The Saffron Malformation

by Walker, Bryan

  Quey smiled a bit. He didn’t feel like it at first but once he started talking he didn’t stop until the simulation had ended. Ryla listened well. He’d expected her to sit and stare blankly at the screen in front of her but she laughed when something was funny and asked questions when she was curious or didn’t understand. He enjoyed telling her about things like why people might do this or that or explaining things in his stories that she didn’t grasp. It gave him a perspective on things he hadn’t considered before. He wasn’t as good at the explaining as Rain was, but he liked to try, besides, it was the only time he didn’t feel stupid around her.

  As she was going over the data he said, “Maybe when the next simulation starts you can tell me about your sister.”

  Ryla looked at him, considering. “Okay,” she answered in her smallest voice. “I don’t think it’ll be very funny.”

  He laughed slightly. “I’d still like to hear.”

  Rain burst through the doors, smiling. She was up to something and mighty proud of whatever it was too. “Come on you two,” she said as she approached with a not too subtle spring in her step.

  “Come where?” Quey asked.

  “We are going downstairs to have dinner.”

  “My present function is not complete, there are multiple simulations yet to run,” Ryla informed her.

  “Simulations shminulations,” she replied. “I’ve already put the order into the computer. Everyone’s going, no exceptions, no excuses.” Rain smiled brightly. “It’s going to be a feast,” she concluded with a big gesture. Nothing could draw you in like Rain when she was enthusiastic about something. Quey would have bet money she sold most of her jewelry based on her love of the pieces alone.

  Ryla looked over at Quey and he shrugged. “It’s been a good long while since I’ve had a feast.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever had one, if I understand the definition properly,” Ryla said.

  “Well no time like the present,” Rain said and grabbed them both by the hands pulling them to their feet. Quey noticed how Ryla didn’t flinch or move away from Rain when she grabbed her hand and felt a twinge of jealousy as Rain herded them toward the elevators and the first floor. Of course along the way he realized it was his own fault. Rain had earned that trust and he hadn’t.

  Rain had had Arnie help her with one of the large round tables in the restaurant on the first floor. They’d found a cloth that she threw over the table—she wasn’t sure if the cloth was supposed to be a table cloth or not but it worked so she didn’t care. Then she’d had him help her set the places, finding plates and bowls and flatware and glasses for everyone. After that she’d prodded the people on the third floor into the elevator and down to the first before setting off to find Ryla and Quey. Now they were all standing together looking at the set table.

  “Sit,” Rain said, gently pushing Quey and Ryla into adjacent chairs. She settled in next to Ryla and Arnie took his place beside her as the others joined. Rain smiled when she saw Leone sit between Quey and Amber with Natalie beside her daughter and then Rachel and Reggie. “Good,” she said as Botler helped Barbot fill glasses with wine, save Rachel who declined when one of the bots held the bottle out to pour. Rain waited for the bots to finish before she began, “I know I was a little pushy getting you all here,” and they laughed, even her. “But there’s a lot of tension about and a lot of bad on our minds and I just thought it was important for us, as a group to come together and remember that no matter what happens, we are all on each other’s side.” She lifted her wine glass. “We are a family of friends,” she said.

  Quey snatched up his glass and raised it. “We’re a crew,” he added and Rain let him. “That’s what we called it on the streets and in the camps. The people you ran with, those that had your back, the ones you could pull cons and thefts with because you knew if they got pinched they’d sit in jail and never rat you out, they were your crew. That’s what we have.” Everyone watched him, his eyes reflecting the intensity in his words. “That’s what we have they don’t, not Blue Moon not the Brood and sure as shit not the fucking Once Men. That’s what we have and that’s what makes us mighty.”

  Reggie lifted his glass and said, “Fuck yeah.”

  Quey looked to Ryla and nodded for her to take up her glass. “Every one of us,” he said to her more than anybody. Then he turned to the rest and said, “No exceptions. We stick together and there’s nothing that’ll stop us all.”

