The Commander

by Kevin Groh

  Many towers were connected by bridges or closed crossings, some skyscrapers even had tunnels through which the vehicles flew. Pedestrians could cross the entire city without having to go out onto the street once. Most of the skyscrapers in the center were not rectangular but ended rather oval with rounded peaks. The recruits arrived in a large zone with a lot of traffic. Shuttle buses, taxis, and private vehicles took off and landed there with a high frequency. Right next to it they saw a hovering railway station. A glass tunnel winded its way through the entire city, with a metallic ring every few meters. They created an anti-gravitational field so that the train could glide through without touching anything. These levitating trains had been copied from other species.

  The group got out of the limousine and looked around. The mass of people around them was unusual. Since they were in the more upscale area of the city, most pedestrians wore expensive clothing, jewelry, and technical equipment. »What do we want to do?«, Jimbo asked the others.

  »Let’s just move on and when we see something interesting, we’ll just stop.«, Tim suggested.

  They liked the idea and they set off. From the landing zone, a transparent bridge led into the next building. They stayed there for a while, watching the traffic and looking at the city from above. A few of them got uneasy looking at the depth beneath their feet. They walked to the end of the bridge. The next building on this floor was a huge room where people were tumbling around. There were several office areas where small shops were lined up. Accountants, private detectives or auditors had their premises there. None of this was interesting for them. Also, the dark green color of the walls was quite depressing. They took the exit towards the Skymarket. It was the largest shopping center in the city, but rather for the upper classes. »I’ve never been up here before! That’s totally cool here!«, it came enthusiastically from Gina.

  Henry said: »Then you have to watch the playroom! That’s the very latest in gameplay. We’re talking about high-end VR adventures, simulators and even ancient arcade machines with real tokens.«

  »VR? Virtual reality then? Doesn’t that also exist in the base?«, Tom asked.

  »Yes, but they only have training modules there. There are really cool simulations here. Superheroes, the Middle Ages, fantasy or space exploration. Everything you can imagine. It’s much more fun than a firefight in a swamp on Kunaz.«

  Carter found it exciting, but he wanted to focus on Kelly.

  She seemed to like the idea, so he suggested that she should try it. They strolled through the neon gate arch of the Skymarket and saw a paradise of consumption. Hundreds of small stalls full of colorful things, electronics stores, food stands, giant advertising screens, and ten different melodies all mixed up. One huge flood of stimuli.

  Henry moved Gina directly to the VR-Palace, the stronghold of virtual gaming. Billy shook his head and marched to an electronics store with Tim and Tom to fool people with the twins. Jane had an appointment with a friend and set off alone. Nambur saw a group of Pintan tourists he was talking to and Urma sat down with Roderick on a bench by a tree and talked to him. The two were sports fanatics and had many common interests. Kelly looked at Carter and asked what he felt like doing. He suggested looking for something to eat first because he hadn’t had much time for breakfast because of the conversation with Leena. Of course, the choice was enormous and he had no idea what to eat. He didn’t want to choose anything she might not have liked or give her the impression he was a guy who only ate fast food. He waited so long with the decision that Kelly enthusiastically pointed to a stand with tacos and looked at him questioningly. »You like Mexican food?«, Carter asked astonished.

  »Are you kidding? But of course! I would throw any cracker with caviar in Billy’s face if I could get a decent taco for it. Or nachos ... I miss the good food.«

  Carter was absolutely blown away because he loved tacos himself. They got a load and sat down at a wooden table where they feasted in the sun in the light wind.

  »How can you eat something like this and still stay slim?«, he asked her.

  »I once told you that my parents had the genetic properties of my DNA manipulated. They wanted me to be a tendential model, but with more curves. This also included adapting my metabolism in such a way that I could not become fat from a purely biological point of view. When I eat a lot, I tend to convert it into muscles. That’s why I always had to do some kind of sport to make sure that the muscles develop as intended.«

  She paused briefly and got reddish cheeks. »Sorry ... I talk too much. Bottom line: No, I don’t gain weight and can eat as much and as fatty, as I want.«

  »That is unbelievably enviable! I guess that’s why you don’t find your looks so much admirable. You didn’t have to work for it. It’s just like that. I’m quite amazed that you’re still so positive and open.«

  She seemed puzzled. »What do you mean?«

  »You said that you were often approached and offered sex. So you’ve experienced the ›elite‹ of the male species.«

  »And the female one.«, she added.

  Carter looked at her with widened eyes.

  »You wouldn’t believe how many women hit on me. Men don’t have an exclusive right to it, even if they’ve tried by far the clumsiest pickup lines.«

  »You can’t be serious!«, Carter was astonished. She bit into her taco and nodded meaningfully. Then she smiled at him amusedly.

  »I take it from your shock that you’ve never made such a move on anyone and that you weren’t the target of an embarrassing pickup yourself.«

  Carter shook his head: »Absolutely not. I can’t even imagine what a clumsy pickup looks like ...«

  Kelly smiled broadly and imitated a rough male voice:

  »Hey, sweetheart, how about the two of us? You’re so hot, my coolness is melting.«, she mimicked, thinking, »Hm ... or this one: Your smile is so beautiful, yet it’s only the second-best thing your lips can do.«

  Carter almost choked on his Coke when he heard those stupid lines.

