Planet of Pain

by B. A. Bradbury

  ‘She does, sir,’ the major said. ‘I assume you’re serious about all this? Ten hours?’

  ‘Relax, Reyes; it doesn’t mean they’ll ride you for ten hours straight. Unlike you they’ll be off-duty. They’ve still got to eat and sleep and take a crap and whatever, right?’

  Jo glanced at Bel, who looked thoughtful but not overly concerned. Most of the others were looking pretty apprehensive. Jo wasn’t feeling too happy herself, but she tried not to let it show. As they’d drummed into her at the Academy, officers were supposed to set a good example.

  ‘Okay,’ Vaughan said, ‘this next item is important, so pay attention. There’s a copy of the rules posted in the dayroom – which is where we’re headed right after this briefing – and I strongly suggest you study it if you plan on keeping skin on your backsides. Break the rules and I’ll have you flogged. Floggings take place in public, and I absolutely guarantee you will not enjoy it one little bit.’

  He paused long enough to stare at each of them in turn, as though to reinforce the message.

  ‘Ways you can screw up are as follows,’ he went on. ‘One: refuse to obey an order. Two: tamper with ship’s equipment. Three: strike any man onboard. Four: bite when you should be sucking. Do any of these things and I’ll have you flogged. These are just examples in no particular order; there are twenty-three altogether. The worst offence of all is trying to escape. For that you’ll be flogged first then shipped off to Paradise.’

  Jo gave an involuntary shudder. Horror stories about the League prison planet had circulated for years.

  ‘Right,’ Vaughan said, ‘most of you are looking less than thrilled, but this doesn’t have to be a balls-up. If you obey the rules and do what you’re told – no arguments, no hesitation – we’ll all get along just fine. Any questions? Yes, Vesely?’

  ‘When can we see the male prisoners, sir?’ she asked. ‘My husband, Benedikt—’

  ‘Like I told you before,’ Vaughan said impatiently, ‘you can’t. The men have already been shipped out. Anyone else have a question?’

  ‘But I have to—’

  ‘Shut up, Vesely!’ he snapped. ‘Anyone else? No? Okay, let’s go take a look at your quarters.’

  Their new accommodation was basic but functional. The dayroom had chairs and couches enough for all of them, a couple of small, low tables and one long one, and a locker with chess and checkers sets. There was a big screen on one wall; right next to the notice board with the rules Vaughan had spoken of. At the back of the room doors led off to the dormitory, the mess, and the toilet/shower area.

  ‘Any questions about any of this?’ the sergeant asked after they’d completed the tour.

  ‘A request, sir,’ Nina Reyes said. ‘Two changes of clothes for every woman; hygiene products; food and drinks dispensers; exercise facilities; readers—’

  ‘Write it down,’ he said. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

  ‘I haven’t finished, sir.’

  ‘Write it all down. I’m not making any promises.’

  ‘If we don’t get the clothing and the hygiene products, sir, I doubt your men will want to fuck us.’

  ‘Don’t bet on it,’ he said. ‘After seven months, if it’s female and breathing these guys will hump it.’

  He left then, taking Sergeant Quinn with him, and the door slid across behind them. Nina Reyes waved her hand in front of the sensor, but the door stayed shut.

  ‘Figures,’ she said. ‘How many officers do we have here?’ Bel, Jo and Linda Kepler all raised their hands. ‘Any of you outrank a major? No? Okay, follow me. The rest of you make yourselves comfortable.’

  ‘Not all of us are military,’ one woman said. ‘We don’t have to take orders from you.’

  ‘You’d better,’ Reyes said, ‘if you want to survive this.’

  She led the three of them into the shower block, turned on all the showers, which were communal rather than separate cubicles, and beckoned them in close.

  ‘I’m assuming this whole area is bugged,’ she said quietly. ‘If this water gimmick doesn’t fool the pickups, we’re screwed. And since we’re screwed anyway it’s a risk we’ll just have to take. Okay, introductions. I’m Major Nina Reyes, but you know that already. Weapons fire control is my field.’

  Each of the others said who they were and what they did.

