2020-03-30 - spike - Trapped again Part eleven

Author: spike
Title: Trapped again. Part eleven.
Date: 30 March 2020

The next morning, the same routine. The only change? The shower took a little longer as the ring covered him in more anti-hair gel. It didn’t seem to sting as much the second time, but he knew well enough now not to question it.

After breakfast, he called up cell forty-seven again.

Philip sat at the desk this time, munching on something.

“Sir. I thought I’d check-in. See if you managed to”

“Who the hell are… are…” He shook his head. He blinked a few times. “Fuck, I nearly lost myself again. Thank you, Eric.”

“Is it the same in the mornings, sir? Is your breakfast dosed as well?”

He sighed and nodded. “It’s just as well you checked in. I imagine I would’ve been in the same state by the end of the day as I was the last time.”

“Just cling on to your most precious memory and never let it go, sir. The birth of your son, your wedding day, something like that. Maybe even your first kiss. Let the memories guide you from those precious moments, but when you do remember, don’t just concentrate on the good times. You need to remember the bad as well. Anger might be a large part of keeping yourself together, sir. It’s a powerful emotion.”

Philip nodded. “I’ll”

The screen cut off abruptly.

“Cell, what just happened?”

“[i]Medical override. Prisoner 48996837’s screen is now being accessed by an outside agency.[/]”

Eric sighed. “So, the brainwashing continues. Let’s just hope they’re undoing it rather than reinforcing it this time. Resume the book I was last reading until it’s time to stand by my bed.”

“Affirmative.”
* * *
Eric entered the gym to find four of them waiting by the door. He walked up to them with a grin. “Let’s see if I can get your names right.” He pointed at each in turn. “Vex… I know. Errr… Zub, Mal and Ford?”

“Pretty good. He’s Mal, I’m Ford. Blood and shit though, what you put us through last time.”

“Recovered, I hope?”

All four nodded.

It was Mal who spoke next. “Where were you after that? All the rest of us take our place scaring the shit out of the greys for most of the day but… Barely saw you.”

“Gonna be like that from now on. I was busy. Why the hell don’t you do the same as me? I’d think, knowing you’re here for life, you’d want to kill time in any way possible. Must get boring as hell talking to the same six people every day for years.”

“We don’t always sit together. We mix things up a bit once in a while.”

“But why not take a course or three? Must be more interesting. If you all took different ones it’d even expand your conversations. You’d have more to talk about! As for me, two flute lessons, one after each gym session. I’m going to be very busy from now on. I got my first job.”

“Pull the other one. The waiting list for work’s miles long!”

“Special request. What I did to you last time, I’ll be doing to the greys from now on too. The instructor requested that I assist him. Ten credits.”

“You’ll be spending all day? In here?”

“Scaring the shit out the greys in ways you never could. Yes. Don’t know how long, but it will probably take up all my time when I’m not learning to play the flute.”

“I happen to like this lot. I… You won’t even get the chance to talk after the flute lesson?”

“I don’t know if the instructor gets a break. I suppose he must. He needs to eat too, after all. I might get some time, but not much. I like it that way. As long as I’m busy the years’ll fly by. Might not even realise I’ve been in as long as Howard when I get there.”

Vex’s shoulders slumped. “I hated school. Probably one of the reasons I’m in ‘ere. Had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the place, but you’re right.”

Eric nodded. “Kids usually hate school. It’s only when you’ve grown up you appreciate some of it. You’ve got a little bit more maturity… Well… Most of us do. You’ll find classes designed for adults a hell of a lot different from school. In here though, they can still punish you.”

Ford nodded. “How many were open, when you looked?”

“I think I got one of the only ones. Almost everything was fully booked. They must go through cycles though. Courses don’t last forever. Sign up to a waiting list for some subject that tweaks your interest. Even if it’s a wait, you’ve already waited… well…”

“What year is it?”

“No. Sorry. I agree with the doctor on that point. I’m taking this life one day at a time. Any period longer than that… Wiped from my mind. I don’t want to know. You shouldn’t either. It’ll only depress you. So what if you’ve been in twenty, thirty, forty years. You know you’re never going to leave anyway so why torment yourself?”

Mal glared at Ford with murder in his eyes. “I nearly ended up in bloody block eight the last time someone told me what year it was! Do not ask that! For shit’s sake! Pulled back just in time but… When he said it was 2010, I nearly floored the virus! Five years. To find out I’d been in five years!”

Eric shrugged. “Thought it was shorter?”

