Time Is Money

Chapter Five

Ruby was left all alone with two of the people she disliked the most. Her father wasn't smiling. The Engineer was.

“What, may I inquire, do you wish to speak with me about?”              

Her father attempted to smile good-naturedly but it looked more like a grimace. “About the minutes.”

Ruby felt a foreboding in her stomach. Her father was planning something.                   “Yes?”                                                                                                                                               

“As my daughter said, we would be more than happy to provide for Mark's health and longevity. But I would suggest that since both Caroline and I do not have enough minutes to cover the cost, that Ruby should be the one to offer up the minutes,” Her father spoke with all the cunning and cold-heartedness that she had always known him to have. Surprisingly, even though Ruby knew that those minutes would add up very quickly she was not at all bothered by the fact that she would be the one to have to give them up. That was what she had been planning when she had spoken up.        

The Engineer looked upset for a moment. “Well, yes, but you see.”                                                       

He stopped, obviously uncomfortable with the situation presented. No one had probably offered their daughter's life instead of their own. It wasn't against the law, but it was considered very impolite to do such a thing.                                                                                                                                “Is there a problem?” Her father asked.                                                                            

“No, but I believe I will have to, uh, talk with the government about this,” The Engineer replied shifting from foot to foot. The programming in his brain had never prepared him for this sort of conversation.                                                                                                                                             

“Do not worry about that, I am Magnanimous. I will see to it with the government.” Her father reassured the flustered automaton. Ruby watched as her father used his political power on the unsuspecting Engineer.       

 “Yes. Yes, of course,” the Engineer was reassured immediately and nodded his head awkwardly. He must be really incompetent. Ruby thought exasperated. No one she had ever met was that cheerful. Obviously when the humans made him, they had in mind the job he would have. Maybe he was built to be this happy to help persuade automatons to part with their minutes more easily.                     

“Mark will be back in a few days to receive his supplementary minutes. Ruby will make her payments then too,” Her father informed him. He bobbed his head again, and wrote something on his tablet.  “Of course, of course, just clear it with the receptionist, would you?”

After a bit more small talk, Ruby and her father left. Quentin walked down the hallway obviously proud of himself. Ruby followed him, half-heartedly, imagining all her minutes dwindling. But then she reassured herself, that her parents would take care of her. They would find her a well-paying job, and everything would be okay again. Ruby just had to be the perfect daughter.