by Seven Steps
Eva looked at her wild hair in the mirror, removed the clips that held the four sections separate, and walked to the door.
Two Enforcers waited for her.
“Empress, may your mother be well,” the taller one said, bowing her head slightly. “My name is officer Teda, this is officer Roz. We have come to install the microchip into any slaves that you may have here.”
“So soon?” Eva asked. “I only just heard of it on the news feed.”
“All Enforcers have been dispatched, Empress.”
“Well, alright. What do you have to do?”
Officer Roz went to Lex, grabbed his arm, and dragged him into the sitting room.
“Wait, what are you doing?” Eva demanded.
Lex tried to stay upright, tripped, and fell onto the sitting room rug. Roz sat on his back.
Teda used her bulky body to block Eva from entering the sitting room.
“Don’t worry, Empress. He’ll be fine. We won’t damage him.”
Eva peeked past the Enforcer’s shoulder. Roz had her knee pressed into Lex’s back. In one hand she held Lex’s wrist, pulling it backwards at a painful angle. In the other hand she held a scalpel.
“What are you doing to him?” Eva cried.
The Enforcer jammed the scalpel into the back of Lex’s triceps.
He howled.
“You’re hurting him!”
“Don’t worry Empress,” the Enforcer said. “They don’t feel pain like us. He’s just reacting to the pressure, the unfamiliar bodies. In a few minutes, he won’t even realize what’s happened.”
Lex turned silent, eyes closed, teeth clenched, as blood seeped from the wound, staining the white rug bright crimson.
Roz pushed a small silver cylinder into the wound with her thumb. She then pulled out a small, thin metal tube, and applied it to the cut. The wound smoked and turned black as the Enforcer soldered it shut.
“You brutes!”
“Relax, Empress. He’s fine.”
Roz stood, freeing Lex to roll over onto his side, and grab his arm that had since turned purple. She ran a bulky device over him, until it beeped, flashed once.
“All set,” she said. “Lex 99218, property of Empress Eva Amerish. Is that correct, Empress?”
Anger roared through Eva, “Yes, now get out of my home!”
Teda remained calm. “We’re all done here, Empress. Thank you for your cooperation.”
She moved out of the way.
Eva glared at their backs as they turned and left. As soon as the door shut, she ran to the supply cabinet next to the kitchen, and found the medical kit. Pulling out a white syringe, she ripped the cap off, ran back to Lex, and pressed the tip half way into his arm.
He immediately relaxed.
When all of the clear fluid was gone, she threw the needle away from her, cradled Lex’s head in her lap.
“Lex, I am so sorry.”
His hold on his arm released. His body went limp.
Thankful that he was no longer suffering, Eva pulled out a bandage and wrapped it around the blackened wound. Yanking a pillow off the sofa, she placed it under his head, threw a blanket over him, and sat next to him on the floor.
“Lex, I’m so sorry,” she wiped away a tear. “I’m so sorry. I should have said something, did something to protect you. I’m so sorry.”
She ran her fingers through his bright red hair, pushing it off his sleeping eye lids.
She took the quiet moment to examine him. Long lashes, full lips, hard body.
He’s perfect.
She hesitated before running a hand down his cheek, over his soft, neatly trimmed red beard.
Her hand continued its exploration down his arm. She picked up his hand in both of hers. His finger tips were callused, his hands slightly slick from the product he’d put in her hair earlier. She ran her fingers along his palm, tracing the deep lines there.
Her eyes glanced at the door, making sure that it was closed.
If I’m caught touching a man, I’ll be banished, or worse. If mother were here she’d disown me.
She clasped her hand in his.
This feels perfect. Wicked and wrong, but perfect. As if I was always meant to hold his hand.
She smirked at herself.
Is it worth it? Can I risk everything for just one touch? One second that would save me from the cold prison that’s become my life. One moment where I don’t feel like my insides are frozen solid. One brief heartbeat where I’m not drowning in my loneliness. Is it worth it?
