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How to join the Korps, Part 2

The RCGs were burning a hole in my pocket. Given they were in the pocket of my jacket hung

up on the other side of the room, that was quite impressive.

"You were late in this morning," said Mary, my co-worker at the next computer. I tried to

look like I had been staring blankly at my screen rather that past it to the coat rack. She

continued, "Was the more trouble at the checkpoint?"

"No, or, well, I don't know. I went, a, uh, back way," I sputter out, trying not to blush.

"Trying to avoid the queues, you know? But it took longer than I thought. Probably not worth

the time."

"Oh?" Mary put the form she was typing in on her keyboard, and turned to me. "So there's a

back route across the city? I thought those creepy Korps animals were watching everything."

"I think they are."

"How do you know?"

"There was one of their, uh, soldiers at the end, on the street. She waved at me."

"Shit! Did it give you any trouble? Harass you?"

She was staring at me intently. "Uh," I said. "No, it's not like I was doing anything wrong

anyway. They couldn't have stopped me for anything."

"Ha!" Mary sat back and crossed her arms. "THEY don't need a reason! They been pulling

random people off the street, then there's suddenly another animal saying they wanted it all

along!"

I gulped, thinking of the RCGs again. The ones with a guaranteed mind control program on

them. "That... that can't be true."

She leaned in close and hissed, "They say it's not, but it's pretty easy to get someone to

say they joined up willingly when you can alter their minds! Look it up online, and stay

away from those freaks!"

She winked at me quickly, and turned back to her work. I turned back to the form I was

entering, thoughts running through my head. Was I one of those people? I'd heard some weird

things about people... if I suddenly disappeared and came back with a muzzle and a Korps

logo and ...tits... would that be proof for Mary that her fears were real? Maybe I should

have defended the Korps, or something...

But I wasn't going to join. Definitely not.

***

I took the bus on the way home.

***

At home in my crappy little flat, I started up my laptop and searched for information on the

RCGs.

After reading a few articles, I took the pair that Lily had given me, wrapped them in tin

foil, then put them in my microwave. The metal box would prevent the RCGs from picking up

any wireless or phone signals, and insulate any sounds its microphone might be picking up as

well.

A minute later I stuck a post-it note of the control panel that said 'TAKE OUT FIRST'.

There were specs for the RCGs online; it seemed that the Korps had made all the schematics

and software open source. You could build your own, if you had the equipment and knowledge.

I did not. I knew a bit of coding, but the software was all in the Korps own programming

language, something specialised and efficient, but I couldn't tell where to start. I had to

rely on other people's analysis, which was... biased.

Everyone agreed what the RCGs could do. Cameras, heads-up display, kinetically charged

battery, an incredible range of communication facilities - and yes, the 'direct neural

interface'. The mind control. It was advertised as for therapeutic purposes, but there were

so many stories about it being used to just fuck up someone... I was fairly sure some of

them were supposed to be porn. Some were obviously made up - hell, I'd written my own story

about joining the Korps.. But there were some that worried me - stories about the more

subtle changes. A boyfriend altering his girlfriend's RCGs with a little encouragement for

her to be more receptive to her desires. A boss, persuading his employees not to think about

how inappropriate his actions were. These... were they more fiction? Surely no-one would be

stupid enough to admit it, and actually prove it? They'd get caught, wouldn't they?

Maybe the Korps would check on people abusing their creations...

I shook my head. I was getting distracted, thinking about a porn story. I closed the tabs of

personal accounts and tried to look for more tech based reviews. I picked the least asshole

looking tech guy in the list of white half-beard men with videos. He rattled through the

specs, gave a few results from his examination of the code, and then came to his summary.

"So, do the RCGs do what they say? As far as I can tell. They can alter your mind. But the

programming that's on there won't unless you add some. Right now, as supplied, they are

perfectly safe.

"So should you try to use them, if you have some metal problems you want to solve?

Absolutely not! Do NOT mess with your own mind. Get a professional, if you have to do it at

all.

"But there's a bigger problem with these glasses. I know a lot of people think the Korps are

out to get them, and wouldn't touch these things. But even if you do trust the Korps, think

about this: do you believe they are perfect, and never make mistakes?

"Because if there is a glitch in these things that a hostile party finds, or if the Korps

software update service gets hacked, then whoever does it has a direct line into the minds

of anyone who uses the RCGs. These have the exact same problem of all software connected to

the internet. In order to prevent unauthorised access - not just to your computer, but to

everything that makes you you - not just does the Korps have to have your best interests at

heart, but they have to be better than every lone hacker, every government investigation

agency, every corporate espionage department, and you can bet they are trying right now to

get into this.

"My decision? Don't buy these. Or even make your own."

I closed the video and sat back in my chair. That was it, wasn't it? I had to trust not only

that they were good, but that they were better. And would always be better. If I put those

glasses on, it was saying I trusted them more than I trusted my own decisions.

I sighed, looking around at the crappy 2 room flat, thinking about my shitty data entry job,

and how I was sat here alone and friendless. Was this the life of someone who made good

decisions? Wouldn't I be better if I did let someone else help me?

