by Dusks, Rydre
I'd never faced a machine animal, but it would be no different from a humanoid one. "I'm a Strejc, Blank."
"I know that." She kept her back to me. "It's just... these are things you have to consider. Your hackerbot would have to turn off the power after the gates open. And the only time that happens is when they're dropping off prisoners, or a new shipment of food or supplies for guards arrives. People can't open the gates from the inside. The prison shuttles and shipment trucks are the only things that have the gate access buttons. We're all literally stuck in here--even my father."
"Then when is the next shipment scheduled?"
"We have enough food to last us a year. Supplies for guards are normally shipped along with everything else. As for new prisoners, there would be no way for you to sneak out. I'm sure you've seen it enough times by now. Armed guards flank all the inmates, and my father goes out there personally for inspection."
I cursed quietly. Another year of waiting. At least in that time I could start planning a smoother approach. "We couldn't instigate a time to open the gates, could we?" I tried.
She shook her head sorrowfully. "I'm sorry, Crow. There are ways, but if you want the safest option, you'll have to wait."
My mind told me that Stelliot couldn't wait. Rook couldn't wait. My life at home--
Shut up, I ordered. Just stop it. I've been patient for a year, I can be patient for another.
I managed. Life went on, even if I didn't like waiting. I called Toanwar a second time in the same corner of the theater, this time sitting down and out of the way, shirking my duties as duster once again to get in some personal time. The other prisoners weren't so happy about doing my work, but I was far from caring at this point.
"Did anyone manage to find my hovercycle?" I asked my godfather.
"Yes, it was brought to the house sometime after you were captured, along with your Jux. I was a little angry you didn't tell me anything," said Toanwar.
"I was just outside the house and ready to tell you everything, but then I had to run," I explained. "I just knew I didn't have enough time, and I wanted to get as much done as I possibly could before the police showed up."
"Speaking of authorities, Era has made a speech recently about the Strejca. I recorded it because I figured you would want to hear. Oh, and your friend Mr. Kaliqaiah lost his apartment not long ago, so he's been staying in your old room."
"You took in Va'th?"
"Yes, and there is a reason for it. Do you want to listen to the recording?"
"Please."
There was a bit of rustling around, and I had to pull the phone from my ear as Toanwar shifted it to his other hand and rested the device beside the TV. I waited a moment, then heard Era's distinct, faux-human voice.
"The Tower has received many complaints over the past few months concerning the actions of the GreyCross police force on the Strejca. As every citizen of Iason's capital should know, I command many of the police actions when it comes to violating the law. I do not hate the Strejca--I have never intended to dislike them in any manner. If I did not approve of the Strejca, I would never have allowed them to form a group inside the borders of Iason. I believe that our loyal, bounty-driven machine hunters are necessary when it comes to keeping Iason safe."
"Toanwar," I interrupted. "Could you put me on video so I can watch it?"
"Of course."
There was a bit more rustling around, then Toanwar had the phone set up to face the TV. I pulled it away from my ear and turned on the video application on my end, able to see part of Toanwar standing in the living room, and the television in my line of sight.
President Era never changed his appearance. He still was cold, stark, and uncannily robotic despite his obvious attempts at looking and acting as human as possible. He was a well-dressed man of authority. His blond hair and smooth, farce skin encased the ugly framework of a corrupt Super Machine. His uncanny eyes were black orbs with white “x” marks through the centers. Not many knew the reasoning behind the strange design of his eyes, but Toanwar had told me that they did serve a purpose. Just a secret one.
"However, there are times when I must draw the line," Era continued, raising a finger to indicate his seriousness. "The Strejca have gone across the boundaries of law, and have claimed to have changed their means of machine control. They will no longer accept requests from major companies such as Saydea of the Future, Nekenna Robotica, and Slatelat Facette Corporation, and are now leading their own investigations on private subjects not worth their concern. In my eyes, that is a sign of a rogue organization. The Strejca are being dealt with as I speak to you. In fact, I have arranged for the majuo of the Strejca to make an appearance tonight."
