Reflections


The pond of Bran Bal was like a huge mirror in the middle of the village, and I spent as much of my time as I could at its edge. It was the only thing in Bran Bal that really moved. Yes, there were bubbling testing-tubes in the lab, coloured lights on the locked doors in the castle, and a zillion different glowing things everywhere I looked, but the pond was special. Most of the time it was still as a picture, but when I touched a finger to its surface it came to life like nothing else on the whole of Terra. It rippled and swayed and shifted like I was tickling a sleeping monster, and then all the movement sank back into its body and it was still again. It was always interesting to throw a stone into different parts of the pond and see all the different kinds of ripples it made, but Garland stopped me from doing that because I kept throwing stones at the other Genomes.

I told him I did it to make them do something except stand there, which I suppose was a little true, but the real reason I did it was because they made me mad. They were stupid and dull and they never did anything except stare at things. They would answer mine or Garland's questions if they could, but they never spoke to each other unless they were working, and they never spoke to me at all unless they had a message from Garland.

There was one now, emerging from the meeting hall where the knowledge crystal was kept and passing by on the other side of the pond. I watched it walk past the entrance to the inn and then stop dead. It looked like a statue standing there, not even its tail moving. It. That was the word you used for things.

I knew all about things from the pictures Garland sometimes showed me. Trees and statues and machines and insects. They weren't alive, not really, even though trees could die and statues looked alive and machines moved and insects had senses and muscles and could be splatted into mush. I frowned down at my reflection, and then made my face as empty as I could. Now I looked just like a smaller version of all the other Genomes. Was I a thing as well? A life-like machine made of delicate flesh? I swiped at the blank face in the water and pushed myself to my feet. I was in a bad mood now, and the thing that had caused it was going to pay for it.

I marched round the pond and stared up into the other Genome's face, daring it to do something. It carried on staring at the pond like I wasn't there. Like I was some sort of thing, just another part of the scenery. It was just too much to take, and I kicked the Genome hard on the shin to try and get rid of the emotions churning at the bottom of my throat. It turned to look at me then, a tiny bit angry but mostly confused, and I kicked it again. This time it raised a hand against me, the expression on its face not changing a bit, and I took a step or two back. The hand went down as smoothly as a lever, the face relaxed, and it was like nothing had happened. I briefly considered trying to push the Genome into the pond, but I'd be in big trouble if I did that.

A loud groan from my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten for several hours, and I stalked past the Genome into the inn, which was where all the other Genomes came to rest and nourish their bodies. I had rooms of my own in the castle and I didn't need to come in here at all, but it was a long walk there and back for a little Genome like me.

I walked through to the back of the empty inn and up to the counter. It was deserted as usual, but there was a bell on the counter-top that would summon a cook. The trouble was, the counter was higher than I was and I knew from experience that the kitchen Genomes were too stupid to respond to my calls. I knew I could reach the bell if I jumped up and slapped my fingers down onto it, but I hated doing that. It was so... undignified, and I wished I was better at moving things with my mind. Garland said I was doing well considering I was only two months old, but I still couldn't do anything useful. Time to change that a little, I thought suddenly, and began to concentrate.

The blue glow appeared around my hands, and I sent it to. The invisible energy wrapped itself around the bell, nearly slipping off a couple of times, but finally I had the mechanism under control. I grinned widely, and pulled the little brass knob kind of downwards (it didn't make sense pulling things to push them just because you were below them, but that was what Garland said you had to do). There was a ding from above me, and I nearly hugged myself with happiness. No more silly jumping around for me! I pressed the button a couple more times just to know that I could, and then I heard the kitchen doors open.

"It's me, Kuja!" I shouted up to the unseen Genome. "I want some food!"

"I will fetch you some gruel," came the flat reply, and then the sound of the kitchen doors. A few moments later, the doors opened and a full tray was placed onto the counter.

"Bring it round to me," I ordered. I had to tell them this every single time, otherwise they'd just leave it where I couldn't reach it. They were as stupid as machines sometimes. The Genome appeared with the tray, gave it to me, and left without a word.

I took it over to one of the long enamelled tables and sat on the cushioned bench, then stared into the pale slop. It was always the same, never any real texture or taste or colour, and it was the only thing the Genomes ever ate. It was as boring as they were. There was also a cupful of multicoloured vitamins that came with each helping of gruel, but I ignored those. I was only after something to keep my stomach quiet, and I took enough pills back at the castle to make me rattle when I walked.

As I spooned the tasteless stuff into my mouth, I heard another Genome come into the dining area. It didn't stop at the counter, but walked up to me and stopped at my shoulder. A summons from Garland, no doubt. It never was anything else.

"Garland wishes to see you."

I mouthed the words as it spoke them, and got up and walked past it without saying a word. There wasn't any point in acknowledging them. If I immediately stopped what I was doing and obeyed the summons, then that was enough of a response. If I told them that I'd be along later, or just ignored them, they'd stand there until I began the journey back to the castle, and probably until something else came into their empty heads.

What did Garland want this time? He usually said whatever he wanted to say during meals or lessons, so I was left alone in the village. Most of the summons were as a result of 'unwarranted abuse of my fellow Genomes', but I'd been good since my last telling-off and even if he did know about the Genome by the pond, he didn't concern himself with such minor incidents. That didn't leave many possibilities. Sometimes, if I'd been gone longer than usual, he called me back to take my pills, but I'd had some with my last proper meal so that wasn't an option either. What else could it be?

I half remembered one time, about a month ago, when he'd taken me out to the observatory and told me things I hadn't understood. Maybe he was going to do that again. I hoped he would. The orange light there was much nicer than the soft yet piercing blue light that filled the village, and it had been so soothing to look at it while his clear voice washed over me. Yes, maybe that would be it. A practical lesson.