Royal Rebel: A Genetic Engineering Space Opera

by Gail Gernat

  “Stane,” Radhya gasped, “clearance from the tower?”

  “Five minutes go, a ten-minute window,” the auxiliary pilot replied.

  Behind her, Rory darted in and threw himself into his seat. As Lady Kirbyson left the cockpit, Kaarl came up. She squeezed past him and headed down the twelve meters to the hatch. Through it was the warm tan passenger compartment with its six rows of seats, each with three caramel colored reclining chairs. The smooth walls curved up and formed a convex ceiling over their heads. A slight gap between walls and hatch indicated a gimballed floor. A large, presently blank screen faced the seats, intercom grills above and below. To the rear, a black door in the middle of the wall led to Radhya’s small cabin while the other led to the hold below and the one on the right to the head.

  “You should be buckled in for liftoff,” Radhya frowned at her accountant.

  “Milady, you had a message from Pleasant, most urgent,” babbled Kaarl following her. “Someone called Singha is kitting. I don’t understand; perhaps I didn’t get it correct?”

  Radhya smiled a brilliant smile that illuminated her face and made her eyes sparkle like clear water on a sunny day. “Praise the creator who made us all! Perhaps we can yet pull this off.”

  She thrust Kaarl into the nearest chair and fell into the next one, beside Padr. The thrust came before she could get the straps around herself. Arrow lurched forward left, then violently right. Tossed roughly forward, then sideways onto Padr’s lap, her head brutally struck his face. Strong hands from behind grabbed her and thrust her firmly into her seat. Big, bulky fingers nimbly did up her straps. She glanced up to see Dave holding her down and maintaining his balance against the shifting stresses of acceleration. She nodded her thanks.

  Padr’s nose was pouring blood, and both eyes were swelling and purpling. Radhya extended a hand toward him as the craft shifted and spun.

  Rory’s voice came from the intercom. “Milady, Patrol is calling for us to go null and be boarded. They’ve given us a bowshot; a real one is next. Arrow doesn’t have the armoring to withstand a direct hit from this distance.”

  “Go null Rory. I’ll meet the commander at the lock.”

  Radhya unstrapped, floating free in the weightlessness. A few drops of the floating blood adhered to her sleeve. She stared at Padr enigmatically for a few seconds as she glided to the lock. Within a minute, two troopers appeared, then the commander.

  Dressed in the white padded shock suits of the Commonwealth Patrol, gold braid on the shoulders of his uniform distinguished the commander.

  “What is the meaning of this?” demanded Lady Kirbyson at her most imperious, with an angry glint in her eye.

  “I am sorry; milady Kirbyson, but I have an inquiry for a slave you purchased. There is some irregularity, and you were trying to escape the planet in great hurry.”

  “I have purchased eight new slaves recently. To which one do you refer?”

  “ 769 462 777,” the commander replied respectfully, “It seems at one time he was a royal, and there is some question of how you obtained him and whether you are too soft to master an ex-royal. Jabin usually reserves them for himself. We also need to know why you are running from Lord Jabin’s World?”

  “I have receipts, in my wrist comp,” she answered fiercely, showing him the information, “and I have hard copy too if you require that. As to why I purchase what I do, that is my own personal business. Do you think I do background checks on every slave I purchase? I buy skills not people. In addition, commander, I am not running from Jabin’s World. I have an emergency. My lynx cat is whelping on Pleasant. Each kit is worth a quarter of this planets yearly income. I don’t consider your holding me up as good business practice, for I will charge the Patrol for every kit that does not survive its birth.”

  The commander paled. “Still, I must check on this slave, he replied stubbornly.”

  Radhya soared gracefully back down the tunnel to the seating section. The troopers followed her. She positioned herself upside down in relation to the seated slaves. The commander’s eyes took in the crimson drops suspended in the air. Padr’s nose was still slowly leaking blood, which floated about the cabin. Radhya flipped and anchored herself with one foot hooked under the footrest of the chair in which she had been sitting. Her gaze traveled over the ranks of her slaves as if she had never seen them before.

