genetics out. I’m only forty-five but I’m telling you, it’s making me think, being forty-five.
Well, as long as something’s making you think, Bernice said.
Touché, Hugo said.
Project what did you call it? Bernice said. Anubis?
Yeah, Anubis, it’s just one of several levels of drone development, Richard said. Obviously the targeting specificity has been in development all along, alongside the surveillance aspect, and drones are already used widely in conflict situations. But right now we’re emphasizing the surveillance aspect for the domestic market.
Project Anubis, Terence said.
Anubis is the ancient Egyptian god of the dead, Bernice said.
Is it? Richard said. Ah. Right.
Jackal-headed, Bernice said.
And they look so like toys, Hannah said and looked delighted. Unbelievable!
Unbelievable, Bernice said.
Nasty old world out there, Richard said. No point in pretending otherwise.
The Bayoudes exchanged glances.
Now at the table, while they wait for the first course and Mark sits and worries about what he’s going to do with the wine in front of him, microdrone man asks him what he does for a living.
I’m a picture researcher, currently, Mark says.
Right, Richard says.
For BBC magazines. You know, thematically stranded in association with programmes and so on, Mark says. I source pictures for them.
Is that a very taxing job, then, Richard asks, or can you more or less do it with your eyes shut?
No, you do actually need your eyes to be open for it, Mark says.
Oh, yeah. I remember now, Richard says. You’re the, uh, Hugo and Caroline’s friend.
He clears his throat.
That’ll be how you know Hugo, he says. I’d thought, before, you know, it might be the am-dram game.
The what? Mark says.
Likes a bit of a drama, Hugo, Richard says.
Hugo looks wounded. Mark can feel Caroline pretending not to listen on the other side of him.
Wildlife photography, only one of Hugo’s many exotic hobbies, Richard says.
Hugo’s pictures of barn owls are legendary in the business, Mark says.
I occasionally take a picture that’s of occasional use to publications, Hugo says. And Mark and his employers occasionally see fit to use one or two. I’m a lucky boy. What does your, uh, Miles do, Mark?
You’ll need to ask him, Mark says.
How about you, Miles? Hugo says.
He says it civilly but it sounds like a threat.
I’m so sorry, Miles is saying as Eric puts a plate down in front of him. I can’t believe I didn’t think to tell you. I’m vegetarian.
Ah, Jan says coming through with three more plates. That might actually be a bit of a problem, Miles.
What a shame, Caroline says. And the main course is lamb. From Drings, and everything. What a shame, Jan.
What about just taking the sausage off and putting it to one side and then you can eat the fish? Hannah, who’s sitting next to Miles, says.
He’s vegetarian, Hannah, Caroline says.
Yes, I know, Caroline, that’s why I suggested it, Hannah says.
I do wish you’d let me know, Mark, or let Hugo know so he could have let me know in advance, Jan says.
I wasn’t actually party to the information that Mark would be bringing somebody, Hugo says.
My apologies, Mark says. I’m so sorry.
No, my fault, Miles says. Mine entirely. I’m an interloper. Happy just to eat salad to atone. Happy not to eat at all if it’s a problem. Happy just to have an enjoyable evening sitting here.
And then he was killed by a Viking who brained him with a bone that came from an ox, the child at the other end of the table is saying. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury and they made him a saint. It is why the church of St. Alfege is called his name. It happened here, in Greenwich, in the year ten twelve.
In the year twenty-five twenty-five. If man is still alive, Terence sings.
Adorable, Caroline says.
She smiles at Bernice. Adorable, she mouths the word the length of the table.
I’m not responsible for any adorability here, Bernice says. I’m the bad cop.
If woman can
Well, as long as something’s making you think, Bernice said.
Touché, Hugo said.
Project what did you call it? Bernice said. Anubis?
Yeah, Anubis, it’s just one of several levels of drone development, Richard said. Obviously the targeting specificity has been in development all along, alongside the surveillance aspect, and drones are already used widely in conflict situations. But right now we’re emphasizing the surveillance aspect for the domestic market.
Project Anubis, Terence said.
Anubis is the ancient Egyptian god of the dead, Bernice said.
Is it? Richard said. Ah. Right.
Jackal-headed, Bernice said.
And they look so like toys, Hannah said and looked delighted. Unbelievable!
Unbelievable, Bernice said.
Nasty old world out there, Richard said. No point in pretending otherwise.
The Bayoudes exchanged glances.
Now at the table, while they wait for the first course and Mark sits and worries about what he’s going to do with the wine in front of him, microdrone man asks him what he does for a living.
I’m a picture researcher, currently, Mark says.
Right, Richard says.
For BBC magazines. You know, thematically stranded in association with programmes and so on, Mark says. I source pictures for them.
Is that a very taxing job, then, Richard asks, or can you more or less do it with your eyes shut?
No, you do actually need your eyes to be open for it, Mark says.
Oh, yeah. I remember now, Richard says. You’re the, uh, Hugo and Caroline’s friend.
He clears his throat.
That’ll be how you know Hugo, he says. I’d thought, before, you know, it might be the am-dram game.
The what? Mark says.
Likes a bit of a drama, Hugo, Richard says.
Hugo looks wounded. Mark can feel Caroline pretending not to listen on the other side of him.
Wildlife photography, only one of Hugo’s many exotic hobbies, Richard says.
Hugo’s pictures of barn owls are legendary in the business, Mark says.
I occasionally take a picture that’s of occasional use to publications, Hugo says. And Mark and his employers occasionally see fit to use one or two. I’m a lucky boy. What does your, uh, Miles do, Mark?
You’ll need to ask him, Mark says.
How about you, Miles? Hugo says.
He says it civilly but it sounds like a threat.
I’m so sorry, Miles is saying as Eric puts a plate down in front of him. I can’t believe I didn’t think to tell you. I’m vegetarian.
Ah, Jan says coming through with three more plates. That might actually be a bit of a problem, Miles.
What a shame, Caroline says. And the main course is lamb. From Drings, and everything. What a shame, Jan.
What about just taking the sausage off and putting it to one side and then you can eat the fish? Hannah, who’s sitting next to Miles, says.
He’s vegetarian, Hannah, Caroline says.
Yes, I know, Caroline, that’s why I suggested it, Hannah says.
I do wish you’d let me know, Mark, or let Hugo know so he could have let me know in advance, Jan says.
I wasn’t actually party to the information that Mark would be bringing somebody, Hugo says.
My apologies, Mark says. I’m so sorry.
No, my fault, Miles says. Mine entirely. I’m an interloper. Happy just to eat salad to atone. Happy not to eat at all if it’s a problem. Happy just to have an enjoyable evening sitting here.
And then he was killed by a Viking who brained him with a bone that came from an ox, the child at the other end of the table is saying. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury and they made him a saint. It is why the church of St. Alfege is called his name. It happened here, in Greenwich, in the year ten twelve.
In the year twenty-five twenty-five. If man is still alive, Terence sings.
Adorable, Caroline says.
She smiles at Bernice. Adorable, she mouths the word the length of the table.
I’m not responsible for any adorability here, Bernice says. I’m the bad cop.
If woman can
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