Twin-Bred

by Karen A. Wyle

  Chapter 34

  The rumors on the cybernet were various and inventive.

  The Twin-Bred were the result of genetic experiments. Of cut-and-stitch surgery. Of some unimaginable old-fashioned breeding experiment.

  The Twin-Bred were child prostitutes. The Project compound was a luxurious whorehouse. The rich and sybaritic were entertained there by any desired combination of human and Tofa young people. The Twin-Bred who had been seen in town were the oldest, but the available selections included children as young as five or six.

  The Twin-Bred were only a front for what was Really Going On. The Project was actually building a superweapon. Producing illegal and unprecedently potent drugs in massive quantities. Communicating with other aliens, kinds that no one else had ever seen. Communicating with Terra, after all these years. Preparing for an invasion from the aliens or the Terrans or both.

  There were no Twin-Bred. It was all a hoax, done with crude costuming and swallowed by the gullible. It was a vast money-laundering scheme. The Council had used the money for gambling. For bribery. They had lost it in ill-advised investments. It had been spent on invisible clothing for the Council Chairman. It had been spent on the Chairman’s divorces from six different secret wives.

  The Twin-Bred existed, and were grievously oppressed. They were laboring in sweatshop conditions, producing everything from small electronics to clothing to medical supplies to foodstuffs. The conditions were so bad that they were constantly dying off, replaced with new victims.

  The Twin-Bred were pets. The procedures used to produce them had backfired and eliminated all intelligence. They were being used for medical experiments. They were being butchered for meat.

  The Twin-Bred had slaughtered all the human scientists at the compound and were plotting the overthrow of all human governments. Of all Tofa governments. The population would become their slaves. Their sex slaves. Their food.

  Mara slammed her tablet on the desk. It broke. It was the third she had had that month.

  The Public Relations Coordinator quietly swept up the pieces and threw them in the trash. “Mara. We simply must try something. The results of this sort of publicity are — unpredictable.”

  “Do you really think that anything we say, any stories we distribute, will make any difference? ‘A lie races around the world while the truth is putting on its boots.’ We can’t possibly catch up, let alone keep up, with all the nonsense out there.”

  “Eyewitnesses may be more convincing than all these amateur fictioneers. We’re sending out our teams when requested, but it’ll take quite a while for those reports to accumulate. In the meantime, we can invite some relatively fair-minded and credible local citizens to visit us. See what we’re really all about.”

  Mara looked around for something else to break. “Come see the exotic creatures. Careful, don’t feed them. They might bite.”

  “Mara, that attitude isn’t helpful. I must insist that you consider this idea. Consider it seriously.”

  The staff’s consensus was that it should be attempted. Mara capitulated. Contacts were employed; criteria were established; invitations were issued. The visitors would be coming.

  Judy and La-ren, Steven and Bon-tok, were present to greet the visitors, along with Mara, Carla Horn, and the Public Relations Coordinator.

  The Coordinator made the introductions and gave a short speech in welcome. The party then made its way toward the auditorium, where a short film had been quickly pieced together. Their path took them through a classroom wing.

  Ms. Flitters, society matron, suddenly stopped and stared. The rest of the party turned to see what had attracted her notice.

  “I thought — I heard something rather strange. From in there.”

  The visitors surged toward the nearest classroom. There were indeed strange sounds coming from within.

  They crowded into the doorway. Ms. Flitters staggered and clutched the gentleman to her left, who ran a taxi service and knew everyone in town. Carla Horn let out a stream of quiet profanity. The Public Relations Coordinator simply groaned.

  Poo-lat was holding Anna on a leash with one hand, cracking a whip — when had they manufactured it? — with another, and holding a hoop with a third. “Jump, human creature! Jump!” he roared. Around the classroom, twins were sitting in their best approximation of lascivious poses. Several were drinking from tall glasses filled with luminescent liquids.

  Mara laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

  “Mr. Chairman, I do, of course, apologize for what took place. But please, consider the circumstances. These young people have been trained from infancy to perform what they and we have always treated as crucially important work. They have at least the normal amount of self-respect. And they are young, with every young thing’s portion of mischief.

  “First, they are subjected — and not by us, I might add — to the most ridiculous and insulting collection of slanders imaginable. And then, we put them on display, to be gaped at. Well, they gave us something to see.”

  Annabelle Bloom ate her sandwich and listened to the gleeful retellings of the Tour Group Incident. The consensus seemed to be that the Twin-Bred had defended their honor, and a good thing too. Annabelle said nothing: her sympathies lay with the traumatized visitors. Bad enough, for the inexperienced, to subject oneself to dozens of Tofa at once, and an unknown and artificial breed of them at that. To have the frightening rumors equaled or exceeded before one’s eyes — she hoped Ms. Flitters’ nightmares were not as upsetting as her own had been, when she first arrived.

  The incident left its mark. Supporters on the Council grew fewer. But the requests still came in, and the missions went on.

  Chapter 35

  “I want to see Sel-ran again.”

  “Be frank, Mara mia. You want to see me again.”

  “Of course I do! I’m not sure why I haven’t tried it again, in all this time. Of course it was disorienting, and somewhat frightening. And I was waiting to see if anyone would find out.”

