Read Online The softwire : Virus on Orbis 1 by PJ Haarsma - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: PJ Haarsma
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some bigger, but all of them deep blue in color.
“Every one of you must wear one of these skins.” Weegin held one up for everyone to see. “This skin tells everyone you belong to me. Once you put it on, you are never to leave Weegin’s World without it. Matter of fact, you are never allowed to leave your room without it, or you will not get back in.”
Weegin turned and waved the vest over the sensor near the door. The door disappeared. I noticed two bones extending from Weegin’s back and through the thick material of his shirt. The bones were jagged on the ends, as if someone had snapped something off them.
“The skin is electronically programmed to open any door you are authorized to go through. Your own skin will open the door to your quarters. Only your quarters. Find one that fits,” Weegin said, “and follow me.”
I reached for a skin, but Switzer, whose nose was now purple and swollen, snatched it away.
“The girls’ skins are on the other side,” Switzer said.
“Nice nose, by the way,” I said. I grabbed the next skin and slid my arms through the holes.
The skin clamped around me. It was more metal than fabric. I held up my arms and twisted. The vest resisted slightly.
“Every time you forget your skin and I have to let you in, that will cost you two chits. If you lose your skin, that will cost you thirty chits, so don’t lose it. If you break a rule, that will cost anywhere from one chit to fifty chits, maybe more. . . .”
“What’s a chit?” I said.
Weegin whirled around. “Did they not tell you anything about the ring?”
“A little bit,” I said, following Weegin down the hallway.
“Against the wishes of the Trading Council, you are paid for your services with chits,” he said.
This was good, I thought. It wasn’t slavery after all. I would have money. I could buy things and maybe have a real life yet.
“You are charged three chits every phase for your sleeper. An extra chit for clean sheets — which I enforce, by the way. I don’t want you humans stinking up Weegin’s World. Meals are two chits a phase — that’s all the Keepers let me charge. I don’t know how they expect me to feed you on two chits a phase.” Weegin was rambling. “Anyway, there’s a chit charge for —”
“Weegin,” I interrupted, “how much do we get paid to help you as jobbers?”
“Two chits per work spoke,” Weegin snapped. “More than you’re worth.”
I knew four spokes made one cycle and four cycles made a phase. Four phases made a set, and ten sets made one rotation.
I knew a rotation on Orbis was like a year on Earth. “How many spokes do we have to work?” I asked.
“I can make you work only one spoke per cycle,” Weegin answered.
Two chits per work spoke meant eight chits per phase. With the cost of room and board . . . that left me with two chits a phase if I didn’t break any of Weegin’s rules. I didn’t know how much a chit was, but I assumed financial independence was now out the window.
Weegin stopped in a small foyer at the end of a lofty hall and removed a small electronic device from a belt on his hip. He waved it over Grace’s implant and then the vest. “One spoke of each cycle is for recreation and chores. Don’t forget your chores. Why you need a spoke for recreation is beyond my comprehension. You are not here for fun. Fun is not an option at Weegin’s World.” He moved Grace aside as the lift rose along the corridor, then he reached for another child. “One spoke is for social studies and one spoke is for sleep.” Weegin continued brushing the device over each child. “I’m programming your implants and your skins with your room assignment. We have found sleepers similar to the ones on your seed-ship.” We all stopped in front of another lift. “Step onto the lift and it will take you to your room. The door will automatically admit your entry.”
“I don’t have an implant,” I told Weegin.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” he
“Every one of you must wear one of these skins.” Weegin held one up for everyone to see. “This skin tells everyone you belong to me. Once you put it on, you are never to leave Weegin’s World without it. Matter of fact, you are never allowed to leave your room without it, or you will not get back in.”
Weegin turned and waved the vest over the sensor near the door. The door disappeared. I noticed two bones extending from Weegin’s back and through the thick material of his shirt. The bones were jagged on the ends, as if someone had snapped something off them.
“The skin is electronically programmed to open any door you are authorized to go through. Your own skin will open the door to your quarters. Only your quarters. Find one that fits,” Weegin said, “and follow me.”
I reached for a skin, but Switzer, whose nose was now purple and swollen, snatched it away.
“The girls’ skins are on the other side,” Switzer said.
“Nice nose, by the way,” I said. I grabbed the next skin and slid my arms through the holes.
The skin clamped around me. It was more metal than fabric. I held up my arms and twisted. The vest resisted slightly.
“Every time you forget your skin and I have to let you in, that will cost you two chits. If you lose your skin, that will cost you thirty chits, so don’t lose it. If you break a rule, that will cost anywhere from one chit to fifty chits, maybe more. . . .”
“What’s a chit?” I said.
Weegin whirled around. “Did they not tell you anything about the ring?”
“A little bit,” I said, following Weegin down the hallway.
“Against the wishes of the Trading Council, you are paid for your services with chits,” he said.
This was good, I thought. It wasn’t slavery after all. I would have money. I could buy things and maybe have a real life yet.
“You are charged three chits every phase for your sleeper. An extra chit for clean sheets — which I enforce, by the way. I don’t want you humans stinking up Weegin’s World. Meals are two chits a phase — that’s all the Keepers let me charge. I don’t know how they expect me to feed you on two chits a phase.” Weegin was rambling. “Anyway, there’s a chit charge for —”
“Weegin,” I interrupted, “how much do we get paid to help you as jobbers?”
“Two chits per work spoke,” Weegin snapped. “More than you’re worth.”
I knew four spokes made one cycle and four cycles made a phase. Four phases made a set, and ten sets made one rotation.
I knew a rotation on Orbis was like a year on Earth. “How many spokes do we have to work?” I asked.
“I can make you work only one spoke per cycle,” Weegin answered.
Two chits per work spoke meant eight chits per phase. With the cost of room and board . . . that left me with two chits a phase if I didn’t break any of Weegin’s rules. I didn’t know how much a chit was, but I assumed financial independence was now out the window.
Weegin stopped in a small foyer at the end of a lofty hall and removed a small electronic device from a belt on his hip. He waved it over Grace’s implant and then the vest. “One spoke of each cycle is for recreation and chores. Don’t forget your chores. Why you need a spoke for recreation is beyond my comprehension. You are not here for fun. Fun is not an option at Weegin’s World.” He moved Grace aside as the lift rose along the corridor, then he reached for another child. “One spoke is for social studies and one spoke is for sleep.” Weegin continued brushing the device over each child. “I’m programming your implants and your skins with your room assignment. We have found sleepers similar to the ones on your seed-ship.” We all stopped in front of another lift. “Step onto the lift and it will take you to your room. The door will automatically admit your entry.”
“I don’t have an implant,” I told Weegin.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” he
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