“No, I thought it was a lot longer. I was convinced I’d been in at least ten at that point. That meant time really had been crawling in ‘ere. I had even more of it to look forward to.”

Ford looked at Mal with alarm. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t know what… One day at a time. That’s a bloody good way of looking at it. Forget anything bigger.”

It wasn’t long before they were joined by the rest.

The conversation between them was different this time. Eric stood back and watched as the first four convinced the others of the benefits of a little self-improvement.

When the instructor finally arrived, he locked the door, activated the gym and stepped back.

“Before you lot start, I’ve got some news. Things are going to be different from now on. As Unknown here has experience in physical training, he will also have the ability to activate and lock the door. He’ll push you all and push you hard until I arrive, which means all of you will be well ahead and able to finish on time. When I do get here, he can begin his exercises.”

Eric grinned. “It’ll be a pleasure, sir.”

“Good. You know what to do, begin.”

Another good workout, another cell tidy and shower, Eric made his way to room nine to find them outside, queueing again.

“Is it locked this time?”

“Of course it’s locked.”

“Which one of you tried?” He wandered to the front of the queue and swiped his hand.

“This room is locked.”

The one at the front bristled. “I tried. Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?”

Eric towered over the man. “That might come out later when he returns our homework results. Did you do it?”

“Of course I bloody well did it.”

“Better question. Did you do it properly?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Seems fairly simple from where I’m standing. Twenty questions, all on the standard notes, rests, clefs and time signatures. How many did you even try to get right.”

“I tried!”

Eric stepped to the side. “Well try harder. I’ve been in one and a half classes so far and guess what? Only two of us are even treating this seriously! You!” He pointed at the next one down in the queue. “What’s the length of a minim?”

“What do you mean by length? They all look the same apart from the semibreve. That’s shorter!!”

“Length of time! Duration of the bloody note!”

“Errr… Quarter?”

Eric rolled his eyes. “He’s done nothing but repeat this stuff over and over and over again for two lessons and you still don’t know! Wake up, you moron! You’re here to fucking well learn! You haven’t learned a thing!” He grinned at Cerol. “You might as well step to one side, I’m only targetting the rest of them.”

She stepped forward and joined him. “I can see what you’re doing.”

Eric nodded. “You lot all groan whenever he mentions anything concerned with progressing in this bloody course. Every single one of you. You all have brains. Why don’t you know how to bloody well use them!?”

“But he doesn’t give us any access! How do you remember stuff without looking it up on Questor?”

Eric leaned in to Ceril and lowered his voice. “Take it Questor’s a search engine?”

“You’ve never… What’s a search engine? I know the… I suppose…” she shrugged. “I suppose those words do describe what it does. We call it a knowledge hub. Why don’t you know?”

“I’ll explain later.” He turned back to the one he’d been talking to. “Much as it may shock you to know this, but people had no trouble remembering things without the aid of bloody Questor for thousands of years! You may never have access to the outside net again so I suggest you bloody well learn how to use your own memory rather than rely on a computer’s!” He walked down the line. “And that goes for all of you.”

It was a man almost as big as Eric in a suit darker than Ceril’s who stepped out of the line. “You’ve got a nerve, talking to us like that. You’re not even a proper black! Besides, why do you care?”

Eric marched up, leaned forward and growled in his face. “I care because I want to learn. So does she. You’re holding us back! We would’ve been way ahead by now if you lot woke up. Tell you what. You want to bristle? You want to look all threatening and scary? Fine, but you don’t scare me. If you matched my score on that homework, I’ll let you punch me in the face! If you didn’t, it just proves my point. Not one of you is even trying!”

Ceril grinned. “And if you didn’t match my score, I’ll bloody well kick you in the nuts!”

Eric chuckled. “I think that’s fair, don’t you?” He patted the man on the cheek. “I’d suggest you brace yourself and take it like a man.”

Eric returned to his place at the back of the queue.

It wasn’t a long wait.

“Excellent. Here on time.”

Eric looked over his shoulder and grinned. “I will be from now on, sir. The instructor came up with a clever way around his problem. I’m his assistant, now. I’ll be able to start them off before he gets there, sir”

Ditton nodded. “Good. Very good.” He walked to the front and waved his hand. “Unlock and open.”

Everyone filed in and the teacher took his place at the front. He leaned on the desk and sighed. “I’ve reviewed all your homework scores and things are going to change. You will sit where I tell you from now on, based on those scores, so remain standing.”

The whole class chorused “Yes, sir!”

