Bathor was at her wit’s end. It had been weeks since her team had been tasked with finding the dotter responsible for the troublesome recording flooding the Circle. True to the Kogitos’ predictions, tensions were slowly rising in the Circle. Nothing remarkable so far, but those who knew the signs couldn’t miss them. Which meant whatever was happening behind their leaders’ closed doors, a lot of pressure was falling on those poor employees, but they were still not granted any relevant intelligence or tools. Worse, they were met with blocks after blocks after dead-ends.
Finding the original poster had been surprisingly easy, but pointless. The slumrat had simply found it by doing what slumrats do, felt the speech resonate in him and wanted to spread it. Bathor wasn’t even sure they knew it came from a dotter, let alone how to contact the speaker. First dead-end.
Their next target had been the Resident or Residents involved in the incident. Everyone had played in their contacts, and the team was made specifically to have people from all Families, but all they had ended up with was circumstantial evidences of several Residents, who might be from the Brahn or the Arya family, and had revealed a severe case of corruption. The last part didn’t make sense, fees were rarely monitored and private wages were perfectly normal. Clearly a cover-up for something they should stay away from. Second dead-end.
They couldn’t openly ask or use official channels either. They had been tasked with looking for a dotter of all things. Involving them with the dot, their superiors were all but screaming how useless they were seen as. The stain on their reputation would never go away if it was ever known. Not to mention if they failed, which was looking less and less impossible by the day.
After uncounted fumbling and setbacks, she had ended up in the dot because “as an Arya, she would blend in best”, alone because “none of the others could”, with a bullet points list taken from a psychological profile, written by “experts” the Kogito girl was acquainted with, to personally search for dotters who might or might not include the one they were looking for.
That plan had been brought up as a joke at first, but they were exhausting their options, and fast. With the rising pressure, a tacit temporary truce had settled in the group, making her conciliator role redundant and leaving her only as a representative of the Arya family. Which meant infiltration and spying in the field. Nevermind that she had zero training or experience in such. The others would continue the effort in the Circle while she rummaged the hovel in person.
They knew such a primitive method would never work; the dot wasn’t that minuscule. They only had to show their superiors how serious they were in their efforts. She agreed, and she would make an actual effort for to have something to report, but it didn’t make it any less unpleasant.
At least she would get away from their madness for a while.
Now she had to admit, the dot wasn’t at all what she imagined. Quite the opposite, it was speckless and ordered. Uncannily so, perhaps, but she wouldn’t complain. As low as her mutations were, she knew for a fact they were higher than dotters’, but using that status would attract attention. She would keep that as a last resort.
Mixing in with the populace hadn’t been hard. She had prepared a story for the customs, but no one had stopped her. Disappointing after all the stress, but she wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. There was more traffic both ways than she expected too.
Mixing with the populace was easy too. For some unfathomable reason, they all wore the same clothes, and free unwatched dispensers were available basically everywhere. She could feel her individuality wither in agony, but she endured. The dispensers even displayed instructions on how to wear them; ludicrous but convenient.
That was where the easy part had ended. Once there, she didn’t know where to begin. Maps abounded, but where should she go? It had taken a few days – she still went back to the Circle every night; the border’s security was so lax she wasn’t even afraid of being spotted anymore – before inspiration struck her.
She pretended to make a survey and asked random people where to find various experts in the same place – a part of her list marked “expert in his field” as “definitely”. She didn’t have the characteristic pencil and clipboard for questions, but the morons didn’t notice. It had led her to some kind of social event where experts came to brag. Or something like that, she hadn’t paid attention; she was too focused on looking for potential matches.
She found a few, but the cooperative ones had an alibi, and she was stuck on the uncooperative ones. Some had been insulting, oh, how she wished they were in the Circle! There she could put them in their place! But the event was over now, and she couldn’t exactly ask where to find them. She was back to square one.
She went back to her original plan, with much less success, but her luck was finally back! She had spotted one of the uncooperative candidates walking the street. She rushed to catch his attention. She had forgotten his name, only his ridiculous expertise – even in the dot, who cared about nanotechnology? – and that was all she needed to make him turn around.
The dotter put on his business smile to answer hers:
“Hello Miss. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. I don’t believe I received your mail.”