  She laughed with him and continued: »There was another one who faked a weakness attack to get mouth to mouth respiration from me. I asked another guy nearby to do that. Some also thought they could touch me, so I could test my kickboxing skills on them. But by far the best one was a pseudo-designer who wanted me as a model for his new collection. The catch was that he had to tailor his works to my naked body. He was at least more serious than the artist who wanted to paint me with himself in the act.«

  Carter shielded his eyes: »It’s really hard for me to imagine how you can take all this with humor.«

  »What choice do I have? There will always be guys who believe that such an approach works. Maybe because a lot of pretty women are stupid. It couldn’t work any other way.«

  Carter nodded: »Now I am even more overwhelmed by you. You are such a ... bright person and you show a lot of empathy. And that, although you so often have to do with people who don’t encourage such positive behavior. That means that you have impressive inner strength. You don’t let anything cloud your view of the world.«

  She gave him an intense, emotional look and was about to give him an answer when he risked something and added: »Or you are an incredible moron.«

  They both laughed about it and he enjoyed their bright laughter when he heard it. She put her hand on his and said:

  »Thank you, Carter. Few people see more in me than the superficial exterior. It’s absolutely clear to me that nobody sees only the inner values.«, she smiled, »But it’s rare for anyone to take the trouble to see the rest of me. That means a lot to me.«

  They walked between the stands after dinner and stopped at the balustrade from where you could see a large part of New Denver. There they stood next to each other.

  Carter asked them: »Have you often been here in the city?«

  »From time to time. But mostly with my parents or friends. Never with a man.«

  When she said that so explicitly, he looked to the right, where she leaned on the
handrail, half her face covered by her blowing hair. He felt an extreme attraction to her and ravaged his brain how he could tell her that he was interested in her.

  She smiled at him: »I know you’re interested in me, Carter. You don’t hide it very well.«, she grinned friendly. »I’ve known since you asked me if I’d come to your room. I realize that you were hoping I’d say yes. From time to time Leena also subtly checked what I thought of you. She probably wanted to help you. I thought that was sweet. It speaks very well for a man when other women recommend him. I also noticed your secret looks. I sat beside you so that you would have a better view. «

  Carter suddenly felt extreme excitement and subconsciously knew where this moment was heading.

  »Leena told me that you often looked over at me. You probably don’t hide it that well yourself.«, he returned as gallantly as possible.

  »I just wanted to make sure you weren’t one of those guys who wanted to conquer one woman and then throw her away for the next.«

  Carter looked at the passing shuttles.

  »I would never do that. You know, when I was little, my parents weren’t rich yet. My father earned quite well, but he was just a department head in one of Syntech’s small research teams. My mother was at home doing chores and taking care of me and my sister. She was an author and wrote adventure novels and children’s books. As long as I can remember, my parents were an unbeatable team. They loved each other very much and when they did argue, they always managed to get it settled calmly and after a short time. Zoe and I never got too little love and we were hardly ever yelled at or beaten. We loved our home. When my mother died, they threw themselves into work. She finished her studies at the top of her class and then went to Earth. I guess because she didn’t feel comfortable in the big house. Too many memories. It took my father years to come to terms with my mother’s death. And even if I would grant it to him, I do not believe he wants to find another woman. My mother was his world and I think he prefers to wait until he finds her in the next life.«

  Kelly put her hand on his. »I appreciate you telling me all this.«

  Carter looked further into the distance when he said: »I am telling you this because I want you to know what kind of woman I am looking for. I’m not like Roderick or Billy. I’m not just looking for some nice lips either.«, he joked. »If I am interested in a woman, if I decide to choose her, it is because I believe and hope that she is the right one for me. I want to feel the same devotion that my father felt for my mother.«

  He looked Kelly in the face waiting for her reaction. She looked him in the eyes. Hers were piercing blue and her narrow nose ruffled over the curved, full lips. She came closer and her smell clouded his senses. Then their lips touched and he tilted his head slightly. They kissed for quite a while as she wrapped her arm around his hip and pulled him towards her. He also put his arm around her. As soon as they separated, they both smiled as if a load had fallen from them. They had had interest and feelings for each other for a while but hadn’t dared to take the first step. Now the ice was broken and they felt a wave of euphoria. Kelly joyfully embraced him and said:

  »I am so glad that the secret staring and the unspoken feelings are over now. Because between you and me, I’m not the only one who looks gorgeous. You’re also a very attractive guy, Carter.«

  He looked into her face. »Do you think so? I mean ... Thank you. I didn’t really feel that handsome at all ...«

  He pondered for a moment and then a thought occurred to him.

  »Was that a date now?«

  She giggled: »Is that important?«

  »Well ... I don’t want to lean out of the window too much, but you’re not unattractive either. And you surely know the rule with the third date ...«

  She slowly detached herself from him and stretched out extensively so that Carter had a good view of her curves.