  “Which it doesn’t appear anyone did. Did you perhaps feel a bit deflated about that?”

  “And then I have this other fear, that somehow it might make you go away for good. . . .”

  “I’m not Eurydice, and you are not Orpheus, and you never promised not to look back at me. Or in any other direction.”

  “It does feel like breaking the terms of some fairy-tale bargain.”

  “Mara, if you’ve kept me around this long, despite every emotional and practical reason to cut me loose, then I don’t think I’m going to vanish in a puff of neurons because some Tofa equivalent of a psychic manages to channel me.

  “Mara? Lost for a comeback?”

  “What if I saw him more than once? What if it’s possible to see you in him, on a regular basis? Would I lose you the rest of the time?”

  “If you did, Mara, it’d be because you were satisfied with the new arrangement. And if you’re satisfied, and I still exist in some manifestation, then I don’t see the problem. And if it were a problem for you, you’d solve it. I have faith in your internal self-discipline.”

  “So when do we go find him?”

  “After breakfast.”

  Sel-ran was not in his room. Mara headed toward the dining hall, hoping to find him on his way from breakfast. She was not sure she would recognize him; if she didn’t see a Tofa she was certain was Sel-ran, she would have to find some apparently casual way to ask after him.

  There came a Tofa she did recognize: La-ren, with Judy close behind him. Here was an opportunity to ask about Sel-ran’s whereabouts. She hesitated, searching for the words.

  “Never mind, Mara. It seems we don’t have to wait.”

  It was La-ren speaking — and on his face, that same impossible smile.

  Judy stopped dead. Her face went as blank as a Tofa’s.

  Mara gripped her arms to hide her shaking. She went through her checklist: the surroundings looked as they should. She was the right age and gender. She was dressed a
ppropriately. Judy and La-ren looked as they always had, with the one stunning exception.

  “I’m awake. And it’s happening again. And not with Sel-ran.”

  “Correct on all counts. Well, this is an interesting development. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. We had no reason to think Sel-ran was exceptional. You had a few discreet tests run on him, I believe.”

  “What the hell, what the hell is going on here!”

  Judy was the one trembling now, her teeth clenched, her eyes furious, her fingers stiffened almost into claws.

  Mara moved toward Judy, who backed away.

  “Judy. Please believe me — La-ren is all right. This is a temporary thing that’s happening.” She hoped she was speaking the truth. She would not think about whether she might hope otherwise. “It’s happened before. And I’ll explain it all to you, in a few minutes. La-ren is — I don’t know if he’s doing me a great favor on purpose, or if it just happened.”

  “If it’s temporary, then make it stop! NOW!”

  Mara looked at La-ren and blinked back tears.

  “I think Judy has every right to demand the status quo ante. And it appears likely that we will have further opportunities. You and Judy need to have that discussion as soon as possible. Before anyone else becomes involved.

  “I’ll see you soon, Mara.”

  La-ren went blank and stayed blank, at least to Mara’s eyes. He turned to Judy, who ran up to him and squeezed him in a fierce hug.

  “La-ren, what happened to you! Did she do something to you?”

  “That is not how I would describe it. But I would like to be present when Dr. Cadell explains things to you.”

  Mara led the twins into a nearby vacant office, closed and locked the door.

  “I need you both to promise to keep this to yourselves, unless and until I tell you otherwise. For all our sakes. . . .”

  La-ren and Judy hurried in silence to their room and closed the door. La-ren leaned against the corner walls while Judy paced back and forth.

  “I don’t like this. It’s — it’s creepy.”

  “Judy, my dear human sister, are any of the Twin-Bred in a position to call someone creepy? If I understand creepy, it means unnatural, something frightening because it is unexpected and not fully predictable. We are all creepy.”

  “What was it like?”

  “It was like answering a knock on the door, and then stepping aside and letting someone enter. Someone who, due to unusual circumstances, asked to use the telephone.”

  “So it happened to Sel-ran, and now it happened to you. Could it be any of you?”

  “That would be a reasonable hypothesis. There are reasons not to test it.”

  “Do you mean we shouldn’t let it happen again? Or are you saying it should be just you, whenever she wants to use the damn telephone?”

  “This is interesting. You do not ordinarily cuss, and you have done so twice this morning. That usage is rare among human Twin-Bred, is it not? Our influence has damped your vocal range to some extent. . . . There is no need to be so angry.”

  “I’m as much afraid as angry, or more so. I’m afraid of losing you, or having you change. We’re part of each other, just as we are.”

  “As Levi was part of Dr. Cadell. They did not mature together, but they shared the prenatal environment, almost to its conclusion, and they are the same species. The bond is known to be strong, even at that stage. Levi’s existence, if we call it that, is evidence. And if Dr. Cadell had not lost and loved Levi, she would not have thought of the Project, and we would not exist. For that, we owe her more than understanding and sympathy.”

  “If we owe her something, so do all of us, all the twins. Why should it be you, every time from now on?”