"Insidd," I whispered, fearing the worst. As Era moved away from his podium, two GreyCross security officers led a handcuffed, bruised, disheveled, and limping Scarsar Insidd to the microphone. My heart cracked a little at the sight of my proud leader. I'd never seen Insidd so badly abused, and knew that Era had allowed him to be tortured for information as well as to try breaking him. His eyes didn't look broken, though they appeared on the verge of doing so.
"Ste namas es Scarsar Insidd, Majuo Strejc ne GujreCorosso," he began, taking a deep breath before continuing. "The president has asked me to come up here today to share with you my reasons for rebellion, but I think that's such a harsh word. We Strejca serve to protect GreyCross as well as all other forms of settlements throughout Iason. I do not deny that I have led my Strejca away from the path of law temporarily. Due to the recent arrests this past year of several of my men and women, I have chosen to refuse working with any major companies in affiliation with the GreyCross Tower. President Era may call this rogue, but I call it safe. I can't say I understand the rumors about my Strejca investigating issues that are not within their boundaries of law, as the last time we attempted such a task, several of my Strejca were sent to the Rove Desert prison camps."
One of the officers nudged Insidd, and he sighed quietly. "President Era wishes me to tell you all that as a bounty-funded organization allowed to work within Iason, we are not permitted to refuse our services to any major companies affiliated with the Tower, and because of our actions, we are giving up the privacy of our offices to be held on surveillance every hour we are out on duty. If you find yourselves with or around any Strejc still rebelling from his or her duties, he or she must be reported immediately to the police. That's all. Thank you."
"That's all bullshit," I cursed. "That is much too extreme for the Strejca. Insidd had his reasons for drawing back from places like Saydea."
"Didn't he?" came a familiar, charismatic voice from the side. Va'th's face came into view, and he stuck out his pierced tongue and wiggled it at the camera.
"Va'th," I greeted, smiling wanly. "It's good to see you're okay."
"Right back at ya." He poked the camera and stroked his hair, imitating long locks. "Trying to grow yourself a rope, princess?"
I rolled my eyes. "As if a prisoner such as myself would be allowed a pair of scissors."
He shrugged, and I changed the subject. "How is Insidd?"
Va'th's lips went tight for a moment and he looked off to the side. "No one really knows. It's been a couple days since Era's address. Right after that, I had a bunch of police come into my place and tell me to go to this boarding house with a bunch of other Strejca. I refused, so they kicked me out. I couldn't contact Insidd because he's been locked up in the Tower, and I couldn't ask to stay with any other Strejca since they've all met the same fate, so I just decided to wait it out here with Toanwar. He said Era never bothers him so long as the Tower continues receiving Voelwrath products, so I'm safe for now."
I sighed. "I should have seen something like this coming. I just don't get any news out here. I had to steal my phone from the warden."
Va'th let out a barking laugh. It'd been such a long time since I heard it that it made me smile a bit more genuinely. "You stole your shit back! Oh Sol, Crow, you haven't changed one bit! I'm so
glad to hear that!"
"I'll be out of here in a year."
"They're letting you go?"
"I'm..." I paused, glancing around the theater to make sure that no one had come in while I wasn’t looking. Most of the prisoners didn’t speak Iasona, but I still wanted to be careful. "I'm escaping."
"Want my advice?" Va'th continued, finally picking up the phone and holding it up so I could see him clearly. Toanwar was in the background, watching with folded arms. "Don't come back to GreyCross. Not yet, anyway. Wait until all this stuff cools down."
Toanwar lifted his head. "Va'th is right. Let us know when you are leaving, Crow, and we will bring your bike out to the nearest town. That will be as close as we will be able to get."
"I'll do what I can," I answered. "I should probably go now. I'll talk to you guys--no--I'll see you guys again soon."
"Later!" Va'th waved at the phone.
"Goodbye, Crow," called Toanwar.
