by F. E. Arliss
When she and Kapong had passed by the very erect, scowling Ensign at the back of the passenger cabin, they were greeted by an even more grim Major. His Intergalactic Guard uniform was clean, but a bit rumpled, as though he hadn’t enough time these days for the minutiae of daily grooming.
“Are you two Kapong and Jullian Arban?” he asked briskly, eyeing them as though he couldn’t believe that they were the persons whom he’d been sent to pick up. Jullian towered over him. “I’m Major Kent Stallic and I’ve been sent to pick up two supposedly, highly-skilled energy workers. I take it that’s you two.”
“I’m Jullian Arban,” Jullian said, stepping forward and offering him her hand. “This is Mr. Kapong,” she added, gesturing toward her small friend. “I am a certified energy-nurse, and Kapong is a Buddhist monk.” The Major shook her hand perfunctorily, then dropped it immediately.
“You’re to come with me,” Major Stallic ordered them tersely, then turned and strode towards the small, temporary dock anchoring his cruiser to the beat-up freighter. Speaking over his shoulder, he added, “I’ve been told to bring you both to Outpost Alcatraz.”
Jullian looked at Kapong and raised an eyebrow. Seriously, she thought? Clearly it was a prison outpost. Even she had heard of the ancient prison museum on a rock outside the city of San Francisco. What were they going to do in a prison?
Jullian ground to a halt, causing the Ensign behind her to collide rather violently with her back. Jullian held her ground. The half a foot she had on the poor guy didn’t work in his favor. He stepped back nursing a smashed nose.
“What will we be doing on a prison colony, Major Stallic?” she asked firmly. “I need to know before I board your vessel.”
The Major wheeled to face her. “It’s the condition of your berth on this vessel,” he ground out. At the shocked look on her face and the blank countenance on Kapong’s, he said, scowling darkly, “I take it you were not informed.”
“I was not informed,” Jullian stated, turning to look at Kapong. He too shook his head.
The Major sighed and then stepped to the side of the docking tube. Gesturing for them to be seated on a couple of lashed down crates, he stared at them and said, “I’m sorry that this wasn’t explained to you both. Outpost Alcatraz is, indeed, a prison colony. We hold all types of prisoners there until they can be segued into society in one of the colonies. Some never make it. Many do. Those that are on the ‘cusp’ of rehabilitation have the opportunity to work in one of the mining asteroids to earn their freedom.”
“The prisoner that you are specifically being asked to help is actually an alien. His species, known as the Idolum, live off of energy. More specifically mammalian energy. We could continue to keep feeding this prisoner off of livestock, but we need the livestock for the new colonies. The energy he takes doesn’t kill the animal, but it does make them less likely to reproduce and more prone to illness. It was suggested by a Major Tom Chadmore that we start enquiring into skilled energy-workers on Earth. You two came up the most times as the best there were.”
Jullian felt stunned. Glancing over at Kapong, his small, dark face was inscrutable. Clearing her throat of an unexpected catch, she asked, “You expect us to feed energy into this alien prisoner for how long?”
Major Stallic looked at her, sighed and then said, “I have no idea. I assume until he tells them what they want to hear. Maybe longer. I’m sorry, that’s all I can tell you.”
“So you’re telling me that we were brought here as a food source for an alien,” Jullian stated quietly. “That our lives are of little consequence, even in comparison to livestock, except in terms of the military getting what they want out of this ‘being’. And that we have no choice in the matter?”
“You have a choice, I do believe. It’s just not one anyone would choose,” the Major said sadly. “You can refuse, and join the workers on one of the mining asteroids and earn your place in society. Or you can help us. It’s up to you. My understanding is that when the military are done with this prisoner, you will be integrated into the medical staff on Uzi, until you are needed again by the military.”
Jullian’s mouth hung open, closed, gasped for air, then snapped shut. “You’re blackmailing us. It’s extortion! It’s like we’re indentured servants!”
