'Wake up；' she demanded。 Rex did so。 The security men were removing the white discs from his skin； leaving behind horrid red weals。 'Get him up and hose him down。 He smells disgusting。 Oh God； he's messed himself。'
The security men hastened to oblige； looking far from happy。
'Is this going to affect our bonus payments？' one asked。 Gloria glared at him daggers。
Rex had never taken a bath before。 Never even seen one except on the Food Operas。 If this one was typical； then baths were a very lavish thing indeed and it wasn't surprising the vox pop never got a look at them。 He lazed in the hot scented water。 The bath was a bulbous glass dish set into the opaline floor。 The bathing chamber was sumptuous。 Carven sofas of ancient design swelled with plush cushions。 Amber light fell in rich pools。 Weling towels hung upon heated chromium tubes。 A large terminal with an elaborate EYESPI broadcast news。 Rex felt disinclined to watch。 His current interest lay with his feet which floated magically before him。 Rex sank lower into the water。 Squeezing soap deliriously between his palms。 The froth overflowed his fingers。 The image of the tiny pills of caked fat which arrived with the weekly provisions； hands and faces for the use of； clouded his pleasure for but a moment。 He allowed his body to float to the surface and applied soap to his penis。
'When you've quite finished wanking；' said the voice of Gloria Mundi； whose face now occupied the terminal screen； 'your presence in my apartment would be appreciated。'
Rex submerged slowly。 All things must pass； he thought； philosophically。
He gnawed upon an exotic viand。 Savouring another sensory mind blast。
'Is this meat？'
'Fresh meat。' Gloria watched him dispassionately。 'I wouldn't advise over…indulgence。 Your digestive tract won't be able to cope。'
Rex wiped a sweetly…smelling knuckle across his mouth and reached for his wine glass。 Gloria drew it beyond his reach。 'I would like a full report。 In detail。'
Rex grubbed up sweetmeats and thrust them into his mouth。 'I've had a rough day；' he mumbled。 'How's yours been？'
Gloria leant back in the high quilted chair and sipped wine。 She wore a wide…shouldered jacket of black antique leather gathered at the waist by a braided silk belt。 White silk trousers； her feet were bare。 Gold rings encircled several toes。 The room was dressed much after the style of the bathing chamber。 Early Opulent。 Long windows looked out upon a flawless blue expanse of nothing。 Rex gestured towards them。
'What is out there？'
'The sky。' Gloria sipped more wine。
'The sky is blue？' Rex peered at her suspiciously。 'How might that be？'
'The sky has been blue for a decade。 However ground conditions are maintained as they have been and will continue to be for an indefinite period。'
'You are telling me that the cloud cover is artificial？' Rex couldn't believe what he was hearing。
'We are restructuring society。 An agreement exists between the Big Three。 When restructuring is plete then the cover will be lifted。 Are you shocked？'
Rex chose his words carefully although his head swam。 'I'm surprised naturally。 But high…echelon decisions are just that。 Who am I to say？'
'Who indeed？' Gloria speared a tasty titbit with a 200…year…old eel fork。 She ran her pointed tongue about her painted lips。 'The Living God King knows his own business best。' Her unguarded smile wasn't lost upon Rex； although he pretended otherwise。 He was altogether shaken by this staggering disclosure。 'But how can such a secret be kept。 If those living below were to find out。。。'
'But they won't； will they Rex？ The air cars are programmed to fly no higher than the cloud cover。 Only the tips of the Big Three's bunkers pierce the murk。 Only the elite see the true sky。'
'But is it safe？' Rex recalled his Uncle Tony telling him about an 'ozone layer' which had been destroyed during the previous century。
'Quite safe。 And it's quite safe with you； isn't it brother？'
Rex nodded numbly； his injuries were making themselves felt in a big way。 And he felt very sick indeed。 'Might I use your toilet？' he asked。
The sound of the revving engine and the wheel…screeching departure of the Plymouth drew Jovil's attention away from the Bourbon bottle。 He lurched out on to the veranda to watch the tail lights dwindle in the rain…swept night。 He stumbled to the open door of room number three and gazed inside。 There were signs of a violent struggle。 The monitor was smashed upon the floor。 Table and chair upturned。 Across the wall above the bed was a garish streak of red。 Elvis and the Time Sprout were nowhere to be seen。 The deadly black box was nowhere to be seen。