  They toasted an oath then, all their glasses touching over the center of the table declaring past indiscretions and mistrusts set aside. From here on out they weren’t nine people, they were one crew.

  Rain wasn’t lying when she’d said she ordered a feast. The group watched as Botler and Barbot relayed back and forth from the kitchen to the table carrying platters. There was a turkey and a smoked ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables in cream sauce, cranberry bread, and bread brushed with a garlic and herb butter that had been toasted lightly, baked beans and coleslaw. The table buzzed with excitement as each dish emerged and was set on the table. They passed each one as the next was on its way and then finally there were no more and they tried what Ryla’s robots (cookbot mostly) had prepared.

  “Oh wow,” Rachel said through a full mouth, her eyes flaring.

  “Our compliments good sir,” Rain said, raising her glass to the robot standing behind the bar with an apron painted down his body. Quey watched the robot use a spatula to salute the compliment, then he noticed Ryla smile at Rain. He thought he was starting to understand why Ryla liked Rain so much. She treated the robots like anyone else and she did it without effort. It was the natural playfulness she possessed that not only animated her expressions but also allowed her the ability to so easily bestow intimate objects with personalities and feelings.

  Empathy, he realized, was what she had in greater abundance than anyone he’d ever known. As he watched her and Ryla exchange a brief word and then Ryla laughed he sat back and watched. She was laughing harder than he’d ever seen and it was because Rain had made an effort to speak in her language, one that saw the world in terms of numbers and programming. He watched Rain and understood why it was impossible not to want her all to yourself. And he understood why she’d been allowed to touch Ryla so easily.

  Her compliments to the chef had been followed by a mutter of agreement around the table and then by silence save the sounds of forks and knives working eagerly as the group ate greedily for a spell.

  After a bit Reggie glanced around the table and said, “You know this is what we used to call shut the fuck up good.” Slight laughter was muffled by the food in the mouths it came from.

  “Yeah,” Leone added after a moment, as he looked at Rain, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard my sister quiet this long before.”

  This laugh was a bit less slight.

  “Oh, what’s this,” she joked, as she cocked to one side against the back of her chair, fork loosely pointed toward the boy. “What? We’re funny now, is that what’s happening? We’ve got jokes now? Two sips of wine and we get jokes.”

  Leone shook his head, smiling as he finished chewing and swallowed. “Not at all. We do not have jokes. I have jokes. I’ve heard Quey tell jokes.”

  “Arnie had a joke once,” Amber chimed in with a smirk.

  “That’s right,” Leone said as if he’d just remembered, “Thank you for reminding me, Arnie did have a joke, just last week.” Rain was peering at him as he grinned, her face was scrunched and waiting for him to finish so she could find a way to get him.

  “I’m funny,” Reggie declared through a mouth of food and everyone laughed.

  “That you are,” Quey said, lifting his glass to him before taking a sip.

  “Hell I believe just this morning our lovely hostess herself told a joke,” Leone continued, acknowledging Ryla. “But you,” he shook his head, “No jokes.”

  Ryla leaned toward Rain and asked quietly, “This is sarcasm?”

  “Just playing ar
ound,” Rain replied so only Ryla could hear. Then she turned back to her bother and said, “I think someone’s trying to show off for a pretty girl. You gunna take her to the pool and- Ou!” She jerked in her chair then yelled, “You kicked me!” she stared at him, features overtaken with surprise. “I can’t believe you kicked me.”

  “It was just a tap,” he protested.

  “Another and I’ll tap your head,” she warned, playfully.

  He looked around and said, “That’s funny… I don’t see any ladders around.”

  She was stunned for a moment then started to chuckle as a round of laughter roared across the table. Reggie had to cover his mouth with a napkin to keep from spitting food. Quey leaned back in his chair, watching the two of them, eyes bouncing from one to the other like he was watching a tennis match. Rachel watched Rain with wide eyes, she couldn’t wait to see what would come next.

  “Oh, okay. I see how it is. You know one day you’re going to regret being so mean to me. When I’m all old and feeble and sad because this is the only memory I have of you you’re going to regret it.”

