CHAPTER 5

 

Praemonet City, like most other cities on Gatlor, was sealed and protected from the frigid climate. Some cities had domes constructed almost entirely of transparent polymers to maximise the amount of natural sunlight, others, like Praemonet, were built into naturally occurring depressions to insulate its citizens from the harshest weather and maximise its temperature-control efficiency.

Lele Yalt, a fifteen-year-old girl with light brown hair and large, dark brown eyes, examined her pale complexion in the image reflector in the hallway. Her complexion came from a vitamin D deficiency caused by lack of natural sunlight. Lights provided street illumination, but Praemonet was an old city and was not fitted with the latest sunlight simulator. Some of the more affluent social castes could afford to holiday on another planet and get a natural dose, or have a solar room in their house, but for most, particularly Praemonetites of the Labror caste, they had to make do with a daily vitamin D supplement. This gave them the essential vitamin, but did not remove the pallid complexion of long-term indoor living.  

Lele hefted a satchel onto her shoulder and checked the time. "I'm off out," she called to her parents. "Got to rush, bye!"

She ran down the street just in time to catch the transport that would take her into Praemonet city centre. She sat down heavily on the seat, settled the bag on her lap, and looked out of the window. The sealed city was not a beautiful place by any stretch of the imagination. Rubbish and grime accumulated despite the best efforts to keep it down. Street lighting was intermittent in places and the trees and plants brought in to brighten the place up looked stunted and grey without natural light.

The transport stopped and she brightened when she saw Seinat get on. The sixteen-year old boy sat down next to her and he gave Lela a kiss.

"Have you got it?" he asked.

She patted her bag in response.

He smiled. "You are a star." He kissed her again.

Ten minutes later they disembarked outside the main market area. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yes. You?"

"Yes."

"Then let's do it!"

They entered the market and took the lift up to the third floor. They exited the lift, walked to the balcony, and looked down on the market, and its shoppers, ten metres below. Lele let the bag she had been carrying slip from her shoulder and onto the floor. They both reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of leaflets. Paper was an old fashioned means of spreading the word, but it was effective. Filters on personal communication devices blocked unwanted messages, and hacking broadcasts was proving to be difficult. A piece of paper with a permanent message on it could not be blocked or switched off.

They started running, throwing the paper over the balcony. By the time the first leaflets reached the ground, they were halfway along. They paused to get more leaflets out of the bag.

"Quick," said Seinat. "Security."

Lele looked up, saw Seinat looking behind her and turned her head. A guard was just coming out of the lift. Her heart started pounding harder.

They dumped their leaflets over the balcony in one go, sprinted away from the guard, and darted into the nearest stairwell. As the heavy fire door closed behind them, the boy and girl giggled from sheer adrenalin.

"Do you think he saw us?" Lele asked

"Nah, the lights on the upper levels are too dim," Seinat replied confidently.

"What about the cameras?"

"Don't worry. Those cameras haven't worked for ages."

Relieved, Lele relaxed against the wall. Seinat took this as an invitation and leaned towards her. He pressed his lips to hers and Lele was all too happy to return his advances.  

Confident they had given the Security officer the slip, the two adolescents exited the stairwell on the ground floor, laughing like the schoolchildren they were. Their laughter died when they turned around to leave and found themselves being confronted by a female military officer of high rank, flanked by two armed soldiers.

"Arrest them!"

"Yes, Aloyd Karthen," replied one of the soldiers.

Before they could protest or run away, Lele and Seinat were pushed to the floor, their hands cuffed behind their backs, and then roughly hoisted to their feet.

Lele was terrified, but the more street-wise Seinat demanded to know why they were being arrested. The aloyd stepped up to them holding one of the leaflets with which they had showered the market. That was when Lele knew they were in serious trouble.

"Bring them," the aloyd commanded.

She marched away and the soldiers pushed their prisoners to get them moving.

"Where are you taking us?" asked Lele.

"Shut up and move," the soldier behind her growled and gave her another shove in the back.

They were ushered into an administration office in the market and the aloyd ordered the staff out. When Lele and Seinat were seated, she closed the door and turned to face them.

