"Sheldonopolis…"
Summary: In a dystopic future, Humanity's last hope is the visionary metropolis created by the genius of grand Administrator Sheldon Cooperson and Rotwolowitz, the inventor...But is it a paradise or a Sheldonesque version of Hell? And can a savior from the waitressing ranks of its cloned workers change its future?
Sheldon Cooperson, the Master of Sheldonopolis… Dr. Sheldon L. Cooper
Calvin Cooperson, his son…
Senator Hofstadter, opposition leader…
Councilor Firme, 2031 Councilor …
Clark… Dr. Leonard Hofstadter
Rotwolowitz, the inventor…
Tom Rossikivich, aide to Warren Rick Howard, the engineer
Hel… Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski
Amy, nervous Chief Assistant to the Master of Sheldonopolis… Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler
Penny/Futura, her android double…
The Creative Person…
Death…
The Seven Deadly Sins… Penny, the waitress
The Thin Man… Name withheld by request
Male Worker clones… Howard, the engineer
Grotta, chief clone supervisor for the Heart machine…Female worker clones… Dr. Bernadette Rostenkowski
Georgy…
September, mysterious owner of Yoshiwara's….
Councilor Layton, 2031 Councilor
Bruce Stuart Wayne, 2056 Councilor… Stuart Bloom (you want me to do this for a free lunch, I'm Bruce Wayne)
Ted, former US Senator and leader of Droog marauder band in 2030…
Warren Rick, former governor of Texas, City Councilor…
Minister Flemm…
Councilor Romney, 2031 Councilor…
Brent Adelsen Kocher, 2056 Opposition Leader/Councilor… Toby Loobenfeld
Missy, 2056 courtesan clone…
Security agent 2031…
Various female clones of the "Lucy" and "Missy" lines… Name withheld by request
Part XLVIII…
The massive office of Sheldon Cooperson in the New Tower of Babel…
Where a rather self-satisfied…What a day…Things…Parade, Sheldonbowl Games, laudatory banquet, Holo TV special "35 Years of Sheldon", TV Movie "Sheldon: His Life and Times"…proceeding well for the 35th anniversary of my City's founding-check…Workers' Lib Leader kidnapped-check…Idiot son's foolishly wrong-headed romance nipped in bud-check…Opposition in Council and among clone workers being dealt with-check…New color chosen for trash can lids-check…Ole chief assistant/ part-time, secret mistress intimidated-? …Cooperson sat at his sprawling desk, observing the vast panorama of the City…And images from various sites.
Say? Is that kid giving the finger to the giant poster of me taking in the grand sweep of the City, celebrating 35 years of "Him Handling It" in Sheldon Square?
Hmmn…Grimly noting the location of the incident for future retribution, he turned away to eye the just now entering Thin Man.
"Slim? Things set with my errant ex-assistant…?"
/mistress…He did not say.
("What?" Sheldon blinked. "All power-mad dictators have them, Moonpie." Amy beamed. "It's a social convention." Sly grin to Leonard, who smiled back.
"Leonard?"
"Absolutely, ole buddy.")
"I've dealt with her, sir. I believe she'll cooperate." The Thin Man nodded.
("What's that mean…'dealt with her'?" Sheldon eyed Amy, then Leonard, then Amy again.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?" anxious tone.
Uh…Amy pondered.
On the one hand poor Raj beaten to a bloody pulp by Sheldon's fists of death…And all for me.
On the other…Oh, God…Raj beaten to a bloody pulp by Sheldon's fists of death and all for me…Ohhh…
Lucy quietly stepping between the glaring Sheldon and the rather nervous…Dude? Acting here…Raj. Stony-eyed glance at Sheldon causing him to step back with Amy.
"100,000 quatloos on the newcomer." Howard grinned to Bernadette.
Star Trek, he explained to her Huh? stare…)
Intimidation-check.
"That's good. So when you see Calvin at Amy's later, tell him to…" Sheldon pausing as a light and buzzer flashed on his desk.
"Cooperson. Howard? Oh, his clone tech #T5104…Yes? What? I can't hear you over all that electrical noise, son…" Cooperson frowned.
If you'd just let me violate your agreement with Howard and try to slip a couple of surveillance devices into his place…The Thin Man sighed.
"…Am I by any chance, what? Missing a son?" Cooperson stared.
"Well, as a matter of fact…"
…
Sheldonopolis Council Chamber…
Where a well-attended, if reluctantly so, meeting was endlessly discussing preparations for the great 35th anniversary. Not a soul willing to vote for the additional funding cost overruns were requiring (Hey, parades, statues, banquets, and to clone genetic remains of Jackie Evancho to sing Sheldon's favorites costs money) nor courageous enough to openly vote no, all trying to delay the obvious necessity of passage by unanimous acclamation.
"We go into session for the next election cycle in two days, Bruce." Councilor Kocher quietly noted to his trusted "right-hand"…Waving to several councilors passing by his desk.
