MotherCorp.

Shaping human traits and behaviours versus the contributions of genetics means MotherCorp became the founder of a society that tested the haves and the have nots.

What started out as a lab test of easy death grew, by 3055, to a manipulated society governed purely by what government-controlled media told people in their news link app on their hand.

Watching the reel, two girls travel to their new home. MotherCorp put Cass and Joy in the same Marshall family. However, they gave them different news links and vastly different rewards for positive learned behaviour.

                                                           ***

Stretching in bed after chilling, twenty-five-year-old Joy’s audio palm-alarm went off, “Joy go to your violin class with the reward of a movie night with a hot boyfriend.” Rising, she rolls her eyes, pulling down her Stuff Society T-shirt. “Oh really? I don’t have a boyfriend, so I’m not believing that. Pull the other one as I don’t believe my news-link, not for a second.” The buzzer panel on her wall goes off. “The system awards you four gold merits for correctly identifying the lie. Enjoy your day. You have twenty days to up-link, so remember to say goodbye to the family you know here.”

Joy nods and picks up her gold hairbrush with a soft finger-moulding grip. “Twenty days to go before this body is twenty-six and gets pushed into gel-gloop forever. I guess I won’t have to eat or shower again, but I wonder if I will still be at Uni or if I’ll work? I guess I’ll find out soon enough.” Rising, Joy’s dark brown curls bounce. “I pity the poor who die in twenty days, though. It sucks that someone wipes their minds clean and inserts new ones. I keep wondering where their thoughts go, but no one knows for sure.” Her palm link itches. “Cass is calling you.”

Joy nods. “Sure, I’ll take her creepy drivel this morning.”

“Morning dear sister, I wish you a good day and have put your lunch in a chill which sits inside the hot box of your auto car.”

“Oi, don’t call me that Cass, someone made you my shadow. Less talking, more doing, remember?”

“Thank you for the reminder sist.. Joy. I think I palm-linked you twenty days ago to talk. When shall I speak to you again?”

A smirk spread across Joy’s face. “In twenty-one days. Set a new programme to remove the word sister and all variants from your vocabulary. It’s embarrassing to hear you call me that. People in the virtual mall stare, which is so not cool.”

“My apologies Madam, I shall leave virtual notes of completed actions from now on.”

“Now you sound like a robot. Should I cut you again to see if you bleed?”

                                                 ***

The net-link dropped. “Joy isn’t her namesake, that’s for sure.” Nest says, wrapping his arms around Cass.

Cass’s cold nose pushes against the heat of his firm chest. “She hates me, even though I do everything she asks as her shadow. I hate being a shadow but the diamond credits have bought me such a great home of my own so I don’t have to suffer her daily abuse. Hey Nest, is that your real name?”

“Nah, it’s Peter, but my nickname stuck after I made the nest of the nodes for the new network that Joy will sleep in from twenty days’ time. MotherCorp has a special plan for her.” Nest’s mouth edges curl up for a moment, then drop back to their thin line. “Wait and see when she isn’t so special anymore.”

“I should freshen up before I get another beating from Joy. She calls them her beat-the-creep-out-of-me sessions. I know my fake niceness bugs her, but I want my diamond credits so I can fly to MotherCorp for a guided tour at the weekend. I want to see where my mind will slot into my life in the virtual world.”

“Odd thing though, they’ve classified your records, Cass. But most shadow records are. Oh well, have a good day at Uni.”

                                                        ***

Her silver shoulder bag swings as Carry rides the escalator up towards the huge white ship. A swirling dark pink logo of MotherCorp shimmers on its side. A reel plays above her head of a smiling woman with open palms and a static smile. Her voice is beaming directly into Cass’s mind. “Welcome to MotherCorp shuttle service. We hope you will enjoy your funeral tour with us. We know you will come again as your palm is now flashing amber. When it has turned black, it will be your time to up-link. Your consciousness will enhance the richness of MotherCorp. Have a nice life after death.”

“I suppose I should be excited, but I don’t really have a choice, Muffy, though I can wiggle your fluffy tail when I want, so go me!” Cass moves her stuffed pink cat.

As Cass steps off the escalator, a frosty panel materializes before her, its screen flashing “Thumbprint Here” in stark white letters; the icy touch of the needle from the screen made her hastily pull back her thumb. A click clack echo arrives in front of her, which is paired with high court shoes, and arms waving from a slim suited body. A see through face appears and darkens to a flush of tan. “Welcome. You have won a platinum pass and will therefore follow me. I will be your virtual tour guide during your day here at this part of MotherCorp. Press the flashing button Yes, if you have said goodbye to the whole family.”

Here I go, no turning back now, thinks Cass. Her thumb feels the bite again of a second needle and her body stops. “Am I leaving my body now?” Her muscles twinge and shake as her mouth froths. Two metallic droids slide the frozen torso onto an upright whirling trolley bed.

The virtual tour guide smiles. “Your consciousness will enhance the richness of MotherCorp. Have a nice life after death.”

Cass looks down at her appearing virtual body, her eyes wide with terror. “Wait, my palm-link is still amber. Why now?”

Artificial eyes look down at her amber and black flashing palm-link. “You are the new Leader because your spot-check blood test confirms it. We will install you into your new virtual body today. Tomorrow you will attend MotherCorp University, as you have much to absorb before we can listen to your instructions as the new Prime.”

“Wait, what about Joy Marshall?”

The virtual eyes flicker for a moment. “As you are the new leader, you now have clearance. She will make stuffed pigs all day and may speech-link to you annually for two years. You will be all-powerful after that point with one companion by your side. Permanently. Thank you for choosing MotherCorp the only one you can plan to be with.”