“Yeah, it kinda is,” agreed the Major, despondently. “But those are my orders. I had no idea the energy workers were going to be a blond goddess and a Buddhist priest. I am sorry. Please,” he said, gesturing with his hand, “after you.” The Ensign snapped his weapon up, and made a ‘herding’ motion. Jullian gave him the dirtiest look she could come up with, and walked onto the adjoining ship. Kapong followed, still silent.
It took them three days to get to Outpost Alcatraz using sophisticated fold-space technology. It was an asteroid, revolving slowly in space. One side had an energy dome that graced the side of the rock that orbited closest to the sun. Areas of green dotted some of the surface under the dome. Jullian’s eyes, though, seemed to be riveted to the black circular structure to one side of the dome. Its sinister presence screamed ‘prison’ even from this distance.
Kapong had said nothing during the trip except that she must calm her thoughts, they did not know the nature of this prisoner and they should not prejudge him. Jullian had snapped back, “Prejudge him! To hell with that, I’m prejudging them!” She ripped, motioning towards Major Stallic and the few soldiers surrounding them. Kapong had smiled slightly and nodded his head in what could have been agreement.
They docked on an open landing platform far up on one side of the main control tower. The dark void of space seemed about to swallow the asteroid, but the control tower was brightly lit by lights on this side of the dome and very modern. It was opposite the prison and appeared to house shops, living quarters, offices and recreational amenities. It was where the jailers lived, Julian supposed.
On the far side of the energy dome, the prison could be seen. It appeared in shadow and like a black blight on what had clearly been planned as some sort of habitat. She and Kapong were shown their quarters, small rooms with a single bed, tiny bathrooms, and a small window looking out onto space. Julian had to keep reminding herself that she was joyful to be alive and that this was not a prison for herself. Otherwise, it might have seemed that way. It helped her keep perspective. She was alive and had quarters with a view and running water. Yay! She could have been slowly dying of radiation poisoning back on Earth. It was all good!
They were allowed to settle in, roam about the control tower station, shop, eat, and then rest. They were actually being paid a decent stipend for their ‘forced’ services. She did notice that they were being trailed by one of the Ensigns from the cruiser. “What do you think of this, Kapong?” Jullian finally asked, giving up her vow to let him talk to her about it in his own time. His stoicism was amazing!
“I believe this will be a very interesting experiment,” he stated, dark eyes twinkling. “It may or may not work. It is a gamble on their part, and a boon on our part. The cosmos works in mysterious ways. All shall be revealed in time. In the meantime, I am enjoying being alive, and seeing new things. It is all a wonder, is it not?” he questioned her, one eyebrow quirking up in query, and gesturing towards the twinkling lights of deep space.
“Yes, of course it is,” Jullian asserted. “Thank you for reminding me. I’m amazed to be in space. It’s beautiful when you look out, isn’t it? So dark and mysterious. I enjoyed the various systems we passed through during the voyage on the freighter. Its slower progress was a delight to the senses when we were passing through different galaxies...all those beautiful bursts of color and stars. Thank you for the grounding,” she added, smiling down at him and squeezing his small, bony shoulder gently.
They were allowed to sleep the night through and Jullian revelled not only in the privacy of a single shower, but in being able to stretch out full length on her bunk. Ok, so her feet were hanging off the edge. She didn’t care. It was a luxury of the deepest bliss to b
e able to stretch out fully after weeks of sleeping half-reclined in the crowded berths on the freighter and then in the cramped quarters of the cruiser. As worried as she was about tomorrow, it simply didn’t matter in the face of the absolute ecstasy of laying down. She slept like a rock.
The following morning, she and Kapong were given a surprisingly hearty breakfast. Later, she would cynically be thinking that they had been fattening them up for the draining visit with the alien Idolum. Though it didn’t really work that way, for her at least, and she wasn’t going to inform them any differently. She’d protect that information at all costs. Jullian had never really explained energy work, or at least, her style of energy work, to Chad. What he didn’t know might turn out to be her greatest advantage.
