“The simple reason is to preserve human dignity,” began Vimes. “As populations grew and lived longer through better medical and scientific breakthroughs, so did pressures on society. In the early years of Empire, production became increasingly automated. Few traditional sources of employment were unaffected. This increasingly led to mass unemployment and lower wages, which in turn reduced the number of people who could afford to buy the very products that automation produced. Lacking experience, the youngest in the labour force found it hardest of all to find work when competing with their experienced, older colleagues.”
The screen switched to an image of the earliest android.
“The problem was compounded further once androids were introduced into the labour market, effectively making most of the remaining unskilled or semi-skilled workforce redundant. The social upheaval that followed came to a head in the year 620, in the reign of Emperor Justinian the first. As a result of civil unrest he wisely passed the Android Laws which restricted their use outside of the nobility for other than in dangerous or lethal work.”
“Lethal work?” asked Adam.
“Mine clearance, cleaning up radioactive fall-out, that sort of thing,” responded Vimes. “By restricting their use and gradually phasing them out, Justinian was able to defuse the growing problem. As the years went past, save for boring or very repetitive work best left to machinery, humans took back their old jobs. Increasingly longer and more active lifespans were also a significant deciding factor. Bored, poor people become restive and start demanding change. No Emperor, no matter how powerful, can stand for long against a population united by poverty and unhappiness.”
Adam thought for a moment before asking a question. “But surely the Empire is now so far removed from those old times that we can provide well for all our citizens without the need for them to work?”
“In theory, yes,” responded Vimes, shutting down the images. “But you forget one constant that never changes; human nature. Active, gainful employment has the benefit of providing people with the means to buy luxury goods, gives purpose to their lives and encourages social interaction.”
Adam looked thoughtful. “But surely people would prefer to stay at home or do the things they wanted to do rather than work? Wouldn’t they?”
“You think that way now because you are young and everything is new and fresh to you,” replied Vimes. “You will find that as you get older it becomes harder to find interests or things you haven’t already done at some point. Having a job provides direction and meaning to many people's lives, expanding their social circles and bringing new skills. Being the Crown Prince you are divorced from 0rdinary people and have little idea of their lives. You surely understand that.”
Vimes continued, “Statistically, your citizens change jobs every eight point three years, each time mastering new skills and abilities. The majority do this all through their working lives and, on stopping work, use the contacts and knowledge they have gained from years of employment to enhance their final years.”
“Is that why joining the Navy is such a sought after profession then, Vimes?” asked Adam.
“Partly, Adam. I am disappointed that you have to ask the question. There are certainly many skills and experiences to be learnt and enjoyed in the Navy. In addition, off-world travel is another significant factor given only a small percentage of non-military ever get the chance to leave their home planet or visit another system. Another reason is the chance to become active in the running of their home planet. Career military who leave with a distinguished service record automatically obtain a right to vote on planetary affairs. That is a much sought after privilege. Finally, there are many who relish the idea of getting the chance to experience actual combat, strange as that may seem to you.”
Adam had been gently nodding at the answers, “I suppose I did know but never really put all the things together like that,” he said.
“Well,” said Vimes, “We have a long journey ahead of us, so if you are willing, I can bring you up to speed on a large number of topics. Now might be an opportune moment for us to discuss what your position will be with Commodore Haynes, so here’s another cup of coffee to help you concentrate,” said Vimes via the android which noiselessly appeared unnoticed behind his right shoulder and gently placed a fresh cup on the small table, making Adam jump again.
“VIMES!” exclaimed Adam with a smile, “I know you did that deliberately. Give me some warning next time!”
Scene 11, Raigmore Hospital, Inverness
Her twelve-hour shift finally over, a tired Karen exited A&E and walked out into the cold, dark evening, chewing on a tired cheese and pickle sandwich she’d liberated from the canteen moments before it closed. She looked up at the sky, slowly savouring the last mouthful. Stars were already twinkling above, but light pollution meant that only the brightest could be seen under the glare from the fluorescent flood lights. Although the long nights were starting to shorten, the sun had set two hours before and the little heat generated during the day had all but vanished.
Walking briskly to the living block and her little room, once inside she hurriedly stripped off and ran the shower in the bathroom. It spluttered and spat for a few moments before running true. Fortunately, the living quarters were kept warm, although she hated the feel of the cold tiles underneath her bare feet while she waited for the shower to run hot.
After what seemed an age, the temperature finally reached one acceptable to her and she stepped in with a grateful sigh of contentment.
“Ah, that’s much better,” she said out loud, relaxing as she let the hot water spray onto her face.
Turning around, she let the heat soak into her neck, easing away the tensions of the busy day, at the same time trying to avoid the clammy shower curtain from sticking to her bare skin. After a minute of soaking, she soaped her hair with shampoo then grabbed a bar of Dove soap and began washing, following her favoured routine. Start with the face, work down to the feet, rinse carefully then dry vigorously.
