen.” He spoke with emphasis. “I worked my way up from the undercity, I know what you do for them down there. Without you dots, we would never have won the war. Damn, we’d all be speaking in English or Spanish or something.” He turned back to face the front of the elevator. “We’re taking you to see the Cadre, then we’ll drop you back where you came from. You deserve the right to live.”

She raised her chin. “But not in the sunlight.”

He shifted uncomfortably. “You can kill with a glance. Your sanity’s unreliable, and you know it. We can’t afford the risk.”

“But you’ll risk the undercity residents? You came from there.”

He didn’t reply.

They ushered her into a plush office with a painted mural of the mountains of Guangdong completely covering one wall. A pair of overstuffed armchairs flanked a small, laminated tea table. Cadre Zheng sat behind a massive desk made of real rosewood, a last remnant of the Tibetan forests.

“Comrade Noble Soldier.” Zheng ordered the uniforms to leave then gestured for Dot to sit opposite, across the desk and studied her. Dot studied her right back. Middle-aged, hair just touched with silver, but still stiff-backed and lean, with night-dark eyes.

“I checked your record,” the Cadre said. “You are regarded as one of the sanest dots ever produced and your actions since the war have borne that out. I was involved in the dot-creation program, and it warms my heart to see you integrated into the community.”

“But only in the undercity,” Dot said.

“You know why that is, Comrade Soldier. Your template lives her life up here, she has children, and now I believe she even has grandchildren. If they were to see you, they would recognize your… face, and it would cause them great emotional distress. You cannot live here. They cannot see you.”

“Is her family alive and happy?” Dot swallowed. Grandchildren. Something in her chest relaxed and grew warm.

“They are.” Zheng inclined her head. “They do not know that you exist. They do not know that she was a template. They would suffer greatly if they were to find out.”

“I know that.” The information that the girls were alive and happy was almost enough. Almost.

“I hear Naoki went to see you,” the Cadre said, one thin brow lifting. “Why?”

Ahhh. So this was about him. Well, maybe she could force the information from Zheng. “Naoki thinks he was backed up. He says you want him to have your baby and you’ve made a clone that’ll do it for you.” She stood and towered over the Cadre. “Tell me it isn’t true and I’ll go back to the undercity and not bother you.”

Zheng visibly sighed and walked around the desk. She barely came above Dot’s waist. “There’s more to it than me wanting him to a have a baby. That’s the least of it.” She gestured for Dot to sit again and leaned against the desk. “I really love him, you know?” Her face was full of honesty. “He lights up my life. He’s my companion, my sounding board, my support, my everything. I can’t live without him.”

“So you did back him up.”

“I really care for Naoki. Please respect that.”

“If you cared for him you wouldn’t back him up.”

Zheng looked away. “I’m a selfish, evil old woman.” She ran a hand over her face. “I did back him up, just in case, about three months ago. I think he knew, because he went out and overdosed on Z shortly after.”

Dot stared, uncomprehending.

“He died of the overdose, Soldier. The Naoki you know now is a clone.” She looked down. “I love him. I can’t live without him.”

Dot went completely calm. “And he doesn’t know.”

Zheng shook her head.

“And this is good enough for you? A poor copy?”

“Are you a poor copy?” Zheng asked.

“Yes,” Dot said.

“He isn’t.”

“He thinks he is. I agree. What you’ve done is illegal and against his wishes.” Her fingers curled into fists. “You’re trusting my conditioning here. What’s to say I haven’t broken it already?”

“If you want to take your revenge on me, I would understand,” Zheng said. “But Naoki doesn’t know . Let the clone live out his life with me, and make us both happy.” She leaned forward, sincere. “If you keep this quiet, I can give you anything. A place in the sunlight. A better life. Anything.”

Dot hesitated. It was a very appealing offer, but she didn’t belong in the overcity, especially now she knew the girls were alive. As long as she stayed in her place, the overcity dwellers left her alone.

“What I need,” Dot said, “is to be returned to my concrete pipe and my people, and for you to stop trying to kill me.”

Zheng eyed her. “Is that all?”

Dot nodded.

“Done.” Zheng pressed a button on her desk, and the uniforms returned. “Take her back to her home. On the way, stop and pick up a UV lamp and a water filter for her. The assassination attempts are to cease. That’s all.”

“Madam Comrade,” the senior uniform said.

Naoki entered her pipe through the open door. “I got your message. You okay, Dotti?”

Dot sat on the pallet and leaned on the wall, fingers interlaced behind her head. “I’m fine.”

“It’s not like you to leave your door open.”

“I think better with it open.”

He sat in the reading chair. This kimono was pink with tiny flowers embroidered in gold and silver thread; it appeared to be a genuine antique made of real silk. His heels were matching fabric. “I found what you wanted. Did you find out about me?”

“I found out about you.”

“Did she back me up?” His smooth-skinned hands twisted together in his lap. “She’s been looking strangely at me lately.”

“I checked with all the biosalvage people in the undercity. They know the people in the overcity as well.” She saw the hopeful look on his face. “All of that stuff was taken and destroyed a long time ago, Naoki.”

He collapsed slightly, and appeared smaller and more vulnerable. “She didn’t back me up? She won’t clone me?”

Dot hesitated for a long moment.

“Tell me she didn’t back me up!”

“She can’t have backed you up. No more clones of anybody can be grown. It’s not possible. You don’t have to worry.”

Naoki jumped to his feet and embraced her. “Thank you!” He stepped back, smiling. “You know it gets better? She asked me to marry her. She said she doesn’t care about kids unless I want to! It’s up to me!” He twirled and the kimono floated around him in a cloud of silk.