"Why have you arrested us? What are the charges?" Seinat challenged the military officer, trying to put on a brave show in front of Lele.

"Treason," the aloyd said calmly, "and don't bother to deny it." She held up the pamphlet. "From whom did you get this leaflet?"

"Don't have to tell you!" said Lele defiantly.

Lele heard the echoing sound of an IPB discharge but couldn't tell what direction it was coming from. Instinctively, she looked to see if her boyfriend was okay. She couldn't quite understand why he was slumped over. Even when she registered the blackened mark on his forehead and blood trickling from his ear and mouth, she didn't understand. "Seinat?"

A menacingly calm voice from behind her whispered, "Now, have I got your attention? I want to know who gave you the leaflets."

The fear and disbelief of the situation had paralysed Lele, closing off her throat so she couldn't speak.

The officer came around to face the young woman. She sat on the edge of the desk and held her weapon, still glowing from being fired, across her lap. Emotionlessly, she posed the question again. "From whom did you get this leaflet?"

"Um… a teacher… in school… Mister Brans… history teacher."

"Thank you."

Lele didn't hear the second IPB discharge.

~~~~

Kikola had acted on information provided by the Governor's agent about the planned leaflet drop at the market. Armed with that information, she had been able to catch the young rebels in the act. Now it was time to go after the organisers and crush this dissention before it gained any foothold. 

She contacted the Crusade and ordered Captain Eadmon and a squad of striker soldiers to join her at an address in a well-to-do Quernal suburb. It was the home of the teacher the female leaflet thrower had identified – one Henrick Brans, a thirty-eight year old male who taught political science and history at Praemonet East Secondary School, according to the information Kikola received from Peltric's agent. 

"Captain, I want you to take a team to the rear of the house and cut off any escape route, while I lead a team into the house from the front."

"Yes, sir," said Eadmon. "How many are we expecting inside?"

"Our source says there are four people residing at this address, including two small children. However, two other adult males were seen entering shortly before you arrived."

"What are our orders?"

"Prisoners are not necessary, but if any are captured alive, they can be interrogated before execution. Check for files and computer records. Have anything sent to the Sword."

"And the children?"

"Collateral damage."

"Understood." Captain Eadmon divided the squad into two teams and moved off with her team towards the rear of the house. Kikola waited until Eadmon's team was in place before giving her team the order to move. Kikola led the sprint across the street. When she gave the signal, two members of her team used a ram to break down the door and another tossed in a concussion charge. There was some return of fire but within a few minutes everything fell quiet.

As the rest of her team searched upstairs, Kikola entered the house and discovered four bodies on the lounge floor.

"Beta Team, come in," Kikola announced into her comm.

Eadmon's voice crackled. "This is Beta Team, sir. We have captured two adult males who tried to flee from the rear of the house."

"Good, Captain. I will be along to interrogate them shortly. Karthen out."

Kikola continued pacing around the room, past the bodies of a female and two children, who were huddled behind a sofa. Then something caught her eye. The body of the male was moving. She bent down and looked into the bloodied face of the man she presumed to be Henrick Brans. "You have failed," she said quietly and put the man out of his misery.

Kikola stood up and looked past the carnage – taking a moment to look around at the room itself. The walls were painted the same colour blue as a slave's uniform, and that brought Tehvay to mind.

Kikola recalled the incident the previous night at her cousin's home. It had been a spontaneous decision to allow Tehvay to share her bed, and on reflection Kikola could not find a reason for it. Kikola recalled feeling very warm and her breath quickening when she felt the slave settle on the other side of the bed. And when Tehvay had offered to 'service' her, it was a big shock for the aloyd: not because the slave was offering herself, but because Kikola had almost said 'yes'.

Why am I thinking of Tehvay? She is not here. I must focus on the mission hand, Kikola wondered. She dismissed thoughts of her slave and headed towards Beta team to interrogate the prisoners.

