by Kelly Curtis
“I’m glad to hear that that’s not the case. I raised you to be a good citizen.”
“And I am a good citizen, Dad. I just have chosen a different path than you or mom. And I choose to live half of my life away from Earth.”
“And to work with technology. Alma, listen to me, I know I’ve said this to you a hundred times, maybe a thousand times, but it’s still true, humans can’t handle technology. We’re better off sticking to what we are good at,” he said as he went back to cutting vegetables. “We’re not meant to be a formidable power in the galaxy. That’s not who humanity is supposed to be.”
Just then Scott appeared with Alma’s mother and glasses of white wine for all of them.
“Alma, come here darling,” Anna said to her daughter as she walked through the door and gave her two kisses. “Scott and I were just talking about how you must come to Berlin and see my new show.” Alma’s mother was an older, much more fashionable and sophisticated version of herself. Anna Valentin used to be a very famous actress when she was in her teens and early twenties.
“When we’ve the time, you know I’d love to Mom,” Alma enjoyed seeing her mother’s performances, but what she didn’t like was the after dinner introductions and her mother’s constant nagging for her to switch guilds into an acting or singing guild. Anna would always remind Alma, ‘You’ve such a wonderful singing voice, you know, it’s never too late to switch guilds. It’s unorthodox, but lots of people do it.’
“You should make time. What are you doing up there in space anyway?” Anna asked rhetorically.
But Alma took the bait, “Working, keeping you all safe to pursue your peaceful activities or whatever you are doing on Earth.” She wished her mother would say something about her being promoted, Alma knew she knew about it.
“And Alma, what are you wearing?”
Alma looked down at her shirt and jeans, “Clothing.” Most people only owned about seven complete outfits. As clothing was all handmade it was very expensive. If you needed something special, for example you were traveling to somewhere that was very cold but you lived in a temperate climate, or you were pregnant, you would simply rent clothing. Alma, wearing her uniform most days, had even less clothing than most and most of it her mother had bought for her.
“Why didn’t you wear the beautiful yellow dress I bought for you last month? Tonight is a gorgeous spring evening, it would have been perfect.”
“I was coming from work, I just threw these in the bag this morning and I didn’t really check the weather,” Alma felt a bit annoyed that her mother couldn’t even appreciate that she was not wearing her uniform.
Her mother turned to Scott then, “You know, she does have nice clothing and you must encourage her to wear it.” Then turning to Harold, “I blame you Harold, you’re the same, just wearing jeans all the time.”
Harold put some vegetables into a boiling pot of water, picked up his glass of wine, took a sip and then gave Anna a kiss on her cheek, “Yes, just blame me for our daughter wearing sensible clothing.” Harold then winked at Alma. He had raised Alma by himself since she was three years old. Anna had left them at that time, moving back to Berlin to pursue her own acting career. She could have done that from Savannah as the commute was not so great, especially with the fast underground magnetic trains, and she would have definitely been granted daily permission to use them as she was a famous actress, a model citizen and young mother at the time. But Anna had said, ‘This part of motherhood just isn’t for me. I can’t have any more children and I can’t continue being a family like this.’ Harold had never questioned her leaving, as she still had played a part in Alma’s life. Anna had invited Alma to Berlin during her school holidays and once a year all three of them would get together for dinner, sometimes more. Harold had always been disappointed that he and Anna couldn’t make it work, but long ago, he had resigned himself to the fact that he couldn’t change who he was any more than Anna or Alma could change who they were. So Harold being who he was, just tried to accept everything as well as he could, taking each day as it came and working hard to be content with his life.
When the food was on the table and they had all told Harold how excellent the meal was, Anna asked Scott, “Have you and Alma thought about children?” When Alma choked on her wine, Anna defended herself, “What? I only see you a couple times a year lately and you flatly refuse to talk about this. So I thought I would ask Scott.”
Scott was surprised by Anna’s forward question, as it was a very personal decision people made together. Most people did not let others know, as you had to make a formal application to come off birth control and be given permission to have children. However, it was true that most couples started around their age, late twenties. “We haven’t discussed it,” Scott answered honestly. “But of course, I’d want children, it’s such a privilege.”
“Alma, see? You should begin making your application. You should do it when you’re young, then you have a better chance of being approved.”
“You don’t think they are going to approve me because I’m in the Military Guild and I work with technology, do you?”
“No, that’s not it. You know as well as I do that you never know who they are going to approve and who they aren’t. It’s better to know now, then to always plan on it and then be denied. Also,” she added after a moment’s hesitation, “I think it’s probably easier on the body the younger you are. You don’t want to lose your beautiful figure.”
Alma shook her head, “It doesn’t matter, I don’t see myself as a mother.”
Scott couldn’t believe Alma had just said that. It was true they had never talked about it, but he had assumed that she would want children as it was such a status symbol. The entire human population had been capped at 12 billion. To have government permission to have children you had to meet specific criteria; good health, good social standing in your community, and a defined career and life purpose. As such, each couple that was granted permission had the responsibility to have at least three if not more children.
