In Servitude
Short story I wrote this evening, thought up mostly last night. I think the ending needs work- it sounded a lot better played out in my mind but I tried to make it perhaps a bit too light versus too serious at times? And I didn’t expect to use three pages closing the story but I felt the guy deserved a personality at the end. Sci Fi, bout 8-9 pages typed. No editing or read through yet.
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In Servitude (Dec 12,2005)
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In the dark cold frontier of colonized space, the Tribben IV made it’s near solitary journey. There was nothing exceptional about either the ship, or her name. It was a classic cruiser though showing a good deal of wear, in all probability several centuries out of date. Whenever the space compression drives came on the entire craft seemed to want to shake itself apart until the pleasant white of in between came into view. The space compression drive itself probably was over several thousand years old, purchased technology from one of the merchant races humankind’s path had crossed. Humanity had learned to build their own, even improving on the design, but a little cruiser for three hardly deserves modern equipment. Even the name of the ship was out of date, Tribben- one the first human colonies was a awful little dump of a world- even before its binary star system collapsed in on itself. Volcanoes had scarred the surface and the colony station had the highest turnover rate in the entire system. Where there wasn’t molten rock there was vast sulfuric marshes. What Tribben did have, was an abundance of minerals and was far enough out to help push mankind onward through the galaxy. Quickly forgotten as humanities ring of influence expanded, it was barely a textbook footnote when the binary stars collided rendering the entire area useless and irradiated.
Captain Yorrin was stuck with the ship, and the name; he couldn’t have been happier. A young man of 23, tall with dark features and hair that refused to stay in place, as a recent graduate with an honorary Captains ranking he could not have felt more at peace in a pleasure cruiser.
“Captain”, Ensign Joyce his third officer and pilot broke his reverie. She was older than him by two years but they considered each other friends. In the academy together they were at one time more than friends, but kept it quiet as anything whispered too loud even to oneself would find itself in record somewhere. It was rumored entire moons had been hollowed out to store the vast amounts of data generated daily in this modern age. If command had heard any inkling of their involvement it would be doubtful they’d see each other again on official assignment, let alone serve together.
“Yes Joyce?” The captain looked up to meet his Ensigns gaze as she swiveled her chair around to speak. The bridge wasn’t completely crowded or without amenities. Built for long solitary missions it was found practical to make the inside of the ship as comfortable as possible, even if the outside appeared to be salvage. It’s approximately a hundred square feet with the captain’s seat in about dead center of the room. To his right and forward sits the pilot’s chair closer to the ring of computers surrounding the concaved viewing screen which doubled as a window if electronics went down or it was otherwise desired. To his left was the empty chair of the quiet second in command Stevens. He was afforded the title of officer but Captain Yorrin was certain he’d never served in any official capacity before, unless he was with the government rather than the military. They were always the quiet types who kept too themselves.
Joyce’s brilliant blue eyes touched a sensitive spot in the Captains heart every time she looked at him. He’s conditioned himself against it, but there’s always a moment where she’s laying on his cot with long dark hair spread across her naked flesh providing a most delicate contrast. Only a moment before his face is made hard, and he only sees his ensign with a message to give him. “Sir, there is a message marked for captains viewing only.” Her voice hesitant, at once both deeply inquisitive and professional came out flat, with little hint to what was running through her mind.
Captain Yorrin glanced up at the unending space before him on the screen. ‘A communications, and just for me to read,’ Yorrin thought to himself in wonder. His rank was only honorary- at least until the completion of this mission. Every cadet who seeks the captain’s chair must go through a trial period of no less than six months Earth time before having it made official. They were only five weeks out and were truly in the desert of space- there’s no place to divert to. No planets to land on, no stations to dock at. ‘It could be war’, though Yorrin, ’war would make even this little junker too valuable for a cadets final exam.’ The thought rang unpleasant between his ears. Not only would he not get his captainship- he’d be expected to serve under someone else. ‘Who could we go to war with?’ The only hint of conflict in recent years had come from a race of xenophobes who also oddly enough happened to be scared of the sun. They were cave dwellers and an unfortunate group of joy seeking spelunkers who first fell upon them. Their names were pronounced something like the sound of rocks being banged against one another several times over. War was declared when we told them we came from the surface, but command felt it better not to land on the planet anymore. Supposedly they had quite an army trained and ready to go, but until they got over their fear of the open sky and sunlight it’s doubtful anyone would actually be injured in the war. ‘Who else could it be?’ Yorrin could think of no one who actually was likely to make war in the near future. The space corp trained to be ever ready, there have been several devastating conflicts in the past and they were not willing to repeat that sort of history. Yet oddly enough, for a galaxy as crowded as the milky way, was turning out to be- peaceful; except for petty criminals and misunderstood business transactions.
