The Twisted Vine

by Alyce Caswell

  ‘You want me to believe that Bagara will just…let them go?’ Minsra leaned forward, holding his gaze. ‘Would he do that, knowing they might worship in one of our temples instead?’

  ‘Yes. Because he knows your duty is to protect all mortal children of the Creator God. His people will be cared for.’ Kuja smiled grimly. ‘Of course, if they happen to pledge themselves to your god because of what you’ve done for them, then that’s a bonus.’

  ‘A bonus,’ Minsra echoed.

  ‘They don’t owe you anything.’

  Minsra dropped back into her chair, chortling. ‘They should at least make it worth our while.’

  ‘Are all Chippers this mercenary or is it just you?’

  ‘Look, Coo-coo, or whatever your name is — ’ Minsra pointed at her temple, where her skin was stretched over the chip that was the source of her energy-based abilities ‘ — the Creator God gives us these powers and we pay him back by serving him. It’s a transaction. That’s how it works. If the people here want us to save them, they’ll have to give us something in return.’

  Kuja raised his eyebrows. ‘So if they don’t have the coin-chips then their faith will do.’

  ‘We understand each other.’

  ‘Many of them still worship the Creator God,’ he pointed out.

  Minsra shook her head. ‘Not enough. We lost a whole pack of ’em six Old Earth weeks ago when that fancy statue belonging to the Bagara degenerates started going on about casualties.’

  ‘So.’ Kuja clenched his fists in his lap. ‘You will only relocate them if they’re all worshippers of the Creator God. How charitable of you.’

  Minsra said nothing.

  ‘Come outside and tell them this,’ Kuja said, standing.

  ‘Why?’ she asked, warily eyeing the door.

  Despite the anxiety rolling off her, Kuja could not bring himself to feel sorry for the major. ‘Well, if they hear it from me, they might not believe it. They might think I’m twisting your words. And I’d much rather you disappoint them in person.’

  ‘What if they decide to convert to save themselves?’ she demanded.

  Kuja spread his hands to better display his shrug. ‘Then they will be safe and that is all Bagara cares about.’

  Minsra’s mind was full of suspicion, but she still sent out the two agents under her command to announce that she had something to tell the Sarenites. When enough townspeople were gathered in front of the outpost, Major Minsra gave her speech, one full of jerky hand movements that often singled out the sky. She shot a triumphant grin at Kuja when she was done.

  Keeping his hands locked behind him, Kuja raised his voice above hers. ‘Bagara has spoken to me, the way he has spoken to many of you recently. He wants you to be safe and will not begrudge any of you for choosing to worship another god if it means ensuring your survival. He is sending a botanist here to work on the problem in the meantime.’

  Kuja felt a surge of anger emanate from the Sarenites moments before their muttering swelled into an uproar. Minsra took a large step back, towards the outpost, her eyes wide. One of the closest townspeople, a woman, pointed at the major. ‘You worship the Creator God, like me. Is this what he tells you to do to your fellow beings? I guess I wouldn’t know — I haven’t heard anything from him. But all my neighbours hear from Bagara and he never says anything like this!’

  Major Laura Minsra fled.

  Kuja watched her disappear into the outpost, then turned his eyes back to the crowd. ‘You may have just given away your only chance of being rescued.’

  ‘Pah,’ said the woman from before, shaking her head. ‘The Creator God isn’t the only god out there who can help us. Sounds like Bagara’s already trying to do something about this mess anyway. When does his botanist arrive?’

  ‘Three days,’ Kuja answered.

  ‘Then we’d better get things ready for them.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  A summons from Governor Bock Atsason could hardly be ignored, even if all Fei wanted to do was go back to her penthouse apartment and bury her head underneath a pillow. It had been a long day already. Clamping down on a yawn, Fei followed Caprice, Bock’s secretary, up to his office and tried to wait patiently in the antechamber. This worked for about a minute until an awful thought occurred to her, one that made her go rigid in her seat.

  ‘Caprice?’ she called, trying to to keep her voice even.

  The secretary looked up from the paperwork on her desk. ‘What.’

  ‘Is there a law against theft on this world?’

  ‘Of course there is,’ Caprice answered with a roll of her eyes. ‘But our Clan Leader is allowed to take something into his possession for a short time if it will assist in settling a dispute. As the governor is also the Clan Leader, he enjoys many benefits.’

