The Indoctrination

by K. L. Bone

  “No, my Lords, I did not. I simply chose a shape that seemed most appropriate to a girl of her age. I did not realize it would be considered pretty. I am very pleased to know this.”

  “What are you talking about?” I was getting upset.

  “Shh,” Kavra hushed me. “Chrissa, the world Lysalie is a Setian word. It means computer. Lysalie is the ship’s computer.” He could not hold back his suddenly renewed laughter. “She is a hologram. A computer hologram.”

  I blinked. My head turned toward Kavra, then to Lysalie. “What!”

  “I am a computer,” Lysalie explained. “I took a human form to please you.”

  “A computer?” Both men were laughing again.

  “Thank you, Lysalie,” Lord Kasar said. “That will be all.”

  She didn’t disappear slowly, like light fading from a room. Instead there was a quick shiver, like a tremor running down her body, and then she was gone. It took me a few moments to come out of my stupor, but finally I was able to turn my shocked expression toward Lord Kavra. “I’m sorry, Chrissa. Sometimes I think we forget that you have not been with us that long. A Setian grows up around these things from birth. Sometimes we forget that things such as this can shock you.” He offered his most heart-warming smile then said, “Come now, why don’t you sit down here beside me. I will deal the cards and we will show Lord Kasar what it is like to come in last place.”

  “Last place? Never!” Kasar answered his challenge.

  It shook me out my state and I finally returned the smile and said, “There won’t be a last place.”

  “Oh and why is that?”

  “Because you are both going to be so far behind that second place won’t matter as you watch me win.” They yelled foul and challenge as we all began to laugh. Then the computer dealt the first of the many cards played on that wonderful night.

  Chapter VII

  I was studying with my tutor one day just after my fourteenth birthday when Lord Kavra made an unannounced visit. I had been struggling through some aerospace mathematics and getting nowhere when I saw him walk through the door. A smile lit my face and I jumped from my seat at the welcome distraction. “Kavra!” I exclaimed. “Have you come to save me?”

  “You must be studying math,” came his reply.

  I groaned. “I like most of it, but this inner dimensional math of vercietiles must have been created by the devil.” He laughed. “Please, please tell me you are here to save me.”

  It was his turn to smile. “How could I resist such a plea?”

  “Really?”

  “Yes,” he replied. “Actually, I have a surprise for you.”

  “Oh, what is it?”

  “Well, it actually has to do with your torture studies.” His answer surprised me, so I stood still, waiting for him to continue. “Our troops recently caught a rather large group of un-infestible troops who have allied themselves with our enemies on the outskirts of the Doverian system. We believe several of them hold valuable information which may be the key to winning the conflict in that area.”

  “Oh, wait. I think I heard something about that from Lord Kasar.”

  “Yes, I figured you had. The prisoners are still alive and are being sent to the Setian system, to a moon of the home-planet. Our top physicians,” and by physicians he meant torturers, “are standing by to begin the gathering,” he meant interrogation, “process. Your tutor has sent reports that you have progressed well in your interrogation studies. Lord Kasar and I have agreed that if you feel you are ready, this would be an opportune time for you to begin your studies in actual, live torture.” He paused for a breath before asking, “What do you think?”

  “I’m game,” I replied, “as long as I don’t have to go through inter-dimensions to get there.” He laughed and ushered me toward his ship.

  “I took the liberty of having your maids pack a few clothes,” he told me. “They are already packed and waiting in your room on my ship.”

  “Thank you,” I told Kavra.

  “Here, let me show you the way.” We took a small shuttle over to where Lord Kavra’s ship was waiting and I soon found myself walking through a ship very similar to Lord Kasar’s except for the color. While Lord Kasar’s ships generally featured walls of jet black or stark white, Lord Kavra’s held a world of color. Paintings of medieval stories lined the walls in frames of elaborate gold against blue, red, and deep lavender walls. Elegant ladies gazed across the well-lit hallways in landscapes of places which you will never see.

