undermining the defence of Illyria in any other way.
‘Five. Our armed forces are to be maintained in state of red alert until further notice. We will respond without mercy to provocation by any other state.
‘Six. With immediate effect, public funding for the Unskilled Labour Replacement program is to be doubled.’
He lowered his notes.
‘I attach the utmost importance to this last decree. The program has not proceeded with sufficient speed. Illyria has been distracted by voices criticizing the expense of this program, and by malicious and unfounded rumours of technical problems.
‘No expense is too great to ensure the security of our state. And, just as our external security depends on our armed forces, our internal security depends on the possession of a reliable labour force. We must end our dependence, once and for all, on uneducated human beings.
‘In support of this last decree I will appoint tomorrow a new Secretary for Labour Replacement, who will answer directly to myself. The publication of reports and opinions critical of the program is henceforth a criminal offence.’
The President turned to one of the Goliath robots, which passed him one of those clay figurines.
Ullman held it aloft and slowly ground it into dust, declaiming as he did so: ‘No spirits, no ghosts, no angels or devils, no god, no heaven, no hell, no mysteries, no holy books! None of that is to be suffered in our Illyria. Only those things which can be measured, only those ideas which can be tested against empirical evidence!’
I was utterly exhausted. The voices became blurred and confused. Ullman’s muffled voice seemed to be shouting up from the bottom of a deep hole in the ground. When the commentator’s voice-over came on, I had the vague impression that we were involved in some sort of rescue bid here at the surface, and that perhaps I was being asked to find some rope. I’d have to watch out though because otherwise I might…
Feeling myself slipping on the mud towards that dreadful hole I jerked awake again, clutching the arms of the chair.
I downed my whisky and took myself off to bed.
* * *
When I lay down in the dark I had a few moments of that strange mental clarity that comes occasionally before sleep. I was thinking about Lucy, about Lucy being herself , and then I thought about those poor machines nailed to that gibbet in Ioannina, and how somehow they had managed to wander out of Illyria City and across the well-guarded frontier. Driven by what?
For a short time I felt that I could actually look out at the world through Lucy’s eyes.
17
Listen, listen carefully. The subject has accent type AM-3, so adjust vowel interpretation accordingly. Smile (type 1 [V22]). Ask question I-6452. What service is being requested?
‘Aral – you know go dahn on me…’
Oral?
Smile (type 5 [V61]). Ask clarifying question C-1771. Answer: affirmative.
Take subject’s hand, look at subject, smile (type 4 [V78]), lead subject to bed.
Clarification question C/I-4534. (‘Shall I undress now, or would you like me to put something else on?’) ‘Nah, just strip…’
Check. Understood?
Yes, understood. No need for further clarification questions.
Undress – routine R{U}-0972 – smile (type 4 [V11]), adopt randomized remark sequence Z-5538. Subject touches breast. (NB this is basic situation B-67, enter response field accordingly).
Touch subject’s hand, smile (type 5 [V08]). Make random choice from behavioural option sequence OS{B-67}/5. Outcome type: 1313. Take subject’s other hand and place on other breast. Gasp (G-33 [V41]). Smile (type 7 [V55]).
Observe subject’s face.
Facial muscular pattern is FM-56/99/a4.
Subject is fully satisfied. Press against subject’s hands. Commence shallow breathing.
(Facial reading: FM-56/43/h6).
Commence timing – 1 – 2 – 3…
Forty seconds have elapsed. Commence next sequence (OS{B-67}/9). Reach for subject’s trousers… Clarification question: ‘Shall I?
‘Five. Our armed forces are to be maintained in state of red alert until further notice. We will respond without mercy to provocation by any other state.
‘Six. With immediate effect, public funding for the Unskilled Labour Replacement program is to be doubled.’
He lowered his notes.
‘I attach the utmost importance to this last decree. The program has not proceeded with sufficient speed. Illyria has been distracted by voices criticizing the expense of this program, and by malicious and unfounded rumours of technical problems.
‘No expense is too great to ensure the security of our state. And, just as our external security depends on our armed forces, our internal security depends on the possession of a reliable labour force. We must end our dependence, once and for all, on uneducated human beings.
‘In support of this last decree I will appoint tomorrow a new Secretary for Labour Replacement, who will answer directly to myself. The publication of reports and opinions critical of the program is henceforth a criminal offence.’
The President turned to one of the Goliath robots, which passed him one of those clay figurines.
Ullman held it aloft and slowly ground it into dust, declaiming as he did so: ‘No spirits, no ghosts, no angels or devils, no god, no heaven, no hell, no mysteries, no holy books! None of that is to be suffered in our Illyria. Only those things which can be measured, only those ideas which can be tested against empirical evidence!’
I was utterly exhausted. The voices became blurred and confused. Ullman’s muffled voice seemed to be shouting up from the bottom of a deep hole in the ground. When the commentator’s voice-over came on, I had the vague impression that we were involved in some sort of rescue bid here at the surface, and that perhaps I was being asked to find some rope. I’d have to watch out though because otherwise I might…
Feeling myself slipping on the mud towards that dreadful hole I jerked awake again, clutching the arms of the chair.
I downed my whisky and took myself off to bed.
* * *
When I lay down in the dark I had a few moments of that strange mental clarity that comes occasionally before sleep. I was thinking about Lucy, about Lucy being herself , and then I thought about those poor machines nailed to that gibbet in Ioannina, and how somehow they had managed to wander out of Illyria City and across the well-guarded frontier. Driven by what?
For a short time I felt that I could actually look out at the world through Lucy’s eyes.
17
Listen, listen carefully. The subject has accent type AM-3, so adjust vowel interpretation accordingly. Smile (type 1 [V22]). Ask question I-6452. What service is being requested?
‘Aral – you know go dahn on me…’
Oral?
Smile (type 5 [V61]). Ask clarifying question C-1771. Answer: affirmative.
Take subject’s hand, look at subject, smile (type 4 [V78]), lead subject to bed.
Clarification question C/I-4534. (‘Shall I undress now, or would you like me to put something else on?’) ‘Nah, just strip…’
Check. Understood?
Yes, understood. No need for further clarification questions.
Undress – routine R{U}-0972 – smile (type 4 [V11]), adopt randomized remark sequence Z-5538. Subject touches breast. (NB this is basic situation B-67, enter response field accordingly).
Touch subject’s hand, smile (type 5 [V08]). Make random choice from behavioural option sequence OS{B-67}/5. Outcome type: 1313. Take subject’s other hand and place on other breast. Gasp (G-33 [V41]). Smile (type 7 [V55]).
Observe subject’s face.
Facial muscular pattern is FM-56/99/a4.
Subject is fully satisfied. Press against subject’s hands. Commence shallow breathing.
(Facial reading: FM-56/43/h6).
Commence timing – 1 – 2 – 3…
Forty seconds have elapsed. Commence next sequence (OS{B-67}/9). Reach for subject’s trousers… Clarification question: ‘Shall I?
Similar Books
