Triorion Omnibus

by L. J. Hachmeister

  Sebbs sighed. “Fine. You can flip a few switches and hammer some nails. Can you even spell your name?”

  “We can read and write in both Fiorahian and Starways Common, although some words, like Pao, don’t really translate right, so sometimes we don’t use them,” the other girl explained, assuming a less abrasive tone than her sister. “We also know a little math and science, and whatever else our uncle could teach us.”

  What I wouldn’t give for another cigarette right now, Sebbs thought, flitting his eyes away from their gaze. Though sizeably bigger than the lot of them, he found the children’s self-possession strangely unsettling. It’s like their eyes are cutting right through me.

  “Seat yourself in the back,” Sebbs grunted as the video came to a close.

  He rattled off his scripted speech, inserting a few brief anecdotes he learned from his recruitment officer, and then finished in his most heroic voice.

  “The hour of battle is upon us. Will you take up arms against evil and injustice? Will you defend your family, your people, against the Dissembler threat? Do you have the courage to raise your right hand and take the military oath to become the heroes and the leaders of this galaxy? Testing will begin tomorrow, so go home tonight and make sure to get some rest. Long live the Sovereignty.”

  The last line almost made him vomit.

  When the other children had been escorted to their shuttles by attending soldiers, Sebbs turned his attention to Calcucci’s mangy recruits. He took a quick glance at the digital readout on his sleeve: only three hours until the bars opened. He hated the thought of missing opening hour.

  Irate, Sebbs yanked out the testing datapads from the filing cabinet and tossed them at the kids. “These tests are designed to measure natural intelligence, not acquired intelligence, to give those with no formal schooling a slight chance. You have six hours to complete the test; God knows if you’ll even be done with the first section. Keep your answers to yourselves. I have you on video anyway,” Sebbs said, pointing to the red light on each of the datapads. The cameras, designed to track the pupils of the student, alarmed if their gazes strayed outside the designated field.

  “Questions?” They looked back at him with confidence, sitting straight-backed in their chairs, the datapads propped on their thighs.

  “What will happen to us after we take this test?” the boy asked, voice raspy and strained. Sebbs hoped he wouldn’t have to have another series of shots after having come in contact with him.

  “You’ll probably go back to playtime on your mining ships, so let’s begin, okay?” Sebbs went around to each child and pressed the initiation button on the datapad.

  With furrowed brows they fumbled with the keypads and holographic interface. He hadn’t been fair by not going through the mechanics of the datapads with them, but he figured if their abilities interested Calcucci they’d be able to figure it out for themselves.

  Quivering hands warned of impending sobriety. Time for another hit.

  Ever since his back injury, he’d become secretly addicted to painkillers. He could have prevented it, but he found that a chemical romance took a little of the edge off his dismal life. Though the Dominion pharmaceuticals had cut off his supply of methocaine, the drug flowed freely in Fiorah’s black market, and selling the information he had accumulated about the Core gave him a lot of bargaining power. In the last few months he’d landed himself enough methoc to live the rest of his life in a blissful haze.

  He hadn’t always been like this. Decades ago, his test scores indicated limitless possibilities, and he bought into the idea that his future had purpose, that he could make something of himself.

  Not anymore, he seethed. Stripped of any control, the Dominion valued his willingness to perform every order over all else. Between the things he had seen and the information he had acquired about the silent movement within the Dominion, he realized that a future—any sort of future—was becoming less and less likely.

  Wish I could just—

  Turning his back to the kids, Sebbs removed the booster stashed in the inner sleeve of his uniform. He gave himself a quick prick and didn’t hold back his exhalation of relief.

  Drifting peacefully in and out of reality, Sebbs misjudged the passage of time. When the children set the datapads on his desk and left, he hardly noticed. He did however, snap to when a soldier leaned into his face.

  “Are you alright, Sir?”

