Clone City

Darvin was in paroxysms of laughter.

‘And to think, Q’zar didn’t have an inkling of what we were up to! He, Director of Security!’ It hurt so much he gripped his sides as he laughed.

Zuriko, glass in one hand and decanter in the other, was giggling so much she couldn’t pour their drinks. ‘Goes to show, he’s no match for DeeDee,’ she said to another roar of uncontrollable laughter. Then, trying to be a little more serious, she asked, ‘But, D, tell me what news of Laia and that Ord.’

‘What! You know the clone’s name too! Have we no security here!’ Darvin fell back, hooting at his joke.

‘DeeDee,’ she said again, not to be deflected from her purpose. ‘Laia may not be one of my girls, but I did recommend her,’ she pouted, offering Darvin his third strong drink.

‘And so you did,’ he replied, trying to sit up. ‘I’m afraid it hasn’t done her a lot of good. Arron was none too pleased to hear that she had been chosen for this special task. Did you know he was about to make a formal request to have her as his consort?’

‘No,’ Zuriko lied.

‘Neither did I. Pity though. Don’t know what he’s going to do about it. By the way, I saw a film of the encounter. Attractive, very attractive. I’d not noticed her before. Never mind. But, you know, your idea…’

‘Our idea,’ corrected Zuriko.

‘Our idea,’ Darvin chimed back dutifully. ‘It didn’t work out as we’d hoped. The clone totally deconstructed. Q’zar didn’t get much information, after all,’ he gagged and once more roared with laughter.

‘You mean the clone went gaga?’ asked Zuriko, dabbing a handkerchief at her eyes that were wet with tears.

‘Oh no, no, no,’ said Darvin. ’But he did do something that was very different and we’re still trying to figure it out. When he howled like an animal, what Valchek calls ‘the primal scream’, says it comes from the sub-cortical regions and is a cry for a god, he started to babble and, what’s she called again?’

‘Laia. A cry for a what?’

‘Laia, right. A god, you know…’

‘No, I don’t. Here, let me top you up,’ Zuriko said, taking his glass.

‘Well, anyway, she was rather shaken as you can imagine by his grotesque performance. But he bawled out this word as he was dragged down the corridor. Q’zar noticed it when he watched the film. It’s a word that’s not been heard before. The superstition that people attach to signs! If you can’t understand something, it’s a sign! It never fails to surprise me. Anyway, Q’zar’s looking into it – that should keep him busy!’ Once more, they burst out laughing.

‘That may explain why Laia seems so…unsettled recently,’ said Zuriko, feigning concern. ‘But how do they know it was a word and not just a…noise?’

‘Oh, they know all right. They’ve got a voiceprint that proves he said it with intention. Oh, there’s something else that Q’zar’s busy with, which I think you should know about.’

‘What’s that?’ said Zuriko, turning her back so that Darvin couldn’t see how carefully she was listening.

‘He wants to know which of his lieutenants leaked the information to one of your girls about the clone going to the Outside.’ Darvin sat up, ‘I’m afraid we’ll have to tell him. Bad form not to.’

Zuriko had expected this question and had already formed a plan. Warton had taken Chu out that night and got him well tanked up and Zuriko had seen to it that one of her girls happened along as Chu wended an unsteady course homeward. The plan was to make out that Chu had divulged this information as a ploy to entice her home. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘you know I don’t like naming names.’

‘I know,’ replied Darvin sympathetically, ‘but whoever it was, did divulge confidential information and was in breach of his duty, so I’m afraid…’

‘Well, if I must.’ Zuriko sighed. ‘My girl tells me it was Chu. It was on his way home. She said he was all over her. He couldn’t afford her so he offered information.’

‘What is it about these girls of yours that makes every man tell them their secrets!’ rued Darvin. ‘I’ll tell Q’zar. No need for you to get involved.’ After a long pause, he added, ‘It won’t be long before he starts to try to get his own back,’ and stared glumly into his empty glass.

Not wishing to remain in his cups, Darvin drew Zuriko so she sat astride his lap. ‘What will you wear to the banquet? Oh, tell me ZeeZee, otherwise how shall I know you?’

‘I shall not,’ she answered, wagging a finger at him. ‘You will have to search and find me,’ she teased. Leaning forward, she sighed huskily, ‘Oh, Dee, I’m so looking forward to it. Who will wear what? What performances we shall see! What dances we shall dance!’ Looking up, she enthused, ‘O Joypolis, jewelled city!’

As they talked on well into the night about the ball and banquet that would soon be upon them, they were aware that in every apartment both inside and outside of the Tower everyone was doing the same.

When Darvin slumped over and started snoring, Zuriko walked away from the sofa. She wanted to think how best she could set in motion the next part of her plan. She had to make sure that Laia was not on the guest list. But how? Rumour, she decided. Ugly rumours. Contact with a contaminated clone who had returned from the Outside with an evil sign upon his lips. She went into the other room, closed the door quietly and made one or two calls.