How could I send anything, dumbass? I don’t have your address!
“Yes, hello.”
She was still annoyed at his dismissive behaviour, but she kept her mask of professionalism. He had not been one of the rude ones, merely dismissive and in a rush. Still needed to be put in his place though. She put her hair and breathing back in order and took control of the conversation:
“You were in a big hurry yesterday. I had to confer with my colleagues before deciding if we should stay in contact with you.”
Showing they could do without him. That should take him down a notch.
“Must’ve been long and hard deliberations if you only just left it.” He casually noted. It wasn’t the reaction she was aiming for.
“What?” The Resident stayed neutral. “What makes you think that?”
“You ran and shouted when you saw me, so you must have decided to stay in touch. Vehemently. I still haven’t received any mail from you, so you couldn’t spare the few seconds, minutes if you don’t use a premade template, to send it. Conclusion: your meeting has just ended. Weird place to have a business meeting though, but what do I know?”
Bathor was left speechless, and that didn’t happen often. She could still salvage the conversation, however. It wasn’t her first rodeo:
“Wrong on several points, but not bad. Now, I can see you’re not in a hurry anymore. Let’s go and talk, alright?”
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No slipping away this time!
“You really don’t like mails, do you?” He had the gall to complain. “I’ll warn my friends and I’m yours. They are waiting for me.”
He brought his wrist up before she could answer and the mediator had to force herself to not show her surprise at the square of light that suddenly popped up in front of his face. The dotter fiddled with it using his free hand, until it disappeared and he brought his wrist to his ear:
“Hey, it’s me… I did, good news: it should be fine. We’ll see in a few days, but everything will be solved one way or another, with several layers before getting to you. That should be enough buffer if something goes wrong… Because I was stopped on the way back… Calm down, it’s unrelated. Remember the woman I talked about last night? No, the one who talked to me after my presentation… yes, that one. She still wants to talk, so I wanted to warn you I would be late and still give you the news before… No, I’m pretty sure it was a coincidence. I didn’t take the light road, just because, and she called me midway. No way to foresee that or to react that fast… Fine, you can keep an eye if you want, but don’t do something hasty from a misunderstanding… I dunno, when someone gets hurt? No, that could trigger something. When an actual punch is thrown! That should do it… Tell her if I’m still not home by that point… Alright, see ya.”
He fiddled the floating screen a bit more as Bathor hid her unease behind a firm comment:
“We are both civilised people, I don’t expect us to come to blows.”
“Neither do I, but it’s better to give them something specific to look for. Gives them something to focus on so their anxiety doesn’t run as wild. Anyways, I’m ready. Where are we going?”
“Hm, follow me.”
Put on the spot, the experienced mediator stalled by walking them along the main street until she found an adequate place. There was some traffic at the entrance, and a lounge was visible behind the doors. She hadn’t expected it to be a game centre, but she took it in stride and took two seats in a corner.
Her target sat in front of her with an inquisitive but guarded expression.
Show time.
Business talk truly was her element. The single-horned woman introduced herself with broad statements and weaved a tale of great opportunities and rewards if he lent them his skills. She led him on a mental path of her choosing and she would get the information she needed without anybody inferring what she was actually after. Simple and easy.
At least that was the plan, and it had worked for the others, but this one proved surprisingly tricky, asking the right questions and targeting her narrative’s weak points one after the other.
She rose to the challenge, and she was even starting to have fun when he flipped the figurative board:
“Alright, let’s stop here.” The dotter sighed and rose from his seat. “I’m sure now: you’re not some kind of hidden master who made obvious mistakes to gauge my reactions. It was a nice story of non-answers, but that was the only good part of your… whatever that performance was supposed to be.” The last statement was punctuated by gestures pointing to her whole person.
“Is this a game to you? Do you think I’m joking?”
Hiding her shock, Bathor frowned as if to an inappropriate joke. She had to up the pressure; she had no progress to report for the day. It didn’t work.
“Look, I played along to give you the benefit of the doubt, but it’s clear now you actually don’t know what you’re doing. I don’t know why you are here, what you want from me, or why you try to pass for a dotter when you’re so bad at it. The one thing I’m certain of is that I don’t want anything to do with it. Or you.”