  »So that’s how it is. That’s how long you want to wait? All right.«, she purred playfully. He laughed and shook his head.

  As they stood there, they heard: »Sanders! It’s bad enough that you take everything away from us workers, but do you also have to claim the hottest woman for yourself?«

  Roderick had watched them and came over with Urma. Carter’s displeasure was clear to see. Kelly put her hand on his lower back. He felt her touch and his anger vanished.

  »Don’t be such an ass all the time, okay? I never did anything to you. And I don’t plan on it either, even if you hammer on the room door at night to keep me and Leena awake. By the way, not the best way to arouse her interest.«

  Roderick pulled out and wanted to hit Carter, but Urma held him back and pointed to a guardian bot messenger floating by. The law on Utopia was enforced by police robots. »Don’t talk about things you don’t understand, Sanders!«, Roderick growled.

  Carter replied calmly: »Nobody understands you, man! You behave strangely and don’t tell anyone what is bothering you. I’m talking about Leena because I want to find out if you have an honest interest. Because with you this is hard to judge. If you really want her to like you, then your approach so far is definitely not the best. To act like an asshole to me, her best friend is pretty much the worst thing you can do.«

  Roderick had his fists clenched. »Shut up!«

  Urma said: »He’s not completely wrong about one thing, Rod. Why do you have such anger towards Carter? As far as I know, he never did anything to you.«

  Roderick breathed in and out like a bull, but he calmed down and said: »If you want me to respect you, you should start doing something about it. I have a small apartment here in downtown, and I need to check it out. It’s not as clean as here, but I haven’t been there for a while. Better not to go alone.«

  Carter had no reason to earn respect, but if it helped to put an end to their quarrel, he would try.

  »All right, Roderick. Then we’ll come with you. As a group, we shouldn’t be attacked so quickly.«

  They left the Skymarket and entered one of the high-speed elevators to the street level. The bright sunlight of the upper districts faded into the darker reality of the lower city. There was only muted light and it was far less friendly. In the shadow of the huge buildings, one felt immediately intimidated and tiny.

  »Welcome to my world, Sanders ...«, it came from Roderick when they got out. They walked along the paved sidewalks and Carter saw the simply dressed people rushing or shuffling tiredly. Here and there homeless people begged at the roadside before they were driven away by guards. The air was thicker and somehow uncomfortable, even Kelly seemed to feel anything but comfortable.

  »Imagine you had to live here. Then you get a rough idea why we don’t have too high of an opinion of privileged people down here.«

  Roderick gave free rein to his bitterness. He told them how, in addition to their physically or mentally strenuous and poorly paid jobs for some corporations, people needed more undeclared work to survive. If they were caught, they were sent to prison colonies where they had to work for even less pay. They only got a basic education and there were no opportunities for improvement. Unlike on Earth, Utopia did not take the trouble to give people hope for the future. They were told right away that they would live and die in the dirt. Now Carter realized why the recruits from working-class families were happy about their military training. For them, it was a unique opportunity for advancement, while for the privileged it meant a radical change in their lives.

  »The result is that people hate their lives and situation so much that they try to push the despair aside. Alcohol, drugs, prostitution, and violence. Everything that makes you feel carefree, happy or strong. It is easy to condemn such things if you have enough to eat, a roof over your head and money for luxury. Most privileged people have come into the world with wealth, without working for anything. Just like you two. You can’t understand how we feel because you’ve never experienced it yourself.«

  He led them to a side street and there a lot of people living in poverty lay on garbage bags so that they did no
t have to lie on the asphalt. »I do not demand that you endure this yourselves. Nobody should. But you must see it, stay here, smell it. So that you become aware of what the high gents of the corporations are doing to other people.«

  Carter replied: »But we are not one of these high gentlemen, Roderick. We are heirs. We have contributed nothing to our wealth, but neither have we contributed to your poverty. Do not blame us for the deeds of others.«

  They left the alley and headed down the road towards a garage door. »You could bring your father here and tell him the same thing. So that he will stop exploiting us!«

  Carter grabbed Roderick by the shoulders.

  »Listen! My father is the head of research at Syntech. He was not born privileged. He worked his way up. He researched synthium to give war-disabled and disabled people new opportunities for a better life. Yes, he also developed weapons, but only because he wanted to prevent our soldiers from dying in this war. He spends every day developing new things to help people. He is not the one who lets you bleed out. For years he came home to me and told me how he fought against the board of directors to prevent them from selling his discoveries for the wrong purposes or at exorbitant prices, but they didn’t listen to him. Now he keeps inventions that could help the world to himself just to prevent his own corporation or the military from oppressing people even more. Yes, there are bastards up there who should be right down here and see this. My father, me and Kelly’s family are not among them!«

  The loud debate had lured some people out of the surrounding streets. Most of them didn’t seem to be very smart. A guy in a cheap leather jacket came up to them. Roderick saw him and threw his head in the back of his neck.