 |
| Zero |
Down the mountain, the city spread out in a panorama at their feet, lights starting to twinkle on in the gathering dusk. Out over the Salish Sea, a bright three quarter moon sprayed glitter over the water below."
"The big picture," said Zero, sweeping his mason jar across the horizon. "Beautiful, isn't it? This is how I keep the small stuff in perspective."
"One fine day a great wave will rise up on the Salish Sea and wash into this valley, destroying all life under heaven. Divine retribution. Sorry Eager. Know what I'm going to do then?"
"No, what?" asked Eager.
"When this boat floats free of its shores I'll crack open a fresh beer and ride the wave back down to the open ocean. I'll raise you a toast on the way past."
"Hard," said Eager.
"Unless of course you're already aboard. Are you here to sign on to the Ark, Eager?"
"No, not yet," said Eager. "I'm just out for some fresh air and to sample the new brew. But since I'm here, and you're an old hand at BigCorp, let me ask for some sage advice: what should I do about this woman at work? She's really hot and I think she likes me, but office romance is cause for dismissal at BigCorp."
"In love again, eh? You're asking me whether you should follow BigCorp's rules? Just the fact that you're up here says you've already made up your mind. Am I right? You already know what I think. BigCorp is part of why the flood is coming. That's what I think."
"Right," agreed Eager. "But how do I not get caught in the meantime?"
"You're smart enough for that. Just don't make any stupid mistakes. Cover your tracks. Use your shurpas. Encryption works," said Zero.
"Ok," said Eager. "But it worries me. What if they pick up the vibe without knowing exactly what we're doing? Being under suspicion is almost worse than getting caught. It's like punishment whether you've committed the crime or not."
"Now there I think you've touched on the heart of the matter. BigCorp depends on fear and intimidation to keep control. They're never going to let you go without some sort of threat hanging over your head. Whether it's any of their business or not."
"Come on, it's not that bad," said Eager.
"If I were you, I'd ask myself about the woman. Does tha have the nerve to stare down BigCorp's protocol monitor? Or is tha going to buckle and rat you out? Or worse, is this a ploy for tham to get more power? Are you being set up for some sort of blackmail scheme?"
"It's just not that exotic," said Eager. "I don't think tha is plotting against me."
"Maybe not," said Zero. "The point is you have to trust tham. If you have that, then BigCorp can't touch you. Otherwise ... Don't forget there is still a free bunk in the fo'c'sle."