  “Which of you is 769 462 777?” demanded Radhya.

  Padr raised his bloody hand. She glared at him as if all this was his fault. She flipped upside down again to speak to the commander.

  “This man was trained as my personal bodyguard at Barone’s school. His uniform, such as it is now, was hand tailored by Jemediah. So, you tell Jabin, excuse me, Lord Jabin, if he wants to have him, he is for sale. I want double my purchase price, double my training fees, and double my clothing costs. If any of my stock becomes injured in this free fall, he can pay for that too. I believe I already mentioned my kits.”

  The commander whispered into his wrist unit. “How did this slave come to be injured?” he asked.

  Radhya gave him a steel-eyed stare. “I have no obligation to explain my treatment of my slaves.”

  The commander whispered again then listened to the reply. “Please, milady,” he entreated. “It would considerably speed things up if you could tell Lord Jabin. First, when did the Commonwealth Patrol become the personal army of Lord Jabin?”

  The commander flushed red with embarrassment.

  “Milady the king himself signed the orders assigning me to Lord Jabin’s World. If I have to serve him in my service of the king, then that is what I have to do. So if you would please just give me the information I require we can both get back to our real jobs.”

  “Very well,” she replied, “he spoke without being spoken to, so I used the prod full in his face.”

  “But that doesn’t account for all this blood”; the commander returned suspiciously eyeing Padr.

  Radhya’s eyes flashed, “When he cried out, I hit him with the butt. Maybe a broken nose will teach him his place. You call me soft, but I am good to my slaves so they can work harder. A strong body works harder than a weak one. I call it being smart, and I tolerate no disrespect.”

  The commander whispered into his wrist comp again. “I am sorry to have kept you milady Kirbyson.”

  Radhya floated down the corridor behind the retreating commander and his troopers. “Inform your ruler I will charge him if any of my stock on board is injured and if any kits die hell get the dead one or ones. This is a new species, and I have orders from here to Andromeda for them. I protest this harassment,” she snarled as the lock opened before them. The commander bowed respectfully and closed the hatch.

  Radhya floated back to her seat, buckled in and told Rory to continue with as much speed as possible. The Arrow leapt forward. Radhya released a long breath with a groan. As soon as they were beyond the suns gravity-well, the ship jumped into overlight drive. Gravity returned blanketing everything with droplets of blood.

  “Jemelina, Aninya clean this up,” called Radhya. “Padr, you are the luckiest man I have ever met in my life,” she said looking at him.

  “I am afraid to say anything for fear you will do what you told the commander you did,” replied Padr.

  Exasperated she answered him, “If you hadn’t been bleeding and banged up your life would have been short indeed. Three of the aristocracy, besides yourself, were sentenced on trumped-up charges for speaking out against the slave trade. They all ended up as Jabin’s amusements, in his palace. As you know, he fancies himself a Caesar, and he loves his gladiatorial games. That’s where you were destined to go until I bullied Seellia into selling you. To your advantage, he’s more afraid of ending up as a pile of goo, than facing a lion. Your training was a big gamble, a very expensive big gamble, but the increase in your legitimate value now puts your price a little higher than Jabin wants to pay for animal food. Thank the creator Singha decided to give birth now. What you heard about the kits
was true. I also have valid need for a landscape architect for my pleasure world. I know Lord Kent was an outstanding one. Still, he might have kept you by saying I couldn’t master you, but our little accident makes you a man blessed by serendipity.”

  Aninya gently washed Padr’s bloody face. Even with the blood wiped off, he was a mess. Both eyes were blackened and swollen. His nose puffed out on both sides as well. Radhya inspected it. She called Will forward to check out the damage. Padr stared at her seriously.

  “You seem to know a great deal about me, and I know nothing about you,” he said.

  “His nose is not broken,” interjected Will.

  “Good. Your nose will be fine in an hour or so. It would be a shame to mar those good looks,” she smiled.

  Padr snorted then winced at the discomfort.

  “You want to know about me?” she asked.

  Staring at her Padr nodded.