~~~~

It had been two days since Kamina had discovered how Hila had procured the bracelet, and nothing more was said about it. For two nights, Kamina silently brooded in her bunk trying to sort out why she had reacted so harshly to Hila's gift. Is it the fact that the gift is second-hand, or is it the fact that Hila had traded sexual favours to obtain it? Kamina didn't know, but one thing she did know was that she had felt embarrassed and reacted like an ungrateful wretch. I'm surprised she didn't drop me off at the next port!

Kamina wanted more than anything to apologise for her behaviour, but she didn't know how to broach the subject with Hila who was everything to her: mentor, boss…and friend. Kamina felt a connection to Hila that she had never felt for anyone else – a connection that was born from gratitude and admiration for the older woman who had taken Kamina in after her adoptive parents were killed.

She gave me a home and a job, and how do I repay her? By throwing her gift back in her face. With a sigh, Kamina hauled herself off the bunk, got dressed, and went off in search of Hila.

She found the freighter captain seated at the table in the galley pouring over the ship's schematics.

"Hey," said Hila with a smile.

Kamina returned the smile. "Are you busy? I could come back."

"Not that busy. Did you need something?"

Kamina took a breath for courage. "I—I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted the other night."

It didn't immediately register with Hila, and she returned Kamina's apology with a blank look.

"The bracelet," Kamina offered.

"No need to apologise. I didn't stop to consider… you know." Hila paused briefly. "Hungry?" she asked, changing the subject. "I was just about to grab something before going to tinker with the engine. The ion flow is drifting out of alignment again. I need to go and give it a whack."

"Yeah," said Kamina. "Need someone to hold your tools while you whack?"

Hila laughed and waggled her eyebrows.

At first, Kamina didn't get it, but then she realised the double meaning and giggled.

"So, what do you want?" Hila asked in a slightly suggestive tone.

Kamina didn't know how to respond to what seemed like Hila making a pass at her. "I—uh, what do you mean?"

"I mean food."

Of course she did, Kamina silently chided herself. "What are you offering?" she asked.

"I was going to make myself a sandwich. There's enough fresh bread left for you as well. Want one?" 

"Sure."

"Sit down, I'll make you the best sandwich this side of the Spur."

~~~~

Trengos was an average planet in a binary star system. While its location in the Graelands was one of the more desirable locations, it was still the Graelands. Close to the major trade route, it was less prone to attack, but not immune. Like most other planets in the region, a single government did not control Trengos. Four large countries spanned its continents. They had long ago reached a peaceful way to coexist with each other, but lacked any mutual defence strategy against raids.

The largest country, with the largest city and largest spaceport was Dansek. Winter was having one last grip on the city and a light dusting of snow covered the buildings. Yuniph Veilan loved snow, but she was not in a joyous mood. She put the report back on the desk. It detailed a raid by slavers in an outlying district. The numbers were irrelevant. People were dead and missing. She looked over at her partner Rikana Lardis.

Six years ago Rikana's parents had been killed in a raid. The young woman stood with her back to Yuniph, staring out of the window. Yuniph knew Rikana was battling with her emotions, but also knew trying to talk to her about it would get her nowhere.

Yuniph knew of slavery's horrors from her parents. They had been slaves in The Kalenth Hegemony, but they were also two of the very few fortunate ones to be granted freedom. They had left The Hegemony and settled on Trengos.

"This is the closest they've hit to Dansek in ages," said Rikana. She still kept her back to Yuniph. "I wish they'd hit right here, right in the city. I'd show those bastards what it's like to face someone who can fight back."

Yuniph understood the anger, but could not condone it. She knew that Rikana was a good person, like Yuniph, she wanted to bring bad people to justice, but whereas Yuniph followed the rules to the letter, Rikana was more than willing to bend the meaning of 'reasonable force' if she felt someone deserved it. For the most part Yuniph could control her with a gentle reminder, but she often wondered whether she could stop Rikana with words if they ever caught a slaver.

"This is the third raid in eight months, they're getting more frequent. It was the same ship as the one a few months ago," continued Rikana. "The same class of ship owned by that Llyte woman on Argos station."

"It's not her," said Yuniph. "We checked with the security on Argos, and they vouched for her. They said her trading in the Graelands never went beyond Inosa, and that she did most of her work within The Hegemony."

"Maybe it's not her, but she's a wrong one, I know it." She finally turned around to face Yuniph. "Why is it we only seem to get leads on the petty criminals? Someone out there must know who these slavers are!"

"Unfortunately, it's not us."

"Fortunate for them!"

"Rikan—"

"I know what you're going to say, Veilan, so save it, okay," Rikana sighed. "We can do fuck-all about the raid, so what is there that we can do fuck about?"

Yuniph allowed the epithets to go without saying anything. "Someone out in the Helmron estate reported rubbish being dumped in their garden from the road."

"Wonderful," said Rikana. "Come on then," she headed for the door, adjusting her IPB on her hip. "Maybe I can get to shoot someone to brighten my day up."

