Nepenthe Rising

by John Triptych

  “Alright then,” Viniimn said. “You have my support.”

  Dangard gave a single nod. “Good. Anything else we need to discuss for now?”

  “Just curious about these two new spacers we got from Far Tortuga,” Viniimn said as his other eyes filtered through the virtual report. “Why do we always recruit younglings at those ages?”

  “There’s a reason for it,” Creull said. “The older ones tend to have misplaced loyalties, and we can’t have that. Children with no families or attachments adapt best to our kind of life.”

  “I’ve been to Far Tortuga many times,” Dangard said. “The kids found on that world are hardy types, and they’ve got nothing to lose. If we can grow their loyalty to the point where they are willing to lay down their lives for this ship, then we’ve gained valuable assets for the crew.”

  Zeno looked up at them. “Those two new recruits have a probable life expectancy of only a few months. I would bet the bigger boy will survive though; despite being fourteen standard years of age, his body is almost that of an adult.”

  “I shall take that wager,” Creull said. “The smaller boy is a year younger, but I saw the fire in his eyes. Size and strength are no match against knowledge and determination.”

  7 Novice

  Duncan Hauk heard a soft voice calling out to him. The feminine tone bore an eerie resemblance to his mother’s. “You may open your eyes now.”

  The boy did, and was almost instantly blinded by the intense white glare. He sat up by the side of the automed machine and squinted up at a holographic image of a woman’s face staring back at him.

  “How are you doing?” the voice asked.

  Hauk ran his hand along his nose, feeling the synthetic skin patch over the repaired cartilage. Looking down at the rest of his naked body, he realized all his scars and old wounds had been healed. “I’m okay.”

  “Good,” the voice said. “I am Sappho, the ship’s AI. You have spent the last two days in the automed device to heal any injuries you might have sustained over the course of your life. Tissue samples have also been taken in order to grow replacement body parts for you in case of future needs.”

  The boy placed his hand along the back of his neck and felt a slight bump just beneath his left temporal bone. “You stuck something in me.”

  “Correct. All crewmembers are implanted with an AI com-link chip. This means my entire complement of user functions can be accessed through any direct communication channels to and from this ship. It will also serve as a locator and transponder in case of separation from this vessel.”

  A virtual finger materialized and pointed towards a full-body jumpsuit and assorted gear on a nearby table. “The earpiece will allow you to hear audio communications. A throat microphone is embedded in the collar of your skinsuit, which has been printed to your size. Please put them on.”

  Hauk walked over to the table and began donning the outerwear.

  “In the event of a loss of atmosphere, you will need to put on a helmet and gloves, which may be found in any of the emergency cabinets that line every corridor and room in the vessel,” Sappho said. “Once fully outfitted, your skinsuit will enable you to withstand non-atmospheric environments.”

  The suit matched the contours of his body. Hauk bent down and started putting the boots on. He had studied these things before, using the galactic net. “This suit uses mechanical counterpressure to prevent bodily expansion in a vacuum, right?”

  “Correct. Alarms will be activated in the event of atmospheric loss, so you should have some time to find an emergency cabinet. Nevertheless, it is good to be familiar with these locations for quick access.”

  Hauk remembered being given a cursory examination after coming onboard. Afterwards he was told to strip off his rags and was placed into the automed, a thick, coffin-like device. He had fallen into a deep sleep the moment the automed’s lid was closed over him. Looking around, he couldn’t tell where they had placed his old belongings. “Where’s my stuff?”

  “I’m sorry, did you say stuff?”

  One of the things he always carried was an old, faded photograph of his mother, his most prized possession. Now he couldn’t find it. “The stuff I brought with me, where is it?”

  “I do recall sorting through your possessions. The pile included two articles of clothing, a pair of shoes, a string purse containing bits of rock and assorted coinage, and one hardcopy portrait of a human female.”

  The boy’s temper was up. “So where is it?”

  “All your possessions have been recycled.”