She clasped his hand tighter.
If only it didn’t feel so right.
Chapter 16
The first indictment of a woman under the new law was carried out the following morning.
Seated close to the front of High Council, next to a grief-stricken Nadira, Eva couldn’t rip her eyes away from the woman on stage. Outfitted in the long sleeve, high neck, floor length black dress of a prisoner, the woman didn’t shake, didn’t cry. She stood stoic, with her chin held high, as her case was presented before every High Councilwoman on the planet.
An Enforcer stood next to Tessa on stage, addressing the councilwomen “Empress Tessa Coquett is accused of engaging in illegal activities with a slave on three separate occasions.”
Eva’s breath caught in her chest. She remembered yesterday, Lex laying in her arms as she treated his wounds.
“A neighbor reported seeing inappropriate touching going on in the home,” the Enforcer continued.
Eva’s mind flashed back to the paths that her fingers made up and down Lex’s arms, his hands.
“... and they were caught engaging in sexual contact by an Enforcer via a house camera.”
Though they hadn’t gone that far, Eva couldn’t deny that she wanted Lex to touch her. Kiss her even. After that, she wasn’t sure. She wondered how far her actions were from this woman. After all, Tessa must’ve touched her slave, kissed him. What came next? Who made the first move?
“We have a signed statement by the Enforcer as well as a neighbor. The slave has already been executed.”
Tessa dropped her head.
Eva mirrored the action. She imagined that it was her on stage, head bowed, Lex gone. A lump formed in her throat. He had only been in her life two days, and already the thought of him being gone seemed to rip her heart to shreds.
What is it that makes a woman feel this way about a man?
She felt Nadira’s hand clasp onto hers. She looked at her friend, but Nadira’s watery eyes remained on Tessa.
With Kiln taken for execution, the old, happy Nadira was gone. There was no happiness, no joy, no hope. This new Nadira was ready to watch the world burn.
Eva looked back at the prisoner. She thought she saw a single tear escape, but when Tessa raised her head the tear was not there.
“I appeal to High Council to pass down the sentence of execution as stated in the law.” The Enforcer gave an awkward bow and stepped back, indicating she was done. “Thank you.”
“High Council,” Czarina Arees said from her chair in the first row, “Do you vote execution or banishment for the accused?”
Eva looked down at the checkboxes on her touch screen. If High Council voted for banishment, they’d put her on a ship with no supplies, and blast her out into space. The navigation would be disabled. She wouldn’t be able to steer, only float until she ran out of fuel. Perhaps she would get hit by a meteor or some other flying debris. Perhaps another bigger ship would pick her up. Either way, her life was over.
The breath left Eva’s lungs.
What if I’d gotten caught yesterday? I touched Lex. What if I’d gotten caught?
Her fingers hovered over the touch screen. They shook violently.
That could have been me up there. I could have been the one awaiting my fate.
Her gut began to churn.
I can’t do this, she thought. I can’t end this woman’s life.
She looked up at Tessa. Her face was stone, her eyes looking past the women judge
d her.
It’s like she’s not even here, like she doesn’t hear her future being decided in front of her.
She suddenly saw her face replace Tessa’s. She saw herself awaiting her future, knowing that Lex’s lifeless body was burned to a crisp somewhere. Knowing that her life was over.
Her breakfast threatened to make a reappearance, and she swallowed harshly. Sweat broke out on her neck.
Next to her, Nadira sniffled, stood, and walked out of the room.
Several Councilwomen looked up. They watched with questioning eyes as she left.
Tessa didn’t seem to notice.
Eva turned back around in her chair. She debated whether to follow her friend or not.
A moment later, a scream.
Eva ran up the aisle and into the hallway, passed the muttering High Councilwomen and the newly alerted Enforcers.
After a brief search, she found Nadira in the bathroom, her body curled up into a ball on the floor of the last stall.