Jullian hadn’t thought much about Tom Chadmore since she’d realized that her services were probably a way to gain favor with the Intergalactic Guard. She was waiting to be sure, but the whole thing smacked of manipulation. She’d see what he had to say for himself, if she ever saw him. Maybe he wasn’t here at all.
She’d been daydreaming about a life together on the freighter. Now it looked like her life would be held hostage by the Guard as a way to feed aliens. Not exactly what she’d hoped for. The full realization of what it meant hadn’t really sunk in yet. Hurt knotted her gut when she thought about it, but she was more aware that she was in a precarious situation and that none of it boded well for her.
After breakfast, they were allowed to refresh themselves in their quarters for a few minutes. Jullian simply washed her hands, and then sat gathering her thoughts and energies. Then she rose and went to face what would turn out to be the first great turning point of her life.
Chapter Four
Destiny Derailed
Two armed guards met them outside their quarters and escorted Kapong and her to a small elevator. The elevator whisked them down to ground level. From the bottom, the dome looked even larger and more expansive, and the control tower seemed like a megalith of technology. It was very impressive. She murmured that to Kapong as they were loaded onto a small-wheeled rover and driven across the compound towards the prison complex. He looked at her and nodded. “Impressive, yes. Technology is a wonder at times. I look forward to meeting a new species. That is even more impressive, I think,” he added, grinning at her, a twinkle in his eyes.
Jullian nodded back. Kapong always knew what to say to redirect her into positive thinking. Feeling her energy settle as she focused on the meeting ahead, Jullian felt calmer. Life would turn out as it was supposed to. It always did.
The black complex was even more sinister up close. It had a negative energy that she didn’t like. She couldn’t help but be a little intimidated by its thick walls and heavy fortifications. Clearly, they didn’t want anyone getting in or out without permission. Kapong gently took her hand and they walked in together. One guard to the front of the duo and one behind.
After being escorted through a maze of dark, dimly lit hallways that smelled of nothing more than metal and body odor. The guard left them in a large conference room. A guard remained with them and the other took up a position in the hallway. “They really don’t want us wandering off, it would seem,” Kapong remarked, his dark eyes glancing over the guards. “It seems we are more important than we had thought,” he added quietly. His words only made Jullian more uncomfortable.
They had been briefed by Major Stallic on the Idolum ability to draw energy from mammals. It turned out that the Idolum themselves were not actually mammals, though they did possess some characteristics of the species.
They seemed to be something like a tick or a mosquito, though had evolved into something of a hybrid. Of course, they weren’t drawing blood. They were drawing energy. They simply touched a mammal or allowed a mammal to touch them and the energy transfer could begin. Mostly they didn’t kill their sources, just drained them till they were weak but able to recover. Occasionally, a starving Idolum could kill its mammalian host. But never intentionally. The host was too important. Once it was able to recover itself sufficiently, it could then again feed the Idolum. Death was not a satisfactory outcome.
“I believe the fact that death is not a satisfactory outcome was supposed to be comforting,” Kapong said, glancing up at Jullian. “I’m not sure the Major realizes that that gives the host no reason to believe they may ever be free again. The implications are grave.”
Jullian could only nod, and settled herself into one of the conference chairs and tried to calm the panic that had risen. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself in a large field of sunflowers. The energy of life hummed about her as she lay on her back staring up at a blue, blue, cloudless sky. Insects hummed around her, and the sun warmed her face. A butterfly landed on her nose and she watched it cross-eyed, wondering at its delicacy and the intricate marvel of its fragile form. She was unaware that the alien had been brought in, so deep into her meditation and the wonder she was feeling. The universe was so amazing. Its awe inspiring complexity never ending. It made her radiate joy.
Kapong gently touched her arm. Willing her back to the present. Slowly Jullian opened her eyes and smiled at him. He smiled back, then gave an almost imperceptible motion of his head towards the far side of the room. Jullian’s eyes swung that way, flicked closed, then fixed on the stranger standing across the room. Kapong backed slowly away and let her take in the scene.
