The Worker Prince

by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

  “Look, Bordox, you’ve been giving us trouble for years. Why in the world would I tell you anything?” Farien said as he leaned back in his chair and turned his attention dismissively to the reports on his vidscreen.

  “Because it’s your duty to the Alliance,” Bordox said, his breathing louder, his lips curling back with each word.

  You’re angry. Ha! Good. “Do the Alliance a favor and go back to whatever box you crawled out of and seal it,” Farien said, turning away and punching a button on his datapad.

  Bordox came around the desk so fast, Farien didn’t have time to react. The brute dragged him from his chair, before his hand wrapped around Farien’s neck. He fought for breath a moment before Bordox relaxed his grip while still holding Farien firmly off the ground.

  “How about I let you live and you tell me everything you know?”

  “You can’t just go around killing people, no matter what authority you claim is behind you,” Farien said, coughing. Would he really do it?

  “I can make you wish you were dead,” Bordox said.

  A sharp pain shot through Farien unlike anything he’d ever experienced. He wanted to cry out, but couldn’t catch his breath. Tears welled in his eyes, as Bordox pulled the shock device away from the small of his back. Farien collapsed to his knees.

  “When was the last contact you had with him?” Bordox demanded.

  “I saw him during Yao’s visit a month or so back,” Farien said. The words slipped out against his will, almost as if someone else had spoken.

  “Good. That’s better. Now, tell me why your friend is spending so much time with workers?”

  “Because he’s assigned to Vertullis, genius,” Farien said. Shock waves hit again, causing him to writhe with pain. Every muscle in his body tensed as if they might pull apart into pieces.

  “Since I’m here with the full support of the High Lord Councilor, you might want to show me a modicum of respect, Lieutenant,” Bordox said.

  “Look, he’s been investigating some incidents of abuse, trying to gather the facts,” Farien said as he gasped for breath and looked up into Bordox’s cold face.

  As expected, Bordox was unmoved. “We found evidence of him spending a lot of time in a particular worker’s home. There was a photo there of a man to whom he bears a strong resemblance. What’s his connection to those workers?”

  “Why don’t you ask him when you find him?” Farien said. “I don’t know whom you’re referring to.”

  Bordox shocked him again and again.

  Farien couldn’t breathe or think or move. Finally, he screamed, “Gods! I told you I don’t know, Bordox!”

  “I don’t believe you,” Bordox said, swinging the shock device toward him again.

  This time Farien cried out, but stopped when the pain became overwhelming.

  “Answer the question.”

  “His mother and her sister’s family,” Farien finally said. He cursed himself for being weak, but he couldn’t take more of the pain.

  “His mother lives on Legallis in the Royal Palace.” The shock waves coursed through him again.

  Farien managed to scream. “For the love of the gods! Stop! Please! He was adopted by Miri. His real family were workers, like you said at the Academy.”

  Bordox cursed as his fist hit the desk inches from where Farien’s head had fallen in exhaustion. “It’s true?”

  Humiliation washed over Farien like wave. He couldn’t believe he’d betrayed his friend. Bordox hadn’t known the truth. What would he say to Davi? What would Bordox do to him?

  Bordox pulled the shock device away, fastening it to his belt. “The Alliance appreciates your cooperation.” He turned with his men and disappeared as fast as he’d appeared.

  My gods, the pain! Farien lay there beside his desk, trying to shake it off. He might have died for a moment, he thought, but then he was alone, lying on the floor and wondering if he’d ever move again.

  O O O

  After a month on the simulators, Davi decided to give the trainees time on the skitters. When they’d gathered in the skitter cave for class, he began reviewing the controls as the students bustled excitedly around him.

  “Any questions so far?” Davi asked, wondering how much they’d heard through their own whispering.

  Brie smiled at him, cocking her head to one side flirtatiously. “So the way you make it go is this button here?” She pointed to the joystick as a few others around her groaned. It was a question they all knew the answer to.

  Tela frowned, shifting weight to her left foot.

