by Kevin Gordon
hatred, deprived of innocence at such an early age.
A Designate stood in front of them. He wore the same clothes as they, the only symbol separating him from them was a small white fabric band that he wore around his right wrist. Dirty, with sunken eyes, he had presided over many such ceremonies, happy to have an audience to nest his words. He raised his hands, and spoke aloud, concluding the ceremony.
“In Holis ul-ghennis.”
“In Holis ul-ghennis,” echoed the audience. The rose, and opened their eyes. Most of them gathered around Ellore. A young man was the first to cast to her.
^Thank you for coming! It means so much to see you, to know the fight shall go on.^
^The fight will always go on, Yulod,^ cast Ellore. ^With or without me.^
A small woman grabbed Ellore’s hand, a few tears streaming down her face.
^I’m so sorry about Ksilte—he was such a good man!^ she cried, grabbing Ellore’s hand and pressing it close to her lips. ^He convinced me to come to Iggaraout, opened my eyes to the TELREC, and what they are doing. He will be sorely missed, but in your boy, I see the spark of his father’s eyes.^
Ellore looked over at Dobrin. ^Yes, there is much of Ksilte in Dobrin.^
^Ellore!^
^Drull, it is so good to see you again.^ Ellore extricated herself from the small woman’s clutches, to give Drull a long hug.
^And you. I nest Denged uncovered one of our cells?^
^Yes, unfortunately, a small one in Province nine. They were very reluctant to move, and left many things behind in their old location. Most suicided, but I fear a few may have been captured.^
Others gathered around her, nesting her words.
^Which is why we must be ever vigilant, ever watchful of the mind of the TELREC,^ she cast strongly, looking each of them in their eyes. ^They can be anywhere, disguised as anyone, their minds always probing for the weak and careless. The precautions now in place are tiresome to be sure, but absolutely necessary! Do not deviate from the established procedures, we must remain intact. I, like Ksilte, care for you all, and my heart shudders each time I hear Denged’s footsteps, or those of his Maenids. They are vile, evil creatures, that Holis has forsaken, lackeys of the TELREC.^
^Ellore, what does the future hold for us?^ asked someone in the crowd.
^I know that is the question on all your minds,^ she replied. ^It is not enough to just worship, and build a community, no matter how wonderful it may be. Many of our friends joined the Iganinagi, and were caught by Denged and executed. I know that frightened a lot of you, but we must press forward, and build another alliance. I have heard rumors of many wanting to abandon our cause and join the Ouitiano collective and live in the false haven of their cast-net paradise. That would be a shameful thing, to surrender one’s existence, to merely live in the falsehood of a machine.^
^The first, and most important thing we must do is establish a central base of operations. We must decide what our goals are to be; to bring down the TELREC? To awaken the Novan people? To discredit the Cuhli-pra? Each of these options has its own share of peril and risk. Within a dozen droas, you will know the direction we will be heading. I give you my solemn oath.^
She saw the calm spread over their faces, their questions and doubts fade away. She had seen it dozens of times before in the Iggaraouts she had visited, and would gladly spend her entire roas speaking to her people, assuaging their doubts. Dobrin clasped her hand, and cast to her the need to move on.
^Now scatter, my friends. Watch your steps, and those behind you. Meeting like this, face to face, reinforces our faith, and strengthens our resolve. Farewell!^
Ellore and Dobrin made their way out and up along service tunnels from Foundation onto the streets of Core. The crowds were thick, and pressed against the two of them as they tried to make some headway.
^Have you reached a decision?^ asked Dobrin, as he pulled his jacket tighter around him.
^No.^
Dobrin let loose his mother’s hand. She noticed he had stopped holding onto her when she was near. As much as it showed he was healing after his trauma, a part of her was sad at his newfound independence.