  Hauk wanted to scream. He shifted his torso and delivered a kick to the side of the automed, making a hollow clang. Balling his hands into fists, the boy wanted to fight. “Why did you do that?”

  Sappho’s voice remained emotionless. “As per captain’s orders. All new recruits will be relieved of their previous inventory.”

  He took a swing at the hologram, but his fist passed right through the virtual light field as he punched nothing but air. Hauk wanted to trash the entire room, but the table counters were bare; it seemed the AI had expected him to do just that. After a few seconds, his anger was overcome by a tragic sense of loss, and tears began welling in his eyes.

  No, I won’t let them get the better of me. Choking back his tears, Hauk relaxed his stance and took a few deep breaths. His intense emotions started to dissipate. I’m stronger than this.

  The door at the right side of the room opened, revealing an empty corridor.

  “Good,” Sappho said. “Now please proceed to the assembly room.”

  The boy turned and walked out of the medbay. He let Sappho’s voice in his earpiece guide him as he turned into a junction before making his way in front of a large open doorway. He could hear the sounds of jeering coming from its interior.

  When he faced the doorway and entered, Hauk ended up in a high-ceilinged room with a raised platform near the opposite side. There were about ten older youths wearing the same clothing as him, and they were all standing in a semi-circle, laughing and throwing insults at someone in the center.

  Alerted by his presence, one of the youths turned and stared at him. “Hey look, the second worm just woke up!”

  The group quickly shifted their gaze in his direction. A tall, swarthy young man with curly hair strode up to him. “Well, well, well. Another new recruit. My implant chip tells me your name is Hauk, and you’re just a pathetic little boy.”

  Hauk’s own implant chip had begun feeding him information, since it had a neural link to his brain. The ship’s AI told him he was staring right up at Spacer Sergeant Ripoll Keo. “Spacer Cadet Hauk reporting for duty.”

  Keo turned and chuckled. “Look at this kid, he thinks he’s a spacer!”

  From the corner of his eye, Hauk could see Benno Holmes standing at attention near the edge of the platform. It seemed they had been heckling him for some time. Benno flicked his eyes in Hauk’s direction, but he remained at rigid attention.

  Keo tapped the boy on the forehead with his finger. “Hey, don’t look over there at your fellow worm; I’m right here.”

  “Sorry, Sergeant,” Hauk said tersely. He didn’t want to lose his temper unless he had to.

  Puteri Sin smiled while placing her hands on her hips. “Is this new one a brown-noser or just being smart?”

  Keo pointed to where Benno was standing. “Worm, get over there and stand at attention beside your fellow maggot.”

  The moment Hauk stepped past him, Keo pushed him from behind. Hauk maintained his balance as he stumbled forward, using his hands to keep himself from falling to the floor.

  Diego Rodriguez was the tallest, and he stood beside Puteri while laughing along with the others. “Keo, you messed up. That worm’s still standing.”

  The spacer sergeant walked up to the two recruits, who now stood side by side near the stage. “Now that you’re both present, we can really get started!”

  A loud whoop came from the others.

  Keo grinned
as he stood in front of them. “Welcome to the Nepenthe. You two may think you’re spacer cadets, but guess what—you’re not!”

  The sergeant moved closer, until his face was less than half a meter away, while he stared down at Hauk. “Right now, you both aren’t even cadets, and definitely not spacers. You gotta earn that rank. Right now you’re both the lowest of the low. So what’s pale and fat and crawls on the ground? A maggot. That’s what you both are.”

  Hauk said nothing. He wasn’t sure what Benno was thinking, but according to ship’s regulations, attacking a ranking superior would have serious repercussions, so he had to keep his true feelings in check. He had been through worse than this, so he began to mentally harden himself to resist the insults and taunts.

  “As worms, I can do anything I want with you,” Keo said. “But I’m gonna give you a chance. That’s right, I’m gonna give you a chance to take a shot at me. You up for it? Come on, any takers?”

  “I would be,” Benno said softly. He had been jeered and spat at for the last thirty minutes while Hauk was still waking up. Benno knew the rules, since his own AI implant was constantly feeding him information, but now the sergeant had given him the legal opening he needed.

