by Alana Khan
“Doctor Drayke.” I look at him directly. “Can you testify as to what you observed when you examined Devolose?”
“No!” Devi shouts from behind me. “No! I forbid it. Just kill me. I don’t need to be humiliated as well.”
The doctor stands, looking at Zar for direction.
“Answer the question,” Zar instructs.
Devi groans. I glance behind me and see him slump forward, his hands covering his face.
The doctor’s face is tight, his lips in a thin line as he reports, “He carries the marks of repeated and persistent beatings, whippings, and cuts.”
I hear Devi sigh in relief behind me, but I’ve got to be relentless if I’m going to save his life.
“I believe you’re leaving out a significant detail, Dr. Drayke.” I wait, knowing the doctor will eventually fill the silence with the information the jury needs to hear.
“His penis has been fully amputated from his body.” The doctor’s lips thin into a line, then he dips his head and takes his seat.
There were a lot of shocked gasps and now it’s silent in our little courthouse.
“Almost everyone in here has worn a pain/kill collar,” I say. “Can I ask everyone here to stand?” I wait until every male and female in the room is standing—except for Devi. “Is there anyone in this room who has not done something they regret, something they’re sorry for, something that went against everything they thought they stood for when they were threatened with pain or death? Please take a seat if you’ve never been forced to do something you didn’t want to do.”
No one. Not one being in this room sits.
“Your honor, I rest my case.”
Chapter Two
Devolose
My penis was severed from my body after the recent emperor killed his sire and took the throne. That was about twenty annums ago if my calculations are correct. I assume it was to prevent me from being sexual with the females I was ordered to abuse at his command—I wasn’t offered an explanation.
I don’t quite understand why it brings me deep shame after so long. So many of my emotions died decades ago. Why this one lingered, I have no idea.
My head is still in my hands. I can’t bring myself to look into the eyes of people who know my shameful secret. I’m not certain which I want to avoid more: the pity of the males, or the disgust of the females.
I finally raise my head in curiosity; it’s been silent for over a minima after Tawny’s impassioned speech. I’ll forgive her for going against my wishes. I know she wanted to save my life. I simply don’t know how anyone could see the ravages my abuse took on her dusky skin or the remnants of pain in her luminous brown eyes and ever forgive me. I never will.
Zar stands tall next to his chair. If anything, he looks more serious at this moment than at the beginning of this tribunal.
“I have killed innocent males,” Zar starts without preamble. “I have dismembered opponents in the arena. I have touched people in ways that were not pleasant for either of us. I…” his eyes tear, his teeth clench in an attempt to control his pain, but it’s written clearly on his face as his jaw quivers. “I will admit to all of you…” He sputters to a stop, closes his eyes, and shakes his head.
“Every friend I care for in this world is in this room. If you hate me after what I say, then so be it. I will tell all of you that I killed my best friend...like a brother...at the order of the male who controlled my pain/kill collar.” His shoulders slump, he heaves a breath. Anyone with eyes can see this speech eviscerated him.
“I will not allow a vote on this male’s fate. If you vote to put him to death, you must vote to send me to the same fate. What Tawny said was correct. There isn’t a person in this room who hasn’t done something they regret in order to keep breathing. I cannot condone putting Devolose to death.”
There’s silence for a long minima, then the males stand slowly, one by one. They thump their chests and bow their heads to honor Zar. That took courage for him to admit such a thing to all his friends. Then I can’t believe my eyes when I see them each make a quarter turn in my direction and give me the same honorific gladiatorial salute. My throat closes in some tender emotion I haven’t felt in decades.
I gather the courage to look at Tawny. She avoids my eyes for a moment. I know she didn’t wish to cause me shame; she just wanted to save my life. Does she not understand that I don’t want this life?
I think I’m over one hundred annums old. I’ve suffered enough. What have I got to look forward to? Certainly no love, no wife, no family—that is abundantly obvious. I’ve tortured and beaten women for decades at the order of one emperor or the next, what exactly does that prepare me to do in the future? With no one to love, no meaningful work, what life is there for me? Am I to stay on this ship where everyone will still harbor hatred and fear for me no matter what Zar just said? If not here, then where?
I could still slip out the garbage jettison, but until Tawny is better, stronger, until her Stockholm thing is over, my absence would devastate her.
The ship shudders to a stop. Axxios, the golden pilot, rushes to his seat at the helm. Tyree hurries to his first mate’s chair. The others belt themselves into their jumpseats at the back of the room. It’s been decades since I’ve been in a space vessel, but it’s clear we’re no longer moving.
The Earth female on comms says, “We’re being hailed, Captain.”
I’m not certain what I’m seeing as I look out the expanse of windows. I don’t understand the technology, but to my untrained eye, I would say we are caught in some type of web—a glistening forcefield.
“Who is it?” Zar’s voice is serious, clipped.
“He says he’s Captain Thantose of the ship Tranquility,” Cally says. “And Captain, they’ve somehow disabled our laser cannons.”