  He led me into a room and I was surprised to see that more than my bags had been prepared for me. The room was done in various shades of reds and blacks; my favorite combination. The bedspread was a deep satin red with black lace trimming the edge. A vast fireplace burned with flames that had been colored to match the room and an elegantly carved black desk stood in the corner. Everything had a gothic appearance to it, from the carving of the desk to the shape of the bedposts and the black, sheer canopy which hung from the bed. It could not have been more perfect if I had chosen the decoration myself.

  “For you, my Lady” Lord Kavra said. “Consider it my way of saying that you are always welcome and that you should consider my ship your second home. Anytime you wish to escape the seriousness of my old master, you need but to ask and I shall come whisk you away.” He paused before adding, “I trust the room meets with your approval?”

  “You know it does,” I replied. “How did you know?”

  He winked at me, “I have my ways.”

  It made me laugh. “Yes, yes you do.”

  The next few days were spent exploring Kavra’s ship and for me it was far too short. We played cards and board-games while Kavra told the ancient tales that had been passed down through the Setian Empire for centuries. “If you had been raised in the Empire from infancy, you would know these by now,” he said as he launched into the next adventurous story.

  We eventually arrived at the Setian moon where the prisoners had been sent to be interrogated. I was allowed to sleep in the next morning as Lord Kavra completed the preparations for our arrival. We were deep inside Setian space, so security was of little worry as we prepared to land upon the moon. Lord Kavra had advised me to dress comfortably, so I opted for a simple, long sleeve red top and a comfortable pair of black jeans. A simple chain of silver completed the casual attire and after quickly tying my hair back with a thin silver band, I was ready.

  I met Lord Kavra in the hallway beside the outer doors. It would be my second time in the home galaxy and I was excited. The doors opened and Kavra offered me his arm, which I took gladly. He escorted me from the ship into the large white building that stood just ahead. I took a moment to glance at my surroundings. The sky was pale purple and the land was covered with yellow grass on either side of the narrow grey walkway. Two suns filled the sky, appearing pinkish within the purple sky. The building we were about to enter stood eight stories high with plain, matching windows set approximately five feet apart on every side of the building. As we approached, a man on the inside rushed to open the doors. Still holding my arm in a formal grip, Lord Kavra whisked me through the doors to stand before the front desk.

  One of the two guards who had accompanied us stepped to the guards sitting behind the desk. “Lord Kavra and Lady Chrissalynn Kasar, here to see the high inquisitor, Verayt.”

  “Of course, my Lord,” the guard said as he ushered us into a lift that took us to the fourth floor. The walls were dark blue, which was kind of nice after the stark whiteness of the building’s exterior walls. After walking down two long corridors, one of the guards opened a large, silver door on our left which we entered.

  The room was large with pale yellow walls. Long tables filled the room, littered with various devices. Some were covered with blades ranging in size from as thin as a strand of hair to as thick as a man’s thumb. Others were covered with vials of liquid, some harmless, while others would prove fatal from a single drop. Other things lined those same tables, but as I stepped
farther into the room, my attention was drawn to the man who had risen to greet us.

  He was human in form, as were many of the Empire’s inquisitors. He wore a long sleeve black top and a pair of black pants made of shiny material that reminded me of leather, but was not. I had heard that about inquisitors, that they wore black. “To hide the blood,” I had been informed.

  The dark haired man gave a low bow. “My Lord Kavra,” he greeted us. Kavra nodded his way as he once again stood, showing deep green eyes as he glanced our way.

  “May I be of service?” he asked.

  “Actually, yes you can,” Kavra replied. “Inquisitor Verayt, may I present my pupil and friend, Lady Chrissalynn, daughter of Lord Edward Kasar.”

  The other man’s eyes went wide. “Kasar?” he seemed startled. Kavra nodded and Verayt entered into yet another bow, “forgive me, my Lady. I did not realize, else I would have greeted you far more properly.”

  “Thank you,” I replied. “No apology needed.”

  He turned to me, “Perhaps it is you I should be addressing, my Lady. What brings you to my humble adobe?”