I turned it off and rose back into a stand. I'd left Click behind the curtains, but I heard the high-pitched whir of his flying somewhere inside the auditorium. He liked to keep Rook company when he wasn’t flitting around me. I walked past the curtains and looked for them both.
Click and Rook were together in the dressing room filled with food. I entered quietly, and Rook immediately offered me a piece of candy. I ignored it, looking at my bot perched on his head.
"Click, do you know of a way to make me a detailed map of the Rove Desert?"
Click was swiftly out the door before it even had time to close behind me.
"So you're really going to work on this then," Rook concluded. "It's about time. Roavo's needed a guy like you."
I waited a couple minutes in silence until there was a tapping on the door, and I opened it to let Click back inside. He carried with him a sheet of paper stabbed through with his probe, and I pulled it off to check it over. He hadn't drawn it himself, instead having ripped it from off a wall.
"Click... you didn't get this from the warden's cabin, did you?"
Click beeped and whirred before perching on my shoulder. Rook chuckled as I set the map down and looked it over. It wasn't a map of the entire Rove Desert, but it did include the Souloroh-Iason border, Ckin, a little town quite a distance south of the Rove camps called Pinion, and what appeared to be a small settlement closer to Roavo called Agastay. I knew of that town--my own elder brother lived there. He was one of the only other exiled Anli that I knew of, and he worked as a nurse. At least... from what I heard about him many years ago. He'd been chased out of the Gasaidiatt before I left, but shortly after I’d entered GreyCross my brother picked up news somehow about my leaving and contacted me through physical mail. I wrote him back, but that was the last I'd ever heard from him.
Agastay looked to be my best and closest option. I could contact Toanwar from there, as the Rove Desert itself wasn't the best place to try making a phone call.
As much as I hoped a year would go by quickly, it didn't. For several nights in bed I checked over the map, reworking my route after leaving the gates. I wanted everything to be perfect, although somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it wouldn't be.
I had just finished yet another of my runs a night later when I experienced a harrowing comeback from the authority in Roavo. I left my path to go bathe behind the theater stage. Rook was nowhere to be found, and for that I didn't mind. As much as I loved his company and his upfront personality, it was nice to have some moments just to myself.
Immediately after walking out of the bathroom, still towel-drying my hair, I was greeted by three human guards standing just a few feet from the entrance. I stopped short, looking to them in startled confusion, but lost my moment to react as two of them moved forward and grabbed my arms. The third knocked the towel off my shoulders and seized a tight hold of my wet hair, yanking my head back to fit a gag over my mouth. I reacted instantly and slammed my foot between the man's legs. He shouted and buckled in pain, but one of his buddies covered for him and connected his knuckles to my face. My vision flashed a brilliant white for a moment, then left me swiftly for an unknown period of time.
I woke up choking, or at least it felt like I was. A thick wad of fabric was in my mouth, bound by a strip of denim tied at the base of my head. My wrists had been tightly wound with more material, wrapped in a fashion that made it barely possible to even wiggle my arms. And to no surprise my ankles were tied up the same way. The worst of it was not my complete immobilization, but my location within the warden's cabin. I wasn't in his office like all the other times he had me beaten. This time I was in his bedroom, and I knew this was not just another typical punishment. Two guards, probably the same ones who'd jumped me in the theater, stood on either side of me, a wall to my back. Lamplight illuminated the room, and I saw Stone standing with his weight against the footboard of his bed, only a few feet from me.
The moment I opened my eyes and writhed on the floor Stone folded his arms and gazed down at me coldly. Normally the warden told me he liked how "chatty" I was whenever I was pulled in to see him. It was true I did have a mouth on me, and I liked to tell Stone exactly how much I hated him when being punished, but it was strange to find myself gagged this time.
"Evening, king."
I let my gaze linger on him in slight surprise.
"What, you don't think that my guards have caught on to what's been going on around the camp?" Stone smirked. It was an ugly, greasy look. "They call you King of Roavo, and from what I gather, they have for quite some time. My men say the others look up to you. Like you're some kind of hero or savior. Well, OrrVieh, I have some sad news for you."