  He fumbled with some papers in front of him, trying to make his jittery eyes refocus. Straining to see through the yellow haze, he noted the time on his sleeve: Only an hour and fifteen minutes had gone by, and he had taken enough of a hit to last him three.

  Sebbs concentrated on every word that came out of his mouth. “Excuse yourself, soldier!” The soldier hesitated but eventually left, shutting the door behind him.

  After a few steadying breaths, Sebbs stumbled over to the data processing port and downloaded the test answers. Within seconds the computer had analyzed the results and organized them in several different comparative modes: individually, to the current year’s test-takers’ scores, and to the rest of the Core scores.

  Chak—how much methoc did I take? Sebbs thought, looking over the maxed-out scores. He couldn’t help but laugh at the unlikeliness of it all: Out in the farthest, dirtiest corner of the universe, he had discovered three Sentients of remarkable capabilities.

  Gods, he thought, scrolling down the triplets’ submissions. They answered a lot of these questions just like I did on my entrance exam—

  Before Sebbs could put any more thought to it, Calcucci’s scowling face appeared on the prompter.

  “Sebbs!” he barked, “I want you to answer me honestly. If you don’t, I’ll make sure you end up on the Labor Locks of Plaly IV.”

  Sebbs took a step back. “Yes, Major.”

  “Are these test results accurate? Did you or anyone else manipulate these in any way?”

  “No, Sir, I was with them the whole time. You can see for yourself on the cameras that they didn’t have any help. But how did you get the results, Sir?”

  “I patched into the network before you started to make sure it all went smoothly. Well, I’ll be damned, Mantri—I guess the old fool was right! How about that.”

  “Sir?” Sebbs asked, trying to keep his gaze fixed on the display console as the room spun away.

  “This morning some old rube claiming to be Yahmen Drachsi’s brother came to me about those three kids. Claimed he bought them from a Reptili in the Underground flesh auctions about five years ago. He says they were orphans from some distant part of the galaxy or some gorsh-shit like that, and that they were brilliant—able to work the decks of the mining ships. The old man said if they hadn’t been so smart Yahmen would have killed him and sold the kids to a harvester—something about a debt, but he didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t much care to know. I almost iced his assino, but for amusement’s sake I thought I’d send them to you first.”

  The captain couldn’t tell through the methoc haze if the major was being facetious or not. Instead he just nodded and waited for the major to continue.

  “What’s your impression of them, Mantri?” the major asked, crossing his hands behind his head. An amused grin plastered itself across his chubby yellow face. Sebbs couldn’t help but look away; even with the numbing power of the methoc he couldn’t stand the sight of the fat Jubon.

  “They all have character, but they’ll need to be broken in. Kind of a mangy, defiant little trio. I guess you’ll be in well with the Sovereign now, Sir, after this kind of a find.”

  “Are you kidding? This will get me promoted and off babysitter duty. You’ll have to find someone else to be chained to,” Calcucci said with a long, hoarse laugh that made his belly jiggle. Sebbs felt his face flush, but the methocaine made it seem like a distant problem.

  Calcucci continued, “I’ll alert the Dominion Court to my find and have more orders for you. Make sure you intercept the children before their shift tomorrow. If we
can piss off Yahmen Drachsi, it’ll only make it that much easier to arrest him. The Sovereign will thank me for creating such a delightful opportunity. If you’re lucky, I might mention your part in this. Maybe you’ll be able to get a starpost somewhere—say, in the Varlous cluster?”

  With that Calcucci broke into laughter again. Sebbs said nothing. He was just thankful that the fat Jubon was so excited about his find that he didn’t notice Sebbs’ methoc trip.

  Sebbs signed off the terminal, swept the datapads into his briefcase, and scampered off to the sanctuary of the Underground bars.

  THE THREE SIBLINGS took shelter underneath the cooling unit of the old ore refinery as they waited for the midday heat to pass. The condemned structure had been converted into the base of operations for the Dominion, but the cooling unit was the same one the refinery had once employed. Whoever had been assigned to fix it had made a half-hearted attempt, enabling Jetta to peel back the protective covering and expose the cooling panel underneath. They alternated pressing different body parts against the panel as the suns reached their zenith, boiling the slabs of canted cement and red rock.