  “Interesting, if little-known fact; my parents once sent the proposition of a contract between us to your parents. I come from generations of genetic engineers and we, you and I, are the most advantageous match among the entire aristocracy, or should I say were.”

  “I never heard about it,” puzzled Padr.

  “No, your parents flatly rejected the idea. It seems someone of a 600 status is nowhere good enough for someone of a 400 status. A pity Lord Barone does not share such sentiments.”

  “Is that why you bought me? To humiliate me because my parents rejected you?” Padr asked.

  Radhya looked at him in astonishment. Hurt spread across her face like a spill in the water. Shaking her head, she dashed to her compartment at the rear. At her call, Will followed. Seconds later, he returned to Padr with a tube. He squeezed some of the white sticky substance into his hand. Gently he applied it to Padr’s bruised nose and swollen eyes. Within minutes, the swelling began to recede, and his face gradually shifted back to normal. He sighed in relief.

  “You’re really a fool,” hissed Will. “The Lady saves your life repeatedly, at the risk of her own freedom, and you accuse her of wanting vengeance. Either you are stupid, or you have a death wish. Maybe you are just too arrogant to see beyond the end of your own nose.”

  Will returned to his seat in the rear and positioned it so he wouldn’t have to look at the back of Padr’s head.

  Chapter Three

  For three days, the Arrow streaked through the void. Entering Pleasant’s solar system, she dropped to sublight drive. Every creature aboard felt the jolt. The slaves had been restricted to the passenger compartment for the entire time, while Radhya confined herself to her cabin and only Aninya saw her briefly to deliver her prepackaged meals. Avoiding conversation, the slaves avoided even looking at each other for the most part.

  After the jolt, the Lady floated from her cabin. More pale than usual with dark circles beneath her eyes, she smiled wanly at the slaves.

  “We should be home in an hour,” she informed them. “Now I want to tell you; there is a short ride from the port and then a walk of four klicks to my home. Each of you will be taking two of the horses. Have any of you ever led a horse before?”

  “I had a pony for several years as a child,” said Max.

  “And I am sure you know I used to be an accomplished show jumper,” replied Padr sarcastically.

  “I know,” Lady Kirbyson nodded. “You can bring one stallion. I’ll bring the other. The other six of you each take two mares. Stane and Rory will bring the racers. All you have to do is hold the lead ropes and walk ahead. Dave, when we get home, you will be in charge of security for this planet. Right now I want you to concentrate on the port, track, and my home.”

  Dave looked at her, mouth open, eyebrows raised.

  “You are the only one I can spare, and you have had the super deluxe training,” she explained.

  “But everybody thinks I’m dumb,” he protested.

  “Looks can be deceiving. I think you are a lot brighter than you like to let on. If the aristocracy want to think I have a dumb security agent in charge of the planet, all the better.”

  Dave looked at his boots. A slight smile tugged at his misshapen lips.

  “You and Jemelina will have your own house. At the entrance to my private acreage, there is a gatehouse. That will be yours, although you will have to travel around a great deal.”

  Dave‘s jaw dropped. “Thank you milady, thank you. This is really too much. Since I was born, I have lived in slave quarters, with not enough floor space to lie down on. My own house is unbelievable.”

  He grabbed the Lady’s hand and kissed it. Radhya flushed scarlet.

  “Little enough. You have a great responsibility down there. My life will literally be in your hands at all times. You will need good quarters to plan and figure out your strategy. Besides, those slave quarters were never sanitary enough for me.”

  Stane floated into the hatchway. “You should know that most of milady’s slaves live better than freedmen.”

  “Stane!” Radhya warned.

  “Sorry milady. Could everyone strap down? We’ll be landing in a minute,” he laughed as he glided back into the corridor.

  Everyone hurried into their chairs and did up their harness. The Arrow slid through the atmosphere, burning a flash of red across the sky. It swung in a lazy curve and aimed for a barrier of mountains, shot between a pair of ridges and coasted to a smooth stop.