  Several of the youths facing them clapped, while others started yelling in unison. “Keo! Keo! Keo!”

  Keo grinned as he turned and jumped up onto the stage. “Okay, Benno the big worm. Come on up here!”

  Hauk could only stare in silence as the bigger boy pushed himself up onto the platform. Several of the older youths began making bets, while Puteri and another girl giggled, staring at Keo, who had taken off the top part of his skinsuit to show off his muscular chest. Benno had a deathlike stare as he began a slow circle, while Keo got into a fighting stance.

  Suddenly, it was over. Benno lay on his side, and his bloodied face barely registered what had happened. Hauk could only stare in wonderment as he marveled at the way the sergeant had moved. In a span of less than two seconds, Keo had kicked Benno’s forward kneecap until it caved in, and quickly delivered a series of vicious blows onto the bridge of his opponent’s nose.

  Benno never really had a chance, Hauk thought. I’ve got a lot to learn if I’m gonna beat him one day.

  Keo pointed a finger at him. “Okay, little maggot, you up for it too? Come on, don’t be a coward!”

  Puteri stood beside Hauk and wagged her own finger at Keo. “You leave this one alone. He’s kinda cute!”

  Keo straightened his stance while sneering contemptuously at Hauk. “You gonna make him your bedboy, Puteri?”

  Puteri giggled. “I might do just that. You may be good at fighting but you sure ain’t good in bed.”

  A loud howl erupted from the others. Keo’s face reddened.

  The sergeant grimaced. He stared down at Hauk, his shame at being insulted by a fellow spacer compressing into a tight ball of anger. “Get up here, worm. Right now!”

  “Belay that order,” a voice called out from the other end of the hall.

  Everyone turned. Standing by the entryway was Garrett Strand. He gave the sergeant a look of nonchalance as he strode forward. “Beating on recruits again, Keo? I told you before that stuff like this won’t ever get you past the rank of spacer sergeant, no matter what your other abilities are.”

  Keo stood at attention. “It was a formal challenge to a duel, sir. He accepted the terms and we fought as per the rules, LT.”

  Strand walked up to the edge of the platform. “You mean you used the rules to goad him into fighting you. Just remember that we’re all in this together. These recruits will end up having to fight side by side with all of you, and this sort of hazing will no longer be tolerated. Is that clear?”

  “Sir, yes, sir,” Keo said.

  Strand gave a pitiful look to Benno, who still seemed dazed by the attack. The recruit had a broken nose and had most probably sustained a concussion. “Get him to the medbay, Sergeant. And after that come see me in my office. I know you’re still wound up from the last action we saw, so I got another assignment for you.”

  “Yes, sir,” Keo said before crouching down to take Benno by his arms and leading the injured youth down the stage before leaving the room.

  “The rest of you, stop wasting time,” Strand said. “I’ll be going away for a few days to hitch a ride on a freighter, so I want all the ordinance ready when I get back. This means full recalibration of all warbots, including extended range fusion thruster attachments on their hardpoints. After that y’all better get extra simulator time on your a-suits. Any score below ninety-nine gets relegated to damage control duties. Get moving.”

  The spacers dutifully filed out of the room. Hauk wasn’t sure if the lieutenant was addressing him too, so he continued standing at attention.

  Strand glanced over at Puteri, who was one of the last in the group making her way out of the hall. “Puteri.”

  She turned around and stood at attention. “Yes, LT.”

  Strand pointed at the young boy. “From here on out I’m designating you as training mentor for the two recruits. Get them up to speed.”

  “Yes, sir,” Puteri said.

  Strand began moving towards a door at the other side of the room. “That is all. Dismissed.”

  Puteri gestured at the boy to follow her. “Come on, this way.”

  Hauk walked alongside her as they exited the room and moved down to a lower deck. The gravity soon became less pronounced and there was a bounce to their steps. The habitable section of the Nepenthe was at the outermost layer of the spinning wheel section; as they got closer to the interior of the vessel, the lessening centrifugal force meant they would soon be at null-gee. Their arms began to float while their boots automatically adjusted to magnetic mode, allowing them to stay rooted to the flooring.

