Tally Road Original Story- Chapter 6

"Dinsam Industrial Fabrication." said Voustrets.

"And we have to go where?" asked Rairate.

"Ungovernment, just as I told you."

The cafeteria down the street from the police station wasn't crowded, though it was approaching lunchtime- the food was good for high-volume food service, but the surroundings were so utilitarian one imagined them hosed down every night to clean them. That wasn't, in fact, a bad guess.

Boodins's ears were flattened back in disapproval. "Why can't I stay behind? I don't want to have anything to do with such people."

"But that is the most brilliant part of my plan!" said Voustrets. "To have seized on you three! The Nerre can defend you, Denenke is kindred to them, and you, young Boodins, you have something they want!"

"What?" yelped Boodins, appalled.

"And why didn't you let Anzende clear the summons against me? Um, if you don't mind telling me that..." said Dene, still somewhat overawed at being so close to the famous fox-detective, one of the most colorful Estrai to live on Runge homeworlds, and by far the most colorful if you didn't count the vixens.

"My dear, they have very good data intrusion facilities, so we're going to trick them by doing nothing deceptive at all. You never showed up for your summons. In three days you will be a Class Two computer criminal in the active files of all police departments of the Runge worlds. That is your letter of introduction to Ungovernment..."

"What do they want from me?" whined Boodins.

"I suppose we could call it... your innocence!" said the sly Estrai.

Boodins' eyes went very wide. "What??"

Voustrets explained. "You are a simple Scruff-caste from Restred, are you not? You've not been exposed to the propaganda techniques."

Boodins wasn't sure whether to be offended at the Estrai's casual assumption of his lower-class origins- on Restred this was obvious to everyone, but it was intolerably rude to refer to it, and describing it as 'caste' was beyond rudeness- or alarmed at the hints of arcane propaganda. Fortunately, Dene was getting interested.

"I think I know what you mean! Sometimes I've wondered about the ads myself. You know, when it's for a vacation cruise but suddenly you're thirsty for a can of Bing?"

"Exactly!" beamed Voustrets. "The subliminals, the patterns of awareness aren't about vacations at all! You're consciously forming resistance against the will of the commercial, believing it to be for vacation cruises, but in truth its motive is quite different. The one you mention, where is the vacation you believe it's selling you?"

"Schne. ...oh!"

Voustret beamed again. "Yes, yes, 'oh!'. You understand quickly, Denenke. The desert! You're angered by this commercial, you say, I won't do anything like that! No desert for me! Why, I'll do the opposite and have a nice can of cold Bing... and the subliminals are right there to suggest it to you."

"I didn't realise it was as sophisticated as that." said Dene quietly. She was disturbed at this glimpse into the media world she'd grown up immersed in. "No rules, huh?"

Voustrets scoffed, merrily. "This is a Runge homeworld! You're asking for rules? There are thousands, millions, and none of them have any effect! Rules are lawyer kibble- they are to be eaten up by the hungry and fierce!"

Beside her, Rairate inquired, "Do these... subliminals... happen over those news-tapes as well?" He was dismayed to the point of ear-flattening- the intrusiveness of the arrangement violated everything he considered civilised, and he was considering the hotel room, and whether the kimono-like garment draped over the news tape was really enough. What if, even blurred by thin cloth, the flickering of the display was hypnotising him and persuading him of things without his permission?

The Estrai's eyes glinted with wicked amusement. If Voustrets Talanstre Laimontre had a fault (something he would hotly dispute), it was a streak of clever cruelty shared with many of his kindred, and he could not have resisted the tempation that now faced him, any more than a Tompar could avoid noticing a moving object in visual range.

"Oh yes, indeed, and that's not all- look, see the slight flickering on the salt shaker, where it is reflecting the tiny visual projector overhead?"

Rairate's ears went entirely flat, and he made a quiet mewling sound, tensing. Voustrets happily continued, the glint still in his eyes.

"It's almost finished telling you, through subliminals, to..."

Boodins and Dene jumped, startled by a bang, and turned to see the hapless salt shaker flying across the room. Rai had attacked it and physically knocked it out of his presence, his paw moving faster than any of them could see. They turned again, impressed, to see the little Nerre sitting very still, his eyes flaring with that jungle wildness that had frightened Boodins.

"Oh, I do apologize," said Voustrets. "These cheap dives, they make money however they can, you know? Finish eating and we'll get away from here."

"I am departing now, vraonse." said Rairate, with rigid self-control.

"Wait!" said the Estrai. "Before you go, you must understand that this sort of thing is what Ungovernment tries to fight. They don't like the forms of authority we have- neither the formal or informal authorities, such as the corporations programming minds to their own benefit. It's fascinating, really, the way that ties in with politics- but enough of that for now!"

The little Nerre stared hard at Voustrets, who gulped, seeing the un-tame eyes, the readiness to attack, evidence Rai wasn't in a safe frame of mind. Rairate asked carefully, "And what are we to do with Ungovernment, exactly?"

"You'll be helping them combat the tide of manipulation and brainwashing- that is good, is it not? And you can find out that information for me- what they know of Dinsam Industrial Fabrication, whether they have avenues of control into it, what their intentions are about it. Please, Rairate. And thank you- you can wait outside. 'Vranorche'."

Voustrets wondered for a moment if he'd gone too far- Rairate visibly bristled at the slur. However, the Nerre said only, "A salt shaker is not actually an enemy- you are mistaken." and padded outside, rather tensely, tailtip flicking agitatedly. Estrai and Nerre were all too similar in some ways, high-strung and clever, and the difference between Runge and Estrai was that the wolves tended to blunder into protocol violations with Nerre, but the foxes were smart enough to get into serious trouble...

Boodins was peering huntedly at the ceiling. "Where is it, and is it still broadcasting things at us?"

Voustrets relaxed- the situation was under control. "We'll go soon. But you will cooperate? I need to know these things, and it may be that you sympathise with the aims of Ungovernment."

Dene was peering upwards as well. "Oh, around about now I think you could say that. Reflecting on a salt shaker? Sometimes I cannot believe the world I live in!"

"I can't believe it either!" said Boodins. "So we're going to help these people?"

"You're going to get me that information!" declared Voustrets. "Helping them is your affair- but it'll be easier to make contact. Do that, and come back."

"And what will they do with me?" asked Boodins.

"They'll show you commercials and watch your eyes." said Voustrets. "That's all- you'd be surprised how much can be learned that way. You may be recorded, but the recordings will never be shown anywhere. You'll be a test subject. One worth his weight in cans of Bing. But now, out, let's not leave your friend waiting, he could be killing legions of street-ruffians even as we speak, it would be so messy. Out!"

They could plainly see Rairate outside, doing no such thing- his tail betrayed that he was calming himself with Nerre meditation, the flicking motion no longer present. Dene and Boodins hustled outside to join him, glancing huntedly at the ceiling.

Voustrets lingered just long enough to see them go through the door, and then gave the ceiling a smug glance before he, too, departed... and gave it a parting benediction, as well.

"Poor, maligned, ordinary flickering light fixture..."

And Voustrets Talanstre Laimontre was gone.