Alma looked at Scott and saw his disappointment. She wanted to tell him she only said it to make her mother cross, but then he would just think she was childish. Her mother could really bring out the worst in her. The truth was Alma didn’t know if she wanted children or not, and now with her command she was going to have to really think about it. She’d known women, like the Admiral who had children, only missing weeks of work. It was possible to keep her position and be a mother, but she didn’t know if she even wanted to miss any weeks of work at all.
Harold knew he needed to say something or Anna and Alma would be at each other’s throats soon. There was no doubt that they were mother and daughter, but having chosen such different paths and methods to attack life, they both hated each other for it. “Alma, your mom is not wrong in bringing this up. You can’t deny that couples from the Military Guild are granted the privilege of children less often than other guilds. And,” he smiled at her, “Your SCs aren’t stellar either and I don’t see that changing. People are more forgiving of these things the younger you are.”
“They combine the ratings now,” Scott interjected. “And mine are more than satisfactory, so there won’t be a problem there.”
“Just because I don’t want to be a part of every neighborhood get together when I’m actually on the planet doesn’t make me a bad person,” Alma defended her low social community ratings.
“No, but you can’t deny your low SC is a direct result of you using technology to talk to people and that makes you less interested in real conversations with real people when the opportunities present themselves,” Anna said. “This is scientifically proven.”
“Am I not here now? Is this not a real conversation?” Alma knew this was the wrong way to defend herself because it was exactly the way people diagnosed with tech flu began to behave, but she knew this entire scenario was a self-fulfilling prophecy anyway. They accused her of having inauthentic relationships and conversations becau
se she used technology for her interactions when she was in the solar system and for work on Earth. They couldn’t understand that she just didn’t like parties and being social all the time. She felt she would have low SCs no matter what her career was, and that was another reason she thought she was more suited to being on a starship and away frequently from Earth. Elsewhere in the solar system, she was not expected to be so unconditionally social. However, for her parents and other people it was always the other way around, the chicken before the egg. She was this way because she used technology, not because she was born this way and then chose a life different from what the current accepted societal standards were.
“Of course, this is a real conversation. I’m sorry Alma, I know that’s not what any of us truly meant,” Harold apologized. He didn’t want to go here again. He wanted this to be a nice dinner. “And despite my reservations about your promotion. Don’t doubt it, I’m proud of you. We all are.”
Those were the words Alma wanted to hear but they were so hollow to her now. She looked into her father’s blue eyes and asked, “Why can’t you just say that from the beginning and then leave it then?”
“Because I don’t really understand all that you are doing and with the technology, well, you’re playing with fire. You know that. Everyone who cares about you worries.”
Anna added, “And if it ever becomes too much,” Alma interrupted her.
“I know, I know, I can always join the Berlin Choir Guild, you have a friend who knows someone.”
Anna frowned and shot back, “There may be a time when you have had enough playing galactic space vigilante in the solar system and want a real career with real people here on Earth. The only place that matters for humans is Earth. I know you like the courageous kind of fame you have with being a pilot, carrying a gun, using violence and all, but you are so much more talented as a singer.”
“You really do have an amazing voice,” Scott commented.
Alma gave him a quick look that said, who’s-side-are-you-on?, “I don’t want to waste my life singing songs someone else wrote.”
“Better to spend your life carrying out violent actions someone else tells you to do?” Harold couldn’t help but ask.
That comment hit Alma’s conscience hard because she couldn’t help but think about her orders to destroy the Dante and her crew, “I don’t think we will ever understand each other.”
“No, I don’t expect we will. We never have, but Alma, look at me,” her dad said, just as he did when she was a girl and they had a disagreement. “I’ll always love you. You’ll always be my daughter and I’ll always be proud of you, no matter what.”
“I’m not a child anymore and I don’t feel you are being very supportive. I’m the youngest peacetime captain in the history of the fleet and all you can talk about is how I might have tech flu or that I should reconsider and join the singing guild or have a child. I know, none of you want to hear this, but I’m proud to be in the military and I do know exactly what I’m doing.”
No one spoke for a long time after Alma’s strong statement.
Harold simply poured himself another large glass of wine. He loved and loathed their annual family dinners.
Chapter 4
May 3rd 2635, Titan Space Station, Saturn’s Largest Moon
It took the Indy a week to reach Titan Station on impulse engines. During that time Alma had taken to her command well, which had been easy, as there had been no incidents, so she didn’t congratulate herself too much. A monkey could have commanded the easy trek from Earth to Titan.
“Captain, Titan Station Control wants to know how long we’re staying,” Selma Kim, her communications officer announced across the bridge. She and Alma were the same age and had been classmates at the Fleet Academy. However, they had never been friends. Selma respected Alma, but was also frightened of her. Selma had witnessed Alma’s ruthlessness on more than one occasion and always felt Alma had a kind of genius that you never wanted to be too close to.