  “There is the issue of security. The issue of creepy. Dr. Cadell has kept her Levi — past and present — a secret from everyone connected with the Project, and for good reason. Her purposes, her mental stability, her objectivity, would all be questioned if this secret were revealed. Our own security and our ability to pursue our purpose are tied to her continued position and prestige. The circle of those who know this secret should not be expanded unless absolutely necessary. For the same reason, Mara will understand the need for restraint in taking advantage of this latent connection.”

  “Will she?”

  “If not she, then Levi. I have, after all, become acquainted with Levi, and he is a canny and cautious fellow.”

  Chapter 36

  * CONFIDENTIAL *

  CLEARANCE CLASS 3 AND ABOVE

  LEVI Status Report, 10-15-87

  Executive Summary

  Mission Assignment Issues

  Some issues have arisen concerning the criteria to be used in the deployment sequence for mission teams, now that deployments are actually taking place. . . .

  Mara kept her face fixed in what she privately called her ignoring-bureaucratic-bullshit smile. “Councilman, I had hoped we would not need to revisit these matters. It was agreed years ago that the Project staff would come up with criteria and assess the readiness of particular teams in relation to those criteria. Sometimes a particular problem will require particular skills, and that need will override the list order. But you cannot expect us to base assignments on — other considerations.”

  The councilman smiled back. It looked like his telling-underlings-where-they-could-stick-it smile. “Dr. Cadell. Your Project has enjoyed an unprecedented level of funding all these years, with remarkably little interference from this Council. Those of us with relatives among your population have complied with your restrictions on the length of visits, and your reluctance to allow members of your community to travel —”

  “That was a matter of security. Of maintaining the secrecy about which the Council has been very insistent.”

  The councilman rumbled on. “We could talk all afternoon about the scientific reasons why my grandson and his Tofa partner are not your first choice for whatever the next mission turns out to be. I have no intention of jousting with you on your preferred turf." He tapped something on his tablet. "There -- I've sent you the details of a mission I've arranged, one well suited to Nathan's talents. And which you will assign to him. Call terminated.”

  Mara muttered to herself as she made a quick sketch of her adversary in an unlikely and undignified position. Then she called the head of the assignment criteria team.

  “It appears we have no choice but to accept some interference in our assignment procedures. Nathan and Li-sen are going out of turn. I'll forward you the details as soon as they've been forced down my throat."

  The man gave a quick snort of laughter. “Thanks for the heads-up. So -- this is some kind of a political set-up?”

  “That's a good guess. The councilman in question certainly doesn't seem to harbor any doubts as to how well things will go."

  “Are we going to tell the twins that they may not be dealing with a genuine conflict?”

  Mara hesitated. “Damn. Not yet. Tell them — tell them there are aspects of this mission that we can’t discuss until afterwards. For scientific reasons, to avoid contaminating the results. We’ll tell them when they come back. We’ve got that long to think of some way of salvaging their pride.”

  Nathan and Li-sen sat in the copter, rain streaking past the windows. Each had Mayor Bronson’s report on his tablet. A Tofa delegation had appeared in his office, carrying an extracted portion of some Tofa mechanical equipment. Apparently, it had suddenly broken, and they believed human sabotage to be responsible.

  “Well, Lisa, what do you think?”

  “We were sent out of rotation. The file refers to possible human sabotage of Tofa machinery in a grain production facility. You are good at engineering, which would presumably be useful in determining whether this occurred. The question is whether engineering is in fact the central issue.”

  “You think someone’s analysis of what is troubling the Tofa is incorrect? Or do you mean that if there is sabotage, the reason for it is t
he real problem?”

  “Either. Or both. I believe we should be open to multiple possibilities. And not too ready to be told how to do our job.”

  “Come in, come in!” Mayor Bronson’s greeting was notably hearty. A problem serious enough to require their assistance did not seem to have dampened his spirits.

  “You’ve seen the file. I know you’re eager to get out there and see what’s going on. But do you have any questions first?”

  Li-sen tipped a hand toward Nathan, who would be their spokesman — in that office. Nathan asked, “Was the factory accessible to humans?”

  “Well, we’re not really sure whether it’s guarded, or how well. Maybe you can find that out.”

  “Is there any possibility that there was sabotage, but that Tofa performed it?”

  The mayor seemed startled at the idea. “Now that’s one worth checking. Hmmm. You do that! But I’m doubtful about the whole sabotage idea. They’re not that mechanically sophisticated, you know. They’re probably being paranoid about something with another cause altogether. Our local Tofa are the suspicious type.”

  Nathan nodded to Li-sen. “I guess we’re ready to see the site, and meet the Tofa who need our help. How are we to get there?”

  “I’ll have someone show you the way. Then we’ll stay out of your hair. Yours, that is, young gentleman! No offense. Yes, we don’t want to get in your way. You’re the experts.”

  He summoned an underling and ushered them from his office.

  As they left the building, following the underling's directions toward the Tofa quarter, Nathan asked Li-sen, “Did the mayor’s behavior seem just a little — off — to you?”

  “That is hard to say. Now that you have planted the suggestion, I cannot trust myself to answer objectively. We could both do with some additional training in interpreting normal human expressions.”

  “Remind me to talk to the Coordinator, when we get back.”