Jovil slumped on to the bed and buried his head in his hands。 A stranger in a strange land。 And now one with very unfavourable prospects。
Jovil Jspht groaned dismally and vanished from the plot。
10
NOTICE IMPORTANT。 PLEASE FOLLOW CAREFULLY THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PLAYING PLEASURE AND HAPPY USING OF THE KOSHIBO HOLOPHON 2000。
Note One。 The KOSHIBO 2000 is designed and built as same for your happy using to the highest standards as yet。 To this purpose remendation is made that all surfaces must be clean for use and not touched with hands nude or otherwise uncovered。 Or with dust on。
1） Place the record with the playing side uppermost upon the playing deck。 With hand in glove。
2） Closed the top must be for the playing。
3） Play in order with button marked for on。
4） DANGER TO HEALTH。 Do not unjack plug until the play is done with。
5） The KOSHIBO corporation accepts no responsibility in the small print。
Holophon instructional manual 1993
Disforting but inevitable successor to the augmented CD； the Holophon 2000 now offers the enthusiast by far the greatest ever opportunity to burn out what few remaining brain cells he； she or it may still possess。 Latest in a long line of trial…by…error technology intended to augment audio playing through the introduction of analogued sensory stimuli； which create what the manufacturers refer to as Inner Visuality； this is another turkey。 The flaw in this particular system； as in all those previously marketed； is that the analogue frequency remains fixed； with the result that no two listeners experience the same image patterns。
Regular readers will recall the brilliant article by Sir John Rimmer； Telepathy： Food for Thought Unfit for Human Consumption？； which explained that telepathy is impossible between most humans due to the unique （fingerprint） brain frequencies of each separate individual； telepathy being only conclusively proved between identical twins who share the same alpha and beta brain…patterns。
Thus a system broadcasting upon a single fixed frequency can only offer you the opportunity to play Russian roulette with your brain。
So not one for the Christmas stocking； kiddies。 High Tech Review 27。7。93
Dalai Dan wormed the small plastic beads from his ears。 Sickly yellow gobs of unappealing wax now clung to them。 He touched a sensor and wrenched the jack from its socket。 Two minutes and twenty…two seconds； or it could have been several lifetimes。 It was all the same in there。 He reached out for the highball glass and missed。 His brain was still vibrating and he had no sense of perspective。 The room before him was a flat canvas。 To the left of the picture a door vanished sideways and the cut…out of a woman swelled to enpass the greater part of the room。 Yet she appeared to get no closer。 Most curious。
Gloria gazed into the face of the God King。 'That is disgusting；' said she； I've seen you do some pretty revolting things； but both pupils in one eye； that's a new low； even for you。'
Dan blinked violently and rubbed at his eyes。 'Mirror！ Mirror！' Gloria delved into her sharkskin handbag and brought out the vanity。 The flat room vanished to be replaced by Dan's flat face。 His right eye was blank and white。 His left。。。 'Goddamn；' howled the high lama； 'what have I done？'
'By the smell of you； you've done your underwear。'
'No control of bodily functions in there。'
'Ah。' Gloria understood。 'You've been in the holophon。 You will kill yourself in there。 Don't e crying to me when you do。'
'Oh； ha bloody ha ha。 My eyes； woman。'
Gloria sighed。 'You jacked out of the system before it closed。 If you must persist with this madness； you really should read the instructional manual。 You'll be all right in a minute or two。'
'Hand me my glass。' Gloria pressed it into the shaking hand and closed the fingers。
'What were you playing anyway？'
'Classical music。 Black disc。'
Gloria raised a manicured eyebrow。 'A vinyl recording； you've got one of those？'
'Circa 1950 something。'
'Elizabethan。 How did you e by that？ Those things are almost。。。'
'Icons？ This one was。。。'
Gloria's flat face left the picture。 Dan tried to turn his head but the effort made him giddy。 Gloria bent over the holophon。 Beneath the squat dome upon the system's deck lay the ancient seventy…eight； encased within a two…centimetre protectrite shell。 'Do you know what it says on the label？' Gloria asked。
'It is by SUN。' Dan clutched his skull。 'The script is old Engli