~~~~

Tehvay and Aloyd Karthen had barely returned to the Conqueror before the aloyd was called away. Since they had spent the previous night on the planet there was nothing for Tehvay to do. It gave her the luxury of some free time.

The downside to free time was that it gave Tehvay time to think. She thought, with some discomfort, about how she offered herself to the aloyd. A good slave anticipated their owner's wishes. Though the more sadistic owners took pleasure in punishing a slave for being presumptuous. She knew the aloyd was aroused when Tehvay removed her clothes. The refusal of her offer came with some relief to Tehvay.

She remembered the time shortly after being taken by Boran, of offering herself to him. He had turned her down, telling her that it was wrong that she had been made to do it in the past. However a lifetime of conditioning was hard to break. After Marleen, Boran's associate, had shown her some kindness, she offered herself to the woman. Again she was turned down.

Was the reason for Aloyd Karthen's rebuff the same as Boran's and Marleen's refusal? she wondered. Boran and Marleen had become her friends, her equals. Does she think of me as her equal? Or at least that I shouldn't be made to do that? Tehvay dismissed her thoughts and settled down in her cell to read.

Several hours later Tehvay heard her owner returning. She put down the book reader and rushed out of her cell to see if she was needed. Aloyd Karthen glanced at her briefly before making her way into her bedroom. Tehvay followed.

"How was your day, Aloyd?"

Aloyd Karthen paused before speaking. "Productive. The matter I was sent here for has been resolved." She undid her jacket and Tehvay helped her remove it.

Tehvay took the metal and carbon weave jacket, and hung it in the closet. As she turned back to her owner, Tehvay saw the aloyd massaging her neck.

"Is something wrong?" asked Tehvay.

"Just a little stiff."

"Sit on the bed," Tehvay directed.

The aloyd sat on the edge of the bed. Tehvay climbed up and knelt behind her. She slowly pushed the straps of the aloyd's sleeveless undershirt off the aloyd's shoulders.

Tehvay felt Aloyd Karthen stiffen as her hands touched her owner's neck. After a few moments of kneading however, the aloyd's muscles relaxed a little.

"Have you done this before?" asked the aloyd.

Tehvay smiled wryly to herself. "Yes, Aloyd Karthen."

After a few minutes Karthen said, "It feels better, thank you."

Tehvay paused. "Do you wish me to stop now?"

"No! I mean, just a little longer, just to make sure."

"As you wish, Aloyd." At the base of the aloyd's neck was a small scar. Tehvay had noticed it before and had been curious about it. Sensing that her owner was relaxed, she gave voice to her curiosity. "What's this scar? If you don't mind me asking?" Tehvay felt the aloyd shiver as she lightly traced the scar at the back of her owner's neck.

"An implant. It helps strengthen my muscles. It makes wearing the heavy uniform easier."

"I see. I wondered how you managed, because you don't look that strong. I mean you're slight and toned, not built like a tank." Tehvay removed her finger from the scar. "You could get that scar removed," she observed as she continued massaging the aloyd's neck and shoulders.

"Why? I cannot see it and no one else can see it."

Tehvay was lost in admiring the physique under her fingers; her right hand stroked the aloyd's upper right arm. She jumped slightly as Aloyd Karthen's left hand moved quickly to grab her right hand and lift it away from her arm. She fully expected to feel pain, but her owner held her hand gently. She looked down and saw the aloyd studying their joined hands.