Captain Yorrin noticed his ensign staring at him so a bit too abruptly stood up and started walking towards his personal quarters. “Thank you Joyce, I’m sure it’s nothing important. Probably just checking up on me or maybe saying they made a mistake and I failed astrophysics.” He chuckled a bit in hopes of lifting his spirit. Before closing the bridge doors behind him he called, “I’ll tell you about it later over dinner when Stevens on duty if I can.” The door whished shut in a quick vacuum and outside of the background electronic noise of the bridge, every footfall sounded out as if the entire ship was empty.
There wasn’t far to walk. Only four rooms sat between the bridge and the engines. The two crew quarters were the first to past as he hiked down the corridor. Before turning into his own Yorrin glanced across at the open door of the recreation/mess hall to wonder if Stevens was inside. ‘Guy spends way too much time in his own room. It’s a wonder he passed the psych requirements,” wondered Yorrin near aloud as he opened into his own personal little space.
He knew it was larger than the crew’s quarters, and better than he had at the academy- but it still felt cramp quick when thinking of the vastness of space outside. A short bed is recessed against one wall- met by a desk at one end and a bookshelf at the other. Under the bed were stashed storage bins for clothing and knickknacks. Some designer’s idea of a pleasant motif of portraits and paintings lined the walls of people and places Yorrin has never seen, nor cared about. The only thing of Yorrin’s in the room was a simple picture frame upon the desk showing a family party when he was accepted as a cadet. Pulling a chair out from under the desk Yorrin made himself comfortable as he opened up the message from command. By the time he was finished his hand was shaking as he checked to make sure his weapon was still at his side. The only weapon allowed on ship, the captains- and had to be worn at all times.
An hour must have passed while Yorrin read and re-read the transmission in hopes it would change before his eyes. It did not. Nor did the anxiety of the task before him get any easier. Noticing the passing of time and that Joyce was probably eating dinner, he made his way across the hallway into the recreation room.
“Hi ya Cap”, Joyce waved over a plate of steaming vegetables and a tall mug of coffee. It didn’t take long for her to notice Yorrin was visibly shaken and his right hand seemed to hover over his side arm. She chose not to say anything while Yorrin took a seat besides her.
Several long moments passed while Joyce got a mug of coffee for Yorrin and sat back down, looking at her food but not touching it.
“You now Joyce, I used to always want to be a Captain in the space corp.” Yorrin began. Once he started talking, he noticed the drink sitting there. With a nod of thanks to Joyce, he continued. “But I’m not sure anymore.” Another sip. “I’m thinking of resigning my commission.” With a sigh Yorrin let his head droop down so as not see the confused look upon his ensigns face.
“Yorrin, what is it? What was in that communication that could be so bad? I know it can’t be combat- you were always saying how you’d love to serve humanity in a real battle. And if you’re talking about resigning it can’t be anything you’ve done.”
“No, it’s not something I’ve done,” The Captain let his voice trail off.
“Well if not you then who? Certainly not me.” Joyce almost gasped as the only other possible person onboard came to mind. “Not Stevens, what could he possibly have done? Is he up for charges? Do we have to go back?”
Yorrin slammed his fist on the table causing plates to rattle and mugs to threaten gravity. “No damn it all, we don’t have to go back. He’s not up on charges.”
“Well what is it then?” Joyce was more than a little perturbed by the tone Yorrin has never once taken with her before.
Without apologizing the Captain say back down in his chair and took a deep breath. “They want me to kill him.”