^You know it’s the right thing to do.^
^I thought merging with the Iganinagi was the right thing to do, and look what happened,^ moaned Ellore. ^So many of our people died, sacrificed in an instant.^
^You can’t blame yourself.^
^But I do, Dobrin, I do.^ She sighed heavily. ^I ordered those people to their deaths. So many of our best, strongest people died. We are left now with romantics and idealists, old women looking for one last thrill and brilliant youth with courage of their thoughts but cowards with their bodies. Of what use are they? How could I let any harm come to them?^
^That’s not for you to decide. They chose this path; their actions bring their own consequences. You can’t be responsible for them all.^
^You don’t understand, Dobrin,^ she said, trying to end their cesct. ^You are too young.^
She always did this when he had her in a corner, when he almost made her understand something. He stopped in the street, grabbing the fabric of her sleeve.
^You know I’m right,^ he cast firmly, ^regardless of my age.^
The cas swept over her for a moment, wrinkles seeming to appear from nowhere. Then, a smile.
^You do have a lot of your father in you,^ she cast, seeing an aspect of Ksilte in his proud confidence. ^Well, it comes down to two options. Do we ally ourselves with Suld, or fade away into the Ouitiano collective? There are rumors OLMAC and the TELREC are at odds; I can sense it on the cast-net. If the TELREC have discovered Suld’s alliance with the Iganinagi, then he may not be the right person to get close to.^
^There has to be a third option. Something other than total surrender and the gamble with OLMAC.^
Ellore thought for a moment at the thousands of people she had at her disposal.
From all walks of life they come—scientists, laborers, politicians, students, the old and the weak, strong and healthy. There are so many of them spread so far apart. I think . . . I think what I’m really afraid of, is truly taking responsibility for them. I would welcome a man like Suld to step in, and take them off my hands. I think I need to steward them, develop them into something, on my own, while the power struggle above plays out.
^I will be their leader. We shall be known as the Montansc, in honor of those long ago who first opposed the TELREC,^ she cast, coming to a decision. ^We will wait, and find what strength we have amongst ourselves. And when an opportunity presents itself, we shall seize upon it, and make the most of it.^
6
What effect did clones have on the psychology of the Novan populous? First must be examined the strength and weaknesses of clones. Clones were not as strong as meta, not as smart, but the souman body was still more flexible than a meta’s. Though people were uncomfortable with meta, they were even more uncomfortable with the ‘living dead’ which is what clones were affectionately called. Though the wealthy created them for many non-labor related uses, and the degenerate element often used them as fodder in sinclubs, they were thought of with less affection then animals. It was widely known that a meta was worth more than a clone. As such, rather than engineering a new meta, it was first determined if a clone could be used. Often they were used in services that killed them after a short period of time, or permanently injured them, which usually resulted in disposal. Though never commented about openly, it reinforced with many Novans the perception that the meta were better and more important than them, and heightened a perceived arrogance assigned to the artificial beings.
The dawn came gradually, diffuse yellows fading into orange, as one, then the two suns rose high in the Novan sky; one false, one true. Though Core never slept, kept awake by the glow of the cast-net which never faded, Kolob appreciated the ascension of the true sun above a plethora of pretenders, the rotation of Topside allowing a brief respite from perpetual claustrophobia. He didn’t wake as much as he arose, victim of a l
ong sleepless night. He made love, or had sex, he didn’t know yet which to call it. It was an awkward thing for him, trying to rise to her expectations, following her directions—he was happy that at least he was entertaining her in his suite, rather than being stranded in hers with no familiar footing. On virt-lives it always seemed so easy—two players, anticipating each other, being fulfilled by each other. But in real life, where there was no option to stop, rewind, and do things differently, he felt clumsy and awkward. He had dreamed of his first night from the first moment he masturbated, dreamed of being tall and strong, of having a woman’s eyes savor his form, having a woman’s hands undress him, and pleasure him.
Even the transition from cesct to sex was unusual for him. They had come back, from a night in an MQ, exploring the shops, Nahlai snuggling tightly to him as they wound absently through the various levels. She surreptitiously touched him in his firmness several times in their journey, and as they got back to his suite, the color of lust blinded his eyes. Nahlai had been spending a great deal of time with Kolob, drawing him closer and closer to her, gently conjuring in his heart and soul the foundations of love. They had spent many roas walking through Core, casting to one another, sitting in plazas, watching the world go by, building bridges between them that would be difficult to break. Kolob felt more relaxed with her than he did with any other person, save