  ‘Oh.’ Fei bit her lip. ‘Can Bock — the Clan Leader — use the things he’s taken?’

  ‘No. He can only hold them.’ Caprice glowered at Fei. ‘Any other pressing concerns I can help you with?’

  ‘Um, is there a bathroom nearby?’

  • • •

  Fei paced in front of the stalls, running a hand over her scalp and wincing when her fingers met resistance. She hadn’t attacked her hair with any chemicals in hours so it was starting to lose its sleekness. She cursed each and every strand for betraying her. There was no one else in the bathroom which was a relief, because she probably looked insane.

  ‘But we can’t use the machines,’ she said frantically when her feet once again took her to the end of room. ‘It’s illegal for Bock to do more than hold them. If we do use them, GLEA will say we’re criminals because we broke this planet’s laws and that would justify their blockade! Stark it, stark it. I should never have said anything to Ala. I’m starked. I’m so starked.’

  She smacked the tiles on the wall in front of her, wincing when the bony part of her palm caught the brunt of her frustration. Fei shook her hand out, muttering, ‘They trusted me. They put their faith in me. And I’ve messed things up so badly. I failed! I really starking failed!’

  You haven’t failed yet, her god said, his voice coming unbidden. He sounded exactly like Kuja now. She wasn’t sure if Bagara was doing that on purpose or because it was what she wanted to hear.

  ‘Maybe I shouldn’t tell Bock and Ala just so I can spare myself the looks they’ll give me!’ Fei cried.

  They will order you to use the machines sooner or later, Bagara pointed out. And in doing so, they will make GLEA appear to be the ones in the right. No mediaist would side with Yalsa 5 against the Agency then.

  Fei let the sigh bleed from her lips. ‘God, I miss Kuja. I need him. Not to speak for me or stand beside me — I’m doing okay with that stuff now — I just want to talk to him about this and…and…I guess there’s no point in asking you to bring him to me?’

  I think you’re afraid that one mistake means you have to stop trusting yourself, Kuja — Bagara — commented instead of answering her.

  ‘Doesn’t matter if you’re right. I can’t stop being afraid.’ Fei tugged at her unruly hair again but it refused to lie flat. Her shoulders sagged. ‘You should go. I’ll be fine. I have to be fine. A lot of people are counting on me.’

  She felt Bagara hesitate.

  ‘You can’t be there for everyone’s little problems, surely,’ she said.

  His familiar laugh filled her mind. I would like to. But then I wouldn’t have any time for you. Farewell, Fei.

  Then he was gone, his sudden absence like a cold patch in a lagoon that she had swum into without warning. Fei shivered. Once more she was alone, so hopelessly alone.

  With only herself to rely on.

  ‘Oh, I am starked,’ she moaned.

  • • •

  ‘…and this is fucking great news, because they’ve practically handed us the starking things so we can do our own terraforming,’ Bock went on, tossing his booted feet up onto his desk. The metal caps on his heels soundly thumped the wood.

  He had
been going on like this ever since she’d entered the room. Despite herself, Fei found her focus slipping and started thinking about TerraCorp and how she’d always done the bare minimum while working for them. Now Fei actually wanted to do things. She wanted to help Jalen became a great programmer, one to rival herself. She wanted to help Yalsa 5. And she wanted to terraform more worlds, because though TerraCorp hadn’t been great, she’d loved knowing her fingerprints were on the end product.

  But if she wanted to keep this job, then she’d better speak up. Bock was convinced he was going to make a lot of money out of the machines in his grasp.

  Fei cleared her throat.

  Bock didn’t seem to notice. Ala, however, did. She nodded at Fei. ‘Say what you need to.’

  ‘Governor,’ Fei began, swallowing when her mouth ran dry. ‘I have to say something, please, if that’s alright. Yes. Yes, it definitely has to be said.’

  Bock stopped mid-word, his hands thrown up in front of him. He guided them back down to the arms of his chair. ‘Go on then. I don’t have all night.’

  ‘We can’t use the machines,’ Fei rushed out. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t think this through. While, um, we can physically hold onto them, we can’t use them.’

  ‘Why the stark not?’ Bock demanded.