Carefully stepping out of the bath so as not to slip and fall, Karen towelled herself dry and wrapped the spare one around her hair. She moved over to sit by the vanity mirror and carefully moisturised her face. The makeshift turban fell down around her shoulders and she used the asthmatic dryer provided with the room to dry her hair. Before getting into bed, she lifted up the sheets at one end to make a tent and directed the hot air from the hairdryer inside, warming the bed. Satisfied the chill had been taken off, she quickly slipped under the covers, enjoying the heat before it could dissipate away. It was a long drive to Skye tomorrow so she wanted to get a good night’s sleep.
“Three hours if I take the hill road or two and a half if I drive along Loch Ness and don’t get stuck behind a lorry or caravan,” she thought to herself. “I’ll decide in the morning which route to take.”
Too tired even to watch TV on her tablet, she manoeuvred her pillows into a V-shape, turned off the side light to her right and went to sleep.
The next morning, Karen woke early and reached for her tablet on the bedside cabinet. Pre-set to Radio Scotland News for the traffic reports, Karen turned up the volume and walked into the tiny bathroom to freshen up, resting it on the windowsill so she could listen while brushing her teeth. The report of an overturned timber lorry, which had shed its load of recently felled timber all over the carriageway on the A832 near Loch Luichart, decided her morning’s route to Skye. It would take the authorities hours to get heavy lifting gear to the incident and traffic would be slowed for ages, so Loch Ness it would be.
Having showered the night before and eager to beat the traffic, Karen decided to forego another wash and directed a quick burst of deodorant under each arm before shoving her toiletries into the brightly patterned leather cosmetics bag hanging behind the door. Quickly dressing in the faded blue jeans and baggy jumper she currently favoured, Karen shoved the last of her things into a suitcase and took one last look around the little room which had been her home fo
r the last few days. Certain she had left nothing behind, she put on her overcoat and walked out into the corridor, pulling behind her the grey plastic suitcase which used to belong to her mother. She had customised the case many years before by stencilling a large green cat onto each side so it always stood out on luggage carousels. Now badly faded and partially rubbed off through years of wear, the cat design blended in with the case’s battered exterior. Before every holiday, she was always tempted to buy a brighter and more fashionable suitcase or holdall to better suit her personality, but somehow she could never part with her mother’s case.
Karen paused for a moment, checking her right coat pocket for car keys. Patting the reassuring bump, she walked on until she came to her car, a silver two-year-old Mini Countryman SD which she had bought on a whim, following one of the many disagreements she’d had with Ian, her fiancé.
“No, it’s former fiancé,” she reminded herself, unlocking the car and lifting the case into the boot.
“Bastard. Whatever did you see in him, girl?” she asked herself out loud.
Slamming the boot lid down a little too hard, she got in the car before realising she had left her coat on. Tutting with annoyance she got back out, threw the coat onto the back seat and climbed back in. She adjusted the rearview mirror and began rummaging in the door pocket where she’d remembered leaving some mints.
“There you are,” she said out loud, finding the half eaten roll of Sharps Extra Strong mints.
Picking fluff of the top mint, she popped it in her mouth, set the Bluetooth on her phone to sync with the car, and set it so her favourite music was ready to play. Pressing the car's starter button, Karen switched the gearbox to auto from manual and headed for the automatic barrier to exit the car park. Once through, she parked outside the white and red ambulance station, rushed in and asked one of her friends on the reception desk if they would drop the room keys off for her later. After a brief chat, she got back into the car and drove off towards the exit, turning right into Culcabock Road to avoid the morning traffic.
“Right then,” Karen thought to herself, “That’s seventy-odd miles to Dornie and breakfast near Castle Eilean Donan, then another fifty miles to Struan. Four hours driving time if I allow for a quick food stop and getting stuck behind one or two caravans.”
Satisfied she had a good plan to follow, Karen pressed shuffle play on her phone and burst out laughing as Soft Cell’s Tainted Love began playing. The song always reminded her of the film Coneheads and the lyrics were curiously spot on for her current frame of mind. Three songs later, just as she was driving over the canal bridge leading into the River Ness, the stereo started playing New Order’s True Faith and without thinking the pumping music made her speed up, leaving behind the suburbs of Inverness. Most of the road was single lane in each direction so Karen knew she had to make good time while the road ahead was clear.
Twenty-five minutes later she turned right, leaving the A82 for the A887, passing the Glenmoriston Arms Hotel on her right and a small Post Office on the left. At the same time, a Camper Van pulled out and started to accelerate at a snail’s pace through the little village. Quickly checking the road ahead for pedestrians, she tapped the sports button on the centre console and felt the cars responses tighten as she floored the throttle. The seat pressed into her back and she imagined she could feel the car squat down as it took off, dispatching the leaden Camper Van with ease.
“I just love this,” she thought, “The rush of acceleration, the sense of freedom and the noise of the engine. Wonderful.”
As the miles speed by to the sound of Dakota, Don’t Stop Me Now and Mr Blue Sky, Karen could feel herself relax, letting the car and speed clear her mind of everything except the road talking to her through the steering wheel, becoming one with the car, her senses speeding up to compensate.
A further half an hour of hard driving found her following a loch on her left and a cutting, blasted out of the dark local rock, on her right, covered with large sheets of stainless steel mesh to stop small boulders falling onto the road.