  “What’s that? I’m sorry, I fell asleep while you were going on.”

  The table laughed again.

  Rain gave him the stink eye and said, “You do realize I still have all the pictures saved on my sheet.”

  His smile faded.

  “Maybe I’ll just go get that,” she feigned getting up.

  “You’re not nice,” Leone told her.

  “And nobody likes you,” she replied as she fell back onto her seat.

  There was a moment where they looked at each other, trying to hold back from laughing. Finally Quey said, “Alright children, play nice,” he said to Leone, “No more jokes about how Rain here needs a stool to reach the top of her own head.”

  “Hey,” she said, shifting her focus to him.

  “And you, don’t embarrass the kid, he’s doing well enough in that on his own.”

  They laughed.

  “Awe let ‘em go,” Reggie chimed in. “Longer they go on like this, the more I can sneak onto my plate.”

  There was another laugh as the big man took some more potatoes.

  Wine flowed as they ate slowly until stuffed. When Leone held his glass up for Botler to fill a third time Rain said, “You’re getting pretty deep in that glass.” He met her gaze for a long moment. “I’m not telling you to stop,” she said, holding up her hands, “just don’t get sloppy on me. Spent enough years cleaning up your puke already.”

  Leone lowered his glass, still empty, to the table and drank some water instead.

  When Botler came around to ask if they would like a dessert a groan passed around the table. Reggie patted his belly and said he might actually die if he ate anything more.

  With their bellies full the conversation picked up and slowly led them to drift. Quey and Reggie started a banter that ended in them heading off to settle their billiard dispute. Leone and Amber said they were heading back up to the third floor, they wanted to play some games or watch something on the holoscreen. Ryla said she wanted to go check on the simulation and start the next cycle and Rachel said she’d go with.

  “Alright but no lingering,” Rain said. “Tonight we have fun, together.”

  “Okay,” Rachel promised and the two started off.

  “Hey Ryla,” Rain called and Ryla turned, spinning to face her without missing a step, her skirt flaring out around her legs as she spun. “You too,” Rain added as Ryla continued walking backwards. Ryla nodded once, spun again and continued toward the elevators.

  Rain took a sip of wine, “Think that went well?” she asked Arnie.

  He caressed her back and said, “Indeed I do my love.” Then he kissed her on the temple and she smiled and threw her arms around him.

  “Thank you for helping,” she said.

  He chuckled and thought, ‘As if there was an option.’ Instead he simply said, “You’re welcome.”

  From the other side of the first floor Reggie laughed heartily and Quey shouted, “Son of a bitch.”

  Rain grabbed Arnie's hand and led him to the game room where the two men stood on opposite sides of the pool table.

  “Fine,” Quey continued as Reggie laughed. “Take the last of a man’s favorite shine, be that guy.”

  “Don’t worry brother,” the big man assured him, “I’ll let you have a sip.”

  “Is that the pumpkin?” Rain asked.

  “None other,” Reggie replied.

  “Awe, sad,” Rain pouted.

  “Don’t worry darlin,” Reggie told her, “I’ll share.”

  Rain smiled brightly, “Happy.”

  “Another?” Reggie asked with a grin.

  “No way,” Quey replied. “I’m done with this broke ass table. Must be warped or cursed or something.”

  They laughed at him. “There’s something wrong all right,” Natalie said. “I think the user chip is lousy.”

  He looked at her, head cocked slightly as another round of laughter filled the room. “Right,” he said. “Poke your fun, how about you play then miss stand there and watch.”

  He held the cue out to her and she took it. “Fine I will.” She went to the table and sunk the two balls Quey had left on the table with a single ricochet shot and said, with a sly smirk, “Table seems fine to me.”

  Quey nodded, defeat tightening his face, and bowed slightly.

  Rain looked at him and asked, “Just how is it you spent your entire youth surviving on hustles and cons and never learned to shoot pool?”

  He looked at her, trying to pretend he was mad but instead he laughed.

  “Because Dusty was the shark,” Reggie said.

