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Memento
Morris
by c`estmoi Boardmember Laura sat in the office chair in her new executive office on the 600'th floor of the Nanoscan Foundation. On her desk were spread dozens of real-paper congratulation letters - hellishly expensive anachronisms she was notoriously fond of. Detached from the heaps of letters and the single glass of champaign lay the envelope, still sealed with the original purple mark she put there nine years ago. A note was attached: "Congratulations Boardmember Laura. As an offering of peace, here is an article you might have misplaced some nine years ago. Let bygones be bygones?" Signed, Vice Chairman Bork Suddenly, Laura swept up and snatched the piece of paper from the table, and with uncharacteristic viciousness tore it into shreds before pushing the shreds into the incinerator. Her hand then strayed upon the envelope, then came to a rest by her side, defeated. Wanting to find an obvious trap, she sprayed some verifdust over the envelope, which quickly arranged itself in the sign of the positive verification - the seal was genuine and unbroken, and the envelope was not tampered with. Well, she thought with a sigh, Bork was never one for the obvious ploy - the ploy lay in the reality of what the envelope held. Lauras' mind went back to the time when she recorded the EmoTape, just a few months after those hit the market, and the words of the stupid jingle rushed feverantly through her mind - "cherish the love you have - forever" The world was now a different place, and she had a part in it, with the EmoTape technology and it's wonders of recording one's exact feelings, being a major part of the Change Thanks G*d, she thought, for the Brodwing Effect that kept those emotions forever private, readable only by the same mind which imprinted them - no analysis could deduce what an EmoTape contained, save but the most rudimentary of observations. And she remembered Morris. his dark blue eyes, his touch, her feelings, the love they shared. Shared, until the truth of their relationship came to light. Until the Board made clear what the price would be - "The Nanoscan foundation is not to be associated," they said, "with that kind of retro behaviour." When she told him about it, about her decision that they must share their love, ban the monolove they had, as every civilized person does, he just looked at her with his dark blue gaze, kissed her hand, and departed. The next day there was his telegram from the immigration starship. And when the news about the ruin of the Daring Starlet reached earth, tears were all she had left. Unable to enjoy her victory, Laura took the EmoTape, unable to deny the temptation, and with a sigh, she pushed it into the nanogenerator slot in her table. The she closed her eyes, and waited. And she remembered. She remembered Morris, remembered loving him, remembered the smile that was no more, but was there, there forever, remembered all she have given up. Laura rose, typing her override password, not hastily, but not calmed either, her fingers shaking, releasing her last attack at Borks' power base... "Well Bork, it seems you do win at last. How strange, after all those years" she muttered, as she activated the window emergency open, then stood by the window, remembering Morris. As she fell, all she could think about was his
dark blue eyes.
Copyright 1999 @ c`estmoi
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