The Meat Tree Read online

  Synapse Log 29 Jan 2210, 20:30

  Apprentice

  End of a long day. Boarding was exciting, but after that Campion had me combing through the voyage log – paper, for Chrissakes! – looking for anything unusual, while he poked around the habitat module. I’ve had to drag out the grapho-palaeography from the back of my brain and try to make sense of the script.

  But it’s basically nada. Nothing unusual, everything as you would expect.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I never expected to see one of these early Earth exploration vessels and in such a perfect state of preservation. It’s like something in a museum. Even the hammocks are intact, as if someone just got up out of them and left them warm.

  Missie’s been moaning about having to decipher the ship’s log, it’s a history lesson for her. It’ll do her good to see how space travellers in the past had to work, how uncomfortable it was.

  Something’s not right, though. It’s all too perfect.

  She

  My print reading’s crap but I managed to decipher that the vessel had a crew of three. One woman, two men. That must have been challenging in the days before phero-dampeners. Hard enough working with a man when we’re both shielded from each other’s body chemistry. Two men and one woman, must have been a recipe for disaster. What did they get up to?

  He

  Where are the bodies? Not even three piles of dust for us to analyse. No sign of forced exit, no breach in the spacecraft’s hull. Nothing for us to go on.

  She

  And why can’t we find any personal logs? Why they thought I had to do this one voyage the old-fashioned way, I don’t know, it’ll be irrelevant to everything else I do.

  He

  That ship’s such a classic, it’s like something out of the manual. The paper log and the black box show nothing out of the ordinary, and yet something devastating happened on board. And then there’s the mystery of how a vessel designed for short-haul travel ended up millions of light years from Earth. Think, think. Something’s staring us in the face but we’re not seeing it…

  She

  Can’t keep my eyes open. Even that noisy reactor isn’t going to keep me awake tonight. What’s that scratching on the hull? Must be bits of meteorites. I’m sure I can see flashes of particles passing through my eyelids…

  He

  I know! The VR couches! Right in the middle of the main cabin. They must have valued them highly to place the equipment so prominently. There may be some information to be gathered there. It’s a big ask for the new girl to adapt to a strange VR, but what an education for her! Besides, she’s quick on the uptake. Tomorrow, I’ll take her in.

  *

  Joint Thought Channel 30 Jan 2210, 09:00

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Now, remember, if you feel uncomfortable at all, just raise your hand and we’ll get out of the Virtual Reality Field immediately. The Escape button’s in your right glove. The important thing to recall is that this is just fantasy. There’s nothing in the programme that can hurt us, however realistic it looks at the time. Mind you, given how old this ship is, I expect the FX will be very crude.

  Apprentice

  All right, all right. I expect it’s no different from the neuro games we play now.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Hard to tell exactly what we’re dealing with until we’re in. The field could be anything. You’re not claustrophobic, are you? If you are, let’s note it in the Hazard log.

  Apprentice

  No. I’ll be fine.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  These old VR helmets can be quite uncomfortable. But it’s more than that. We’re used to VR forming itself automatically to our frontal-lobe profiles, so that it responds to our particular fantasy life. But when the technology started, they still had one person author the programmes, so that being inside you’re more a witness than co-creator. You have to take one of the available roles, but the parameters are set by the Mastermind. So the progression of the plot can feel very uncomfortable, especially if you’re not used to it. And until we find out what kind of author we’re dealing with it’s hard to know what it will be like.

  Apprentice

  I’m sure I can manage.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Atta girl! But if you don’t like what’s going on, remember the signal. We’ll have to make a quick decision about which role to play. Watch what I do and we should be all right. Are you ready? Helmets on!

  Right. What have we here? Looks like your basic medieval quest narrative.

  Apprentice

  Look at those colours! I love those greens and the intricate woodland plants.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Hm. Earth vegetation. Sorrel, yarrow…

  Apprentice

  It smells aromatic.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Forget the details for now. Let’s try to get the big picture. Do you see that group of people over there, outside the castle walls? Can you make your way towards them?

  Apprentice

  Oops! Sorry, didn’t mean to bump into you. The motility software’s really primitive.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  This takes me back to my boyhood! I used to play with my grandfather’s antique games: they were just like this. Use the console in your left glove. That’s better, much better. Right, I think you’re ready to approach the group. And remember, you’ll need to switch into one character’s point of view.