  On Pleasant, Radhya hustled everyone from the ship. Sharp-peaked mountains completely enclosed them, the tops frosted with snow. The floor of the large valley was paved and smooth. South, an asphalt road curved beyond view while to the north was a tall control tower, its large ring of windows reflecting the golden morning sun. Assorted metal buildings, big and small, backed against the naked rock of the mountains. The slaves working around them were miniaturized.

  The belly of the ship inched open with a whirring noise, the hydraulic ramp lowering. Rory and Stane walked from the interior of the ship, hands crisscrossed with reins. Prancing and sidestepping, the horses jittered behind them. The loud clatter of many hooves echoed back from the mountains. Snorting loudly, one reared and whinnied as he danced into the daylight. Radhya apportioned the animals.

  One colt was a beautiful grey with a black mane and tail. He was not that big, but perfectly proportioned. The other colt was a huge, fiery chestnut with a single strip down his nose. He too was perfectly proportioned. The filly was average looking, but tense, like a bow waiting to release its arrow; a blood bay with a star on her forehead and one white sock.

  “Tango Dancer, Son-O-War, and Secretary,” Radhya said as she handed them back to Rory. “The hope of the North Wind Stables.”

  A small and a large horsebox pulled up. Rory and Stane led their charges to the smaller van. Its electric purr faded quickly into the distance.

  “You are allowed motorized vehicles?” asked Max in surprise.

  “I know the laws, but the Commonwealth makes exceptions for horses. Funny isn’t it, people walk and horses ride. However, that road only goes so far. We’ll all walk from the track.”

  Radhya closed and sealed the spaceship. An equipment moving alarm hooted from the tower as the cables attached by the spaceport workers pulled the Arrow to its hanger. The horses reared and flailed the air with their legs.

  Aninya and Jemelina screamed and covered their heads, dropping the reins; running to the van. Padr and Max caught the animals and helped Radhya in calming them while Will and Kaarl watched. Dave, after watching Padr closely, came to assist. After many shouted orders and much confusion, they loaded the stallions and mares. The slaves squeezed in around the animals. Radhya got a boost and stretched out on the back of the largest stallion.

  Setting off on the winding road that hugged the cliff, they enjoyed a brief trip through the mountains that brought them to a section of the road with a tranquil blue-green ocean on the right. They traveled high above the waves next to a rugged rock face, peering through the slats to see their new world.

  �
��That’s the Ocean of Delight, and the Mountains of Mist,” murmured Radhya from her perch. “We have an unusual day. The mountains are most often covered in mist, although the ocean is usually very nice. My track is on a low plateau, beneath the mountains, overlooking the ocean.” She stared at Padr. “It’s going to be your first job to landscape the track. I want it to outshine your work on Junction, if that’s possible. The setting here is different, but I think it gives you a lot to work with. It must impress the aristocracy.”

  “I don’t know how the work of a slave can compete with the work of a member of the aristocracy,” drawled Padr bitterly.

  Radhya sat upright banging her head on the roof. The horse under her shifted and snorted.

  “Padr! This is important. You have to make it so spectacular they want to come, just to see it. Every royal has had to see Junction. It’s still a rite of passage for teens. You must; you absolutely must do even better here.”

  Padr looked at her, startled by the alarm in her voice.

  She continued urgently, “I have risked the plan, risked everything, to get you, because you’re the best. I spent a planet’s price on the bunch of you, mainly just to get you. I need to trust you to do your best work yet.”

  Warily Padr replied, “I’ll do the best for you that I am able to do.”

  Radhya slid from the horse. She patted his hand, where it rested on the horse’s neck. Then she hid her face in the horse’s mane.

  A few minutes later, they approached the track. Three dirt ovals framed by white fencing dominated the forefront, while the grandstands behind were dwarfed by the splendor of the upthrust mountains. The stables were just visible beyond, curving around the foot of the massif. Everything was on a generous scale in keeping with the snow-clad giant behind. The absence of grass or trees seemed an absurd oversight. To the right, an enormous building was under construction on a tongue of land jutting out over the water. The clang of tools, buzz of equipment and yelling slaves excited the horses; they began to shift about.