“Drack. Put him on the screen.”
Half the windows in the room remain transparent. The other half becomes vid screens with Thantose’s face on one half of the panel, Zar’s on the other. I hear several gasps from the back of the room. It’s been decades since I’ve seen a face like mine—a face from planet Primus.
As a child, I heard many offworlders say they had trouble telling us apart. We all have red or orange skin over part of our bodies, and are black as the night sky on the rest. It’s the distinctive black and white markings, especially on our faces that give us our individual appearance.
“You’re in prohibited space, Leaf on the Wind. We’ve got you in our net. You’ll have to pay a toll. Just trying to keep you honest.” Thantose gives a sly smile and kicks his black-booted feet onto the desk in front of him.
“You aren’t authorized to take a toll from us. You’re pirates,” Zar accuses as he stands, every muscle in his body tense.
“And you, Leaf on the Wind,” he pronounces the name of the ship derisively, “are fugitives. We’ve been investigating your name and call letters. My comms chief did some digging. You’ve changed your name three times in the last few months. That's not the behavior of a vessel traveling within the law.
“We’ve got you in our snare. You can sit in our web until you die of old age, you can call the authorities—although I’ll bet they’ll be much more interested in apprehending you than in our little vessel—or you can pay our…” he tosses his head from shoulder to shoulder, puckering his lips as he appears to calculate the number, “one hundred thousand credit toll.” His lips turn upward in an affable smile as he awaits Zar’s reply.
“I assure you we’re traveling under the auspices of Federation protection. Release us from your trap, and I won’t have my comms chief contact the authorities.”
I’ve got to hand it to Zar, he’s got balls of steel. It would take an expert to detect any stress in his deep, steady voice.
“Let’s see…” Thantose consults his computer screen as he grabs a little blue ball and tosses it back and forth from hand to hand. “Your ship was originally Warbird One. Oh, sorry to hear that was reported stolen by the MarZan cartel
a few months ago. Then...it looks like Sweet Deliverance. Awww, a great name for a vessel carrying over twenty runaway slaves. Then Battle-Scarred Warrior. Who came up with that? It’s my personal favorite.
“And now your call letters identify as Leaf on the Wind, but…” he tells his pilot to turnabout, then cranes his head to look out his bridge window, “the name ‘Battle-Scarred Warrior’ is still painted on your bow.” He purses his lips and shakes his head in a little scold. “Tsk Tsk. Very sloppy.
“So, let’s cut the drack and get down to business.” The sugary smugness is out of his voice and it’s now edged with steel. “Who do you think we’d get the biggest reward from? The Federation? Or the MarZan cartel? I’m betting the bloodthirsty cartel folks have more disposable income than the Feds, wouldn’t you agree?” He pauses and turns his head to his left, listening to a crew member.
“My first mate says there’s a hundred thousand credit bounty on every one of your heads. If you wait much longer, we’ll have to increase our ask. It might be worth our while to turn you over to the cartel and collect the bounty. I just hate to waste time in this drackhole sector of the galaxy.” He goes back to whistling and tossing his ball like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Give us five minimas,” Zar orders, but his voice doesn’t sound as strong as it did a few moments ago.
Cally cuts the commlink, and Zar sags in his chair.
“We’re so fucking busted,” Cally says. “We left Emirus so fast we didn’t have time to paint a new name on the hull, and we’ve been on the run since then.” She puffs air through her pursed lips. “Do we even have a hundred thousand credits? And will they let us go if we give it to them?”
“That’s about the entirety of our bank,” Zar admits. “Grace earned three times that for her performances but we used most of it to get repairs on Emirus. If we give them what they’re asking, we’ll barely be able to limp to a safe zone planet to refuel. We’ll have no reserves to get a new name and call letters that aren’t so easy to trace.”
“We have the ruby,” Tyree interjects in a rush. “The huge ruby the emperor gave to Grace. I assume it's worth a lot of credits. Maybe that ship will take it in trade.”
“Elephant in the room!” Savannah announces as she points her thumb at me. “He’s one of them. Think we could use him to barter?”
“Are you shitting me?” Tawny jumps up and pins Savannah with a drack-you stare. “He just averted a death sentence and you want to sell him to those pirates to save your skin? That’s totally fucked!”
“Let’s all cool down,” Zar puts his hands out in a calming motion. “We’re not selling anyone to those scavengers, but Devolose’s presence might help us haggle our release.” He turns to me and adds, “The timing is terrible, but I have to ask, do you think you could help us negotiate?”
“I’ve been gone from my planet for eight decades. What could I possibly do to help?” I have to agree with Tawny; it’s mighty bold to ask me for help ten minimas after they were ready to put me to death.
Zar’s breath escapes in a huff, “I have no idea. All we can do is try.”
On Zar’s command, Cally reopens the comm to the pirates.
Thantose was facing away, but immediately turns to us, cocks his head, and innocently asks, “Sending it in credits? Gold, perhaps?”