The stranger was extremely tall. Taller than her by a good half-foot, and she usually towered over most people. He -- she was pretty sure it was a he, though those dreadful ‘jail’ clothes were unisex these days and the gray rumpled jumpsuit did nothing for discerning anything, let alone a person’s sex -- he wore a thick pair of metal leg-shackles and a matching set of wrist-shackles.
Who did that to prisoners any more? They used nanite ties these days! It’s like the dark ages, she thought to herself. Barbaric! His narrow arms seemed too skinny to bear the weight. He was also extremely pale and had long, dull, pitch-black hair. “Vampire.” was her first thought, which made her laugh as she realized that that was exactly what he was in a way. An energy vampire. Her snort of laughter startled everyone in the room. Even the almost inanimate alien slowly lifted his eyes towards her.
Jullian rose and walked towards the alien. The guards stepped forward as though to block her. Major Stallic stepped forward, “Jullian Arban, I’d like you to meet Idolum General Shale. Shale, this is the energy worker, Jullian Arban and her fellow worker, Kapong.”
“Is there a proper greeting for your species?” Jullian asked, simply, looking into the eerie orange eyes of the tall alien. “What is the most common way to meet an Idolum?”
The tall stranger laughed out a gratingly jarring laugh, showing a row of yellow, jagged teeth. The sight was horrifying, and Jullian felt the hair on her arms rise in alarm. Keeping her breath even and calm, she continued to hold his eyes with hers. “Well? Is there?” she persisted, undeterred.
The orange eyes watched her consideringly for a few moments. “Most men usually bow to their queen, or clasp arms with other comrades,” he said slowly. “We do not acknowledge those of lower caste, such as workers.” His voice had a rough, whirring sound and was a bit monotone. It reminded her in some way of something she’d heard before, but couldn’t place at the moment.
“Queen?” she asked, interested. “Are there lots of queens?”
“No. Only one per nest,” was the whirred response. “No other women are allowed within the colony. Female offspring are usually eaten at birth to provide sustenance for the queen,” he added, showing a ridged set of jagged fangs, in what Jullian would later learn was a grin.
“So your species is capable of eating food, not just energy?” Jullian asked, casting a glance towards Major Stallic. Maybe she and Kapong weren’t needed after all.
“Only queens can eat the young, and only the young. Anything else will cause them to be ill. It is a way to control the population and allow the queen to thrive during reproduction,” Shale conti
nued, his eyes never leaving her face.
Jullian quirked an eyebrow, “Wow! Harsh! But effective I guess. On Earth sometimes mammals eat their young if something is wrong with them. Perhaps along these same lines,” she added, watching for his reaction.
He simply quirked a hairless eyebrow in return. “There is nothing ‘wrong’ with the other offspring. Only the strongest is chosen,” the General grunted at her in what could have been anger.
Turning to Major Stallic, Jullian, feeling impatient said, “What is it you want of Kapong and me, Major?”
The Major frowned thoughtfully, “We would like to find out whether or not either of you can help alleviate his energy hunger. Do you sense anything, General Shale?” he asked the tall alien.
The pale being shrugged his thin, knotty shoulders, “I would have to touch them in order to know.” He said this a bit challengingly, as though he believed Jullian and Kapong would be too afraid to come that close. Kapong simply stepped forward, bowed his head slightly to Shale and laid one bony hand on the alien’s long, pale forearm. Seconds ticked by.
“I feel his energy. It is...good,” stated the alien, but does not alleviate my hunger. At least in this little bit,” he added. Kapong removed his hand and stepped back. Major Stallic nodded at Jullian and she stepped forward, a wall of odor like that of newly mown grass, caused her to hesitate briefly before placing her palm against the cool skin of Shale’s arm. What happened next, she was never quite sure. Shale seemed to jump back gasping, at the same time clamping his opposing hand over the back of her wrist, holding her hand in place on his forearm.