As suddenly as she had grabbed it, Aloyd Karthen let her hand go.

"That will be all. You may go to your cell. I will see you in the morning."

Tehvay waited until the heat from her owner's touch faded before replying. "Yes, Aloyd Karthen."

~~~~

Kikola was up and on the bridge of the Conqueror by 05:30. She had been awakened by a communique from Command informing her to send the Sword and Crusade to Otopa in the Dameb system. Kikola herself was to report to Command on Kalenth to give a personal debrief, as required by all aloyds after their first mission. She settled back in her chair and surveyed her surroundings.

The cramped bridge had space enough for four people: pilot, navigator, captain, and Kikola herself. The main viewscreen at the fore of the bridge was displaying a forward facing vid-feed of the Sword's secondary hangar and a glimpse of space beyond the open door. Flashing lights in the hangar warned of the imminent departure of her ship.

The signal of an incoming communication attracted Kikola's attention. She activated the viewscreen by the side of her chair, and Commodore Heln's face appeared.

"Aloyd Karthen, safe journey."

"Thank you, Commodore. You have your orders to proceed to Otopa as soon as we are clear."

"Yes, Aloyd. We will rendezvous with you in the Dameb system." Heln hesitated. "Do you know what our mission is?"

"No," replied Kikola. "I will be informed when I arrive there."

Heln nodded. "Do you think—"

"We do not speculate, Commodore," she cut him off. "We follow orders."

"Yes, Aloyd. I will see you in the Dameb system."

"Good. Karthen out." Kikola turned off the viewscreen.

A few seconds later departure clearance came from the Sword's bridge and Captain Wurth cast a glance at Kikola. She gave a brief nod.

"Helm, proceed," said Wurth.

The helm officer's hands flashed over the console in front of him and the Conqueror rose up from the hangar floor and headed towards the black rectangle of open space. Kikola could feel a slight rumble through her seat and felt a small sway. As the ship passed out of the Sword's artificial gravity field, and its own took over, Kikola's stomach gave a slight turn. It was over briefly and the swaying sensation of moving against the larger ship's gravity disappeared.

"Navigation, plot course for Kalenth," said Wurth.

"Course plotted," came the immediate reply.

"Proceed."

The stars on the view screen started moving rapidly.

"Jumping to light speed," announced the pilot.

Kikola felt the slightest of kicks as the ship broke the light barrier and the view of the white star field switched suddenly to a fuzzy blue ball at the centre of the screen.

"Captain, I will be in my quarters," Kikola left the bridge and returned to her private deck. As she entered, she found her slave standing in the central corridor.

"We're moving," said Tehvay.

Kikola sensed that the slave was fishing for details of their destination, but chose to ignore her. "Yes," said Kikola. "Is that my drink?" she asked pointing to the glass in her slave's hand.

The slave looked down at the remains of Kikola breakfast nutrient drink. "Yes, Aloyd. I thought you had finished."

Kikola beckoned to take it, and Tehvay handed it to her.

"Where are we going?" asked Tehvay.

Kikola smiled to herself at the slave's forthright question after her first attempt to elicit information failed. "Back to Kalenth. I have to attend a debrief with the head of Military Operations."

"What were you doing on Gatlor? You never mentioned."

It was not usual for a slave to question its owner; it was considered impertinent. However, Kikola was not concerned that the questions from Tehvay were inappropriate, she wanted to know what prompted them. It must be difficult for her to be stuck here and not know what's going on. She decided to answer the slave. "I had to kill some people," said Kikola calmly.

"Oh!" It sounded as if that wasn't the answer Tehvay expected. "Sorry, it must've been awful for you."

"No, why?"

"Killing someone can't be easy."

"I told you, I had to do it. It was my duty. There's nothing difficult about doing one's duty."

"What do you mean 'had to'?" asked Tehvay. "What had these people done?"

"They were spreading lies and sedition," Kikola replied." Treason is a serious crime. I had orders to stop it, and that is what I did."

"If these people were breaking the law then they should've been arrested and faced a trial. Why did you execute them?"

"My remit allowed it."

Kikola could see what looked like sadness flash across Tehvay's features.

Why would Tehvay be so affected by the deaths of people she didn't even know? Kikola began to feel an emotion she could not name. It did not feel good; she did not want to be the cause of upsetting her slave.

"I am sorry," said Kikola.

"Sorry?"

"Yes. I have upset you; that was not my intention."

Now Tehvay looked confused. "You're more worried about what I feel than the fact you took someone's life?"

"They were guilty of treason. It was my duty to stop them. It is not my duty to upset you." She stepped closer to Tehvay. "You… are…" The conversation was already beyond what would be considered appropriate, but Kikola didn't care. "You have…I…need…" I need someone to help me, guide me. "Someone I can talk to." Someone to take me by the hand, like the child I feel I am, and guide me. Would you do that for me?

She reacted without thinking and leaned in closer. As her lips made contact with Tehvay's she closed her eyes. The slave's lips were soft and pliant. She felt like she was falling and raised a hand to Tehvay's arm to steady herself. Then she was floating. Arms encircled her and laid her gently on the bed. Tehvay's hands pulled off her uniform and soft lips trailed down her torso. She whimpered as a tongue flickered over her sex…

"Yes, Aloyd Karthen," Tehvay said.

Kikola opened her eyes. "Sorry, I… sorry. I… I…sorry," she stammered.

"Aloyd?"

They were standing in the bedroom, fully clothed. Kikola still held the remnants of her nutrient drink. "That will be all. Return to your cell."

Tehvay nodded and walked away. Kikola watched her go.