  Davi did his best to keep his distance from Brie, nodding. “Yes, Brie. You’ll need to get used to it. It’s easy to push it too hard and accelerate out of control.”

  “Okay, I’ll be careful then,” she said, smiling at him again.

  Davi nodded. “Okay, let’s take them out for a trial run on the course Tela’s set up for us. Keep your speed slow until you get used to the controls and the feel of the skitters.”

  He watched as, one by one, the excitable trainees started their skitters and accelerated into the tunnel. Tela, the only calm one amongst them, took off first, followed by several of the more experienced trainees. The rest followed. Only Dru, Brie, Nila and Davi remained.

  Dru started out being cautious but seemed to feel comfortable by the time he entered the tunnel. Nila accelerated next, fumbling a bit, then recovered and disappeared into the tunnel.

  “Well, here I go.” Brie smiled sheepishly, starting to accelerate, wobbling a bit, slow then fast. After a few moments, she managed to steer the skitter toward the tunnel. As she neared the tunnel entrance, Davi winced, gritting his teeth. It looked like she might miss the opening and hit the wall, but, at the last minute, she steered to the right and entered the tunnel. Davi breathed a sigh of relief and followed.

  As he left the tunnel, the sweet smell of cedars and wild berries filled his nose. Trees surrounded them now, filling every space around the skitter course and trails. The sounds of insects and birds rose above the hum of the skitters—a constant drone, which faded into the background after a few moments as their ears adjusted.

  Davi pulled alongside Brie, smiling. “You did it. Good job.”

  “Thanks,” she said, looking pleased with herself.

  They rode past Tela, who waited outside the tunnel entrance. She shot Davi a cold stare. What did I do now? He met her stare and smiled. “All right, Tela, please take us through the course.”

  She turned away, avoiding eye contact and headed toward the front of the group, who waited at the start of the course. One by one, they followed her. Some of them seemed quite confident and steady, others more cautious and uncertain. Dru had moved up a few places, feeling more confident. That left Davi, Nila, and Brie.

  “All right, Nila. Go ahead,” Davi called to his cousin, who was reviewing her skitter’s control panel on the far side of the clearing.

  Nila nodded. “Okay.” She accelerated with more confidence this time, following the others.

  Brie accelerated full force and shot toward Nila like a rocket, her face in a panic.

  Davi tensed, trying to decide whether to chase after her or call out instructions. “Let go of the handle, Brie!” he called after her, and then realized she was trying but couldn’t do it.

  As she closed fast on the unsuspecting Nila, Davi accelerated his skitter and chased after her. He pulled alongside, reached over and tried to pull her hand free. Her sleeve had gotten pinched in the small space between the joystick and the arm of the skitter. As she panicked, her fists clenched, triggering the accelerator. Her face morphed into a grimace as her speed increased and the wind pricked her face.

  Nila rode a few feet in front of them, so focused on controlling her skitter she hadn’t noticed the activity behind her. Brie looked at Davi, eyes full of panic. Davi pulled his skitter closer to hers and reached past her, leaning way over to one side, controlling his skitter with one hand as he did. His fingers touched the start pin on Brie’s s
kitter, but he couldn’t quite grab it. He stretched further, adrenaline energizing every move, and popped it out.

  Brie’s skitter stopped instantly, almost throwing her off. Davi skidded to a stop, dismounted and ran over to pull her sleeve free, then lifted the shaken Brie off the skitter. For a moment, she lay in his arms staring up at him with relief as both caught their breath.

  Tela pulled up nearby. She’d come back to check on how things were going. Seeing Brie in his arms, she scowled, then turned and sped away again along the course with Nila following.

  Davi started calling after her, then realized she couldn’t hear him. He set Brie on the ground. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, thank you. My hero!” she said, smiling.

  “Try and be more careful. Maybe roll up your sleeves,” Davi instructed.

  Brie nodded. “Okay, right.” She rolled up her sleeves.

