Chapter 5 - After Dinner
"Ahh," Suvorov said, patting his flat stomach roundly as he walked into the room, "A meal fit for a soldier of the Empire."
"Leave it to him to think that was great," Simon said, shaking his head and going to his bunk, "The meal was everything my brother told me it would be."
"Did he tell you that it would be bland, boring and tasteless?" Copeland Steele asked him, "’Cause I can’t see it being described as anything else."
"You two don’t know good when you have it," Suvorov said, "The cook here is better than me mum’s cooking."
"I truly pity you then, Suvorov," Copeland said, "I already miss the food back home. Everything is spiced, sometimes to the point where it will bring tears if you don’t drink enough water with it."
"Man," Simon told him, "I don’t know about that, but I’d settle for it not tasting like it came out of a cardboard factory."
"Now, now," Peter Lomax said as he came into the door, "That’s no way to talk about the food here."
"How do you stand that crap day in and day out?" Copeland asked him, "Simon is right, it tastes like cardboard."
"Giving it too much credit, Steele," Lomax pointed out, "That would imply it had some taste."
"It’s better than our boys get down south," Suvorov protested, "They are fighting and dying to keep our freedom…"
"We know, Rav," Lomax said, cutting him off and using his first name for the first time, "That is what this is about, to teach you about the freedom of the Empire."
"I’m sure you’ll get your chance to die in battle soon enough, Suvorov," Simon said, earning a glare from him, "So what’s on the agenda for tonight?"
"You’ve had your official orientation," Peter Lomax told them, "It’s time to learn a bit more informally what goes on here. I figured that we’d all talk for a bit."
"Just the three of us?" Copeland asked him.
"All seven, actually," Peter said, "It’s time to meet the other people you’ll be living with for at least the next six months. Come on out into the commons, we’ll get to know each other."
"All right," Simon said, "Come on, Copeland. Let’s see who we’re going to be spending time with."
"Hopefully they will be more suitable than you two," Rav Suvorov said as he passed by them.
"Man," Simon said, "This is going to be a long six months living with this guy."
"Don’t worry," Peter chuckled, "He’s just dealing with it differently. It’ll be all right."
Simon and Copeland weren’t so sure, but they went out and joined the others in the common area. The common area had two empire issue couches, the same type that you would find in most Empire offices. They were nothing special, simple cushions that you could sit on semi-comfortably.
"All right," Peter said, sitting in a simple hardback chair, "You all know that you’re here to start your Empire service training. Do you all know why you are here?"
There were some murmurs, ranging from the meek no to Simon’s resounding yes. The same thing was going on in the other common areas all around the compound. Lomax had done the same thing when he had gone through this from the other end.
"Since you seem adamant that you know," Peter told Simon, "Go ahead and tell us why we’re here."
"We’re here to learn how to be good citizens of the Empire," Simon said, "We have to serve it in order to really become a part of it."
"We’re born here, isn’t that enough?" Suvorov asked.
"There is no such thing as a birth right here, Rav," Peter admonished, "This is a place where anyone can become anything they want to."
"Why do we have to do it so far from home?" Hale Steinway, a rather ordinary eighteen year old asked, "We go to school, why can’t we do it there?"
"That’s a good question," Peter admitted, "Anyone have an idea?"
"Because the empire needs the service," Simon said, "Without us there would be no empire."
"That’s right," Peter nodded, "Every single one of you will perform a function that is important to the Empire. It isn’t fun. The hours will be long and in some cases, probably yours, Suvorov, it will be dangerous. Without this service, however, the empire wouldn’t be able to continue."
"It also makes us realize why citizenship is so important," Copeland said, putting his two coins in, "By serving the empire we come in contact with the people in it."
"It also lets you know that everyone is different, but in some ways we are all the same," Peter said, "Look around the room. You are all from different areas. Simon is from here in the capital city. Copeland is from the Northeast, up near Siraq. Suvorov and Salmand are from west coast. Stalken and I both hail from the east border section. I don’t know where you’re from, Steinway."
"I’m here from Mullinix Centre as well," Steinway said, "Born and raised."
"I don’t remember you from school," Simon said, "You go to North Book?"
"No man," Steinway said, shaking his head, "Southland Academy."
"That’s cool," Simon nodded, "So we have a little of everything."
"So why does this matter?" Suvorov asked them, "So we’re from different places."
"That’s the way it is designed," Lomax said, "They try to put people of different backgrounds together so you get to know that people are people. A citizen is a citizen. You are not alone, you are part of the Mullinix Empire."
"That still doesn’t explain why we’re all in a central place," Stalken said, "Why can’t we stay home?"
"They do this so there is no ambiguity about being ready to move on," Peter explained, "This process has been refined for centuries. Make no mistake about it. When you finish here you won’t want to live with your parents anymore."
"I didn’t want to live with them in the first place," Rav shrugged, "Why can’t I join a unit now?"
"All in good time, Suvorov," Peter said, "You have to make it through six months here first so you know what you’re fighting for."
"I know what I’m fighting for," Suvorov said, "I’m there to kill the enemy."
"Why?" Peter asked him, his voice even.
"There is another reason?" Suvorov asked, his eyes slightly wide, "I think that’s enough."
"Living only to kill," Copeland said, "A sadder existence I cannot fathom, Rav."
"You’re a poetic little fucker, aren’t you?" Suvorov said, glaring at the smaller boy, "Let’s see how clever you’d be with my foot up your…"
"Rav," Peter said firmly, "That’s not constructive."
"Man," Suvorov said, standing up and walking out of the room, "This is going to be a long six months. Do you need anything more of me?"
"Not at the moment, Rav," Peter said, realizing he wasn’t going to learn, "Don’t go far though. We’ll be getting up early in the morning. It’s going to be a busy week."
