Manifestations (17 page)

‘Tish. As a mother myself, I can assure you she is very proud. Have you heard of my campaign?’

‘Only a little ...’ By which she meant not at all.

‘I don’t want to bore you at a party, but perhaps if you have the time, I could tell you how important it is to bring technological equality to every inhabitant of Earth. Humanity is leaving its cousins behind.’

‘Cousins?’ Charlotte asked.

‘All the animals on this world are our cousins, my dear. Why should they not enjoy the fruits of our technology like we have? Why shouldn’t animals have the option of rejuvenation? Or to have symbiots that monitor their health?’

Charlotte was confused. ‘I mean no offence, Ramona, but they are just animals. Do we not try to help them live as naturally as possible? That’s why we have the wilderness parks.’

‘As naturally as possible? We do not apply that rule to ourselves, dear, do we? And I think we both know how natural the parks are. We humans use our technologies selfishly, so we can have two lives and they only one.’

‘Rejuvenation is still a new technology.’ Charlotte tried to block the woman’s momentum, but she was off on her spiel.

‘We are the caretakers for the whole planet. Whether placed here divinely for the purpose or not, we must take care of our fellow Earthlings.’

‘I have never thought of it that way. Please send your campaign summary to my people for us to take a look at.’

‘You will? Oh, thank you, Charlotte. I knew it was a good thing you were on the Primacy.’

‘Excuse me,’ a voice said to her left. Charlotte turned to find a chrome servitor standing beside her. She felt her heart drop. ‘Ellizabeth Betts would like to speak with you.’

‘Very well, then. I’m sorry, Ramona, I must attend to my mother.’

‘Of course, of course. I’ll look for you later. Tootle.’

‘Lead the way,’ she said to the robot.

She was led further up the hill towards the ruins, where a striped tent sat under the main canopy, providing seating for the party-goers who preferred to sit and have the facilities close to hand.

Charlotte followed the servitor to a tent where her mother was sitting at a dressing table, tucking away every stray hair and dabbing away every imperfection.

‘You’re about to give your speech then,’ Charlotte said.

Ellizabeth Betts turned around to face her. Those famous green eyes looked Charlotte up and down, peeling her strip by strip. She found she couldn’t meet those eyes and looked away. She managed to notice her mother’s face looked very thin and an elegant gloss cane leant against the table edge.

‘You are looking very well, Charlotte. Thank you for coming.’

‘Thank you for the invitation, Mother.’

The green eyes looked squarely at her face. Charlotte couldn’t quite read the expression.

‘You don’t have to call me that if you don’t want.’

‘What would I call you instead?’ Charlotte asked.

‘You haven’t spoken to me in thirty-eight years. Perhaps I don’t need a name?’ Her mother’s eyebrows peaked in the middle, the sign of a rhetorical question she dared people to answer.

‘This is going well, isn’t it? I think I should just say happy birthday and leave you to it,’ Charlotte suggested and made to leave.

‘I would like it if we could clear the air,’ Ellizabeth said crisply.

‘Not now, Mother.’

‘Then when? I have been waiting a long time to talk with you.’

‘You could have come to me.’

‘I did not think that you wanted that.’

‘Well ... but ... this is a party. A celebration of your centenary. Can’t we keep it pleasant?’

‘I do not want to celebrate while my own daughter hates me.’

‘I don’t hate you.’

‘Please don’t deny it. The only reason you came here tonight was to help your cause. Don’t you find it poetic that the reason you are pretending to forgive me is the same reason you believe you are upset with me?’

‘You think the only reason I came here is for political reasons?’ Charlotte asked.

‘Of course. Let’s not start our new relationship with lies, Charlotte.’

‘Okay, then. I admit it. I came because Max said your support would help my position.’

‘Well, I guess I should thank him for that.’

‘He is here with me.’

‘I know.’ Her mother smiled placidly.

‘Would you like to meet him?’ Charlotte asked.

‘No, thank you.’

‘He is my most trusted advisor.’

‘He is using you.’

‘You don’t know anything about it.’

‘Do not pretend with me, Charlotte.’ She tapped her hand on the table and her words became hard and clear, chipped. ‘You have to grow up. You are in the Primacy now.’

‘That’s right, and I would have thought I would get a little more respect from my own mother.’

‘I’ll show you respect when you stop deceiving yourself. You know very well this Monsieur Angelo is using you.’

‘Everyone uses everyone, isn’t that how the world works?’

‘Why do you persist with this?’

‘As if you have to ask,’ Charlotte spat.

‘What have I ever done to lose your trust?’

‘What have you done? How can you forget? You —’

The elder Betts raised her hand, seemingly to slap her daughter, but she just meant to cut the flow of Charlotte’s railing. When she spoke again, her voice was perfectly calm. ‘My darling, I know why it is you are upset with me, but I do not agree that you have justification.’

‘How can you talk to me like this? I am your daughter.’

‘I know. And it is because I love you that I am trying to help.’

‘When you say it that way, it sounds so warm and caring.’

‘You wouldn’t believe it no matter how I said it. Would you?’

Charlotte held her tongue.

‘I thought not.’

‘Mother, let’s just start over. Just pretend it never happened.’

‘No.’ She took the cane from beside the table and stood up, using it to strike the floor to emphasise her points. ‘Bettses do not ignore their problems.’ Tap. ‘We talk them through until they are worked out, or we part ways until you are ready.’

Charlotte knew Max wouldn’t want her to leave. It would look bad. Very bad. The same people who supported her crossed over with the Civilisation Society, BARD and all the other fuddly groups Ellizabeth was a part of. Her mother was staring at her with the fierce judgement she remembered. The woman could see everything she had ever done wrong.