  “Sure was,” Quey agreed.

  “Yeah,” Arnie chimed in. “That man couldn’t be beat at billiards or darts.”

  Natalie turned to Reggie and said, “What do you say we play for one of those bottles?”

  Reggie threw up his hands, “I just saw you shoot. How about I just give you one and we play for fun.”

  There was a murmur of laughter and Natalie said, “Wrackem.”

  After a time Rachel returned alone, she saw Rain looking at her and assured her that Ryla was just starting another simulation cycle and would be back shortly. “Come on you two,” Rachel said to Rain and Arnie, “Lets play teams.”

  Rain told Arnie to, “Go on.”

  They tried to insist she join them but she said, “I will in a bit, besides you can’t play with five.”

  They knew she was right so they let it go and Reggie and Rachel teamed up to take on Natalie and Arnie. Truth was Rain was ready to go look for Ryla as soon as she was done with her glass, but before she could finish it she saw her coming around the stairs. She watched as her feet moved with the music playing softly over the speakers, it almost looked like she was tap-dancing or doing one of those old Irish jigs. Then she spun on her toes and lifted a leg high in the air in a smooth motion, as if it weighed nothing. Rain smiled at Ryla beginning to enjoy the company of others.

  Her foot found the ground again and she began to walk, lightly and in time with the music.

  Botler came by and offered Rain more wine. She smiled at him and held up her glass then moved it slightly when he raised the bottle to pour. He readjusted and she moved again and laughed as he stared at her. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was just playing.”

  “Verrrry good, Madame,” he said. Then he made a noise that must have been meant to be a laugh, though it was just him barking “hahaha,” in his strange accent.

  Rain let him fill her glass and said, “Thank you very much kind sir,” before giving a curtsey.

  “Most welcome,” he replied and started away.

  Quey stepped over to Rain and said, “Got a mighty fine way with them.”

  Rain peered over at him. “The robots you mean.” He nodded and she said, “Eh, its nothing. Probably comes from having too many stuffed animals as friends when I was a kid.”

  “Naw, it’s something
else I think. Something Ryla sees. Its good though.” Rain looked at him as he looked down into his glass and took a long self-conscious sip of wine. “I’m glad you’re here. I like to think I’m her friend, maybe I am, near enough, but you… you’re the real deal.”

  Rain smiled at him, “You are too, and you could be.”

  He shook his head, “She doesn’t trust me… any of us,” he corrected. “Just you.”

  A silent moment passed and finally Rain said, “I think it’s that you all have a question at the front of your mind.”

  Quey looked at her. “And you don’t?”

  She shrugged. “Sure, I might have been curious but…” she thought for a moment and finished, “I just don’t care about the answer.”

  “Neither do I,” he replied. Then conceded, “Not really.”

  “You’re telling me no part of you doesn’t want to know right now? That you don’t want to ask, even as we stand here discussing it?”

  He looked down, too ashamed to answer.

  “For fuck sake Quey she accidentally built a psychopath that wants to murder her because she missed you.” Quey looked over at Ryla, standing outside the group, watching. “She thinks the only reason you want to touch her is because you’re trying to figure out whether or not she’s a robot.” His eyes snapped to her. She saw sadness deep in them and assured him, “Yeah, that’s right.”

  Rain laid a hand on his arm and nudged him, “I know you like her.”

  “I’m intrigued,” he replied and took a drink.

  “Oh, drop the shit,” she chided him. “You think she’s pretty. And gentle and sweet.”

  “Talented,” he said softly. “I like the way she moves as if her whole life is a dance,” he admitted. “You ever see it?” Rain nodded with a smile. “Like wind through fallen leaves.”

  Smiling Rain agreed, “She is graceful. But for some reason you think if she’s a robot all that’ll change.” Quey stood still and silent in his shame. “You ever think that’s why she doesn’t want you to know? That she doesn’t want you to stop looking at her like that, or base if its okay to look at her that way or not on what that knowledge reveals. You know who she is,” Rain told him and he looked at her. “What’s it matter what she is?”