  “That was weird,” Jaeia mumbled, pressing her face up against the cool metal. Beads of condensation dripped down her cheek and neck, staining her shirt.

  “Do you think it was a mistake to take that exam?” Jetta said. She didn’t mean to sound defensive, but it came through in her tone anyway. Things had happened so suddenly, and decisions had to be made. Now she second-guessed herself.

  “It’s another option, I guess,” Jaeia replied.

  Jetta looked to her brother. His blue eyes focused on something beyond the planet’s red-rock surface.

  “What do you think, Jahx?” Jetta asked.

  Jahx seemed bewildered by the question. “I... I don’t know.”

  Jaeia looked at her, sharing her thoughts privately.

  “Well,” Jetta said, choosing her words carefully, “I hope we did well enough. We could use another escape plan if this one doesn’t work, yeah?”

  “Let’s not count on it, okay? Fiorah I understand, dog-soldiers I understand. The Dominion...” Jaeia said, trailing off. “There are some strange politics these days.”

  “Yeah,” Jetta muttered. The arrest she’d seen from the bus played out in her head again. She knew taking the exam wasn’t a perfect solution, but it had gotten them out of work and it gave them an alternate escape route. Besides, when the Dominion officers showed up at their workplace armed with guns and official request documents, it’s not like they had the option to refuse.

  But by Jahx’s silence, she knew that it was somehow wrong. He was only like this when he had a premonition, when he knew something big was about to happen.

  Jetta hitched the twine a little tighter around her waist to keep her belly from whining.

  “Whatever happens, we always get through it, right?” She took both Jaeia’s and Jahx’s hands in hers. “The Dominion can’t be any worse than Yahmen. Besides, if we don’t flaunt our talent, nothing bad’ll happen. Those others weren’t as smart as us—they slipped up.”

  Jaeia smiled weakly. Jahx was no longer paying any attention.

  “You’re right Jetta,” her sister said, sounding as confident as she could. “It’ll be okay.”

  “JETTA...” WHISPERED Jahx.

  Jetta strained to move the junkie out of the way, but she barely managed to lift his arm. He stank like ammonia and old vomit, and his eyes rolled around in his head like loose marbles.

  “Sweet flavor, they say. Sweet, sweet Sapphire. Sweetness,” were the only words either of them could make out as the junkie babbled to himself.

  I don’t have time for this. In a little while, more junkies would stumble into their apartment complex before the second big heat arrived. With a grunt she shoved harder, moving him just enough that she could see the crack in the corridor wall that exposed the third floor plumbing.

  “Jetta,” Jahx repeated, covering his nose.

  Jetta removed a soda can from her trouser pocket and held it under the water trickling from the broken pipe.

  “What?” she whispered back. Yahmen’s watchdogs enforcing their house arrest were making their usual illegal transactions in the alleyway. Their five minutes of freedom were nearly up.

  “Do you ever just know when something is going to happen?” her brother asked, looking at her sadly. Jetta stopped what she was doing and looked down the broken stairwell. Even over the shouting and clamor from the other units, she could sense the guards were still preoccupied with their deal.

  “Sometimes. But it’s because I’ve seen it happen before. A pattern,” she said, offering him the first sip. He shook his head and tugged at the curl of hair on the nape of his neck.

  “I know that Yahmen will kill me.”

  Jetta couldn’t find her voice. Her brother had always been the idealist, the one who saw the good in any situation, in every person. But now when she looked into his eyes, she realized he knew something terrible.

  “I would never let that happen,” she said, taking his hand. Anger tightened her stomach and heated her muscles. Didn’t he know that she would always protect him? That her siblings’ lives meant more to her than her own?

  He looked away with troubled eyes. “Promise me that you’ll never put my life before yours and Jaeia’s.”