‘Why did you let them use me?’ Charlotte asked.

‘Was it my place to stop them?’

‘Yes. Mothers are meant to protect their children.’

‘I tried to teach you everything you would need.’

‘But you knew what was happening.’

‘Of course I did. But you had accepted your Citizenship. I had to respect your right to choose.’

‘Because it helped you.’

‘Your choices are and were your own. You took those men to your bed willingly.’

‘But you knew and you didn’t stop it. You didn’t stop me.’

‘You are right. I never would stop you doing anything. To remove the agency of another human being is uncivilised. That is the basis of our society.’

‘And your beliefs were more important than protecting your daughter?’

‘Yes, my darling, they were, and still are. Even after you left my house and you ... you went rampant, you were still expecting me to step in and stop you, but I could not.’

‘You could have.’

‘But then you wouldn’t be responsible for your own actions. Don’t you know how much it hurt me to see what you were doing to yourself?’ Charlotte’s head was spinning. Was her mother right? She felt the old anger inside her, but now couldn’t be sure when it had started.

This was how she’d changed since becoming part of the Primacy. For so long she’d blamed her mother for not controlling her, but now she realised she agreed with her.

‘You wanted me to control you and when I wouldn’t you went looking for others. People like Max. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the mother you wanted, but I had to let you make your own choices.’

Charlotte couldn’t look at her. She bent forward and began crying into her skirt. She felt her mother’s arms encircle her.

‘It will be alright, Charlotte. It doesn’t matter now.’ She hadn’t heard her mother’s voice so soft since she was a child.

‘I should go out,’ her mother said after a while. ‘Should I leave you here for a bit?’

Charlotte nodded. ‘Thank you, Mother. Yes. A moment to myself would be good.’

‘Okay, dear.’ Ellizabeth took up her cane once more and stood by her daughter. ‘I really am glad we are speaking again. I’m thinking of being rejuvenated.’

~ * ~

It took Charlotte a moment to recover. She let the servitor bring her food and drinks and then adjusted her hair and make-up. She didn’t want the world to know she had been crying.

When she returned to the ruins the music was still playing and the glitterati still turned in their circles. The night was yet young but she didn’t want to stay any longer.

‘Representative Betts? I wasn’t sure you would be here.’

She turned to the voice. It was a young, pale-haired man in full Services uniform and a chest loaded with decorations. She looked at his face, the blue eyes ... ‘Colonel Pinter?’

‘Ah, you recognised me.’

‘Shouldn’t you be in Busan?’

‘One doesn’t reject an invitation from Ellizabeth Betts. You seem to know that as well as I.’ He then became the second man to wink at her that night. ‘They have me if they need me.’ He tapped the symbiot under his jacket. ‘Let me introduce my companion. Gretel, this is Charlotte Betts, Primacy Representative. Miz Betts, this is Gretel Lang.’

‘How very nice to meet you.’ The two shook hands politely. Gretel was a stunning young lady, with an expression of such calm it was disconcerting.

Pinter leant in close to explain. ‘I met her in rejuv.’

‘Ah. Well.’ Charlotte looked back and forth from one to the other. ‘I’m not sure what to say.’

‘Say it was meant to be.’ The Colonel grinned. He beckoned a waiter close and made each of them take a fresh glass. ‘To new life,’ he toasted. Gretel and Charlotte clinked glasses obediently. ‘Now, Charlotte, do you mind if I leave Gretel with you? She doesn’t know anyone here and I must say hello to a few old sparring partners. I’m quite enjoying watching their faces fall when they see mine.’

‘Of course ...’ The Colonel was gone and she was left facing his companion.

‘I was hoping to meet you,’ Gretel said.
We have a lot to talk about.

Charlotte’s surprise made her choke on her champagne. The other woman patted her on the back.
Please try not to react.
‘Are you alright? Should I get you some water?’ she asked.

‘No. Thank you. I’m fine.’

Try to act natural.
‘I’m a big supporter of yours. I back every motion.’

‘That’s very nice of you.’

‘As are my friends.’ Gretel waited for Charlotte to meet her gaze again.

‘Who are your friends?’

‘Nobody special, nobody who would get invited to a party like this.’
I speak for Tamsin Grey. My name is La Gréle.
‘I wondered if I could talk to you sometime about helping more. Ever since I was rejuvenated I’ve had so much energy.’
Please, Representative. We need your help.

‘Of course. We can arrange an appointment.’

‘You’re right. This isn’t the best place to talk, is it? Quite overwhelming.’

‘Yes, a little.’

‘I won’t bother you any more then, but I thank you for your time. It looks like the speeches are about to start.’ Gretel went to rejoin Colonel Pinter and Charlotte looked at the pair of them until the other guests began chiming their glasses.

Ellizabeth’s aide helped her step up onto a weathered block that raised her just slightly above the crowd. Charlotte could barely see her over the heads of the tallest men.

Ellizabeth spoke confidently into the floating microphone. ‘Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I thank you all so much for coming and hope you are having a marvellous time. You honour me.’ The crowd raised their glasses again and cheered until she raised her hands for silence.

‘The reason I chose to hold this celebration here was not to show you something that was older than I am.’ The crowd tittered at the small joke. ‘No, the real reason was that I wanted to share with you a story that took place right where we are standing.

‘These ruins were once a hotel. People came here with their families and their romances. They came to places like this to remove themselves from their everyday lives so they could enjoy what was most important to them.’ She looked over the gathering, including everyone. Her gaze stopped on Charlotte. She had heard this story before.

‘When the continent fell under the chaos a small group of staff and guests managed to hide here and survive. The mountains kept most of the troubles from reaching these heights until the Örjians came from the west, sweeping everything before them.