Theobromos - Theobromos

Theobromos

Throughout the stories, the cyborgs mention "theobromos" as their narcotic of choice. In fact this is simply chocolate. Having been rendered immune to all known human diseases, and being largely unaffected by alcohol and other drugs, since their bodies quickly reprocess such chemicals into harmless forms, the cyborgs react to theobromos as humans might to alcohol or marijuana. The name is derived from theobromine, one of the stimulants found in the seeds of the cacao plant, although that itself takes its name from the Greek words for "food of the gods". Naturally the cyborgs have developed their own varieties of the plant which are especially intoxicating.

Over-indulgence brings on a hangover which has to be treated with large amounts of complex carbohydrates, such as pizza or fettuccine alfredo. The humans who run the Company do not like their servants intoxicating themselves, but are powerless to prevent them from doing so.

Theobromos provides a thread of humor, sometimes ironic, which runs through the stories. Examples include:

  • Joseph and Lewis go on a binge at Ghirardelli's in San Francisco, Joseph at one point snorting cocoa powder like cocaine (The Graveyard Game). In The Machine's Child Alec and Mendoza visit the same place shortly after Joseph and Lewis have left. The staff are still cleaning up.
  • Later in The Graveyard Game, Joseph and Lewis go on a buying spree at Rowntrees in York, England.
  • Suleyman's protege Latif secretly runs a highly profitable black-market in theobromos out of Eurobase Five, until operatives from Central America come to complain about him undercutting them. (The Children of the Company)
  • Mendoza's tragic confession in Mendoza in Hollywood is obtained with the help of 5 kilograms of "finest Guatemalan" theobromos.
  • In the same novel, Mendoza's companion Einar eats "cakes of theobromos" one after the other in order to stay calm as they explore Laurel Canyon, where time distortions surround them with visions of past and future events.
  • Security Tech Porfirio is armed with a tranquilizer, "based on theobromos", to help him subdue rogue cyborgs (Gods and Pawns).

Read more about this topic:  Theobromos