Spider’s web
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“That’s great isn’t it?” said Peterkin. “You’re never alone.”
“That’s complete bollocks.”
“I’m joking. It doesn’t matter, it processes well. So humanistic, or human-like anyway.”
“Does the sexism help to get the kids?”
“No idea. The results emerge from neural patterns that no-one understands.”
“Well, you obviously don’t. Who’s the nosy friend?”
“Just another node in the EMU accounts. The more background the better. But I’ll change ‘hurt’ to ‘help’ and ‘kill’ to ‘love’.”
“That’s progress.”
Peterkin edited the text to make it more socially acceptable.
“I heard half the EMU accounts are false,” said Bork, “That’s a lot of people.”
“Maybe,” he replied mysteriously, as if not wanting to give away trade secrets. He began to drone on about politics, about which he knew nothing.
“Well, the old left-wing parties used to be for the workers, the busy bees, all for one. Now robots do the work, the left-wing parties are for people that can’t work,” he sighed, “EMU people can’t be bothered to vote, no-one cares enough to get up and do anything. The system doesn’t make sense at any level but no-one’s starving. Even these disasters are fixed by automated rescue agencies.”
“And this suits you I suppose.”
“Of course, it’s ideal.”
“So what’s the plan for Samantha?” said Bork.
“I’ve given her many spare kids and two male ex-partners. They are not around. The kids are ex-communal so need a big gang around them. Also a current partner, who’s also not around. All completely normal and uninteresting, apart from one guy who’s working on the Rama Lama space highway, he has a head for heights. They all have medical or psychological problems. Especially him. Now all these people are together in a new family I just made up. The matriarch gets all the EMUs.”
“My headache has returned,” moaned Bork.
“It gets better, I’ve got hold of a Botz B4, a robot therapist, because of those therapist dreams.” Peterkin looked smug. Bork looked dubious.
“She might need it,” he said.
“The Botz is for the kids, stupid.”
“If all these guys are not around what’s the point?”
“I use them here and there, they have multiple relationships. Don’t worry, everything will work out.”
“You hope.”
“The EMU generation is massive, and we also get our share.” Peterkin projected a diagram in the air of the money flow, which looked like a spider’s web with them at the centre. This was why Peterkin was really into these folds and fiddles.
“Since the last big disaster they have the new quick-domes, they build themselves. Sites are all set. One’s near here. Might help to keep her local.”
“Why?”
“I like her,” Peterkin stated.
“You like everyone you fancy,” said Bork. Peterkin said nothing.