Chapter 73
David Mentmore sat at his desk in his augmented standard Space Army Unit for one (Officer). He felt immensely pleased with himself. He’d harvested Tom Boyd using his new persuasive powers rather than his usual enforced zombification. Now, after a Skimmer ride that had left them both jolted and nauseous, Tom was in his new quarters with Oscar, his specially tailored virtual friend.
On the V-Screen Tom could be seen talking excitedly to him.
Oscar was in the standard VF concerned posture: relaxed, fingers touching chin, keeping eye contact, inviting trust and confidences.
Tom was talking about his Dad. “I don’t think he really cares about me. We do nothing together and he goes away a lot - an awful lot. In fact he was away when I met David.”
And Oscar said, with a frown: “Not