“You knew?” The words passed her mouth before she could hold them back.
It was one thing to have her unprepared story seen through, but her disguise too? It was perfect! Not a single dotter had commented on it! Who was that guy?
“Yes, you’re far from subtle. Farewell.” He turned and left, not caring for her reaction.
“Ah, wait!” She jumped from her seat and rushed after him. “What gave me away!?”
If she had been spotted so easily, it recontextualised all her actions and interactions so far. Nevermind the dummy mission, if she didn’t fix that she would be stuck for good.
She ran after him and grabbed his shoulder. He slapped her hand away and looked ready to shout, but something made him hesitate. For some reason, she didn’t think it was her being a Resident. His deep frown and glare, probably.
“What do you want?” His voice betrayed no tolerance for roundabout answers and little patience for the rest.
“How did you know?”
“You want me to help you deceive my fellows better? No. Ask the Arya family, they are experts.”
“I can’t.” His wordless stare forced Bathor to elaborate. “I’m a member, but not of that part. Just… please. I’ll be in trouble if I don’t get anything from our conversation.”
She couldn’t explain her mission or the embarrassment it would beget if other Residents were involved.
The man looked her up and down, and slumped:
“The saddest part is, I think you are genuinely shocked I found out.” He sighed. “Fine. It’ll be my apology for my reaction last time. I was curter than I should have been for a stranger. Come along.”
Bathor didn’t dare to say one more word, she thanked her good tree and followed him. He seemed to be heading for a park nearby, but he stopped before they reached the gateway and politely called a family out; a man, a woman, a little boy. After the typical pleasantries, he had a strange favour to ask:
“See my friend here? Just looking at her, what do you think?”
The couple exchanged a glance and opened their mouth to answer, but the stopped them:
“Stop! You first.” He pointed to the child.
Everyone was surprised, especially the child, but they complied:
“Well, er… She’s… a pretty lady?” He started hesitantly, but an encouraging nod from the dotter and his parents made him continue. “She looks very clean and neat too… Where’s her bracelet?”
When the boy stopped, the three adults turned to her, waiting for her response:
“I don’t like accessories.” She shrugged it off. “They distract from my natural beauty.” She waved her hair to emphasis her point.
“Natural. Right.” The nanite guy snickered. “Is that all, kiddo?”
“She’s weird. Like, weiiiird. And creepy.” He crept behind his mother’s leg, half leaning to keep her in his sight.
Creepy!?
“Now there’s no need to be rude, Tam.” His father nicely but firmly chided him. “She’s obviously from outside the dot. They tend to be strange, but I’m sure she thinks the same for us.”
“She must have her own reasons for wearing our clothes but not our most ubiquitous basic device.” The mother complemented.
“Sorry, lady.” The boy looked at his feet with a contrite expression, but didn’t move from behind his mother.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s kinda what I was aiming for. Thank you all, you’ve proven my point.”
“Haha, you’re a strange pair.” The father commented as the mother giggled. Bathor couldn’t say a word as the family left and the dotter stepped in the park itself.
“What point did you try to prove, exactly?” She curtly enquired when they were alone.
“That even a child could see through your… “disguise”. They won’t know what it means, but they will see that something isn’t right, simply by paying attention for a few seconds. As demonstrated.”
As disheartening as it was, she couldn’t deny it.
“Now, to show you it was not a special case, we’ll do it again. Parks have no shortage of children at this hour. You can reach your own conclusions after that.”
Indeed, they met many groups with children, of all ages and backgrounds. They all noticed something wrong with her. Usually the lack of bracelets.
Some commented how weird her clothes felt even if they couldn’t put the finger on why. The dotter explained it was too perfect, down to the slightest details. No dotter bothered so much with it.
She didn’t appear convinced enough for his taste, so they went to other social gathering points. Entertainment centres, sports centres, school clubs…
One demonstration after the other, one ruthless blow to her morale after the other, her spirit was crushed. It was the most humiliating experience the single-horned woman had ever lived, and there was no end in sight.
She didn’t wait for him to be done. She couldn’t. She absconded. She raced back to the Circle, to her home, to her bedroom, not knowing how she managed to hold her tears back until she arrived.