BEYOND THE PALE: ( The Outlander )

by Gil Senan, Senan

  “This is a basic optical communication console Sir,” the salesman began to explain. “Each lens of an optical communicator provides a separate visual display which when overlaid together; appear to you as a 3D text display. Can you see anything Sir?” enquired the salesman. River could see the man’s name and job title appear in writing above the man’s head.

  “Hello Andrew Johnson … Senior Sales Assistant,” said River addressing the young slim salesman.

  “That is great, Sir. Now I want you to gently rub your thumb along the right temple of the eye-glasses closer to the hinge. Then with your index or middle finger tap the right hand side of the upper frame close to the hinge; do you see a menu option appear?” River nodded. A faint unobtrusive context menu appeared when he tapped the front frame and his thumb rubbing along the temple arm acted like a mouse cursor. Tapping the front frame again selected an option. Andrew Johnson continued, “Scroll though the menu Sir, and find a setting that is pleasing to the eye; Take your time.” River did as instructed, and found a setting which made the word lettering more oblique and above his main field of vision. He nodded that he was ready, and the sales assistant continued. -“This is a manual unit requiring touch operation as I have already shown you Sir. We have more complex and effective models which require retina operation. Those you operate by eye movements, but Major Carlson here believes that you might find those units too unnerving. Although basic, this is still a good unit which has a few other features which I can explain to you now if you like” River nodded once more with compliance. “This is ostensibly a communications device. There are vibrational stimulators on the ear rest which simulate audio when you are talking on the communicator to someone. When you get an incoming call, the caller ID will readout on your optical interface and you can elect to take or disregard the call using the touch controls which I showed you. You can also use basic verbal commands. The microphone is part of the communicator, but simply saying the word ‘COMMAND’ followed by the required command word will initiate that action. For instance say COMMAND, then CALL, and then speak the name of a contact in your address directory to call them. To answer an incoming call, simply say COMMAND and ANSWER. There are full instructions included but I hope this helps.”

  River thanked Andrew Johnson for his tuition and help, and the Major proposed that they move on because they still had one last shop left to visit. River kept the glasses on and negotiated his way out of the store with some difficulty. It was not just getting used to the optical overlay on the glasses, but that there was also a lot of interesting sights attracting his attention in this particular store. The Major remarked to him that his brain would get used to the complexity of his vision after a while, but pointed out that he should take off the glasses if he started getting a headache.

  The last store that they visited was a sports shop. The Major intended to kit him out with some sportswear and trainers suitable for exercising. He wanted River to be able to train with him as he intended to introduce his young protégé to natural free running. He would buy the specialist free running kit at a time closer to their departure from the citadel. It was a quick purchase as Nathan knew exactly what he wanted to buy. River was very surprised to notice the store welcoming him by his new name Citizen Eli River as he entered. Most surprisingly was the fact that the welcome appeared on the text readout on his glasses. Somehow the store could interface them. He also noticed that his glasses read out the name and position of any sales assistant which he encountered in the store.

  Before they left the mall, they stopped at one of the basement communal restaurant areas and had a coffee. River actually asked for a honey tea but the Major insisted that he try a cappuccino, which he enjoyed immensely. They took the opportunity to relax and talk for a while before heading home to Major Carlson’s apartment. The talk was no longer about sensitive subjects because the Major’s internal data processor had long since come back on line.

  “That last store welcomed me as Citizen Eli River. How did it know my name Nathan?”

  “Do you recall me telling you that the bio-spore that was injected into your arm emits a radio frequency ID signal? Legally, you are required to have a first name and surname. Well that is picked up within the confines of any shop or business premises. Everybody has an RFID emitting identity implant; therefore anyone else wearing an optical communicator would get a similar welcome when they are in a shop. The stores also transmit personalised shopping suggestions to each customer’s devices,”

  “I didn’t get any,” pointed out River.