Joyce almost laughed, “Come on, you’re putting me on? There is no way command would just tell you to kill someone in cold blood. Not if it’s not about mutiny- and Stevens hardly seems the sort to even talk back to a commanding officer, let alone seize his ship.”
“I’m not making this up Joyce and I have no idea what he’s done. The communiqué only said two words. Kill Stevens. No explanation, no sympathy with what such a command would do to me. It wasn’t even signed. Just a general captains only order to kill one of his crew members.” Yorrin felt separate from the words he was speaking, as if he was telling another person’s story.
“Well- you can’t do it that’s all. You’re not the top to kill someone for no reason Yorrin. You’ll just have to write them back and …”
“And say what? That I’m unwilling to follow orders? That I disagree with them, the minds that have save humanity countless times over since we started exploring space? That I demand to know exactly what Stevens is excused of before I act on it? Damn it all Joyce. I’d have better luck resigning my commission and dealing with a court martial for disobeying direct orders.”
“He must have done something bad, but certainly command will understand the position they’re putting you in.” Joyce, always helpful, Joyce, sounded so optimistic that Yorrin’s spirits almost lifted. Surely command would understand. He might be knocked down in rank, but they wouldn’t court martial him after all.
At that moment Steven’s walked into the room so quietly neither Joyce nor Yorrin noticed him.
“Geeze guys, what’s up with the long faces?” Steven’s voice rang out like a gunshot into the room. His pale complexion, aged face, boney glasses, and overall stumped appearances hardly looked like he could steal candy from a baby let alone pose a threat to the powers that be.
“Err nothing Stevens,” Joyce answered quickly. “Captain’s just feeling a bit space sick is all.”
Yorrin groaned at Joyce’s reply.
“A captain getting space sick, why doesn’t that just beat all. Well I’m sorry Captain Yorrin but you just received an urgent message from Command. I hate to bother you when you’re not feeling well, but you know how command is.” Steven’s voice almost sounded cheerful compared to his normal docile tones.
The captain just nodded his head and stared down at the table again.
“Well, message delivered. I had better get back to the bridge, against regulations to have an unmanned bridge for more than a few minutes.” Steven’s too one more look at the captain, expressing pity in his eyes and fled the room.
“Yorrin, you can’t do it. How can you kill that man?” Joyce was pleading with him but without a solution.
“What do you suggest Joyce? Please give me a way out of this and I will, but that message is probably command asking me why the hell I haven’t killed him yet.” Yorrin pushed himself away from the mess table, leaving Joyce behind and made his way to read his second fortunate transmission of the day.
Back in his room which seemed to be getting more cramped by the second Yorrin pulled up the second communication and noticed this time it was signed.
Captain Yorrin, why is Stevens not executed yet. Kill him immediately and report back to command.
-Admiral Xin
There was little room for hesitation left in Yorrin. It would all be over, one way or another in the next few minutes. This message was directly from the boss, Admiral Xin-leader of all extra-solar space corp units. The Captain felt a sickly taste in his mouth and realized he had been biting his tongue. Taking a brief look in the mirror and wiping a few drops of blood from his chin, Yorrin prepared himself to follow his orders.
Joyce, who had returned to the bridge immediately after their argument could see at once what Yorrin was planning. There wasn’t a murderous rage in his eye’s, or even fear- only the solemn atmosphere that one could imagine hanging over any executioner of old. His face spoke volumes on the condition of man, and his age-old enemy, himself.
“No Yorrin. You can’t, don’t do this!” Joyce yelled while leaping from her chair and heading towards Stevens. She was still several feet away from being between the two of them when Yorrin pointed his weapon at Stevens; who was now staring at the Captain.
Yorrin said, “Sorry” as his fingers tightened around the grip of his weapon and a brief flash of bluish light erupted and sheered off half of Stevens’ head.
Joyce fell on top Stevens body and heaved with tears as she turned up to Yorrin and demanded, “Why?”
Yorrin could find nothing to say so let Joyce speak.
“You monster, I don’t even know who you are anymore. Damn the command, damn the entire space fleet- and damn you Captain. No trial, no jury- just a quick military styled execution. Would you kill me just as easily?” Joyce was off her feet now and standing before the captain with a raging sadness about her. “Why don’t you kill me too? Maybe that was in your orders.”