I watched Stone as he reached behind him and scooted a small black case closer to the edge where he leaned. He unlatched it and opened it up, taking out a miniature glass bottle full of a cloudy, white liquid. He shook it up.
"The sad news is... you ain't got status in Roavo. The only one who can determine what goes on in this camp is me, and I hate prisoners who decide to try and climb their way to my station. You've killed two of my men, you know. The guard with the eye injury bit the dust not long ago from infection. You're also the one behind my rewired guards and nearly eighty percent of my disabled bots. You've tried escaping multiple times, you stole a guard truck a year ago, you stole the map right out of my cabin, stole your own outside possessions right out of my closet, stole vodka from the casino and made your own incendiary with it, and lastly... you've got my daughter all wrapped up in your little game as well. Did you think I wouldn't notice these things?"
He picked up a toothpick and unscrewed the cap on the tiny bottle, dipping the wooden tip into the liquid before screwing the lid back on. "Just what are you going to do, OrrVieh? You couldn't possibly be planning to escape again."
I writhed more, but was answered with a kick to the stomach by the guard near my feet. Stone set the bottle back in the case and held the toothpick carefully. He stepped forward and knelt beside me, gripping my upper arm and pushing me onto my front.
"I'm going to put an end to your reign as king, OrrVieh. Normally I'd make a public hanging for you, but this will be a little more satisfying for me." He angled the toothpick close to my fingers. "I could have done this the painless way. I could have just had you drink the stuff, or splashed it in your eyes. Would have gone straight to your brain and killed you in minutes. But that wouldn't be as much fun, now would it?"
What is that? I thought in panic as I pulled my fingers taught into fists when he reached to take them.
Stone cleared his throat, and so the guard near my head crouched and pressed agonizingly hard against my wrist, forcing out a muted gasp from me. The pressure relaxed my hand immediately, and Stone took hold of two of my fingers on my left. There was a sharp sting as he sank the toothpick under my nails, and I couldn't help but express the sheer pain through voice, screaming through the gag. My hands shook from the feeling even after Stone withdrew the pick.
He gazed at my wide-eyed expression and trembli
ng figure and smirked again. "Don't worry, you'll be fine for a few hours. See, I just can't let Blank know I put you to death. She talks so much about you, and your death would probably shatter her sweet little heart. As much as I would love to have you shot right here in my cabin, I can't have her knowing."
Whenever he spoke about Blank it made me sicker than usual.
"If you mention this to her, or even to any of your little buddies, I will have the guards come into your tent and slit both yours and your thief friend's throats while you sleep. And trust me--he won't be so lucky to survive that. There will be a guard around you at all times in case you decide to open your mouth."
He stood back up after wrapping up my fingers and dropped the toothpick into the case. "Untie him outside. He's going to be late for his last dinner if he stays in here."
The guards picked me up and dragged me out of the cabin. They ripped the gag off and out of my mouth before moving to undo my wrist and ankle bonds, then pushed me forward and onto the ground. I scrambled up, still shaking a little from the leftover pain.
At dinner I didn't say anything to Rook. I had no idea what Stone had just poked into my bloodstream, but it seemed slow-acting. The only evidence that I was poisoned with something pointed to small red details trailing up through my fingers and hand, indicating infected veins.
I retired to bed right after eating, hoping that whatever had happened wouldn't kill me before I could figure out a way to save myself. As much as I wanted to tell Rook what happened, I heard a guard right outside and knew he was waiting to listen for anything suspicious. Instead I closed my eyes while lying in my cot and told my panicking brain to calm down.
Something was near me. It was threatening, and the area I was in was terrifying... or it would be for a small boy. I stood up quickly, looking around to find him. It was another dream about Stelliot, which I had often, but this time it was different. As I moved, my feelings toward Stelliot did not feel the same. I felt... detached, as if I didn't quite love him, but he was still my responsibility.