  “That is probably because so far you have not made any purchases with your own account. Therefore there is no database of purchases to be used in comparison or relational searches. I don’t get any such automated welcome messages or shopping suggestions because my identity implant is restricted to emitting only to official government RFID readers.”

  River finished his cappuccino and digested what he had just been told. He didn’t like the idea of his identity details being openly transmitted to every random RFID reader. He also didn’t like the inclusion of his father’s first name as his own.

  When they were ready to leave, Nathan led him across the main concourse to a large entrance where they joined a taxi rank. These taxis were driverless, and thus comprised only the rear cab which could comfortably seat six people. There were a number of them stacking into a queue approaching the pick up point. As one pulled up beside them, they climbed in and the Major tapped in an alpha numeric code which was probably some sort of address code specific to his home. He prompted River to pay on this occasion, as he wanted to make sure that he was confident in how to go about doing this. River just swiped his wrist over a scanner on the taxis customer console, and it gave an instant message thanking Citizen Eli River for his payment of 14 credits. He had no idea whether this amount represented a lot or a little in their currency. The 30 minute taxi ride to Nathan’s apartment seemed just as confusing, because the outside environment seemed so baffling. So many of the buildings seemed impractically tall and there seemed little evidence to designate whether an area was commercial, communal, or residential. The taxi followed a route mostly along ground level, but he could see streams of other traffic passing high above. The taxi eventually came to a halt in a wide tree lined avenue opposite some prestigious looking buildings that housed numerous residential apartments. River climbed out, and took in the sight of what was to become his home for a while.

  Chapter Six

  Major Carlson buzzed his apartment number on the intercom at the building’s main entrance. He spoke briefly with his wife giving her early warning that he had arrived home with his young guest. She buzzed the main door open but Carlson waited for it to automatically re-lock before asking River to swipe entry himself. He wanted to see whether River’s credentials were being recognised by the buildings main computer. They were and the door opened. The duo walked to the lift and headed for the fifth floor. River didn’t get to test his entry credentials for entry to the apartment, because the door had been left ajar. Major Carlson walked in followed sheepishly by River, who copied his actions in removing his shoes and hanging up his jacket. Whilst doing this, an attractive tall and sleek black woman of indeterminate age appeared in the hallway to greet them. River was uncertain at first whether this was Carlson’s wife or daughter.

  “River, I would like you to meet the love of my life, Valerie,” gushed Major Carlson. “And Valerie, I would like to introduce you to River, the young man whom I owe a considerable debt to.” He was being magnanimous. He didn’t really feel that he owed that much to River but he enjoyed his company and was beginning to see something of himself in the young man.

  “I am so pleased to meet you River,” Valerie Carlson said as she leaned forward to kiss him. Her manner was warm and inviting, and as she withdrew from the kiss, she grabbed hold of his hand and led him through the main living area and on through to the kitchen. She blew a cheeky kiss to Nathan and told him to come along. Nathan thou
ght this was typical behaviour on behalf of his wife. She was always initially warm and inviting, and almost the flirt. However this initial warmth was often mistaken as an invitation for friendship, and in reality he knew his wife didn’t particularly want any new friends. She was fiercely loyal and committed only to her family and her husband. Valerie was in her mid forties but could easily pass for late twenties. Underneath her warm friendly demeanour, she had a pragmatically colder personality which had helped her rise to a senior middle management position in human resources for a community authority. However she always said that her crowning achievement was managing to keep her rank and position when she reduced her hours to part time. Many of her characteristics had passed on to their daughter; Audrina who was equally the flirt but sometimes quite cold and abrupt. Both women in this house had dominant personalities which the Major and his son Anton had to suffer, or else be browbeaten.