While Joyce was yelling at Yorrin, he only half heard her words. At first it was because he was ashamed at what he had done- but halfway through her diatribe a curious thing was happening. Stevens face had become waxy and near translucent. It was as if he was being stretched apart, the skin pulled taunt. The skin turned blue, then green and back to pale again as almost all facial features sunk inward.
“Joyce do you see that,” whispered Yorrin while pointing towards Stevens.
“See what? Oh! What is going on?” Joyce forgot her anger at the captain for a moment and stared intently at what was Stevens face. “Does your weapon do that?”
“No,” Yorrin spoke softly. “At least I’ve never heard of it doing anything like this before.”
Stevens entire head had become a giant gelatinous ball and the part that had been cut off by the weapon earlier was slowly filling in. Creeping along like some wet fluid filling in all open spots until it was perfectly round. And then it was done. All evidence of Yorrin’s actions were erased, save for the fact Stevens had no face. Abruptly Stevens stood up, shook his head a few times and his face popped back out of the gel and looked like his old self again.
“What the hell,” exclaimed Yorrin as he pushed Joyce behind him and pulled his gun once again on Stevens. Yet Stevens oddly enough seemed not to notice the gun nor care that he was just shot.
“Bravo Captain, Bravo!” Stevens clapped his hands together loudly and wore a bright smile upon his face. It was as if the world had been turned upside down and all laws of actions and consequences were mixed up.
Joyce turned to Yorrin and muttered, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Congratulations on passing your final test.” Stevens practically beamed as he said the words test.
“But I shot you.” Yorrin said shakily, still pointing his weapon as Stevens, or whatever it was.
“Oh, no worries old chap, no worries. Nope. Not a one at all. There is nothing on this ship that can injure me dear boy. So congratulations to you. And a very kind thank you, to you, Miss Joyce for carrying on so about me. Not that it was necessary by any means, but it does one of my several hundred years proud to be thought of so kindly.” Stevens still stood there talking and smiling up at Yorrin who still held his weapon though not very steady.
“What are you?” Asked Joyce.
“Ah, what I am. What am I not? What I am not is an officer as you probably could have guessed when you first met me.”
Joyce and Yorrin looked towards each other in agreement.
“I see, I see- that much you had deduced. What I am is an Alasian. We are very durable creatures and hired out for specialty work where others might not be so, alive afterwards.” Stevens paused momentarily and seemed to just notice the weapon still pointed at him. “You really don’t need that you know, you saw how much good it did the last time.” Stevens ran his hands across his face, and removed them with a grin. “Ah well, if it makes you feel better so be it, so be it. I suppose you’d like to know why you were ordered to kill me? Don’t look so surprised please. I came here specifically, to be killed, by you. And you did a wonderful job. I didn’t have any doubts and this is probably my twentieth time. Not that it isn’t painful- but the looks on people’s faces when I stand right up again are priceless. The moneys pretty good also.” Stevens stopped again waiting for Yorrin to say or do something.
It was Joyce who first caught on. “Yorrin, you get it? The six months in space wasn’t the final test for your captains chair- this was.”
“Correct, little human. Very good.”
Yorrin felt as if the pit of his stomach was dropping out. “But I didn’t obey the first order.” His side arm finally fell to his side and he sat down in the captain’s chair with a sigh.
“No worries about that Captain Yorrin. If you had you probably would have failed. Your human command doesn’t want people too quick to kill their crew you know. There’s some trite premise about being able to follow orders no matter what, or some such human nonsense. Especially being alone out in space for months or even years at a time. Barely anyone gets through the test without eventually killing me, but sometimes I need to set up a mutiny, or a sabotage, or claim to be a murdering alien criminal. Ha-ha!”
Stevens looked around to see if there was anything else to say and pulling himself together started towards the mess hall. “Captain, and it’s official now and many congratulations I say, your orders are to return to Earth for reassignment.” Yorrin made the briefest glance towards Joyce. “And you are expected to pick your own crew, though perhaps it is time for a bigger ship, yes?” Stevens put his hands on his sides and said, “Well I don’t know about you humans but being killed makes me terribly hungry, I’ll be in the mess hall if you need anything.” And with that he left the room.