“Unknown. Excellent! Ninety-five per cent! Sit here.” he pointed at a desk at the front. “Baxter. You sit next to him. Eighty-five, very good. For the rest of you…” He sighed. “I will continue to read out your scores and direct you to your desks, but I’m warning you now, those with the lowest, who scored below fifteen per cent will be punished. Loss of a privilege. Those who scored less than ten, two privileges!”

Eric moved to his seat and Cerol took hers beside him.

He glanced back at the dark grey, gripped his crotch and winced. The man’s eyes widened in alarm as the scores continued. Him? At least he managed to save his privileges, but only by a hair, scoring twenty per cent. Wouldn’t save his bollocks though.

By the end of the list, five had lost one and another five, two.

Ditton did not look happy. “This is a warning. I expect your complete attention from now on. I expect you to bloody well learn or the next time someone scores less than fifteen per cent on my extremely easy homework questions, it’ll be demerit time! Is that understood? Not just the loss of a starter or the ability to visit the gym when you please but the loss of every single privilege you hold, for weeks! I’ve had enough of this lackadaisical attitude. You will learn. You will put every effort in. Every ounce of concentration or by the pox I’ll make you suffer!”

There were a few groans around the room. Eric glanced back to see the dark grey stick his hand up.

“Yes, Greuder?”

“But sir! He cheated! He even admitted it last time, saying he was reading about it before class!”

“I can assure you, he did not cheat. Don’t you think I checked? He didn’t access any of the books in his archive until after he’d completed the test.”

“But he knows more than us! He read about it.”

“And what’s stopping you from doing the same? Hmm? He’s applying himself. Something I expect from each and every one of you from now on!”

Eric tentatively raised his hand.

“Yes, Unknown?”

“I don’t mind if you copy the contents of my music folder and make my selections available to everyone, sir.”

“Thank you. That’s an excellent idea. Computer, access the home storage area of Prisoner 50095223 and display.”

As usual, a screen popped up before him. He smiled and pointed. “Look! Three folders, each containing books. Carpentry, musical instrument manufacture and flute and notation. Computer, open the flute and notation folder.”

There were a few books. He nodded.

“Which books have you started on, Unknown?”

“Two of them, so far, sir. “On musical notation using the standard staff.” and “The flute. An introduction,” sir.”

“Computer, copy all books from the currently open folder to the home storage areas of every member of this class. Highlight the book “On musical notation using the standard staff.” and record reading statistics. Pass those on to me.”

“Affirmative.”

He glared at the class. “That will be your homework, not just for today. No questions this time. Your homework will be to read the first two chapters of the book I just highlighted and I will know if you read it. The computer will inform me. I expect you to complete it before the next wakeup. Anyone who fails… You know what happens.” He smiled at Eric. “I take it you’ve read the first two chapters?”

“Yes, sir. Up to chapter four, sir.”

“Then homework for you is suspended this time. You’re free to continue with it if you wish and I’m sorry, but… As everyone else scored so poorly, it’s back to the start again. Baxter, Unknown, if you wish, you can be excused for today. It seems I have a remedial class to teach.”

“Thank you, sir. Before we go… What questions did we get wrong?”

“Good point. Very good point. Can’t learn if you don’t know your mistakes. In your case, you got a rest symbol wrong in the last question, meaning you had one too many sixteenths in the bar.” He turned his attention to Cerol. “And you, you got question twenty right, but made a similar error with the previous three. You both just need to brush up on your rests.”

“Thanks, sir.” Eric turned. “Coming, Cerol? I could even introduce you to the blacks… They’re not nearly as frightening as they like to make out.”

“Why not? I’ve got the biggest black in the prison as protection.”

Eric nodded and they both stood beside the door.

“Oh, of course. My apologies.” The teacher jogged across the room. “Unlock and open.”

They stepped through and the door closed with the opposite commands.

“Before we get to the communal area…”

“Yeah?”

“Well, you did ask. Why didn’t I know about Questor?”

“Yeah, why didn’t you? It’s one of the biggest companies on the planet. Has been for decades.”

“OK… Here though, not out there and I don’t want you spreading it about just yet. Only if I give the go-ahead.”

“What’s so secret? You’re inside for the rest of your life anyway so what does it matter?”

“You’ve seen how thick some of them are. Stupid people tend to react to unusual things quite violently. Anything unfamiliar, beat it rather than deal with it. I imagine that’s why a lot of them are in here.”

“Go on, then.”

“How familiar are you with the scientific advances of a few years ago?”

She shrugged. “Depends what year you’re talking about.”

