Sons of the Crystal Mind (Diamond Roads Book 1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Andrew Wallace
Ursula says.
“I mean you get used to it being able to grow anything but growing people out of the floor? That’s a miracle.”
“Not everyone would agree,” I say.
“No,” Ruben says, looking nervously around, “not everyone. I feel sorry for the Blanks. That’s not patronising is it? I realise some of them did terrible things but that was a long time ago. Maybe it’s because of how they’re, er, made?”
“Being born out of the floor isn’t that different from a natural birth,” I say.
Ruben, pleased to be involved in any sort of conversation with Ursula, is clearly thinking of ways to extend this one.
“I don’t know why everyone isn’t ‘made’ like that,” he says after a moment.
“For a while a lot of people were,” I say. “Armies needed to be created; loyal workers bred. Blanks are no different to anyone else.”
“Apart from not needing a belly button,” Ursula says.
“Yes!” Ruben says.
“Hence ‘Blank’,” I say, “which I always thought was a bit harsh.”
Ursula clears her throat.
“Where are you going?” Ruben says hurriedly.
“Pre-wed party,” Ursula says.
She stops and turns the full force of her charisma on Ruben, who goes so still it’s as if there is no movement in his body at all.
“You do know I’m getting married don’t you?” Ursula says. “We discussed this.”
It’s as if she is asking his permission. She is a kind of genius really.
“Yes,” Ruben says, dazed. “I hope you’ll be… Well, you will be… very… er… you know…”
“Yes I do,” Ursula says. “Take care Ruben.”
We leave him there, as if on a little island of unrequited love.
At the end of the walkway we pass through an arch and emerge onto a wide skywalk suspended over the fourth edge sector. Hanging gardens and audio sculptures send currents of bright energy through the enclave, while huge diamond buildings refract a thousand coloured points and turn the skywalk into a jewelled ribbon that winds into the distance. Assemblies drift above and etch complex silhouettes against the view, which resembles a great silver-backed undulation of scattered light.
The skywalk is full of people, focussed on multiple ifarm demands as they hurry about their business. Ursula’s presence disrupts this controlled flow, which breaks into interesting confusion the moment she appears. Decorum forgotten, the people around us scan Ursula to see if it’s really her; there is then a palpable rise in energy as everyone tries to decide how to react. Some people stare at Ursula, some stand and smile while others pretend she isn’t there, perhaps in the hope that by not bothering her she will notice them out of gratitude.
The People’s Princess absorbs the attention like the professional she is and takes a deep, appreciative breath. A little smile dimples her cheeks. She puts a relaxed arm round my shoulders and looks off into the distance, as if gazing into the future of her astonishing career.
“Let’s fly,” she says.
For the first time today I feel a flicker of excitement. I go in-Aer, which manifests itself as a slight brightening of my vision. Images of flybikes slide from right to left across my view although as we’re in public only I can see them. I choose a smaller flybike than usual so it won’t detract from Ursula. It costs 8,050 kilos; I click BUY. My account reels down to 13,118 and the skeletal frame of the flybike emerges joystick first as if surfacing from a still pool. I climb on and the vehicle starts at my touch.
The flybike has a single long seat and Ursula eases onto it behind me. She rides side-saddle because of the dress, a lovely idea. Almost invisible restraints wrap themselves around our legs to secure us in flight but Ursula still slides her left arm around my waist and squeezes. I think everyone on the skywalk would like to be me at this moment. I key up and we rise from the centre of the crowd to a little cheer. Ursula laughs and waves to the people
“I mean you get used to it being able to grow anything but growing people out of the floor? That’s a miracle.”
“Not everyone would agree,” I say.
“No,” Ruben says, looking nervously around, “not everyone. I feel sorry for the Blanks. That’s not patronising is it? I realise some of them did terrible things but that was a long time ago. Maybe it’s because of how they’re, er, made?”
“Being born out of the floor isn’t that different from a natural birth,” I say.
Ruben, pleased to be involved in any sort of conversation with Ursula, is clearly thinking of ways to extend this one.
“I don’t know why everyone isn’t ‘made’ like that,” he says after a moment.
“For a while a lot of people were,” I say. “Armies needed to be created; loyal workers bred. Blanks are no different to anyone else.”
“Apart from not needing a belly button,” Ursula says.
“Yes!” Ruben says.
“Hence ‘Blank’,” I say, “which I always thought was a bit harsh.”
Ursula clears her throat.
“Where are you going?” Ruben says hurriedly.
“Pre-wed party,” Ursula says.
She stops and turns the full force of her charisma on Ruben, who goes so still it’s as if there is no movement in his body at all.
“You do know I’m getting married don’t you?” Ursula says. “We discussed this.”
It’s as if she is asking his permission. She is a kind of genius really.
“Yes,” Ruben says, dazed. “I hope you’ll be… Well, you will be… very… er… you know…”
“Yes I do,” Ursula says. “Take care Ruben.”
We leave him there, as if on a little island of unrequited love.
At the end of the walkway we pass through an arch and emerge onto a wide skywalk suspended over the fourth edge sector. Hanging gardens and audio sculptures send currents of bright energy through the enclave, while huge diamond buildings refract a thousand coloured points and turn the skywalk into a jewelled ribbon that winds into the distance. Assemblies drift above and etch complex silhouettes against the view, which resembles a great silver-backed undulation of scattered light.
The skywalk is full of people, focussed on multiple ifarm demands as they hurry about their business. Ursula’s presence disrupts this controlled flow, which breaks into interesting confusion the moment she appears. Decorum forgotten, the people around us scan Ursula to see if it’s really her; there is then a palpable rise in energy as everyone tries to decide how to react. Some people stare at Ursula, some stand and smile while others pretend she isn’t there, perhaps in the hope that by not bothering her she will notice them out of gratitude.
The People’s Princess absorbs the attention like the professional she is and takes a deep, appreciative breath. A little smile dimples her cheeks. She puts a relaxed arm round my shoulders and looks off into the distance, as if gazing into the future of her astonishing career.
“Let’s fly,” she says.
For the first time today I feel a flicker of excitement. I go in-Aer, which manifests itself as a slight brightening of my vision. Images of flybikes slide from right to left across my view although as we’re in public only I can see them. I choose a smaller flybike than usual so it won’t detract from Ursula. It costs 8,050 kilos; I click BUY. My account reels down to 13,118 and the skeletal frame of the flybike emerges joystick first as if surfacing from a still pool. I climb on and the vehicle starts at my touch.
The flybike has a single long seat and Ursula eases onto it behind me. She rides side-saddle because of the dress, a lovely idea. Almost invisible restraints wrap themselves around our legs to secure us in flight but Ursula still slides her left arm around my waist and squeezes. I think everyone on the skywalk would like to be me at this moment. I key up and we rise from the centre of the crowd to a little cheer. Ursula laughs and waves to the people
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