“I’m sorry,” Nadira whimpered. “I didn’t mean to scream. I just couldn’t take it anymore.”
Behind her, several Enforcers stood in the doorway to the bathroom, watching.
“She’s okay,” Eva said. “She’s just tired. I’ll take her home.”
The Enforcers didn’t move.
Eva went into the stall and put her arms around her friend.
“It’s okay, Naddie. It’ll be alright. Let’s get you home.”
“I don’t want to go home.”
“Then let’s get you to the Temple. That always made you feel better.”
“I want-”
Eva shot Nadira a warning look, cutting her words off sharply.
“You want your mother?” Eva said. “I know.”
Nadira dropped her eyes to the floor. She didn’t look up again.
Eva helped her to her feet, wrapped one arm around her waist and, with the other held her hand.
Nadira placed a heavy head on Eva’s shoulder.
“Is there anything we can do?” One of the Enforcers in the doorway asked.
“No,” Eva said. “I’ll take care of her from here.”
The Enforcers nodded, and moved out of the way as Eva helped her friend out of the building.
Chapter 17
Piles of wrinkled jumpsuits, dirty dishes, hair supplies, and discarded scraps of paper laid scattered throughout Eva’s room.
How did I not trip over this stuff last night, Lex wondered. Behind him, a wide basket on four wheels rolled to a stop. Its large treads had been following Lex as he picked up the piles, and created them anew within his silent helpers deep tubs.
The room was heavy with the smell of roses.
Eva’s smell.
The memory of her body, heavy with sleep in his arms, had been haunting him all day. At first, he warred with himself, his mind trying to forget the highly inappropriate touching, while his heart wanted to run wild with fantasy. In the end, his heart won the battle.
He cleared the floor, and stripped the sheets from the large bed. The spine of the robot stretched a foot taller to accommodate it’s heavy load.
It doesn’t matter what I think of her, he thought. I have to get to Mahala. I have to be free.
He remembered Drell’s abuse, and walked to the closet.
Eva wouldn’t do that to me, would she? There’s no way to know for certain. I can’t trust her. She’s a woman. She may be nice now, but with the right pressure, she’ll change in an instant. Just one whisper from her mother, just one word from High Council, and she will execute me without hesitation. Or worse, keep me alive and make my life miserable. Is that what I want? To live in fear? To put my life in ever changing hands?
A knock on the front door interrupted his argument with himself.
The robot followed him as he made his way down the hallway and pulled the door open.
A short, thickly bearded man looked up at him.
“Food delivery for Empress Eva Amerish of the Outer Ring.”
“I’ll sign for it.”
“Where’s Baster?”
“Baster’s dead. I’m her new slave, Lex.”
“Dead?” The man’s yellow eyes went wide. Before his head dropped, Lex stifled a gasp at the man’s diamond shaped irises. The man shook his head, then looked back up at Lex. “How’d he die?”
“She didn’t say.”
“Poor Baster. I knew him for years. Nice man.”
“I’ve heard.”
“He spoke highly of Eva. He said she was fair. May the Mother Goddess receive him.”
“Amen,” Lex whispered.
The man held out his hand, “Aloston,” he said.
Lex shook his hand. It was surprisingly soft for a delivery man.
“How long have you been here?” Aloston asked.
“Since yesterday.”
“Welcome to the Outer Ring, Lex. It looks like me and you will be seeing each other every 26 days. The food order is already set. If you need to make changes it must be five days before delivery.”
“I know the food delivery drill.”
“Great. Then we won’t have any problems.”
The man held out a touch screen to Lex, then moved out of the door way and to the back of the house.
Lex followed.
A massive hovercraft, almost as tall as the house, was parked in back. On the side of the craft, BETA FOOD SERVICES was printed in large green letters.
Lex hurried past the man, not wanting to keep him waiting, and pressed a button set into the wall. He took a few steps back as a large panel of the back wall slid out towards him, revealing a wide shelving unit that stretched from roof to ground. The shelves were full of foodstuffs, first aid supplies, cleaning supplies, and other non-perishables. Anything perishable would go in the refrigerated unit on the other side of the house.