  “Actually,” Lord Kavra said, “Lady Chrissa has spent the past few months studying various forms of torture in the technical sense, but has never studied under an actual session. I heard that you had a few new batches of prisoners brought in the other day. I was hoping that we might watch a while, proceeding to the next step in her training.”

  “Of course, my Lord” the man was suddenly smiling. “Her first real session. Oh how exciting! I would be honored to teach her how it is really done. You know I love a captive audience.”

  Kavra gave a soft chuckle. “Yes, I remember.”

  “We might as well not waste your valuable time,” Verayt said. “A room just happens to be prepared. I was about to begin work as I received word of your arrival. If watching is what you wish, he has not even begun to scream yet.”

  Lord Kavra gave a slight nod, “Lead the way.”

  We accompanied Inquisitor Verayt down the hallway into another large room. It was very similar to the torture room on Lord Kasar’s ship. Numerous devices aligned the various white walls. In the center of the room, tied to a table was a creature I had never before seen in the flesh.

  He had six limbs, two sets of arms and two legs. His skin was a deep green. He had five eyes spaced sporadically around his one head and only one set of ears which were shaped like diamonds. He might have been tall, but it was a little hard to judge with him lying on the table. He had six fingers on each of his right hands, and four on his left. He had one mouth with light green lips pressed tightly together, as though mentally steeling himself for what was to come.

  “Good evening, Dessa,” the doctor said in an inappropriately cheerful voice. “How are you feeling today? Well rested, I hope.” The doctor took a seat beside the trapped man. “All right, most people know how this works, but I am going to explain anyway, hope you don’t mind. You see, Dessa, today we are going to have a nice little chat. If you answer my questions honestly, this will all be over quickly and you can go home. If you do not, then a little persuasion will have to be in order. Okay?”

  Dessa did not say a word.

  “Okay then,” the doctor said. “Are you sure there is nothing you would like to say?”

  Once again, Dessa said nothing. The inquisitor reached over to the table beside him. From one of the various trays he withdrew a long, thin blade and moved his rolling chair beside Dessa’s shackled arm. “If at any time you feel like sharing the information or numbers I need, feel free to start talking. This will be a lot less painful if you do.”

  The doctor then took the blade to the side of Dessa’s arm and ran it across his skin. Lightly cutting the surface of his arm, I watched the black blood rise from his parted flesh. He made three such cuts before putting down the blade and reaching for a particular vial. After glancing at the label, the inquisitor grabbed a black cloth and carefully poured some of the clear liquid onto the cloth.

  “Are you absolutely sure, Dessa, that there is nothing you wish to tell me. We could start with a few smaller details. A few names perhaps? Surly there would be no harm in that, would there?”

  Silence followed and the doctor moved his hand on the now soaked cloth and slowly moved it toward Dessa. He carefully maneuvered the cloth over the wound and gave a very light squeeze. Dessa gave a sharp scream of pain and the doctor immediately pulled the cloth away.

  Dessa continued to breathe sharply for the next few moments, deep ragged breaths with occasional moans of pain he was unable to suppress. “Wow,” I whispered under my breath. On one hand, his pain was horrible, his grimaced face and tight expression hard to look at. Yet, on the other hand, I found it fascinating. I glanced away, so I could think about what was going on. A few drops, possibly even as few as ten, had him screaming for this long; what would happen when the cloth was actually placed on the wound?

  “Chrissa, are you okay?” Kavra asked.

  “Yes,” I replied.

  “It isn’t a man.”

  “What?” I tilted my head up to meet his light blue eyes, giving him my full attention.

  “When you looked away, you were turning away from a man in pain. If you look at him,” there was another scream behind me, “like a creature, instead of a man, this will be easier to get through.” Two more screams echoed across the room. “Deep breath now,” Kavra offered.

  I did, and it helped to clear my head a little. Gathering my strength, I turned back to face those screams. The doctor had the cloth pressed against his captive’s arm, which was the source of renewed and continuous screams. “Come now, Dessa. All I want are some names and a few numbers. Give me either and we can make all this pain go away. You want the pain to stop, don’t you?”