Trusted as much as Kocher trusted anyone, that is…
"By then, the stage should be nearly set for the final act for our Administrator…"he beamed. "Be ready to deliver the votes…"
"Not a problem, Brent." Nod… "And once you're the new President, with the city slipping into chaos…"
"That's just a best-guess projection, of course, Brucey…" Kocher, beaming smile. "Naturally if I had any real inside info on trouble brewing I'd share it with the proper authorities."
"Naturally…" nod.
So the question being…Boss…Wayne thought…Just what have you got up your sleeve? And has someone among us betrayed us or been duped by you?
…..
All the pieces almost in place…Rotwolowitz thought…Eyeing the energy discharges about Penny's cylindrical tank and the now almost continuous circuit of energy rings about Futura, obscuring her from view.
That lunatic Ted and therefore his merry band of Outlander Droogs in my pocket…The clone workers enraged, stifled by Cooperson's iron grip and the worthless Council's phony promises, betrayals encouraged by me and well-placed bribes…The son of Cooperson helpless and soon to be a hapless witness to the first stage of my plan…And my tool of tools, my Hel II, nearly ready to emerge from her cocoon to take her place as the fire that will purge this abomination of Sheldon's to the ground.
Yeah, a good day…Especially seeing as it looks like I can really pull it off…He eyed Penny's chamber…
And yet…Feeling a bit down, somehow…As if something, some little bit of me…
Or, some bit of Helga…
Well, it's too late now…The deed is done, the die are cast.
A final burst of energy…The rings around Futura dissolving, the rotating holograms of various body sections and head fading, the discharges on Penny's tank ceasing…
Oooh…The clones watching from the observation chamber gave a sigh of wonder as Futura, in perfect Penny form, was revealed in all her beauteous glory. He stared.
Whoa…
Now that is one neat job, Rotwolowitz.
Still…He sighed to where Penny lay in the chamber, head lolling now.
But, have to break a few moral eggs to make a world-changing omelet, right?
The robot slowly opening its eyes…A blank, soulless stare.
It turned head slowly as if taking in a new world…Fixing on him…
"Dr. Rotwolowitz…" Penny's voice. "Might I have my clothes…Please?"
Hmmn? Oh…Geesh…
"Sorry about that…Unavoidable…Hey, #T4174?" he spoke into intercom. "Could you bring Ms. Penny's clothes?"
"I'm late for my shift at Yoshiwara's." she noted, eyeing him. "Are you through with me for now or should I call in?" cool stare.
"Best to call, dear…" he smiled. "I have a few questions and I believe there's someone important who's been anxious to meet you. I'm sure Mr. September will understand why you were detained…"
"My beloved Calvin?" cold smile. "Is he here, come for me?"
"Oh, someone much more important... I hope you can make a little time for him. For the greater good of your people and this City. And of course, it will be of benefit to you."
She gave a sweet smile. "Of course…Anything for my people." She looked to see #T4174 bringing out Penny's worker dress.
God, I have really done it this time. Clones? Bah…Piece of DNA cake. Now this, this is real creativity, Howard beamed at the robot.
"#T4174, take the young lady to the dressing room and let her call her employer. We'll do a full evaluation check there. And please get Administrator Cooperson on the videophone as soon as possible. I know he'll be waiting for this call." Smile.
"The Great Administrator?" Penny's voice, awed, then a bit saccharine… "I'd be so honored to meet him. I've wanted to talk with him for so long."
"You will, very soon…" Rotwolowitz nodded as the clone assistant helped the robot out of her chair and down to the main floor of the lab. Several clones, female, now entering the main lab and starting to pick up equipment and debris as the robot slowly followed the female clone.
Oh, shit…He sighed as a male clone entered the work area and suddenly began trembling, drooling, grabbing head…Writhing now…Moaning as it eyed the false Penny who regarded him with cool stare and smile. Clutching at chest…
"I said no males or female homosexual models on the work floor, dammit!" Rotwolowitz cried into the microphone headset at his lips. "Futura! Penny!" As the robot halted and turned to eye him…
"Authorization code…66…Reduce pheromone output to normal! Repeat…"
Hmmn…He eyed the clone stretched out on the lab floor, several females anxiously rushing to assist, one, on reaching the body, looking to Howard, shaking head.
Well…Looks like there's no need…And inadvertent field test #1 of physiological systems a resounding, if tragic success. Though probably best to have reset her output in any case…
Don't want to kill all my male clones or drive every human male or lesbian, clone or human, insane with lust…
Yet.
The robot barely acknowledging the tragic scene, except to give a shrewd little grin and wink to Howard…The females weeping as they bore the corpse off.
Think I'd better double up my own antidote injection, Howard thought.
God, though credit must be given where bodacious credit is due, dear Penny…He eyed the robot, then the unconscious Penny in her chamber…
…I really have outdone myself.