A large square hose raised from the top of the ship, and connected into the top of the shelving unit. It hummed as food was distributed onto the shelves. Each type of item was separated into its own smaller square within the shelves. In a few minutes, the shelves were nearly filled.
“How long have you been doing this?” Lex asked.
“Since I was ten.”
“And you live in Beta?”
Aloston nodded.
“Near the wall?”
“Close enough to it.”
“Ever see anything out there.”
“Anything like what?”
“Like men. Men without masters.”
Aloston eyed Lex for a long time.
“Are you a spy, Lex?”
Lex shook his head. “No. Just a man trying to make his way to Mahala.”
“Why would you want to do that?”
“Why would any man want to go to Mahala? To be free.”
“Normally you Outer Ring types tend to stay put. You have it made out here. The women are nice, the Enforcers are lenient, and the eyes aren’t too open.”
“A slave’s a slave, no matter where they are.”
Aloston didn’t reply. He walked to the ship, signaling Lex to close the non-perishable wall. They walked around the house to open the refrigeration unit.
When the new wall was open, Lex stood next to Aloston again.
“So?” he asked.
“So what?” Aloston replied.
“So, do you know where Mahala is?”
Aloston crossed his arms. “If I did, what would you do?”
“Run.”
Aloston blew out a breath, and shifted his feet. “If I was trying to find Mahala, I would look where the Habitat’s meet. Right on the wall where Alpha touches Beta.”
Lex smiled broadly. “Thank you.”
“When are you planning to leave?”
“As soon as I can.”
The tube shut off and receded into the ship.
“Well, then I guess this will be the last time I see you.”
Lex followed Aloston to the ship, where the short man climbed inside and shut it off.
“What are you doing?” Lex asked.
“Going inside. We’re having a goodbye drink.”
“A goodbye drink? Don’t you have deliveries to make?”
Aloston waved dismissively, “They’ll get done. Hey, let’s comm Haos and Xy.”
“Who?”
“They live a few houses down the street. Those two are always good for a laugh.”
“But it’s only eleven o’clock.”
“Their master’s work in the city, so they won’t be back until tonight.”
Aloston left his muddy boots outside the door, let himself into the house, and walked into the sitting room.
“You’ve been here before?” Lex asked.
“Sure. Me and Baster used to hang out all the time.” Aloston stepped in front of the comm. “Comm Grand Empress Yin.”
The comm beeped once before a man answered. Or rather, a man-like creature. His skin was brown and rough, resembling tree bark. He had eyes, and a slit for a mouth, but no nose and no discernible ears. The top of his head was covered with what appeared to be greenish-brown leaves.
“Hey Haos!” Aloston grinned. “Long time.”
Haos’ mouth slit turned up at the sides, making him appear a bit more like a man and less like a tree.
“Aloston,” Haos’ voice was deep, rough. Lex felt it in his chest. “You’re late!”
The two shared a laugh at the inside joke.
“How about you and Xy come over to Baster’s for a drink.”
“Ah, not today Al. My master’s having this party and-”
“Five minutes. Can you have a drink with your old friend for five minutes?”
“Well...” Haos rubbed the back of his neck with one appendage. It resembled a tree branch but, when he got to his neck, the end of it resembled a wood carved a hand.
“Come on Haos, don’t be a stick in the mud.”
Haos mouth turned down. “Not funny.”
“Call Xy and get over here. Please.”
“Yes, yes alright. Give us five minutes.”
The comm ended, and Aloston made his way to the kitchen.
“What was that?”
“Custom slave, straight from the planet Torg. He’s a tree, man, thing. His master used to live in Beta, then came here.” Aloston pulled up the hologram menu on the black topped counter and began to flick through it. “What, you’ve never seen an alien before?”