“You know a great deal about us, sir,” Zar puts sarcastic emphasis on that last word. “You must know we don’t have that amount of credits lying around.”
“Well,” Thantose simpers, “I have it on good authority that…” he closes his eyes and snaps his fingers repeatedly as if he’s trying to conjure up a word, “Grace earned the sum of three hundred thousand credits playing her angelic music on planet Emirus less than five days ago. Did you squander all that money in a klempto game?”
The male has balls.
“We don’t have gold,” Zar announces calmly, “but we rescued one of your own from a dungeon on Emirus. Might that earn us a reduction in the toll?”
Didn’t he just say he wasn’t going to use me to barter with? It angers me slightly, and then I realize it doesn’t matter. Perhaps this will give me a good excuse to leave Tawny on this ship and let her regain some semblance of her life with the other Earth females.
“You rescued a Primian from planet Emirus? You expect me to believe you? Shame on you captain, for trying to fool an honest wayfarer like myself.” He touches both hands to his chest in a mock-offended pose.
I stand and step next to Zar until my face is on the comms screen. It’s eerie seeing my face next to Thantose’s, the images both ten fiertos tall. We look a lot alike.
The haughty expression evaporates from Thantose’s face as he inspects me up and down. “Name?” he asks, voice clipped.
“Devolose Marris Thenious III.” I’m a master at going deep inside myself. It would take an excavation crew to find any emotion as I say that name for the first time in eight decades.
Thantose appears deep in thought for a moment, then, “Age?”
“I have no idea. I was imprisoned for a long time.” Only my lips move, not another muscle in my body so much as twitches.
“Give me your best guess Devolose Marris Thenious III,” Thantose snaps.
“I had yet to reach my twentieth annum when I was kidnapped. I believe it’s been close to eighty annums on Primus since then.”
Thantose turns toward his comms officer, his back to us, and the link is severed.
“What the fuck?” Cally asks, her shoulders sagging in apparent relief that we’re no longer in communication with their ship.
About five minimas later, Thantose’s face fills the screen. “It’s your lucky day, Leaf on the Wind. Devolose Marris Thenious II put out a reward on his son eighty-eight annums ago.” He squeezes his little blue ball, then tosses it in the air and catches it. “You don’t look bad for one hundred and eight.” Is that a smirk on his face?
“So, Captain. We’ll take fifty thousand credits—fully verified of course—and the male from Primus. Then you can be on your way.” He waves his hand dismissively.
‘I’m not in the habit of bartering off my passengers or crew,” Zar’s voice is firm.
“Your male doesn’t wish to return to his home planet? To the bosom of his loving family?” He lifts a sardonic eyebrow in question.
I consider this thought, keeping my face impassive. I am absolutely certain I don’t want to remain on this vessel. No matter what happened as a result of the tribunal, not one person on this ship will be able to stand the sight of me.
Nor do I want to go back to Primus; I haven’t stepped foot there for almost ninety annums. Their lives have all moved on with every turn around the suns. And me? I look like I’m from Primus, but I’m not fully alive—I’m a stone. Or worse, I’m a devil as my shipmates call me. I can’t go back to my home planet.
But this will allow me to leave Tawny in good hands. She’s got to understand. She’ll be able to move on with her life, develop friendships with the Earth females, maybe find a mate who’s worthy of her. One who can fulfill her, maybe get her ripe with child.
I’m dead inside. Why does my stomach clench in agony at that thought?
I want to go with these dracking pirates. I’m certain they’ll have a garbage jettison.
“It’s up to you, Devolose,” Zar addresses me. “If you don’t want to leave this ship, we will find a way to—”
“I want to go. I have no belongings. Nothing to pack. Give me five minimas to say goodbye to Tawny, and I’ll be off.” I raise my voice for all to hear, “I wish you well. I understand...I understand why you needed to conduct the tribunal.”
I march over to Tawny, gently grab her hand and lead her into the hallway.
Tawny
“I’m packed, too,” I say with a calm smile, then look up into Devi’s face. He used to look like a devil to me also, but now I find him handsome.
My stepfather made me go to church every Sunday for the better part of my life.
Not that I enjoyed a moment of it, but the words, “whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge” are singing in my ears.
All those years in the dungeon, all that pain—the suffering—will be behind us. We’ll start a new life together. Certainly, he’ll agree!
“I’m leaving. You’re staying.” His face looks fearsome when he frowns.
“No! We’re a team, Devi. I’m coming with you.”
He puts his palms on my cheeks and looks at me with a passion, a sincerity, I’ve never seen expressed on his features before. His warm, whiskey-brown eyes bore into mine. “You know I care about you, Tawny. How could I not? You’re a strong, courageous, wonderful female. And that’s why you’re not coming with me. You deserve more. You deserve a male who isn’t dead like me. You deserve a male who can touch you like a woman wants to be touched. You deserve a male who can provide you with a family. I can do none of those things.”