  The man’s…no, the creature’s…eyes finally saw me. “You Repheta!” the basic equivalent of bastard. “You infest children now. My gupta you have sunk low.”

  The doctor looked momentarily puzzled, then glanced back at me and smiled. “Forgive me, Dessa,” he apologized to the man he was torturing. “I forgot to introduce you! The man is Lord Kavra, you’ve heard of him I am sure.”

  He spoke in the same voice one might have with a dear friend out on a Sunday stroll in the country. “The girl isn’t infested; she is actually the daughter of Lord Kasar. She is here to learn, so please, try to put on a good show. In fact…my Lady?”

  “Yes?”

  “Come here for a moment, if you will.” I glanced toward Kavra and he nodded. I stepped closer to the doctor. “The chemical we are using is Sectra 4-D12.”

  My eyes widened, “but that is lethal.”

  “No,” the doctor quickly replied. “Sectra 4-D7 is lethal, but not D12.”

  “Oh,” I replied. “Oops.”

  “That is perfectly okay, my Lady. Once you get past the general name, the sub numbers are easily confused.” He re-soaked the cloth and surprised me by reaching for my hand. I pulled back in fear of the chemical when he rushed to assure me. “Do not worry, my Lady, it only burns when combined with blood. Upon your skin, it is harmless.” With this reassurance, I tentatively held out my hand and allowed the doctor to pass me the cloth. When I established that it would, in fact, not burn my skin, I tightened my grip and turned back to the doctor who asked, “Would you like to try, my Lady?” I glanced back at Lord Kavra.

  He gave a soft smile and a nod. “If you want to, you can.”

  I stared at the chemically soaked rag and tried to recall my teachings. Visualize only your tool and the section of the body with which you are working. I closed my eyes to visualize the scene. That was not a person screaming in pain. It was just an arm being washed with a cloth. Just an arm…just a piece of flesh…just a…

  “My Lady?” the doctor interrupted.

  “Yes,” I replied. “I will try.” Just skin, just skin.

  “Now,” the doctor instructed, “take the cloth and very gently place it over the cut on his right arm. Then squeeze li
ghtly on the cloth. Hold it there for about five seconds, and then pull away.”

  I glanced back at Kavra one more time. He smiled and motioned me forward. I turned toward the bleeding arm. It was muscular with too many fingers strapped into the spreader. Black blood seeped from the still oozing wound. If it had been red I might have seen it as what it was, and fled the room to nightmares, but it was black and that helped me to pretend it was something else, everything else, anything except for what it was.

  I placed the cloth above the bloody arm and took a deep breath, half excited, half terrified. I gave the rag a light squeeze as I lowered it to touch the wound in a fluid movement. I will never forget his scream; not because it was the worst I have ever heard. Oh no, I have heard much better screaming than that; but because it was the first time that the scream was for me.

  I removed the cloth and pulled back. He continued to give painful moans for several minutes while we waited. When he caught his breath, he cursed me in basic. “Tell us the names,” I said in a voice that I could not quite place. “Tell us, and we will stop the pain. You can go home if you just tell us what we want to know.” I sweetened my voice to the best of my ability as I whispered, “Come now, just a few names or numbers. Then this can all go away.”

  I spent the next twenty minutes speaking sweetly to the trapped creature, whispering false promises and offering an end to his pain. Then the doctor approached me on my left side with a syringe in his hand. My eyes widened. “Is that?”

  “Yes,” the doctor replied. “It is the same thing you are using, only this shall be injected directly into his veins. His agony shall be exquisite, but no permanent damage will be done. Do you know how to?”

  “I have practiced, but never on the real thing.”

  “Well, no time like the present. How have your practice sessions gone?”

  “Decent,” I replied. “A ninety-four percent average.”

  “Well then, here,” he replied. I put the cloth down and carefully took the syringe from his hand. He verbally coached me as I turned back toward the trapped man and again asked if he was sure he did not want to start talking. “Please, Dessa,” I began. “I do not want to hurt you like this.”