  Apprentice

  Like one of those early avatar games?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Yes, a bit. Except remember that you’re not in control of your own character. The story’s been written by the Master­mind. I’m not being sexist here, but why don’t you see if you can take the role of the woman there who’s kneeling in front of the blond man who looks like the king?

  Apprentice

  Got it!

  My name is Goewin and I’m the footholder to King Math. I’m a virgin and very beautiful.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I’m going for the character on the left, the one holding a staff. Give me a second.

  Right, I’m in. I’m Gwydion, a magician, and this is my brother Gilfaethwy.

  Apprentice

  Why has everything stalled?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Don’t worry, I think the software’s just taking a moment to catch up with our choices. Use the time to learn what you can about your persona.

  Apprentice

  That’s weird! The king’s got his feet in my lap. They’re quite heavy. Math is the Lord of a kingdom called Gwynedd.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  From the names, I’d say that we’re in one of those old Celtic fantasies. In the early days of VR they were all the rage, I don’t know why. It was fashionable to imagine yourself as a Welsh wizard or a Celtic maiden. Actually, you look very fetching in your costume.

  Apprentice

  It’s velvet and my torque is gold.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  But why are you cradling the king’s feet? Are his toes cold?

  Apprentice

  Don’t be disrespectful. It’s a special condition of the character. Math will die unless he has his feet in the lap of a virgin. So I’m the one keeping the king alive. The only time that he’s allowed to touch the earth is when Gwynedd’s at war.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  What a strange arrangement. Now it’s quite important that we notice what’s being said by these characters. I don’t mean verbally but metaphorically. It’s all information. Especially the initial briefs we’re given, as they’re full of primary significance. What are you told about this strange job you have?

  Apprentice

  I think it’s to do with the king having to stay in touch with the magical fertility of his land. Though I don’t understand it. A virgin’s not fertile, is she?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Only potentially. But it rings a bell. It’s something to do wi
th matriarchy, that the king is at the mercy of female sexuality. When I was a teenager, I read quite a bit of Robert Graves.

  Apprentice

  Who?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Poet and mythologist. He wrote about the Goddess, who was deposed by patriarchal religion. Fascinating. This VR Field may be much earlier than I previously thought if it’s using an image of the Goddess right in the Dramatis Personae.

  Apprentice

  The what?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Surely you know… oh, never mind. The list of characters.

  Apprentice

  So I’m a goddess. All right!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Not quite. You’re her representative.

  Apprentice

  But you could just as easily read this differently. That the king is radically divorced from his land. What’s the point of being king, if you can’t have the pleasure of taking off your shoes and feeling the lush grass under your feet?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  So, what to make of two bodies together, like an uncopulating but coupled animal? Your position looks quite bizarre. Does it feel sexual? The early myths rarely were. They’re much more about nature than sophisticated court mores. Nature’s rarely sexy. It’s only once you’ve moved one step away from the land that eroticism comes in. That’s Eliade, if I remember rightly. Ever heard of Eliade?

  Apprentice

  Who?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Never mind.

  Apprentice

  OK. I see. Yes, Math and I are stuck together, like man and wife, except that there’s no hanky panky. Strictly platonic. Though I’m the most ravishing woman of my generation. Must be quite tricky for the king. That’s all I have here. Except that I’m totally devoted to Math and feel that it’s nothing but an honour to dedicate my life to keeping him alive.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Interesting. Because I wouldn’t have expected a…

  Apprentice

  Look, instead of showing off what you know, why don’t you find out about your own character? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…

  Inspector of Wrecks

  That’s what being footholder to the king does for you. Gives you a certain haughtiness! You’re beginning to play your part.

  Apprentice

  It’s as though I’m starting to hear Goewin’s tone of voice. You’d better hurry and catch up, I think this programme’s ready to roll.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Right, back to basics. I’m Gwydion and the chap standing next to me is my brother Gilfaethwy. I don’t want to scare you, but I think my brother has a passion for you.

  Apprentice

  And should that worry me?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  It should if you’re wanting to stay a virgin. What he has in mind is not medieval courting or holding hands.

  Apprentice

  Seems to me that I’m all right as long as the king’s around. And he’ll only move if the kingdom’s at war.

  What are your qualities?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I’m a magician and poet: the best storyteller in the world.