“Just around this bend and I’ll be able to see Eilean Donan Castle,” she thought, slowing down in anticipation of reaching a slower moving car ahead. Following the road as it turned right, she spotted Eilean Donan in the distance, jutting out into the loch. Several sweeping left and right turns later, Karen had a choice; to stop off for breakfast as planned or keep going. She’d overtaken quite a few slow moving cars in the last few miles and was loathe to let them catch up with her and have to do it all over again.
“I’ll keep going,” she thought, reaching for another mint. “I can stop off at the Co-op at Kyle for some supplies, then it’ll only be a forty-five-minute drive to Alastair and Flora’s place.”
Leaving Eilean Donan behind, she drove over the wide bridge crossing Loch Long and gradually built up her speed again. As a child, when visiting her aunt and uncle, she’d visited the castle behind her on several occasions. The two of them had been a constant in her life following the death of her mother when she was sixteen years old and again when her father remarried two years later. The suitcase was one of the few things she had left from her mother, for her father had presented his new love with her mother’s jewellery and allowed her to throw away all of her clothes and keepsakes before she’d had a chance to take some for herself.
Thinking of father reminded her of the call she’d received from him, a few weeks into her Medical Degree at Cardiff, telling her that he and his new bride planned were emigrating to Australia for a new start. This old memory made her scowl for the first time since leaving the Hospital. It had been two years since she had last seen him and even then she’d had to visit the couple in Sydney where they now lived. His younger wife, whilst polite, had made it plain she resented the intrusion and would be pleased if the visit was brief. Soon after, Karen took herself off to a local hotel for the remainder of her stay and spent most of it sightseeing, briefly saying goodbye to the pair of them the day before she left for Scotland.
“Why do all the men in my life not stay around?” she asked herself out loud, obviously not expecting any sort of answer. “Untrustworthy bastards, I’m going to swear off the lot of them. Why not have some fun on my own for some time, maybe even forever?” she told herself, but only half believing it. Karen was already missing the physical side of her previous relationship with Ian but was in no hurry to find another partner for her bed. “Not for a while anyway,” she told herself with a grin.
Ten minutes later, she turned left into the Co-op car park, situated on a little hill just before the Skye Bridge. Parking in one of the marked bays, Karen switched off the engine and got out, stretching to get the knots out of her back and legs brought on by over two hours of non-stop driving.
Karen grabbed a shopping trolley, using the Mini token she’d found in the car along with assorted change and stray sweet wrappers. The automatic doors of the store opened, a wash of warm air welcoming her in.
Half an hour later and with the boot fully loaded with a week’s worth of food shopping, Karen drove out of the car park, turning left onto the bridge approach. As the road climbed upwards, she drove out into the middle of the tall bridge and took in the breath-taking views on either side, towards the islands of Scalpay and Raasay on her right and back down Loch Alsh to the left. A freshly baked baguette on the seat next to her smelt lovely and she felt her mouth-watering. Keeping her eyes on the road, Karen groped down to the passenger seat on her left and brought the baguette to her mouth, tearing a big bite from the still warm end, which brought another smile but for different reasons this time. After a few moments, she could taste the sweetness of the fresh bread and decided to take a few more bites before setting it back down. Hunger temporarily assuaged, she concentrated on the road ahead and journeys end.
It was still half an hour before noon by the time she turned a corner and saw ahead the Sligachan Hotel, nestling in a valley at the bottom of the Cuillin Mountains. The roads remained quite empty, with
most of the traffic going the other way and heading off the island, a succession of private cars interspersed with delivery lorries shuttling back and forth between Kyle and Portree or Broadford. Resisting the urge to stop and have a pint at the Hotel, she took a sharp left, passing the old stone bridge made redundant years ago when the original road had been replaced with a newer one. All around the island you could see the remains of old bridges, gently crumbling away from neglect, having been bypassed years previously. These old roads were now only used by sheep or as lay-bys for lorries or tourists.
Ten minutes later, almost at the end of her journey, Ardtreck Point lighthouse came to view as she rounded the headland on the approach to Struan. The view, one of the best on Skye, never failed to raise a smile and bring back memories of past holidays here. The road curved gently to the right, following the headland, giving Karen her first glimpse of her destination, a small group of white houses and bungalows dotting the far shore. Below the line of three white buildings, slightly raised up from the road and a little to the right, was her uncles’ recently extended bungalow. The familiar ruined cottage and associated outbuildings down by the jetty had deteriorated further since she was last here, with the roof now almost totally caved in and the walls bowing outwards. Several small fishing boats bobbed gently in the water near the jetty and she could see one slowly making its way out of the loch towards the outer isles.
“Probably going to bring in the lobster catch,” she thought. “Later, if I time it right, I might be able to go down to the jetty as they unload and see if I can get a lobster or crab. Either would go well with the baguette tonight and a bottle of Chardonnay or St. Emilion from the boot.”
Having driven around the loch, Karen turned right into the drive and parked up before the cattle grid to unlock the gate. Turning around, she took a deep breath and looked down the loch out to sea, savouring the salty tang in the air, mixed with an indefinable scent that always reminded her of Struan.
Imperium: Betrayal: Book One in the Imperium Trilogy Page 10