But that's the thing. Maybe I was making bad choices, but in order to make a good decision,

I had to make a decision.

I was going to take the glasses back, tomorrow morning.

***

I walked to the checkpoint. They were stopping buses, but I didn't want to hold one of them

up. She'd probably pull me aside, and then I'd hand the glasses back to her. But what if she

wasn't there? Well, I'd have to keep them, but I'd and them back next time I saw her. What

if she never showed up? She was keeping an eye on me, after all, and could avoid me if she

wanted me to keep them... Then I'd sell them, or something.

The crowed of morning commuters grew thicker as I approached the checkpoint. It was a metal

barricade with a few concrete barriers built out into the road, stopping the traffic, and a

metal scanner gate that everyone had to pass through. Thinking about the range of vision

that normal RCGs could see, from infra-red to UV, I wondered if the Korps had better, secret

ones that could see further, and the scanner was just for show. The crowd slowed as they

passed through the scanner one by one, the two guards - a wolf and the bear I'd seen with

Lily the first time - waving them through without even looking. And, standing a little

further away and casually running her eyes back and forth, was Lily the lioness, in her

Korps uniform and armour.

She hadn't seen me yet.

A wave of fear washed over me. Could I actually talk to her, rather than her talking to me?

I was bumped from behind, and hurried to move with the crowd, hiding behind people, closer

to the shop windows. Lily's eyes moved towards me, and then her body twitched. Her lips

moved, whispering something, but -

She wasn't looking at me.

For a second or two, nothing happened. I could see her tensing, one hand slowly moving to

the stunner on her hip. Then, further forward in the swarm of people, I heard a scream.

The crowd paused, uncertain of what to do. I tried to see the cause, but there were too many

people in the way - who were suddenly pushing at me. More screams came as I slammed against

the glass of a shop window. It cracked against my back.

Lily was charging into the crowd, roaring. At the checkpoint, I could see the bear haul

civilians over the concrete barrier. The wolf was frantically pawing at a strange gun, long

and with a solid shining barrel. Lily pounced.

It didn't sound like anything. One moment, I was pushed up against a splintering pane of

glass, bodies flowing past me. The next, I was on my arse, half inside the display, people

moaning and picking themselves up. I stumbled to my feet, feeling the tiny cuts in my hands

from the glass, and tried to piece together what was going on. Had the glass broken? Had I

hit my head?

Someone must have fallen in the crush of people, and everyone tripped over them, and then...

I hoped they were alright. I stumbled forward, past those staggering to their feet. I wanted

to see Lily... That was my plan, right? And she was somewhere in the crowd.

Why had she charged into the crowd?

I work out what had happened, but the ringing sound was making my head spin. I couldn't

focus! My hand rested on a car, its panels dented and windows shattered. Something hit it...

hard.

A wall of combat armour and fur appeared in front of me. The bear. She was saying something,

but she was too far away to hear. I tried to say something, but the words slurred together

in my mouth. The bear grabbed one of my shoulders, and this time I could hear her, muffled

and distant over the ringing. "Sir," she said. "I need you to go over there, sit down and

wait for a medic-"

"Lily," I got out. "Wheresh Lily?"

She paused. Her eyes flickered, reading something inside her goggles. "Okay, Lily can't- you

need to sit down and wait for the medics."

The ringing was fading, and I could hear shouts and screams, and in the distance, sirens. "I

need to help!" I said.

She turned and glanced over her shoulder, for a fraction of a second. "No. I think right

now, all Lily wants you to do is sit down, carefully, over there, and wait."

She pushed me, gently but firmly, to a wall. We she let me go, I felt unbalanced, and

wavered on my feet. Perhaps I should sit down.

I slumped against the wall. My phone was buzzing, so I pulled it out. A Korps alert? I don't

remember installing that...

ALL CHECKPOINT CLOSED, the alert flashed. CITIZENS ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS AND AVOID

CROWDED PLACED DUE TO BOMB THREATS.

Bomb threats? That would explain the car. If the checkpoints were closed, I wouldn't be able

to get to work... I should let them know...

I fumbled through menus to call work. On the fifth ring, my boss picked up. "Yes?"

"Hi, I won't be able to come to work today."

"What? Kevin, you are needed today-"

Why did my phone feel wet against my ear? "They've closed the checkpoints because of the

bomb, I can't get to you."

"Hmph. Well, you can at least do some work from home. The data from the WilsonCategory

database need to be transcribed to-"

"She said I have to wait here, wait for the medic."

"Medic? Where are you?"

"I'm by the checkpoint." I finally put it together in my head, understanding at last. "Where

the bomb went off."

"...Why don't you take the day off."

Something was running down my arm, a riverlet of red. "Is that blood?" I asked. "Is that my

blood?"

"...Take as long as you need!"

I nodded, and whispered, "Okay..."

My arms felt weak, and I slipped to a sitting position, my hands at my sides, listening to

the wail of sirens getting closer.