  Fei flinched, unable to continue at first. But then she saw the frown descend on Ala’s face. The thought of yet again watching the other woman intercede on her behalf made Fei’s stomach churn. So she stepped forward half a pace. ‘Because it’s not legal on this planet. Since you’re the Clan Leader, you can seize something that doesn’t belong to you, but you can’t use it. Which means we can’t use the machines. No one would bat an eye if GLEA punished you or the city for the theft. That’d be them enforcing the law, just like they always do.’

  Bock stroked his chin. ‘Aw, shit. Can we change the law?’

  ‘No!’ Ala snapped. ‘There’s a reason we have peace and prosperity in this city, you douchenozzle. The gangs would stop respectin’ the laws if they saw the governor changing them whenever it suited him.’ Ala leaned back against the edge of Bock’s desk, arms crossed. ‘Any chance the mediaists could find a way to make us look innocent even if we did use the machines?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Fei answered. ‘They have to report the facts. And the fact is it’s illegal for us to use the machines — they belong to TerraCorp.’

  Bock’s eyes hardened. ‘So what’s the point in payin’ you if you can’t do anything for me?’

  ‘Bock, that’s enough,’ Ala barked.

  Fei tore a vicious chunk out of the inside of her cheek. Coppery blood flooded her mouth. She couldn’t stand there in silence and let someone walk all over her. Not anymore.

  ‘Because,’ she said, her voice rising, ‘I am doing stuff. I saved your life when I hacked those machines, Governor. I stopped them, not you. And I might’ve even got some of the galaxy on our side when I sent a message to Ton Tinel, one of the mediaists in orbit. It won’t hurt to have people sympathising with us.’

  ‘Now hang on, you shouldn’t be talkin’ to people outside — ’ Bock began.

  ‘Bock, I told you about this,’ Ala interrupted, her tone severe. ‘You gotta listen to the people who know more than you do. And you really need to shut the fuck up sometimes.’

  Bock reached across the desk, his hand seeking his wife’s — and finding it, when Ala allowed him to. ‘You could phrase it a little more nicely, my dear, my sweet, my love.’ Ala’s lips twitched. Bock smirked back at her. ‘You got me that voice coach, didn’t you? I have to sound good for the rich folk or they’ll start thinking I’m some sort of low life and not vote me in as their governor next time.’

  Ala raked her eyes over her husband. ‘Hey now, I like the low life.’

  Fei studied her feet intently. There was something very intimate passing between Ala and Bock just then and it wasn’t that it embarrassed Fei — no, it filled with her a very painful longing.

  ‘Keep workin’ on your simulation program, Fei,’ Ala ordered. ‘No matter what machines we use, TerraCorp’s or somethin’ else we buy, we’ll still need to run the starking things.’

  Fei nodded and headed for the door, but stopped when she heard Bock clear his throat. She turned back around, startled to see the governor giving her a sheepish smile. It was a strange look on him and wiped years off his face, making him actually look his age. ‘Fei, I’m not any good at being nice. I’m best at barking orders and makin’ sure they get done. So I guess I’m saying I’m sorry if I come off a bit gruff.’

  ‘You’re under stress, like we all are,’ Fei said.

  Bock shook his head. ‘Nah, not a good enough excuse. So take this apology because I won’t remember to give it again. And don’t let people being shitty to you become normal. You’re worth more than that.’

  ‘You don’t need to tell me,’ Fei said, slowly smiling. ‘I know that now. And I won’t let you — or anyone else — forget it.’

  Bock laughed. ‘Look at you. Just look at you.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  When Kuja entered the steel-walled warehouse that doubled as Gerns’ sleeping quarters and laboratory, he almost didn’t recognise the botanist. Her skin was midnight black and her beady eyes had ballooned to four times their usual size. Kuja couldn’t imagine it was a good thing for a Jezlo to look like this.

  ‘Have you slept at all in the past week?’ Kuja asked her.

  Gerns set down the test tube she’d been peering into and looped her tentacles around herself in a full-bodied hug. ‘Now me, if I was sensible, I might have done that. But I’m not. And this virus isn’t going to stop on its own. I’ve been seeing how it responds to some of the local plants and bacteria, thought maybe one of them could fight it, but the starking thing kills them dead in no time. Guess the only good news is that I now have data on a whole bunch of plants I can send to Fei. She’ll need that stuff if Governor Bock Atsason ever gets himself some terraforming machines.’