  Apprentice

  Sounds like a much more useful skill than being the king’s footholder.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I wonder if this Gwydion is a shadow persona for the Mastermind of this whole VR. They often gave themselves a secondary character, so that they were both authors of the game and actors in them.

  Apprentice

  You mean like writing a story about themselves? And what’s Gwydion like?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Very clever. An escape artist with words. His big skill is that he’s able to persuade other people to do things against their will. Oh, and he’s sneaky. The type of man who pays his way with other people’s suffering. And he’ll do anything for his brother.

  Apprentice

  Oh my God! No!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  What’s going on? Nona!

  Apprentice

  Get him off me! No!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Shit! Something’s gone wrong. It’s a VR surge. Must be because this programme hasn’t played for so long. It’s going too fast. Oh! That strobe is terrible, I can’t stand it.

  Apprentice

  The smell of him!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Nona! Get out! Time to go. Remember the Escape switch!

  Apprentice

  In the king’s own bed! Oh!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Nona! Right glove! Press it now!

  Apprentice

  Oh! Thank God!

  Inspector of Wrecks

  What happened? Are you all right?

  Apprentice

  I thought you said that this was primitive VR, that nothing bad could happen to me in it.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  That’s what I thought. It’s from the same period as the ship.

  Apprentice

  Well he raped me. Gilfaethwy raped me. And it really hurt.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  But the technology shouldn’t be able to do that. You saw, we only had on helmets and upper-body suits.

  Apprentice

  Don’t tell me what did or didn’t happen. I didn’t have a chance. That bastard did it and you set it up.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Something very strange is going on here. I don’t understand it. We must have hit a crease in the field, because these stories are meant to unfold logically. But while you were screaming, I was seeing these crazy flash frames. Pigs from the Underworld. Magic stallions and hounds with gold saddles and leashes, all made from toadstools. Then out-and-out war between the South and Math. That must be why you were alone. Didn’t you say that Math could only walk the ground when his kingdom was at war?

  Apprentice

  Fuck the story. I really don’t care. Look at these bruises. These are real. VR shouldn’t be able to do that.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  No, you’re right. Perhaps the programme’s faulty. I’ll take a look at your suit before we go in again.

  Apprentice

  Again? Are you crazy? I didn’t sign up for this, to be raped by a hairy medieval gangster.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  But it’s…

  Apprentice

  Don’t tell me it’s fiction, that was something else. Why didn’t you stop him?

  Inspector of Wrecks

  But he was my brother. And I’d promised to help.

  I’m sure that if we’d let it run, I could have stopped it. After all, if I’m Gwydion, and if I understand my powers correctly, I should be able to get us out of any kind of situation like that.

  Apprentice

  But Gwydion planned it! You’re my boss and you should be looking after me, not setting me up to be sexually assaulted.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that, I seem to be still in character. Of course, you’re right.

  As with any self-teaching programme, as we go on, we have more control over our characters. That’s been true from even the earliest days of VR.

  Apprentice

  I don’t know…

  Inspector of Wrecks

  Look, sleep on it and see how you feel tomorrow. You’ve had a scare. Just put this down to experience.

  Apprentice

  I keep telling you, that was a real rape.

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I’ll give you the code for some narco-oblivion meds. You’ll be as right as rain in the morning. I promise.

  Apprentice

  I don’t like taking that stuff, but I suppose…

  Inspector of Wrecks

  That’s a good girl. And I’ll do some work on the suit and its reality parameters. I promise you nothing like that will happen again. I’ll make sure it doesn’t.

  5

  Forest

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nbsp; Synapse Log 1 Feb 2210, 08:45

  Inspector of Wrecks

  I think the key to this is going to be identifying the Mastermind. I have a feeling it’s Gwydion. He’s the best storyteller in the world, a poet and wizard. What could be a clearer image for an early VR programmer? And if it is him I’m in a good position to delve further into the field’s hinterland and perhaps find out what happened between the members of the ship’s crew. After all, if they used VR a lot, then events are bound to have shaped the stories inside.

  I hope Nona’s all right. She’s been very quiet.

  Apprentice

  If anything like that happens again and he tells me it was just VR, I’ll kill him. And I don’t mind telling him to his face if I have to.

  He

  I don’t like to say anything, but she hasn’t talked to me since the day before yesterday.

  She

  You can’t just shove people into a VR field at the mercy of God knows what kind of Mastermind and expect them to bear it. If it were he who’d been abused, then he’d take it seriously.

  He