  ‘All three of you are pilots?’ Reyes said. ‘Jeez! And here was me worrying I might not have one. All we need now is a ship and we’re home free, right?’

  ‘We looking to escape, major?’ Linda asked.

  ‘Hell, yes. I don’t know about you but I signed up to kill Leaguers, not fuck them.’

  ‘But…’ Jo stammered, ‘the sergeant said… anyone caught trying to escape would be sent to Paradise.’

  ‘True,’ Major Reyes said solemnly. ‘So we’ll have to make damn sure we’re not caught, won’t we?’

  Chapter 6

  ‘We’ve just had word from Eridani’s, admiral,’ Sam said. ‘The refuelling is complete and they’re ready to depart on your command.’

  ‘They have the female prisoners onboard?’

  ‘Yes, sir: sixteen, including the scout ship crews. I’m sure our men are most appreciative.’

  ‘And so they damn well should be.’

  Talmann had changed his orders regarding the disposition of the Alliance females, giving them over to his troops as a morale booster rather than keeping them for his own amusement. It was an act of unprecedented generosity on the admiral’s part, and not even Sam understood just how great a sacrifice he had made.

  Nielsen’s capture had changed everything, however. A major Alliance strike was imminent; they knew that from data found on the general. There would be precious little time for personal indulgences in the weeks and months ahead.

  ‘Will you be inspecting the prisoners before they leave, admiral?’

  ‘Probably not,’ Talmann said. ‘I doubt there’ll be time. I want to review the data before we continue Nielsen’s interrogation.’

  ‘I think you might want to make time, sir. The computer just turned up this.’

  He handed Talmann a panel, which showed an extract from an Alliance personnel record. A single entry leapt out at him, and he became very still.

  ‘You’ve verified this?’ he asked, his voice unnaturally quiet.

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Talmann handed the panel back. His magnanimous gesture was already paying dividends, clearly: the gods were showering blessings on him. ‘Have my launch readied immediately,’ he said.

  ‘It’s at the port now, sir, fired up and waiting.’

  Physical contact between the two men was rare, and displays of affection on the admiral’s part even rarer, but Talmann beamed as he patted his young aide’s shoulder. ‘Sam, my boy,’ he said, ‘what would I do without you?’

  Jo and Bel were playing chess when Vaughan came into the dayroom and told them all to line up for an important announcement. ‘We will shortly receive a visit from Admiral Talmann,’ he said, ‘commander-in-chief of the Solar League fleet. This is a great honour, and I expect you to behave impeccably. Stand to attention when he comes in. If he asks you a question answer promptly, respectfully, and truthfully. Do not lie to the admiral. Ignoring this advice might well prove fatal.’

  Jo had heard of Talmann, who was said to be brilliant, ruthless, and an iron disciplinarian. The word from captured League personnel was that his own people were more afraid of him than they were of the enemy, so what Jo couldn’t understand was why such a man would wish to inspect a bunch of prisoners.

  The admiral’s party arrived, and in addition to the great man himself there was a colonel, two captains, a lieutenant who looked barely old enough to be in uniform, and no less than six armed troopers.

  ‘Atten–shun!’ Sergeant Vaughan snapped, standing behind the line of women, and Jo instin
ctively straightened her shoulders along with the rest.

  Admiral Talmann was tall and astonishingly thin; not at all what she had expected, in fact. He didn’t look particularly intimidating – until you saw his eyes, that is. They were pale blue and cold as space, with about as much compassion and humanity as a dust mote floating in the void. Those same eyes looked every woman in the face as he walked slowly down the line – and every woman in turn dropped her gaze under that glacial assault. When he reached Bel he stopped.

  ‘What in God’s name are you wearing, Franklin?’ he asked.

  ‘Hospital gown, sir,’ Bel said, clearly taken aback that he knew her name.

  ‘This is ridiculous. Colonel Ferris, I trust you are making arrangements for these prisoners to be suitably attired? You know my views on tidiness. They look like a gang of ragamuffins at present.’

  ‘I’m sure we have the matter well in hand, admiral,’ the colonel said. ‘Isn’t that so, sergeant?’