  “Jahx—” she protested, standing so abruptly that she upset the soda can, spilling their polluted treasure. The front door slammed shut, and the guards’ banter became audible in the foyer.

  “Jetta,” he whispered. “Please.”

  A lump swelled in Jetta’s throat. She took his hand and said nothing.

  As they crept back into the relative safety of their apartment, she felt that despite her tight grip, she was somehow losing hold of her brother.

  “COME ON, JAHX,” JETTA said, gathering up the rock dice off the floor and shaking them in up in her hands. “One more game.”

  Jahx yawned and started to take apart the fort they had made from their cots. “No. I beat you five times already. Why don’t you ask Jaeia to play?”

  “She hates our made-up game.”

  “No she doesn’t,” Jahx said, righting his cot and crawling on top. He brought up his knees to his chest and closed his eyes. “Besides, she could use a distraction right now.”

  Tilting her head to the side, Jetta searched for her sister’s presence within the apartment. The kitchen and living room felt empty, but within the single bedroom came a steady thrum of pain and sadness.

  “Go to her,” Jahx said.

  Jetta left her brother in the hallway and hurried to Galm and Lohien’s bedroom. She found her sister sitting on the edge of the bare mattress, clinging to the only remaining picture of their aunt.

  “Hey,” Jetta said, walking over and hugging her sister. “I miss Aunt Lohien, too.”

  “I’m sorry, Jetta,” Jaeia said, drying her eyes with her shirt and setting the picture back on the cement block serving as a table. “When uncle Galm leaves, it just makes it harder.”

  Jetta smoothed back her sister’s hair and bit her tongue. It wasn’t often, but Galm sometimes left them alone at night, claiming he was going out shopping for food. None of them really knew what he did, only that he returned with more cuts and bruises than when he left, and occasionally a bag of soggy vegetables or dried-up meat. Still, who left three five-year-olds by themselves?

  He’s desperate, she thought. Or he knows we’re not like other kids.

  Jetta stopped herself right there. Nobody could know what she and her siblings were capable of, not even their parents. It’s too dangerous.

  “Want me to make up a story?” Jetta asked.

  Jaeia perked up a little, a smile nudging itself across her face. “Can you finish the one about the three kids escaping the monster’s castle?”

  “Haha, okay,” Jetta said, taking her sister’s hand to lead her back to their makeshift bedroom in the hallway.

  I don’t want to sleep i
n the hallway anymore. It’s hot and cramped.

  Jetta picked up her sister’s thought, and shared the sentiment. I know, but it’s the best way to access the main vent without having to sneak around the apartment

  Shared worry resonated between them as they left the greatest risk unspoken. Sleeping in the hallway meant no time to hide, no chance to run, when unwanted visitors came crashing through the front door.

  “Yahmen,” Jaeia whispered, stopping in her tracks in the middle of the living room.

  Yeah, I know. Let’s think about something else, okay? Jetta replied. Fatigued and numbed to the countless drunks and junkies littering the outside corridors, Jetta didn’t distinguish one intoxicated mind from the next until she sensed her sister’s fear.

  “Jetta—run!” Jaeia screamed.

  The sound of cracking plastic shot through the apartment. Running to the hallway, Jetta turned the corner to see Yahmen tearing the door from its hinges. The bent door clattered to the tile, the low hallway light revealing his colossal figure.

  Jahx!

  No barriers, no protection lay between Yahmen and her brother. Jahx, too frightened to move, lay in a fetal position in his cot, breath caught in his chest.

  No time to think. Jetta ran at Yahmen, smacking into his thighs, battering him with her fists. He grunted and hoisted her up by the collar.

  “Oh, you got some fight in you tonight, eh?” he sneered. His breath reeked of booze, and she tried to wriggle away, but he only firmed his grip until she gagged for breath. “Good,” he said, “I could use a fight.”

  Jetta pulled at her collar, trying to relieve the pressure against her throat, wildly kicking at his body to gain any kind of purchase.