  “You’ll have to forgive Keo,” Puteri said as they rounded a corner. “He’s an adrenaline junkie who can’t wait to get back into combat again. He gets a bit too hyper during downtime, so he tries to take it out on anybody he can challenge.”

  Hauk shrugged. “He didn’t do anything to me. Benno won’t forget that though.”

  “Were you and Benno friends back on Far Tortuga?”

  The boy shook his head. “He was in another gang.”

  “I see,” Puteri said. “You fought with him?”

  “We fought each other to get accepted here,” Hauk said. “The riwwr stopped it.”

  “You mean Commander Creull. She’s female, by the way.”

  “I don’t know too much about her species,” Hauk said. “Is she the only alien on this ship?”

  “Nope. Our chief engineer and three others are nytini, and we’ve got a synthetic—but yeah, we’re a mostly human crew.”

  “I met the synth,” Hauk said. “Is he part of the ship’s AI too?”

  “Zeno? Oh no, he’s distinct. The ship AI wanted to merge with him but he refused. It’s one of the traits of synthetics, they seem to want to keep their individuality. They like to be referred to as people, just like us. I guess that’s why Zeno took on a human-looking form instead of just becoming like a box or something.”

  “The ship AI made herself look like a human hologram.”

  “Sappho makes adjustments to her looks depending on who she’s talking to. I guess it’s to help make people at ease.”

  Hauk bit his lip. Did Sappho scan his memories in order to resemble his mother? “I don’t trust her.”

  “Sappho used to have the same name as the ship, but people got confused so she adopted another. I don’t think it matters to AIs what their name is. Chief Engineer Viniimn even has his own name for her in his native language. Sappho is okay; she won’t betray any of your secrets, trust me.”

  Hauk looked away. “She took away my mother’s picture. It was my only remembrance of her.”

  Puteri glanced at him. She noticed the sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry, but we all went through it. The captain believes one has to get rid of old attachments in order to form new bonds. Your mother
, is she still alive?”

  The boy shook his head.

  Puteri smiled and gave him a gentle nudge on the elbow. “We’re your family now. This ship is your new mother. Think of the other spacers as your brothers and sisters, and imagine the officers as your aunts and uncles.”

  Hauk kept quiet. He didn’t want to forget about her.

  “I can tell you really loved your mother,” Puteri said softly. “You’re lucky. I was happy to get away from my parents.”

  The boy gave her a quizzical look. “What’s your homeworld?”

  “Hippo Regius.”

  “I’ve heard about it,” Hauk said. “It’s an ocean planet, right?”

  She nodded. “Yep. A few scattered islands here and there, and the rest is just open water. Most of the habitats are floating cities. The sun shines brightly because it’s really close to its parent star, and you gotta wear special goggles when you go out or you’ll go blind. You need some bio-gel for your skin too, or you’ll get really, really sunburned. I learned to be a good swimmer when I was still small; I guess that’s why I’m one of the top scorers in zero-gee training.”

  “Must be a nice place. My homeworld had no water that wasn’t recycled. I don’t even know how to swim.”

  “It’s nice if you got money,” Puteri said wistfully. “My family had nothing. My daddy got into debt, and I got sold away.”

  Hauk’s eyes opened wide. “What? Hippo Regius is in Union space. Slavery is illegal there, isn’t it?”

  “Don’t let official Union propaganda fool you,” Puteri said. “They say there are no slaves in the Union, unlike in the Concordance territories, but there are—they just go about it differently.”

  The boy’s self pity was replaced by curiosity. “What do you mean?”

  “Contracts are everything in the Union,” Puteri said. “Once you sign one, you’re bound to it and its enforceable everywhere. My daddy got into gambling and he was a heavy drinker. He ran up so much debt he had to sign away his parental rights over me in order to help pay back what he owed.”