  ‘That’s correct, sir,’ Vaughan said. ‘They’ll have new outfits within the hour.’

  The admiral switched his attention back to Bel and her makeshift clothing. ‘Take it off.’

  ‘Sir?’ she said, bemused.

  ‘You heard the admiral!’ Sergeant Vaughan barked. ‘Strip off!’ Bel’s hands flew to the ties on her gown and in no time she was naked. Talmann’s eyes tracked over her body, and colour rose to Bel’s cheeks. For once her customary aplomb seemed to have deserted her.

  ‘Remarkable figure, gentlemen, don’t you agree?’ Talmann mused, and there were nods and murmurs of approval from the attendant officers. Their eyes were mostly on the admiral, however, not Bel, and Jo guessed that the rumours were true: his subordinates really were terrified of him.

  ‘Sam,’ he said, ‘remind me never to promote Major Tucker. The judgement of a man who considers breasts like these “gross” isn’t to be trusted, clearly.’

  He gave a wintry smile, and Jo realised it was an attempt at humour. She realised too that he must have seen a tape of their interrogation, which seemed so unlikely as to be ludicrous. Why would an admiral be interested in two junior Alliance officers?

  ‘I’m of the opinion, gentlemen,’ he said, turning to his entourage, ‘that one should never hesitate to indulge oneself. Generosity and sacrifice are all well and good, but when the virtuous feelings have evaporated one is left with nothing but regret over an opportunity lost.’

  He cast one last rueful glance at Bel, then moved on. But he didn’t get far, for Jo was next in line. Those terrible eyes locked on hers, drilling through to her brain like twin lasers.

  ‘O’Donnell,’ he said quietly, ‘I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Just who is Miss Mickleberry?’

  Haltingly, her voice wavering, she told him.

  ‘And are you?’ he asked. ‘Afraid of anything and everything?’

  ‘I… I suppose I am, sir.’

  He nodded slowly. ‘Fear is good, lieutenant. Fear is an honest emotion and you should listen when it speaks to you. Sometimes – just sometimes, mind – it can keep you alive.’

  His hands rose to her neck and he began to unfasten the ties on her gown. She was shaking with fear, positive she was about to faint again and almost welcoming the prospect. She thought he would take the gown off, but he unfastened it only as far as her waist. He slipped his hands inside and took hold of her nipples, pinching them between thumb and forefinger. He squeezed hard, watching her face, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Long seconds passed, and finally he released her.

  ‘No more sensitive than any other woman’s,’ he said, sounding disappointed. ‘I did wonder.’ He stared at her a few moments longer, and then moved on. Linda was standing next to Jo, and he stopped in front of her, too.

  ‘Generosity and sacrifice do have their limits, however,’ he muttered. ‘Linda Kepler; captain; NWA-722-JA-1127. Current posting First Reconnaissance Group, Dragonfly squadron. Previous posting Second Attack Group, Panther squadron. Do I have the details correct?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Linda said anxiously.

  ‘Second Attack Group provided fighter cover during the raid on the League base at Zeta, of course; that is common knowledge. I assume you took part in that operation?’

  There was no trace of humour now, only a terrible stillness and a dreadful sense of malice. Linda hesitated before answering, and Jo remembered Sergeant Vaughan’s warning about never lying to this man. Perhaps Linda remembered it too, for she nodded jerkily.

  ‘I… yes, sir.’

  As soon as the words were spoken the admiral seemed to lose interest in her, and indeed the others in the line.

  ‘Colonel Ferris,’ he said briskly, ‘I’d like a word with you about your proposed route. Walk me to my launch and we’ll discuss it along the way.’

  He headed for the door with the other officers in tow – and the expression on Linda’s face was one of immense relief. It was premature, however; the young lieutenant said something to the guards and two of them took hold of Linda’s arms and led her out. She cast a final desperate look at her squad mates, and then she was gone.

  The departure of Talmann’s party left a stunned silence in their wake. Bel picked her gown up off the floor and put it on, her demeanour troubled. Jo instinctively felt the two of them had been given a huge reprieve, though she didn’t understand how or why.