~~~~

They were half way to Kalenth and the days seemed to drag for both of them. There was only so much time Aloyd Karthen could spend on the bridge and only so much time Tehvay could spend on her duties.

During her freedom, Tehvay had developed a tendency to fill pauses in conversation with a quip or a question. Once she discovered that it was permitted, she did it a lot. Now she was back in slavery she struggled to rein that trait back in.

The slave noticed her owner was just picking at little bits of the meal and not eating very much.

"Is something wrong with it?" Tehvay asked.

The aloyd looked at Tehvay as though she had been caught doing something illicit and looked back at her plate. "No. I am just not very hungry."

Tehvay lifted a forkful of grey matter off her plate. "For dispenser food, this is really good." For a moment Tehvay forgot herself. "Just wish they could make it look better instead of all grey and sludgy." She said the last bit in a low, sing-song voice and dropped the food back on to the plate with a splat. Realising that she may have overstepped a mark, she looked at the aloyd, ready to apologise, but was surprised to see a smile on her owner's face and hear a little chuckle.

"I guess it doesn't look very appetising," said the aloyd.

"No," agreed Tehvay. "That meal on Gatlor was delicious and looked good, too."

"Did you enjoy your excursion to the surface of Gatlor?"

Other than the awkward situation that occurred at bedtime, which neither of them mentioned, it had been as good as it could have been for Tehvay. "Yes. Your cousin was nice. It was also good to get some fresh air after being stuck in here for all those days."

"I… I have some business to attend on Kalenth, but after that is concluded, I will have time to visit my home. I will take you along. There is one of the monthly parties being held."

"Monthly parties?"

"Yes. With so many birthdays, anniversaries and such, they are grouped together and a joint celebration is held. I believe this is only a small one. My aunt and uncle are celebrating their wedding anniversary and my mother is celebrating the anniversary of taking up her judicial post. Would you like to visit my home?"

To be given a choice as a slave was unthinkable. Tehvay considered saying 'no' just to see what the aloyd would do, but the lure of fresh air was too great, besides, Tehvay was genuinely curious to see where Aloyd Karthen grew up.

"Yes, Aloyd Karthen. If that is what you want."

"It is. I would like to take you." The aloyd appeared hesitant for a moment, then said, "I will see that you get some food that is not 'grey and sludgy'."

Tehvay watched as the aloyd dipped her head after speaking, but could still see a shy smile on her face. Inside, she allowed herself to smile. This is turning out to be not as bad as I thought it would.

The internal smile faded. I am still her property.