“Tell them just a few days,” Alma replied.
“Do you really think we’ll be able to find what we are looking for in only a few days?” Christopher asked. He knew Alma wanted to trade for some Trappist weaponry, as well as pursue any information about the Dante and Terra Nova.
“I don’t think we’re going to find exactly what we’re looking for here. I think we’ll find clues, and we’ll find the Dante elsewhere. It’d be too easy if they were here.”
“If we’re lucky, they may be here,” Christopher said quietly.
“Cleared for docking,” announced Selma.
“Eito, bring us in,” said Christopher to Eito Yasu, the Helmsman.
Titan, built in 2095, had been the first station built by humans on the other side of the solar system. As such, frequently people, especially pirates and aliens, referred to Titan Station as ‘The Gateway Out’ or ‘GO’ for short because it was the station that everyone stopped by either on their way in or out of the solar system. It was humanity’s most cosmopolitan station boasting a population of half a million inhabitants and some of those, even being off-worlders.
Alma and most of the crew was familiar with Titan Station. It was a fanfare of spacefaring people, traders and pirates. There was just as much legitimate trade as there was illegal trade going on, but most JC military looked the other way during these transactions as long as nothing was that outrageous or dangerous. As such, Titan was the place to go if you were looking for someone or you needed to buy something from outside the solar system. This was the last point of call for off-worlder trading. They preferred to come here rather than Earth because on Earth they would have to leave all of their technology and AI in orbit.
In addition to the off-worlders, most humans who felt they didn’t fit in on Earth or any of its more orderly colonies made a home for themselves on Titan. As this was the only place non-military humans interacted with AI, personal technology and off-worlders. However, as the rules were relaxed, this also meant that many people had children that were not specifically ordained by the JC and those children were referred to as people ‘outside the twelve,’ meaning outside the 12 billion sanctioned by the government. If you were outside the twelve you couldn’t expect any government support as you were seen as invisible by the JC.
Alma, Christopher and Eito confidently went out into Titan Station to seek some weapons. Eito was a former pirate himself, so he knew a lot of useful people here. He had turned to the JC when he was caught with a large shipment of Jukoio, a galactic recreational drug. At that time he was given the option by the former Captain of the Indy of spending a year in a MAC or joining the JC crew who had captured him. Eito was not a dumb man and as he said while putting on a JC uniform, ‘This isn’t too different to being a freelance pirate, except the clothing and the paperwork.’
Eito was now guiding them through the busy market place in the main hall of the station, as he knew a trader who usually carried Trappist weapons. Part of what made Titan such a good place for traders was that anyone could set up a stand there if there was a place open in the large main hall. Most people selling ship parts and other larger equipment kept all of that in their cargo bays so they tended to sit with each other on one end of the main hall talking and drinking tea, waiting for customers to trade. Universal credits, UC, were the main currency in the galaxy, however most JC citizens had very little UCs to buy anything worthwhile, so they relied heavily on bartering goods.
Alma had a large selection of spices from Earth, which were always a commodity in the galaxy and a painting from her father. Harold Johnson was a renowned artist and she hoped this would be enough to upgrade the Indy’s weaponry.
Eito led them to the end of the busy market hall. Alma tried to keep her hand from touching the top of her gun as she passed some of the more intimidating looking off-world traders staring at her as they passed. As humans were seen as ‘adorable’ throughout the galaxy for their various hair, skin and eye colors, it wasn’t uncommon that young huma
n women were trafficked as pets to different species across the galaxy. This had been going on for centuries and it was only in the last 500 years, when the JC joined the GU, that off-worlders were shamed for keeping humans as pets. Unfortunately, it still occasionally happened, so Alma was always wary of passing off-worlders who leered at her in a way she knew meant they were human pet dealers.
At the last stall, Eito greeted a good-looking man with messy dark hair and wrinkles on his face from laughing.
Johnathan stood and hugged Eito, “I heard you were in a MAC somewhere, Eito.”
“I was given this great opportunity to join the JC,” Eito joked.
“Your daughter must be happy though, to have you back among the twelve?” Eito had not always been a pirate, but when legitimate trading had become too difficult he had gone too far to the other side of the law, just as Johnathan had done.
Eito introduced Johnathan to Alma and Christopher. Johnathan ignored Christopher almost entirely and gave a short whistle looking a Alma, “I can’t believe I’m actually meeting the Little Lioness.” He held out his hand, “You almost spun me into oblivion last year, you probably don’t remember but I was on a small transporter and I was refusing to allow you to dock. So you knocked me hard, almost into Titan’s orbit.”
Alma extended her hand, “Oh, I remember. I just hope you’re not holding a grudge?”
“No, we’re all out here trying to make a living. Now,” he said, bypassing Christopher again and looking at Eito, “I don’t think you stopped by to say, ‘hi’ or reminisce?”
“I want some Trappist phasers,” Alma said directly. “I heard you might be the man to have them.”
“That’s a tall order. For the Indy or to trade to someone else?”
