We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

Book 5: Chapter 33: Finally Working

Book 5: Chapter 33: Finally Working

Howard

December 2342

Vulcan

We’d gotten an invitation from Mark to attend a meeting in New Landing, and I noticed that it was phrased in an unusually formal manner. I checked the headers, and it wasn’t from a lawyer, so we weren’t getting sued. Bridget took one look over my shoulder and said, “They think it’s ready.”

“You sure?”

She gestured at the text on the Canvas. “That’s Mark bursting with excitement but trying to act casual. Have you not met him?”

“I can be a bit obtuse that way,” I replied. “Have you not met me?”

Bridget laughed and lightly slapped my shoulder. “Come on. We can get some lunch and still make it on time.”

“Bronto burgers?”

“Is there any other kind?”

*****

A few moments later, I sat up in the Vulcan manny pod. Bridget was already climbing out of her pod. As we straightened our clothes, I got a message from the local auto-attendant. I could see from Bridget’s slight jerk that she’d received something as well.

$1

$1

“It’s ready, Howard,” Mark added, punctuated by the rapid nods of the management team.

Now the penny dropped. Everyone here was a shareholder, because that’s how Bridget and I liked to run things. All employees had a personal stake in the outcome, and the outcome of this particular project could make millionaires out of everyone. I reluctantly conceded that a certain level of excitement was justified. Then I grinned uncontrollably.

I looked at the management team. “And you guys have a marketing plan ready, I guess?”

The leader, who had introduced himself as Hector Rodriguez, stepped forward. “We do. We have mountains of documentation, and we prepared a presentation, but”—his eyes shifted back and forth between Bridget and myself—“perhaps we can go with the short version for today.”

This elicited another smile from me and an amused snort from Bridget. I made a go ahead motion.

“We have a short- and long-term marketing strategy prepared. The benefits of the invention are obvious, but we believe that playing off the existing FUD about mannies wouldn’t hurt, as long as it’s not laid on too thick.”

“The Luddies,” I interjected.

Hector nodded. “Their whole platform has revolved around the advantages that replicants have and the innate unfairness of it all. We propose to use that directly. Sell the public on the idea that they can even the playing field and join the elite without the minor inconvenience of dying first.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed out loud.

“There’s still the issue of life span, though,” Bridget said.

“Statistically, if you are not personally exposing yourself to all the normal risks that form part of everyday life, average life expectancy should go up six to ten years, even with no other changes to habits or lifestyle.” Hector paused. “Even the terminal phase, the last five years or so of accelerated senescence, can continue to be productive using a huey. It’s not immortality.” He shrugged. “But it’s a little closer.”

Bridget nodded and glanced at me before replying. “And we’ve been funding some research into delaying the terminal phase as well. I can see this all playing well together.”

“Well, hell,” I said. “Let’s do this.”