Cobalt Slave

by Walker, Jon

  Mark notices that the first sight of this man doesn’t seem to put Stephanie at ease. Her body remains tense and her face seems worried.

  After a brief pause the visitor continues, “I’m David’s friend from back when he worked on infrastructure.” The final word is spoken with a special emphasis.

  As if by magic this last line changes something in Stephanie. Her posture remains tense but her face now has a pleasant but forced smile. She is no longer openly hostile, but she doesn’t look entirely pleased. She wipes her hand twice on her pants before reaching out in an offer to shake his. “Jarod! It has been a while.”

  Jarod says as he shakes her hand, “Yes, it has been a very long time, and may I ask who is the little one you got there?”

  Stephanie answers tersely. “This is Tina. She was born last winter.”

  Jarod, “She is precious.”

  Stephanie politely invites Jarod in, “Well, David should be back in about an hour. Do you want to come inside for a drink? You must be thirsty.”

  Jarod, “Thank you, some water would be great.”

  Stephanie continues the conversation as she leads the whole group inside the farmhouse. “Do you want to stay for dinner?”

  Doing his best to be a courteous guest Jarod responds, “I don’t want to impose,” but it is obvious from his face that he is hungry and finds the smell of the dernbeast roast in the oven to be extremely enticing.

  As she hands him a glass of water Stephanie responds, “Don’t be silly. There is plenty of food.”

  Jarod takes the glass, “Thank you. The meal does smell lovely.”

  Stephanie turns to her three oldest children, “You three go get washed up and ready to help me finish making dinner.”

  ------

  An hour later a worn out and dusty David comes in the door. “Hey, honey I’m…” David stops speaking mid-sentence when he sees a man chopping vegetables in his kitchen standing next to his wife and kids.

  Almost immediately Stephanie speaks up to prevent an awkward silence, “David, your old friend Jarod Wu has come all the way out here to see you.” After hearing this David just stares at the man with his head tilted like he's trying to place him while Jarod puts down the knife and walks over to shake his hand.

  David speaks with an inflection that makes his statement sound more like a question, “It has been a long time, Jarod?”

  Jarod reaches out with his right hand to grasp David’s right hand firmly in a shake, then puts his left hand over it. “A very long time. The last time we saw each other we were working an infrastructure project together.”

  A dawn of realization comes over David's face. He adds his left hand to their handshake, moves in closer to Jarod and speaks in a noticeably quieter tone. “What brings you all the way out here, Jarod?” The words can barely be heard in the next room over the noise of the kitchen.

  Jarod answers in a similarly quiet and serious tone, “Can we talk in private?”

  David, “Let's speak after dinner. You can stay tonight on the couch.” Jarod only nods in response, and almost immediately afterward David’s body language shifts.

  He grabs Jarod on the shoulder, looks directly at his young children and gives them a big warm smile. "Aren't we lucky to have company? And dinner smells delicious! Let me just wash up so we can eat. I’m sure everyone is hungry.”

  As David uses the restroom his family finishes the last preparations for the meal. The youngest son sets the table. By the time David finishes his quick shower, changes and exits the bedroom everything is ready. Stephanie has Jarod help her move the dishes to the table. “Ok, everyone come sit down. It's time to eat," she says while placing down the dern roast platter.

  She has no trouble getting her children to rush to the table. Due to the presence of company the meal is more luxurious than normal, which adds to Bobby's and Jessica's excitement at having a guest who can talk to them about the big city. As a teenager, Mark is almost always hungry and never misses a chance to eat.

  At the center of the table sits the slow-cooked piece of dernbeast rump which came from the Corvus’ own herd. The lumbering native creatures are back heavy, their hind legs being significantly thicker than their front ones. Instead of trying to run from predators, their strategy is to turn and kick backwards, so their large rump muscles are covered by both a significant layer of fat and a thick patch of skin to serve as protection. This means the rump is much tougher and less commercially desirable than other cuts on the animal, so farmers tend to keep it for themselves. But Stephanie knows the secret for turning this “cheap” cut into something amazing. When cooked correctly at a low temperature for a long time, the tough muscle breaks down. Leave just the right amount of fat on top, and it slowly melts into the meat, enhancing its favor without making it too rich.

  Among the side dishes is a large salad made up primarily of local greens with a citrus dressing. Of the relatively few local plants that have been domesticated by the humans of New Eden, most are different types of greens. While they lack much nutritional value, they are a very tasty source of fiber. Much of the local flora evolved special chemicals that are poisonous or unappetizing to the local fauna to protect their leaves, but thanks to the different evolutionary paths life on Earth and New Eden took, these chemicals don’t tend to affect humans. In some cases they actually make the leaves taste better to humans.

  A large bowl of spiced couscous made with a generous portion of raisins and almonds is the part of the meal Mark is most looking forward to. Given the high cost of its ingredients, it is a rare treat for company and holidays. What his younger siblings are most excited about, though, is the dessert, which is still waiting in the kitchen. In addition to their traditional plate of fresh fruit, they are going to get cookies and a platter of mom’s homemade special candied treats.

