An Abundance of Order

Judgement by Darius Puia

Tes stood on the narrow concrete platform. Orange strip lights hummed along its sides. The Ten Saints flanked the platform, hands clasped in prayer, orange halos hovering over their heads. Tes pressed her hands together in prayer too, eyes downcast to avoid seeing the great stone face upon the wall. Her heart thumped in her chest. The last time she’d been inside the Temple was when she was a young child and received her Calling, though in truth that had been decided from the very beginning. Her genes dictated her skills, Nous acted accordingly and bestowed its wisdom upon her. As it would now.

She shivered and wondered how far away the nearest person was. A hundred metres? More? There was no way to know. The Inner Sanctum was dull, soulless, and terrifying. Grey on grey on grey, rising and rising. If humans had made it then why had they made it so oppressive. If the machines had made it why was it so imposing to humans. Tes stole a glance at the stone half-men around her. The Ten Saints towered over her with their faces downcast, eyes closed. The great stone face of Nous, with its full lips and irisless eyes of the same colourless stone, dominated the back wall. A faint halo was reflected in the concrete floor. Nous had arrived.

‘Technical Specialist-TE F-1138 you have been called to the Temple to answer for your crimes,’ Nous said. The voice came from everywhere and nowhere. The lips did not move, the light did not pulsate. ‘Be at ease,’ Nous’s caring tone sounded forced and patronising.

Tes set her arms to her side, drying her palms on her trousers, and looked up at Nous’s vacant stare. There was a childishness to it. Unblemished and pure yet it spoke with an aged voice. ‘I have committed no crime,’ Tes said. Her teeth chattered yet sweat slipped over her ribs.

‘F-1138 you performed an unauthorised action without the requisite supervision with recklessness. Other beings perished before their time because of your crime and many lower machines were severed from the matrix, unable to complete necessary tasks.’

‘My supervisor, Cal, gave permission,’ Tes remembered Cal had cut his hand and struggled to handle the tools. She’d offered to help, that was all. Everyone had told her it wasn’t her fault and that no one blamed her, yet here she was being blamed.

‘Technical Specialist-ME M-0374 lacked the ability to authorise a Trainee for such a task on secondary systems. Especially one with prior mistakes. However, his actions are none of your concern,’ Nous’s voice swelled through the Inner Sanctum.

‘Trainees are meant to make mistakes.’

‘Your mistakes number far above average and outside acceptable parameters. Acceptable mistakes do not cost lives.’

‘Then I have the wrong job,’ the words escaped her before she could consider them. Tes bit her tongue.

‘All are on the path most suited to them,’ Nous said. ‘It was known before you were born. The fault lies with you.’

Tes felt a welling of emotion in her throat that spread to her eyes. ‘I’m tired. I have three children to care for, as mandated, and exams to study for alongside training.’

‘Extenuating circumstances should be reported. Ninety-nine per cent of humans accomplish what We set out for them. The fault lies with you,’ Nous said. The last sentence gnawed at Tes.

‘I didn’t have time. I was already late.’ Sleep had evaded her that night as her youngest, Theo, cried and cried and cried until morning.

‘We know you were late. Reporting extenuating circumstances can be done with a quick tap on your wrist device. Without a report the right adjustments cannot be made. We note your elevated heart rate, would you like a seat or glass of water?’

‘No, thank you.’ I want to sleep.

‘F-1138, you show signs of unconscious self-harm originating in an inability to judge your own internal states.’

‘I’m tired,’ Tes said, the words barely audible. The three faces of those who’d perished from her fault flashed in her mind. All younger than her, all with children, and jobs and loves and wants. All crushed by cutting the wrong cable. A sorrowful stone wedged itself in her throat.

‘It appears F-1138 there are no extenuating circumstances for your errors.’

‘There are,’ Tes screamed. Her nails dug into the palm of her hand.

‘F-1138, you did not report them. Many opportunities were available to you before this trial to report any and all issues. We will now list your crimes,’ Nous paused, its face bore down impassively. ‘Performing an unauthorised task and without required qualifications. Causing the deaths of three of your fellow beings through negligence. Disrupting the routines of machines and wider network. Disruption of air supply. Refusal to remove self from situation when requested. Prevention of Emergency Technical Support A from performing works that could have saved the lives of the three aforementioned beings. These are in addition to prior failings not classified as crimes which will not be listed at this time. What is your defence?’

Tears streamed down Tes’s cheeks. She hadn’t done half of those things, had she? The day had gone by in a haze of exhaustion and disbelief. Tes wished to hold her young boy and be embraced by her partner Ash, and their two oldest, Em, and Lily. A cold shiver coursed through her, a thought, no… I couldn’t, could I? She said it anyway, a last chance at absolving herself, ‘I was tired. Cal had failed to supervise me properly and allowed me to perform a task I wasn’t equipped for.’

‘Correct. A Trainee should never perform a task on secondary systems when primary systems are incapacitated. If you knew his error why did you not point it out at the time?’ Nous snapped.

Tes winced. She padded her cheek with the back of her hand and whimpered, ‘It would be rude to disobey my superior.’ I’ve gone this far, she thought. Cal won’t find out.

‘Your unwillingness to hold to the law is a failing, F-1138. Do not be embarrassed or scared to hold others to the law if they are at fault, not you. We fear this lesson is wasted here,’ Nous said.

‘But it wasn’t a failing. Cal said I was ready for the task.’

Nous interrupted her, ‘No Trainee should be subject to accelerated progression. That is M-0374’s failing and he will be punished accordingly.’

‘But—‘

‘Another being’s failings are not open for discussion. F-1138 you have offered no adequate defence. Punishment for your list of crimes is disassembly.’

‘What? How? ALL I DID WAS CUT A CABLE!’ Tes screamed at the expressionless face of Nous. Marching towards the stone face, two Saints hovered to intercept her. What would I do anyway? She skittered a few feet back, heart pounding. Tears welling.

‘And that caused a loss of air, the death of three of your fellow beings, and a litany of tasks to go incomplete. This is the culmination of a history of failings that We have granted second chances for. Such mistakes will not be made again,’ Nous said.

‘I have children. They’re young. I can care for them, I don’t need to be a Technical Specialist. I can raise Em, and Lily, and Theo. Let me go. I want to see my children,’ Tes turned to run. Three massive slabs of concrete shot up before her. She ran left but three Saints blocked her path. She turned again but the other Saints converged on her. Their blank expressions tormenting, their stone bodies a cage.

‘Suitable replacement caregivers will be provided for the children. Another partner will be found for M-2851. These beings are no longer your concern. Be thankful in the knowledge that all will be cared for, all will be loved. F-1138 find solace in knowing your organs will save the lives of others that require transplants, your blood also. Find comfort in the knowledge that your remains will nourish the farms. You will live on.’

Tes ran towards the concrete platform. She made it halfway. The Saints surrounded her. A sharp pain pricked her calf. Numbness spread through her legs and her vision turned to water. The world spun. The concrete was cold against her cheek. She blinked a tear and thought of Ash, Em, Lily, and Theo. Tes blinked again and the abyss swallowed her whole.

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