Chapter 2: To New York

The com's alarm woke her early. She put on her briefs and ran down to the courtyard to do her Tai Chi practice, then showered and dressed. She considered going casual, wearing only a torque or necklace, perhaps. In the end, for this rather formal business trip, she voted for conservative business wear. She slipped cuffs on her wrists. A collar around her neck carried a diagonally striped cloth ('Why do they call it a @tie?') that fell between her breasts almost to her waist. She left her light brown hair long across her back, slightly restrained by an ivory bar.

Gold ear cuffs weren't considered out of place in this case, but she made sure to apply her current flash (hetero, non-committed), an adhesive design which went above her left breast, like a badge or, the thought occurred to her, a combat ribbon. One or the other — coded earrings or flash — was essential to wear: to wear neither would be a come-on.

She slipped on high-cut briefs and secured her knife on the inside of her upper thigh. The kilt, though open on the sides to the tight, broad band that defined her waist, almost concealed the weapon that everyone carried. Her shoes were nearly invisible, a cap over her toes, a foot-bed that clung to her sole and enough heel to shape her calves.

Pru ate a quick breakfast. She docked her remote in her data port to suck her mail, put it in her shoulder bag and left the apartment. It was only a short walk to the Metro station, past storefronts that were beginning to open for the day's trading.

Prudence lived in the Washington Sector of the Atlantic Controlled Area. Since the development of the force fields that were now an accepted factor in everyday life, populations had concentrated in huge, climate-controlled cities that were roofed by the fields few people really understood. Temperatures remained stable at a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius and humidity was carefully controlled. Artificial rain washed the streets and the air at night. Because of the stable environment, customs of dress tended toward the cultural minimums for any given society.

Pru had found an apartment in the Old Town of Washington, once known as Georgetown. As in most older sections of Controlled Areas, the buildings were holdovers from earlier times, some of them dating from the early 22nd century. The old streets were broad and lined with trees, leaving ample pedestrian space where once vehicles streamed. Now, vehicles only appeared rarely to deliver goods and pick up shipments. Occasional police patrols swept by in open 'mobiles and residents on in-line skates took their exercise.

Outside the Controlled Areas, of course, normal weather set the bounds for clothing and most other activities. In the Out-of-Control areas that industry and agriculture led the way, for those were the locations that fed the needs of the bustling CAs. Vast areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and the East were the granaries of the world and the industries that manufactured the artifacts of society were spread across those areas of the world not covered by the residential fields of the CAs. The result was a reasonably balanced population: those who chose agriculture or industry generally located in climate-controlled enclaves near their workplaces or lived OC. Those who chose urban life and service businesses lived in the large CAs.

Today, the refreshing, humidity-controlled breeze that normally circulated in Controlled Areas stirred Pru's hair as she walked down the street to the slideway. She waved at shopkeepers she knew. As she passed an intersection, she noticed a police patrol cart with its flashing lights. 'Probably an overnight break-in, ' she thought.

Crime in the Controlled Areas was light, by standards of the past, since those convicted were expelled from the Controlled Areas and required (or forced) to live outside, where CA services were not available. For those who lived peaceably in the CAs, there was a reasonably efficient system of social welfare to protect those who could not or would not live productive lives. None of those lived particularly satisfactory lives, nor did they suffer excessively. They weren't happy, nor were they — as far as Pru knew — rebellious.

The reason she and all the rest of the CA residents carried knives and were trained in their use from childhood was because there are always people who are willing to prey on the weak or unaware. Of course, carrying a knife did not guarantee either strength or awareness. That was why Pru always knew where she was and who was around her. Her alertness was second nature.

As she walked through the neighborhood, she could see places where trash still lurked, awaiting cleaning crews. Those citizens who could not or would not maintain a more orderly life usually spent the nights in the industrial sectors where there were places they could shelter. Since it was never very cold or very wet, they could easily survive that way until they either came to the attention of the police — with possible Expulsion the result — or of the welfare apparatus with some form of minimal assistance in view.

Pru turned and took an escalator down into the depths of the city. The local Metro had her at UnionStation in plenty of time for her long-distance train.