  The whole dinner is pleasant but something about the conversation feels off to Mark. Most of the talking is done by his young siblings asking silly questions about Ararat or Jarod’s work designing sewer systems. His parents speak to Jarod in only general terms that are weirdly impersonal. When the adults speak directly to each other, their conversation is mostly about the weather, old movies, or his father trying to get some useful business information. David asks about things like the price that different pieces of equipment are selling for in the city, how popular dernbeast leather is right now, or if there are any new dishes that have become trendy. For being supposedly old friends, David and Jarod do very little reminiscing. When Mark’s aunts and uncles come over, the whole evening is spent telling old stories from their youth or referencing inside jokes. This is different, more formal.

  Dinner eventually turns into dessert and herbal tea. After the adults get a chance to first select a few small cookies and pieces of candied fruit off the dessert platter, the children quickly move to gorge themselves on all the sweets that remain.

  After Stephanie puts the baby down for the night, Jarod suggests a rather obscure animated movie for the evening entertainment that no one in the family has ever heard of. It's a quasi-historical family movie made all the way back in the late 21st century. It is about the 18th century founding fathers of the United States of America and a set of talking animals. The Corvus parents are at first skeptical of the choice but Jarod talks them into it. The family gathers around the modest screen in their living room with Bobby and Jessica sitting on the floor while the adults take the couch and chairs. Once the movie gets started, the young ones are soon lost in the colorful cartoon world.

  When the only movies to watch were made centuries ago on a planet you have never seen, you simply get used to the fact that you will miss a lot of the historical context, cultural references, and subtle jokes. The people of New Eden tend to primarily watch movies made in the decades right before the great slowship left Earth since those normally had better effects and production value, and the actors spoke in an accent closest to their own. Among movies from that era, though, the Edenites gravitated towards fantasy, scie
nce fiction, or historical pictures. It is difficult for most to relate to 22nd century movies that were set in contemporary society -- their concerns, jobs, and challenges feel too foreign. It is tough to relate to people who live in cities with 20 times the population of your whole world and who work in giant towers that touch the sky.

  While this particular cartoon was made centuries ago about figures they have learned almost nothing about, the story still feels relatable. At least it took place in a time when cities were small and most people were farmers. The fact that the comedy relied heavily on slapstick also helped.

  About 30 minutes into the movie David nods to Jarod and his wife to indicate they should go outside. David then leans over to his son and quietly tells him, “We are going to my workshop to get a drink. I want you to stay in here to watch your brother and sister and listen for the baby.”

  Mark responds, “But Dad can I…” but is quickly cut off by his father's quiet but firm voice, “No, I want you to stay in here with them. You understand?”

  Mark lets out an annoyed, “Yeah, ok.”

  The three adults quietly walk out the back door. The two younger children are so engrossed in the movie they don’t really notice or care. Mark, filled with resentment and curiosity, can barely stay seated. He can’t decide what is worse, not being able to find out who this man really is or being treated like one of the kids. He can’t take it. After making sure his brother and sister are completely glued to the screen, he slowly gets up and quietly goes out the back door.

  It is very dark outside, like it is every night on New Eden. Even when Cain and Abel are full and overhead at the same time, they barely reflect enough light to make a noticeable difference. All that's breaking the blackness are the streams of light coming through windows, the porch lights on the front of the house and the small light on the front of David’s workshop. Since Mark has lived here most of his life, he knows the yard as it if was an extension of his own body, and he can easily move around quietly without being seen. He sneaks up to the workshop where under the light he can see all three adults out front holding small glasses of what appears to be his father’s homemade white lightning. The sight of his mother actually drinking the pure grain alcohol she normally detests only deepens his sense of unease. Mark stops in the shadows when he is just close enough to make out what they are saying. He arrives as an argument sounds already half over.

  The first voice he can hear is his mother's. She is rapidly gesturing like she does when she is really agitated or angry, but she is managing to keep her voice down. “We are talking about my son. He isn’t even a man yet.”

  Jarod tries his best to sound calm and reassuring, “He will be a man soon, though, which is why I was sent to talk to you now. It is much easier to move a young man just starting out into the right places without suspicion. We finally have a real opening and a real plan, but for it to work we need to start getting our ducks in a row. We are dealing with a short window of time here.”

  David asks, “This is a huge ask, and what exactly is the rest of this plan? How do we know that the other parts would even work?”

  Jarod takes a big sip of the home-distilled alcohol before answering, “You know I can’t tell you the rest of the plan, but I can tell you I believe the second part will work if the first part is a success.”

  Stephanie, still clearly upset, says, “What you believe about your secret plan isn’t much comfort to me. Honestly, what are the chances that my son will survive this?”

  Jarod doesn’t look directly at either of them, “I’m not going to lie to you. His odds will be long, but we will provide him with everything we can to give him the best chances. I know this is hard, but you both need to remember what is at stake. We have waited so long for an opportunity to break the directorate, and if we miss this one it could be decades before there is another.”

  Stephanie answers, “How can you ask me to send my first born on what sounds like a suicide mission?”