  River did feel welcome in Valerie’s home. She had made a lunch and shown him around the apartment. She had made up the guest room for him and helped him put away his new clothes. The three of them had eaten lunch out on the veranda which was very pleasant as it was a warm sunny day. They sat at a bench seat garden table with an amazing view over the metropolis and a wide expansive view of the sky. The veranda was effectively a small rooftop garden which was landscaped with herb and flower beds and small coloured stone mosaic pathways bordering small areas of artificial grass turf. River felt comfortable enough to go and walk the bounds of the landscaped garden which was about 70’ by 50’. To reach the edge, you had to scramble over a perimeter of a contiguous bordering rockery. As he climbed it he could he could get a much clearer view of the metropolis and skyline. He could see that they were very high up. Despite this being a fifth floor apartment, the actual building and street level were not actually situated at ground level. Looking down it was obvious that there was no consistent ground level. In fact you couldn’t see the actual ground, but different sectors had different raised ground levels as if the metropolis had been terra formed and terraced. There was plenty of greenery in view, and parks which seemed artificial and landscaped. The bulk of the green was made up a plethora of rooftop garden space and what appeared to be vast green houses and biospheres that appeared to be possible urban farms. The use of the rooftop space seemed to be well managed. Even though this garden space was on somebody else’s roof, that other apartment also had its own garden space on someone else’s roof. The apartment rooftops were staggered in height and each garden was landscaped in such a way to establish the living space away from the edges and thus unable to overview lower rooftop gardens. In a similar mindset, no building overshadowed the next one. Most of the high-rise construction of the metropolis seemed to observe this rule. The highest buildings were concentrated in close proximity to each other usually close to the citadel’s walls. You could just make out the high citadel walls which were an engineering masterpiece. Beyond that it was difficult to see much but River gazed in the direction he gauged his home was, and he wondered if his family were worried about him.

  When River went back to seek out Nathan and Valerie, he found only Valerie sitting at the veranda table. -“I must apologize on behalf of my husband, River,” announced Valerie. “He received a call from his work which seemed important enough to him to warrant going off and leaving us. I hope you don’t mind just my company.”

  “I am glad to be in your company,” River replied.

  “Well it won’t be for long because Anton is on his way over here and Audrina will be home after 6pm.” River acknowledged this as good news but inside he felt a little trepidation. He had not met anyone his own age since arriving in the Metropolis. -“This is standard behaviour from Nathan,” Valerie continued. “If he is not on duty, he is usually on call, and when he does get some free time, he is more likely to grab a sports utility vehicle and set off beyond the wall. I don’t know what the appeal for him is, but you probably understand… Maybe you could tell me a little about life outside.”

  River looked for the correct words, “Outside we integrate with the land and the environment much more than you. We don’t see the environment as hostile. We are dependent up on it, and we live off it. We plan for the seasons. We nurture the land and the land nurtures us.”

  “But what do you think appeals to Nathan about outside,” inquired Valerie, who seemed disinterested with River’s prior explanation.

  “I assume that you have asked him this, and that he has not been able to explain this to you. Perhaps he does not realise, but maybe his heart feels freer when he runs outside. After all, he is a man who is bound by control every day.” Valerie listened to River’s explanation, but she held no common reference with his experience, because she had always considered outside to be uninviting and hostile.

  “Tell me about your family and your life, River,” she implored him.

  “I have one brother who is younger and one sister who is older, my Mother and my Uncle. They are dear to me. We are part of the Hopi tribe, but we live in a mixed community of different tribes and non natives, which is many days run from this metropolis.”

  “Your skin tone is lighter than other native outlanders I have seen,” enquired Valerie diplomatically.

  “I think this is because my father was not a native. He left when we were young. He was a man of religion when he married my mother. In the ‘great abandonment’ of the old cities which followed the upheavals, they sought sanctuary amongst my mother’s tribe. The Hopi welcomed many of the city dwellers and taught them to adjust and survive to a different lifestyle. However my father grew disillusioned when my mother turned away from his religion which found no home amongst my people.” River did not mind confiding these truths to Valerie, as he understood that she was asking out of interest and not fishing for information. However he decided to stop talking at that point, because he became aware of a young man watching him and listening through the glass doors from the kitchen.