“OK. I won’t say what year it is now, but… Maybe, twenty-sixteenish? Scientist made a breakthrough. Well, what he thought was a breakthrough. I suppose he might be the first person to produce the effect artificially.”

“Still not any clearer?”

“Damn, what was it Medeline called it? Quantum schisms? The ability to travel to alternate or parallel worlds? Quantum realities? I don’t know how it was described here.”

“I remember a news story with an old git vanishing and reappearing on a news feed. He made assurances that it wasn’t a camera trick and then did it in public a few times just to prove it. It was just before I was arrested though so, what happened after that’s anyone’s guess.”

“That’s why I’d never heard of Questor. Where I’m from, a company that supplied a similar service along with email, various online office applications and gps mapping… That was called Google. Here, Questor’s probably a similar thing. I’m from one of those other realities. A very distant one.”

She snorted.

“Oh, I can assure you, I’m telling the truth. What that professor could do with a few electronic gadgets, I can do without. Look at my hand.” He held it up, shifted and made it vanish.

She stepped back in shock.

“A few years ago, when I first encountered this world, I stole a few computers. Amazing things when you consider the most powerful thing I’d seen before that was a cube from about forty years ago and the ones from my world, something that powerful wouldn’t even fit in a room.”

“And that’s why they arrested you?”

“That’s why I let them arrest me, yeah. I had a computer on me loaded with medical data but they blocked it the moment I was seen. I’m the one who introduced this world to the concept of antibiotics because, in mine, they were discovered in the nineteen twenties. Been in use back there for decades. Here, not a blip until I uploaded all that data. Now? I’m stuck. I’ll just have to serve my sentence. No way out even with the vanishing hand trick. The annoying thing is I still haven’t completed the mission I returned for. Delivery of a data package with more of the same.”

“So, the whole the police erased you, stuff…”

“Oh, I would’ve been more than happy to supply them with all the information they could’ve requested if they’d bothered to ask me before implanting this thing.” He waved his hand. “But no, they didn’t erase me. Still lumbered me with the name Unknown though. They still nearly killed me in the police cell. The reason I didn’t have any identity is because here, I wasn’t born. My parents weren’t born. I very much doubt my great-great-grandparents were born. Very long way back to mine, from here.”

“So, you can just… poof… Vanish into thin air?”

“Here, I can make bits of myself vanish. Just not this hand.” He waved his left hand again. “This leaves the world and every alarm in the complex goes off. I’m just as much trapped here as you are.”

“What’s it like?”

“Useful. Out there, normally? Access all areas. Free food, free money, free travel. Back home, though, I treat that world with respect. I treat the people there with respect. Even here, when I stole those computers I left something more valuable in return. I prefer not to steal unless things get desperate, though. Well, big things anyway. A little five-finger discount from a food shop or a trip north on the maglev never really hurt anyone.”

“Why are you trusting me? You don’t know anything about me!”

“I know you’re committed. I know you care. I know you want to learn, just as I do. Besides, what better way to build a friendship than place some trust in someone?”

“Don’t worry… I’ll fill you in if you have any more Questor moments.”

“Thanks. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Back out on the floor, Eric ushered her to the table. “Lads, I’d like to introduce you to Cerol.”

Wall looked up and smiled. “I thought you were in flute lessons until you had to go back to the gym.”

“He gave us homework to complete before lights out. We’re the only ones who did well in it. The only ones who want to learn. That lot, morons the lot of them. None of them got even half right. Ten of them lost privileges because they scored so badly so he’s going over the whole lot again. As we didn’t need it, he’s let us out.”

“So, we’ve got a couple of budding Verana’s have we?”

Eric leaned in to Cerol and muttered. “Famous flautist?”

“Yeah.”

“Dunno about that, yet. We’ve not even touched a flute. The way the rest of them are going that could be months away. You might like what’s to come, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“Very dark grey. Man called Greuder. When I walked up and down the line telling them to put some effort in, he was the only one who faced up to me. I told him if he matched my score, I’d let him punch me in the face. He’s due a kick in the bollocks instead.”

“Eric! You know what happens!”

“Don’t worry about me. She’s the one who made that promise.”

The table erupted into laughter.

Col stood and extended his hand. “Welcome. Looks like we’ve got our first honorary black and we might have some entertainment later. Pull up a couple of chairs. We were just about to have a game of Gravia with that lot.”

Eric grabbed a couple from one of the empty tables around them. “I’ll watch for a while. It’s years since I played it. Not even sure I remember how.”

How nodded and placed his hand on the panel. “Table. Gravia. Two new players, Eric and Cerol. Put Eric on watch mode. Connect to table six and issue a challenge.”