  Sergeant Vaughan dismissed them, and in ones and twos the women began to disperse. Bel and Jo went back to their game of chess, but neither seemed able to concentrate.

  ‘He knew all about us, didn’t he?’ Jo said. ‘The admiral, he knew about the interrogation and everything.’

  ‘It seems so,’ Bel said quietly.

  ‘But why?’ Jo said. ‘Why would an admiral be interested in a pair of nobodies like us? It doesn’t make any sense, does it; unless he thought we really did know something important.’

  Bel started to speak, then changed her mind, and something about her demeanour started warning bells ringing in Jo’s head.

  ‘We don’t know anything, do we?’ she asked.

  ‘All I know,’ Bel said quietly, ‘is that I’m glad we’re aboard this ship and not his. I just hope to God Linda’s all right.’

  So did Jo, but she feared the worst. She could think of a number of reasons why Talmann might take her away, and none of them were good.

  Chapter 7

  Soon after the ship started a slow burn. Simgrav compensated for it, and the only thing they felt was a slight shifting of the deck beneath their feet as the field adjusted. The sensation lasted for a second or two only, but there wasn’t a woman present who failed to understand the significance. The ship was separating from the fleet, working up speed for a jump, destination unknown.

  Despite the uncertainty Jo managed to catch a few hours’ sleep. She slept right through the jump, in fact, being woken by Sergeant Vaughan with yet another announcement. It was shift change, he said, and he was now duty sergeant. He read out a list of names that included Bel and Jo, but not Nina.

  ‘You eight are A-shift,’ he said. ‘You report to me. The rest of you are B-shift, reporting to Sergeant Quinn. A meal will shortly be served which A-shift should think of as breakfast, since their working day is just starting, and B-shift as supper, since theirs is just ending. Twelve hours from now the whole thing swaps round. Is everyone clear on the timetable?’

  ‘Are you saying we only get two meals a day, sir?’ Nina asked.

  ‘That’s all you can count on, certainly. Meals are served four times a day for the men, at shift changeover and mid-shift, but whether or not your clients decide to feed you mid-shift is entirely up to them. Meals will only be served in the mess here twice a day, at shift changeover, understood?’

  There were nods all round, albeit unhappy ones. Two meals a day sounded pretty dire.

  ‘Okay; A-shift, listen up,�
�� Vaughan went on. ‘As I’ve just explained your day starts now. In one hour’s time I’ll deliver you to your clients, and ten hours after that I’ll collect you. You have precisely sixty minutes, therefore, in which to eat breakfast, take a shower, do whatever else you need to do, and assemble here ready to go. Make sure you are punctual. If anyone is late we’ll be having our first public flogging.’

  On that note of warning he dismissed them, and they all went through into the mess. Though the food wasn’t bad Jo found she had little appetite, but she made herself eat, knowing it could be her last for twelve hours. The meal was a subdued affair, particularly for the women on A-shift. Their first assignment was approaching and no one seemed interested in chit-chat. Afterwards they headed for the showers.

  ‘You okay with what happens next?’ Bel asked as they were rinsing off.

  ‘Sure,’ Jo said, forcing a smile. ‘You?’

  Bel just shrugged. Her face showed nothing, but Jo was used to that. They dried themselves under the blowers and dressed once more in their hospital gowns and slippers, then went into the dayroom to wait out the remaining time. A couple of the others played checkers – or pretended to – but most just sat staring at the floor. One of the younger women looked close to tears, and Nina sat with her, talking quietly. After a while the young woman smiled and nodded, and wiped her eyes.

  ‘You’ll be fine, Cassie,’ Nina said, patting her arm. ‘Just fine.’

  Vaughan appeared, looking serious. He called out their names, and one by one they stood up. The eight women followed him out and he delivered them in turn to their designated locations. The first drops were all enlisted men’s cabins, and at each one Vaughan had a few words with the occupants before moving on. Bel was the fifth to be delivered, and a whoop went up from the men as she went in. With just three remaining, Vaughan led them up a stairway to another corridor. A tough-looking young woman was next to be handed over, and when Vaughan knocked it was an officer who answered the door.