  Jarod, “I’m not asking you to send him. I'm only asking you to tell him the truth and let him make the decision for himself.”

  Stephanie is about to say something else, but David puts his hand on her arm to stop her. “He is right. This should be Mark’s decision. I will talk to him soon and send you his answer.” After he finishes, David drinks the rest of his glass in one large gulp. “Who else needs another before we go back inside?” Stephanie answers by slamming the rest of her drink and handing David the empty glass for a refill.

  For a moment Mark just stares at them in shock and disbelief, not knowing what to do. His mind and heart are racing. Should he come forward now to let them know he heard or go back inside? Mostly out of embarrassment he decides to go back in the house before they finish their next drink. Here was the moment his parents finally decided to treat him like an adult, and he only witnessed it by sneaking around like a disobedient child.

  Mark quickly makes it to the back door unnoticed. His re-entrance is completely unnoticed by his young siblings who are both laughing at the movie when he quietly closes the door and takes his seat.

  When the adults return they say basically nothing. Once the movie is over they send them all to their rooms. Most of the night Mark lies awake in his bed unable to sleep. All he can do is think about what he heard and what it could all mean. He tries to remember every conversation he's had with his parents about the directorate. After several restless hours the exhaustion finally gets the best of him.

  Mark is awakened by the yelling of his mother and the sound of his siblings getting ready for school. When he goes to get breakfast he notices Jarod is already gone. Bobby is already eating, and asks his dad, “Why did Jarod come all this way to talk to you?”

  David doesn’t bother looking up from his breakfast to answer. “He is thinking about starting a new business building a new type of irrigation equipment, and he wanted my advice. I think he can cheaply build a new form of drip system that will use 13 percent less water and 19 percent less power for the same yield while also decreasing the rate of phosphate runoff by 6 percent. While it is similar to current systems, he thinks he figured out a way to have it self regulate its flow based on…” David continues to spout out a stream of technical details until his son’s eyes glaze over, clearly wishing he had never asked about something so boring.

  CHAPTER 9

  Nine windowless rooms mostly filled with bugs, a few tunnels connecting them and four other ill-fated companions is all Andrew Miller has. This has been his entire world for the past two and a half years. He has been warned that even in death he may likely never see the outside of this small underground complex again. When he does die his body will be methodically broken down and recycled in this compound just like all the others before him.

  There is only one set of double doors that leads in or out. Where the door goes is a mystery, although the people of the tunnel have some decent theories based on the clues around them. Debating their location is one of the endless conversations among the small group. Like Andrew, his four companions were all brought here in secret when they were on the verge of death, picked up off the street in the middle of the night by men in hoods. All were either unconscious or delirious when they were first brought in, so they have no memory of how they actually got here. All of them had at some point run afoul of the directorate and had been marked as enemies of one of the departments. They were destined for a slow public death until they were taken here.

  The door is locked on the outside, but the thick deadbolt their captors use is mostly unnecessary. They all know they have nowhere else to go. To leave would be death -- either a fast, torturous death caused by Public Safety agents if found seemingly coming back from the dead, or a slow, torturous death caused by vitamin deficiency. It would also likely mean death for their companions down here, for their families, and for those that saved their lives. While there is not much for them inside the small underground complex, there is at least life.

  For the first two weeks after
Andrew arrived he was rarely conscious enough to know what was going on, but after he recovered the reality of his situation slowly sunk in. For a while he bounced between emotional extremes: joy, anger, relief, denial, despair, depression. For weeks it felt like the bland, rough walls were closing in on him. Recurring nightmares about the roof collapsing on him would cause him to wake in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. It was all made worse by the fact that his mind never fully recovered from his illness. His memory is still shaky, trying to solve puzzles makes his brain feel fuzzy, and he never feels like he is all completely there. His companions tried their best to help him adjust, but the real change happened roughly a year into his new life.

  That night he was awakened when a new, slightly older woman was brought in. Her skin was covered in sores, and her gums were always bleeding slightly. The few times she managed to speak, all that came out was gibberish. She was able to hold on for 10 days, but despite all their best efforts to nurse her back to health she didn’t make it. Her lungs were already too damaged and overrun with infection. That is when Andrew learned from the longest resident of the tunnels that only about half those brought here ever recover. Those that don’t have their livers removed to recover some B-12 and have their bodies processed for the bugs. Since watching her die, Andrew has come to see himself as lucky and tries to dwell only on what he is thankful for.

  His list is simple but satisfying. There is food, vitamins, shelter, warm beds and running water. There is a small kitchen and a functional bathroom. They are especially fortunate to have a small screen for them all to share. While it is not connected to the net for obvious reasons, it is loaded full of entertainment and music brought from Earth. He has companions to play cards with and to keep back the loneliness. Even discounting the large section of the complex set aside for foul smelling leaching pits and the storage chambers that are best kept closed off and avoided as much as possible, there is still enough space that he can be alone with his thoughts when it is necessary. There are many tasks for them to perform, and even occasionally special projects are brought for them to work on -- things that you would not want the Public Health Department to find out exist.