  Davi reminded himself to inquire about the status of uniforms again. Brie and several other trainees had not yet received theirs, and he didn’t want a repeat of this incident.

  For the rest of the afternoon, they worked the course with no further problems. Some of class could already race through the course at a decent pace.

  Soon Virun and his friends began fiddling around with the targeting system, although Davi hadn’t demonstrated it yet. Rather than scolding them, he watched, wanting to see how they handled it. And as he did, he concluded some of them might be ready now for the mission, if they could just learn to obey orders.

  “Very good, you men,” Davi said, after they’d finished the course for the fourth time. “Why don’t you let me show you how that works?”

  “I think we’ve got it,” Jorek said as the rest of his friends ignored Davi.

  “The course can only show you so much. In a combat situation—”

  “In a combat situation, we may be on opposite sides,” Virun snapped. With that, the group revved their skitters and headed back to the course again.

  Davi sighed. How can I get through to them? He had no idea. As he mulled it over, Brie and Nila arrived at the finish line looking more relaxed than they had at the start. They seemed to grow more confident with each run. By the end of the class, they maneuvered their skitters with much more ease. They didn’t seem to have the aptitude. The learning curve was too high. How would he get them ready? It would be impossible in the next few weeks.

  This would be so much easier, if I didn’t care so much. Pilots die. It’s part of the risk. But these weren’t any pilots. He was responsible for them. He walked away discouraged again.

  That night, as he had often the past two weeks, he spent time in the Library studying the history and beliefs of his new people.

  Miri had raised him to believe service to the higher cause of helping others was more important than service to one’s self. Though the workers’ religious rites seemed strange to him, in reading about them, they seemed to make sense. He started feeling more and more comfortable praying to their God and participating in services. In fact, he had plans to attend with Lura the following morning.

  The workers believed God was with them at all times and working His will in their lives daily; that He was involved in everything that happened to them and was always working for their good. They committed their plans to Him and sought His blessing on their actions. Davi couldn’t help but be drawn to a God who got so involved and cared so much. He found himself wanting to know more and more.

  O O O

  Tela ordered a Tertullian Hammer and settled into a booth at the pub to wait for her drink, enjoying the feel of the cool leather against her skin as she breathed gently and relaxed from a long day. Through the dome overhead, she watched the sky fade from purple to gray as the planet’s two moons started their nightly climb. It was a view she’d enjoyed taking in ever since she was a young girl, and seeing it here evoked so many memories. It was hard to believe she’d wound up in such an unexpected place. She enjoyed it for a few moments before her mind turned to the day’s events.

  Again, Brie had flirted with Davi. And again, it had really set her off, though she couldn’t understand why. She and Davi were just friends. She didn’t have time for men right now. There were the coming battles to think about and, ever since her father had disappeared, she’d decided love was a waste of time. So why would her heart not get with the program?

  She couldn’t get Davi out of her mind—the way he smiled at her, when the other trainees were making progress, the way he laughed at his own silly jokes, the serious look his face took on when deep in thought or lecturing on something intense. And how good he looked in that spiffy new WFR uniform. She supposed the form fitting uniforms made most of them look good, at least those who were in shape, but Davi was the only one she’d really noticed. Why did she pay so much attention anyway? She’d already decided he wasn’t for her.

  As the waiter arrived with her drink, she spotted Davi behind him, coming in the door. Handing the waiter a few credits, she watched Davi make his away across the room as the waiter disappeared. He hadn’t seen her yet as he looked around, nodding at various acquaintances.

  Why hadn’t he seen her yet? She was right in front of him. Oh great! That bothers me, too! What’s wrong with me?

  Then he saw her and smiled, waving. He’s coming over! She tried to be nonchalant, relaxing in her seat as she sipped her drink and savored the smooth, fruity liquid warming her throat.

  Davi came right to the table. “Imagine finding you here, Lieutenant.”

  There it came—his smile. She returned it. “Another long day.” The butterflies danced in her stomach again.