  Kuja buried his hands inside his pockets so hard and deep he actually felt the lining tear. ‘You’ve been in contact with Fei?’

  ‘You haven’t?’ Gerns returned, unwinding her tentacles so that she could brandish their poisonous suction cups at him. ‘Now me, I said to myself, I said “Gerns, this Kuja’s a nice man, he must have a good reason to treat Fei the way he is and he must be stewing on it if you can distract him from your failure just by mentioning her”.’

  ‘Gerns, I can’t…’ Kuja forcibly stilled his fingers when they caused another audible rip. ‘I can’t explain. I wish it was simple. I wish I could be with her. But I can’t.’

  Gerns’ tentacles drooped. ‘Huh. Sounds like we both need a drink. Go get me something strong from that dive they call a bar, but make sure you get yourself something first.’

  Kuja made a point of letting his eyes wander over the multiple tables inside the warehouse, all of them cluttered with plant material, techpads and soil-stained shovels. ‘You’re going to…drink and work at the same time?’

  ‘Don’t be giving me one of them looks,’ Gerns said, aiming the tip of one tentacle at him like an accusing finger. ‘How do you know that alcohol doesn’t work like coffein to my species?’

  ‘Gerns, I’m sorry, I didn’t — ’

  Gerns’ large body shook as she released a string of amused clucks. ‘Just messing with you, Kuja. Now get me that drink.’

  • • •

  The man dropped his metal cup onto the counter and it bounced, splattering the aluminium surface with what few droplets remained inside the vessel. He muttered a quick apology which apparently mollified the bartender enough to drop a hose into the cup to refill it. The man drank lengthily, blood-red liquid sliding over his chin, then banged the cup back down.

  Having watched the man from the door for a full minute, Kuja sidled into the chair beside him. He didn’t know this dark-skinned man but Kuja could feel his need for companionship. It made him think of Fei. Kuja prepared to be sy
mpathetic.

  And then he saw the purple jumpsuit underneath the leather jacket.

  The Chipper glanced down at his uniform and rolled his eyes. ‘Yeah, I’m with GLEA. Gonna judge me for my job or give me a chance?’

  Despite his confrontational attitude, there was a sadness lining the man’s deep brown eyes, though nowhere near as potent as what he was feeling. Kuja decided he would blame this for his decision to stay. ‘Alright. You get a chance, because I want to know why you’re drowning your sorrows in here. Your companions are not bothered by the problems facing this town. Does this mean you are?’

  The bartender dropped a drink in front of Kuja. He tried to say he didn’t order it, but the woman jerked her head at the GLEA agent. ‘He’s buying. For everyone. He agreed to these terms otherwise I wouldn’t have let him in here.’

  ‘You might as well enjoy that since I’m the one paying for it,’ the man told Kuja. He flicked an impatient look at the bartender who, clearly hoping to eavesdrop, suddenly had something else to do in a back room. Once she was gone, the man sighed and pushed himself away from the counter. ‘Okay. First of all, I’ve got my orders. I can’t exactly go against them.’

  ‘You can,’ Kuja countered. ‘There would be consequences, but you are physically capable.’

  ‘I don’t want to get kicked out, okay. I like being part of GLEA. I like what we do for the galaxy.’ The man lifted his chin. ‘We serve the Creator God. There is no higher calling.’

  ‘And how does running a terraforming company count as serving him?’ Kuja asked, crossing his arms.

  ‘I don’t know that we do run the company — I hope not,’ the man with a grimace. ‘I know what Ton Tinel’s been saying. But even if we are using TerraCorp…it’s for the greater good. It has to be.’

  Kuja pinned the man with his sternest, most godly gaze. ‘Bagara has no such ties. His motives are not tainted by coin-chips or a desire for expansion.’

  The man snorted and reached for his drink. ‘Okay. No desire for expansion. Whatever you say. So what do you call that viral campaign of his? I won’t argue that Bagara probably has little use for coin-chips, but he doesn’t have the operational costs that we do. Look, GLEA was founded eight centuries ago and has a proven track record of looking after the galaxy. And yet everyone’s being encouraged to call out to this god who’s virtually untested, who doesn’t give his people any powers so they have to rely on his interference — and he’s probably still adjusting to godhood because he’s only, what, five decades old?’