"I’m sure," Suvorov grumbled and left the room.
The remaining students watched him go and then looked at each other. Peter Lomax stretched a little and knew that Rav Suvorov was going to be one of the boys that he had only heard rumors about. Simon and Copeland looked at each other and gulped, knowing that they’d be spending the next six months living with that cretin.
"Ok," Peter said, deciding to take control back of the meeting, "Tonight is about getting things straight. Do you have any questions about things?"
"I have one," Hale said, "Is it true that there is an ulterior motive in having all students in centralized locations?"
"What do you mean?" Copeland asked, "It’s just the way things are done, isn’t it?"
"Everyone goes through it, man," Simon said, "My father did, so did his father and his father before him."
"He’s right," Peter said, "Everyone goes through this that becomes a citizen."
"Yeah," Rolent Stalken said, "But my dad said that some people are removed and do other things."
"This is true," Peter agreed, "Some people do leave the center for more specialized training. Most of the time it is to join
the Mullinix Guard."
"What exactly is the guard?" Copeland asked, "I have heard of them, but have never seen one."
"The Mullinix Guard is the glue that holds the empire together," Peter explained, "They are people chosen especially for their personality type for direct service to the Mullinix. They enforce policy and become the eyes and ears of the Mullinix."
"Man," Simon said, looking up, "Being a Mullinix must be great… Get to do what you want when you want."
"I don’t think I’d want that responsibility," Peter said, "But someone has to have it."
"Isn’t the Mullinix chosen out of students like us?" Raleph Salmand asked, "I think I remember that from civics class in school. It’s not a blood line like any of the other kings."
"Yes," Peter nodded, "That is true. When a new Mullinix is needed, one is chosen from the students, much like you. That makes sure that the Mullinix knows what it is like to be average. It’s harder to oppress people when you know what it’s like being on the low end of the totem pole."
"Yuck," Copeland said, shuddering a little, "I couldn’t stand a job like that."
"Why?" Peter asked, intrigued, "It could be anyone, you know."
"I don’t ever want that sort of power," Copeland said, "I just want to serve my time and move on with my life, preferably something not service related. That only happens when a Mullinix dies, right?"
"That’s right," Peter acknowledged, "It last happened 25 years ago, when Mullinix Crianferro died of heart failure."
"There’s a rumor floating around town that Mullinix-Elder Taliaferro is dying as well," Simon said, "My dad works over in the government building. Taliaferro hasn’t been seen in a week or so and people are wondering."
"He’s still alive," Peter said, "A new Mullinix would already have been chosen otherwise."
"I pity the poor sucker that gets caught if he does die," Copeland said, "That just looks like the most miserable job."
"Probably much ado about nothing," Simon shrugged, "They’ve been expecting Taliaferro to die for years now. Word is he’s a tough old bird."
"That’s enough for now, anyway," Peter said, "Go on to bed, guys. We gotta get up early and tomorrow will be a long day."
"Peter," Copeland said, "Sorry if I came off a bit strong."
"Don’t sweat it," Peter said, "And let me know if you and Simon have any more problems with Suvorov. If I could have him put somewhere else…"
"It’s ok," Simon shrugged, "Could be worse… My brother’s roommates were both Fey and spent half the night doing their thing when he was in service center."
"You’ll just have to keep your amorous thoughts to yourself, Simon," Copeland chuckled, "Just be sure not to choke it too loud…"
"Too much information!" Peter laughed heartily, "Take it easy tonight. See you in the morning, bright and early."
Copeland and Simon went into their room, looking carefully and hoping to avoid Suvorov. This wasn’t a problem, because Rav Suvorov wasn’t there. Peter Lomax walked in to his room to see the large man sitting in his chair with a glass of clear liquid and a pad of paper.
"Steele is as good as the tests indicated he would be," Suvorov said, looking up at Lomax, "This is your second class worth of greenies. What do you think?"
"I think you’re putting on the act really strong, Rav," Peter said as he grabbed a glass and sat down on his bed, grimacing at the cheap clear alcohol, "So Copeland Steele is the one you’re watching, huh? Why the personal treatment?"
"Edwina’s orders," Suvorov said and drank a shot of the illicit alcoholic drink, "There’s one of us assigned to each of the possibles. She said we had to push faster than normal."
"The rumors are true about Taliaferro then?" Lomax asked, "Is he bad off?"
"He won’t be around much longer," Suvorov confirmed, "Steele is looking like a solid bet so far. How did he do after I left?"
"You jolted him into talking all right," Lomax nodded, "We talked about succession. He said that he pitied the poor sucker who gets the job."
"I’ll be sure to tell Edwina," Suvorov said, "I’ll be continuing like this for a bit, trying to get reactions from Steele and his little friend. I figure that the more worried they are about me the more friendly they will get with each other and you."
"Man," Lomax said, "Was there one like you in with my group when I went through this?"
"Probably not," Suvorov said, "I’m a captain in the Mullinix Guard. Usually we watch for candidates so we don’t have our pants down, but not this closely. Unfortunately this year is different. It’s a virtual certainty that they will have to choose an apprentice. So the best scoring candidates get one of us to help with the selection process."
"Just turn it down a bit, Captain Suvorov," Lomax warned, "It’s not going to do any good to scare them both senseless, just enough to give them solidarity."
"Duly noted," Suvorov said, downing the last of his drink, "You know you’re not supposed to have this, right?"
"Didn’t stop you from drinking it," Lomax noticed as Suvorov chuckled.
"Just make sure you keep some around for me," Suvorov said, "I hate kids."
"Watch your cover and make sure they don’t smell it on you," Lomax laughed, "Night Captain."
"Same to you, Peter," Suvorov said as he left the room.
The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension Page 6