  He nodded. “For me, too. Are you alone?”

  Say no! Say no! “Yes.” What’s wrong with me?

  He sat across from her. “Hope you don’t mind company.”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “We had a real near miss today with Brie,” Davi said.

  Ah, there it is! He’s going to go right to it! “Yes, it was a good thing you were prepared.” It came off colder than she’d meant and she silently chastised herself for not controlling her emotions better.

  “I wasn’t. I almost panicked,” Davi said. “Then I remembered the start pin acts as a kill switch. I haven’t been around skitters much in a while.”

  She smiled. “Thank goodness you remembered.”

  The waiter returned, and she watched as Davi ordered a Regallian Smoothie. She admired the way his chin curved down from his head, the smoothness of his skin, the way he looked with his late-day shadow of a beard. Mmmm, and as he leaned back she could see the way his uniform hugged his well-toned chest and thighs. Oh my God, stop!

  Davi turned to her as the waiter left. “I don’t think we can get them all ready. There isn’t time.” He frowned, discouraged.

  “We’ll do our best,” she said, trying to sound positive.

  He looked so sad. Why do I want so much to encourage him? I can’t bear seeing him so sad. She searched for words that would encourage him somehow. “Some of them only need to fly well enough to follow others back here. They should be able to learn enough for that.”

  “I’m not sure Brie can learn much of anything,” Davi said.

  Tela laughed.

  He covered his eyes with his hand, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. Terrible thing to say.”

  Tela laughed again.

  He grinned. “She’s so naïve.”

  They both laughed.

  “Yeah, very naïve,” she agreed. What’s this? He’s not attracted to her?

  “She’s like a little kid sometimes, too. So young and innocent,” Davi said.

  Tela did a cartwheel in her head. Yes!

  “Several of them are,” he continued. “It’s hard to believe they’re in flight training.”

  “It wasn’t so many years ago, we were their age,” Tela said, doing her best to hide her relief.

  Davi laughed. “I guess you’re right. I feel so much older after all that’s happened.”

  Th
e waiter returned with his smoothie. He sipped it for a bit, lost in thought. “I feel so responsible for them. If they go up there and become easy targets …”

  The waiter disappeared again.

  “That’s a risk for any one of us,” Tela said. “In war, people die.”

  Davi nodded, his face taking on a somber expression as he sipped the smoothie. “I don’t have to like it.”

  Tela laughed.

  “What’s so funny?”

  You. You’re adorable. “Nothing. I’m sorry. You’re sipping a sweet drink looking like they’re already dead. It’s funny!”

  Davi took another sip of his smoothie and shrugged. “Sometimes I let whatever’s on my mind come out of my mouth.”

  Tela smiled. “It’s okay. It’s one of the things I actually like about you.” I can’t believe I just said that.

  His eyes brightened as they met hers. “You mean there’s actually something you like about me? Wow! Big progress!”

  She sighed and turned away. “You cocky fighter jocks!”

  They both laughed again.

  She turned back, her face serious again. “No one wants people to die, but we have to remember the loss will be worth the price of freedom. We have been slaves too long!”

  Davi nodded. “I know. I’ve been spending time in the Library learning the history of our people. I really believe in what we’re doing.” Tela couldn’t help being impressed by his effort. “That doesn’t make it any easier to think about sending kids to their possible deaths.”

  “Some of them may surprise you,” Tela said.

  Davi nodded. “I hope all of them do.” He took another sip, savoring the fruity taste a moment.

  On impulse, she placed her hand on his atop the table. “Me, too.” She fought the urge to yank it back when she realized what she’d done. Yet he hadn’t tried to pull his hand away. Did he like this? She hated being so transparent, but then touching him like this felt so nice.

  She slowly withdrew her hand. “We’ll have to work harder with them.”

  Davi nodded. “I’ve been thinking the same thing.” He took one last long sip of his smoothie, and then set the empty glass back on the table. “I guess I should head back and start working up a more intense lesson plan.”