  Anton realised that he had been ‘clocked’ and he walked through the doors to join them at the table. Anton was lean like River but less muscular and shorter. He looked maybe similar in age to Isa but the similarity ended there as he was less confident and more awkward than Isa. His skin tone was lighter than his father’s which was probably due to Valerie’s lighter complexion. Anton sat down at the table and said a simple “Hello”.

  River did not feel that it was a sufficient greeting for meeting a guest, but he realised not to take this as a slight but rather as a case of nervousness. River compensated by standing up, crossing his forearms across his chest, and bowing his head as a formal greeting to the young man who as the current man of the house deserved his respect. Valerie decided to introduce her son in a way only a mother would, which was to provide a full academic resume. She pointed out to River that Anton was currently an intern for the Marekh Guild who were the information technology gurus who maintained the metropolis’s vast computer networks and infrastructure. This was a guild that staffed about 95% of the I.T. roles across all government offices. Anton had spent today at the university campus as he had important final exams next year which would allow him to complete his internship and qualify as a junior technical architect.

  At one point Valerie got up to go and prepare food for the evening meal, leaving the two young men alone in each others company. What followed was a long sustained and difficult silence. Both of them, for differing reasons were used to letting others do the talking. Anton needed the ice broken to gain confidence, whilst River was used to sitting comfortably in silence. Except this silence was far from comfortable, and after a while Anton took the initiative of getting up and going to his room.

  It would be River’s turn to feel nervous, shy, and uncomfortable, soon enough when Nathan Carlson returned home in the company of his daughter, Audrina. River was just not prepared for his first encounter with her. Audrina was spellbindingly attractive. Her model looks, her height and slender but curvaceous frame and her beautiful complexion, fa
ce and hair cast an instant glamour on River. He felt uncomfortably nervous in her presence, as if she radiated some force which made him feel vulnerable simply looking at her. Audrina exhibited her mother’s charm. River would look at her father instead who showed by his whole body language exactly how proud he was of his daughter. She was daddy’s girl, and this was confirmed later at the dinner table when Nathan Carlson showed so much less affection or interest in his son’s affairs. The prestige that Carlson had placed on his daughter and first-born had helped develop proportionate levels of confidence and assertiveness in Audrina. She was similar in age to Ishtur who was River’s sister, and yet the polar opposite of her demure and retiring character.

  Although the Dinner table conversations would usually begin as inclusive collective discussions led by Valerie, they would soon disintegrate into separate one to one disjointed conversations. This was very much the influence of Audrina. River noticed that when he spoke to all at the table, Audrina would display disinterest in what he spoke about, yet if he talked directly to her, she would direct her full attention to him, but only briefly and sparingly. She would abruptly turn away and join another conversation that might be simultaneously taking place. Her ability to be able to follow other person’s conversations, gave River the impression that she wasn’t actually listening to him; either that or she had a very short attention span. River soon came to the conclusion that he didn’t really like Audrina, or at least her character. However when River started listening intently to Nathan discussing free running at different outside locations, he could see Audrina in his peripheral vision pursing her lips into a pretend kiss whilst running her hand seductively through her long hair. When she winked at him, River lost the drift of the Major’s conversation, which caused Nathan to look around as if searching for an obvious source of distraction. All Nathan would find was Audrina rapt in some conversation with her mother. River was not used to a girl flirting with him, and then acting so distant and disinterested the next moment. Besides this was his friend and benefactor’s daughter. River had grown up to hold some solid and unbending values, and codes of behaviour. These placed respectful behaviour to your host and his family above all else, whilst under his roof and patronage. Thus it disturbed him that he couldn’t shake off his unwarranted attraction for Nathan’s daughter. He wondered if it was because she was beautiful, and she was certainly more beautiful than any girl he knew in his own community. But he felt that the root of his distraction was different, it was her seductive glances lasting a second or less when nobody else was looking, that cast a spell on him. For a brief moment, he could sense such warmth and desire from her, before her fast mercurial mind switched tracks again.