What appeared was eight incredibly detailed planets orbiting a central star. Some had moons. Each main sphere was a different colour.

A moment later, the screen split and a second solar system appeared.

“Eric, your planet’s the blue/purple one. Join the game by touching it and selecting active mode. Cerol, you’re the ice planet.” Howard prodded a yellow and black one with three moons.

The sphere expanded to show continents and huge cities that seemed to cover half of each.

Clearly this was something he’d been doing for years as he swept his fingers here and there, readjusting this, selecting that, moving it to somewhere else.

He swept his hand across the screen and the solar systems reappeared. He selected a planet in the other system and a ship launched from his. A circle appeared before it and it vanished as it passed through, emerging near the one he’d selected.

So, some kind of trading game? Eric started paying more attention to the screen layout than the gameplay itself. “I’d forgotten how complicated this thing was. I might need to nip to my cell and refresh my memory on how to play before I join in. Take it there’s a tutorial on the screens?”

“There is.”

“I won’t join in this time, then. I’ll do that before lockdown tonight. I’ll just watch.”

As each of them took their turns, Eric began to realise just how deep this game was. It wasn’t just resource management. It was like a cross between a world building game like Civilisation, a space trading game like Elite and you could even really zoom in and control individuals on the planets themselves and perform very small tasks. You could innovate, invent, build, explore… There didn’t seem to be any limit to what was possible.

“Is this available in the cells too?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Can you still play each other on them after lockdown? Or is it just doing the fiddly things with your own planet when you’re in there? I know you can hold conference calls. I could talk to all of you on my screen and everyone would see everyone else.”

Howard stared at him. “You what?”

“You didn’t know?”

“Shit! I’ve been here years and never even tried that! You’ve been here less than a week and most of that was in the hospital! How did you figure it out?”

Eric shrugged. “I just spotted someone I recognised. Someone I don’t particularly like, and called them. They called someone else and added them to the conversation, so I know it’s possible. I asked the cell after and it said ten could talk at the same time.”

“So, you know someone here?”

“Medeline’s the only name I have for her. She’s on level five. Had a little… disagreement with her a few years ago. She’s still not seen me in black. I took my tunic off before calling her. I’m gonna scare the shit out of her eventually. Best thing is, she’s grey seven.”

“Why’s that a good thing?”

“Sevens have their own sword of Damocles.” Eric tugged on his tunic. “Almost hope she lashes out at the sight of me. She’ll be wearing black in no time, too, then.”

“What did she do?”

“Retro.”

“Oh, bloody shit!”

“I know. The whole lot of them are truly retarded. Retro’s too nice a term of them, they’re morons.” Eric put on a mocking tone. “Ooh, let’s bomb places, that’ll get people on our side! Far better to work with people than force them away. Teach, not torture.” Eric detected some movement to the side and chuckled. “And speaking of torture. Looks like our class just finished.”

Cerol giggled, stood, made her way to the door and stood beside it, waiting.

The others in the class spotted her and rushed to the nearest tables to get a good view.

Then he came out. He looked around at the sudden lack of classmates, spotted her and stepped back, sweat beading his brow.

“Now come on Cerol. There’s”

“Would you have punched Unknown if you’d matched his score?”

“Course I bloody would.”

“Did you match mine? No. Not even close.” She walked up to him, smiled sweetly and kneed him in the groin.

He doubled over with a grunt.

“Bloody well do what he said. Learn.” She glared at the rest of the class, all watching eagerly. “And that goes for the rest of you.” And with that, she returned to her seat beside Eric.

Howard beamed. “Eric…”

“Yeah?”

“You were right. Some of the greys are worth knowing. Cerol, you’re double welcome to join us whenever you like.”

Celis smirked. “Thank you. Bet you’ve all got more interesting stories than that lot, too. I’d be glad to.”

“Not that interesting, when they’ve all been told a dozen times or more.”

Eric shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know about that… Fresh ears, this time. Two sets of ‘em too, cos I’ve not heard them either, but right now… I’d better get to the gym. ” He nodded at the door opposite. Dark greys and lots of them heading for that corridor. “When do you have yours, Cerol?”

“We don’t worry about time. You know that. After flute. How long after is anyone’s guess though.”

“Are they all split into their separate shades?”

“All fives. All sixes from what I’ve seen. It’s only four and below that get to mix in there.”

“So that means…” Eric chuckled. “Our friend Greuder. He’s a six isn’t he? And that’s them. I’m going to enjoy this job. I’ll see you later.”