by Alma Nilsson
Jane was surprised that Ota wanted to know about her. He seemed way too snobby to want a chef. Someone who was actively trying to be in the middling class, which the Empire had severe reservations about. Jane had already had to fill out documents and send messages regarding her plans. Apparently, the ambassadors on Earth had agreed to her restaurant, but the High Council had not. “Ota, I don’t think she would want me to say anything.”
“Twenty UCs,” said Rea just to make things interesting. He didn’t want to know anything about the human women. He just wanted to see how far Ota would go to find out about this Jade, who wanted to open a restaurant. And he was surprised as he thought Ota would rather die than take a human wife, or so he had said last year.
When it got up to 50 UCs, and Jane saw the credits go into her account, she said, “Jade is a lovely young woman who is actually a niece or great-niece to Frank who owns the Earth Store on the Alliance Capital Planet. She is hoping to open a restaurant in the Capital City, where she will serve Earth food. She is currently not courting anyone and does not want to until her restaurant is up and running, or that is what she has told me anyway.”
“She cooks, like a slave?” Ota asked rhetorically. “She’s not allowed to cook,” Ota replied to himself, astonished. “She is of maximum class.”
Jane shrugged her shoulders, “You wanted to know about her, and now I’ve told you.”
“Tell me, what kind of jewelry does she like?”
Jane laughed, Why are Alliance women obsessed with jewelry so much so that that is all Alliance men think about when wooing a woman? “I’m going to give you a small piece of advice, as she is a chef, I would give her something food-related. I think she would appreciate that more.”
Ota looked at Jane in disbelief, “No, jewelry. Women always want jewelry, and then I will know how she feels about me, whether she wants to get to know me better or not at all. What could she do with a dish or cutlery? She cannot show that off to her friends? She cannot show me whether or not she appreciates my attention or not with those things.”
Jane shook her head, “Human women are different. I think you should buy her some nice Alliance dishes or something along those lines.”
“But how would I know she liked them or me? Like I said, she can’t wear them,” Ota wasn’t a stupid man, but he was one that followed the rules. And he liked the rules of courting, it was all obvious. “How do human men court women if every woman is different in what she wants?”
Jane smiled, “You forget we are equal, and we don’t really court each other, we are much more informal, and things just happen naturally.”
“What gifts did your husband give you?” Ota asked not fully understanding what Jane was trying to tell him about gift-giving among humans.
Jane paused. It was such a simple question, but she couldn’t remember. She knew that she knew, but she couldn’t access the memories. Then Rea put a hand on her arm, and she could feel herself relax. He was using his telepathic influence to calm her anxiety about not being able to remember the memories.
“Jane, it’s the forget-me-not, that is why you can’t remember right now. Don’t worry, you still have all of those memories, they are just stored away right now. Maybe it’s best to call it a night.”
Jane nodded, “Thank you very much for a wonderful evening, and now I’m going to sleep.” On her walk back to her quarters, unfortunately she ran into Lieutenant Nun in the empty corridor. They were all alone, and he turned around after they passed and began to follow her. He didn’t speak to her though, and she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and just assumed he forgot something. Rape was a capital offense in the Alliance.
When Jane reached her quarters and the door unlocked, she went in quickly, and regrettably, he followed. Before she could scream, his strong hand was covering her mouth. She kicked him hard, and she didn’t stop kicking him even though it didn’t seem to be doing any good. He was a great deal taller and much stronger than she was. Jane knew she couldn’t give up. He was a sick man as there was no reason to rape on a ship carrying slave artists unless there was something psychologically wrong with you. She assumed he was after sex because if he had wanted to kill her, he could have easily made something up and challenged her to a duel and have done it legally as she was terrible with a sword. And even though it was illegal on any of the Alliance planets to challenge a woman to a duel or for a woman to challenge a man, as she was an officer onboard a warship, she was fair game as this was a grey area and not one she thought any man, not even Admiral Tir or Admiral Jei would protect her from.
“Humans aren’t equal to us, you are lower than slaves, and you should be used as such,” he spat in her ear. “We should be keeping you all like the animals you are and just use your for medical experiments. You shouldn’t be here among us. You’re filth.”
Jane didn’t stop struggling. She was reaching for her sword, but he obviously knew that and got it away before she could grab it. Then he grabbed his own sword and put it to her throat, and she stopped moving. She was dead still. Waiting. The punishment for rape was death. Jane assumed that if he raped her, he would kill her, so there would be no witness to it. It would be such a hypocritical Alliance thing to do, she thought, But there was no doubt that dead women, can’t say for certain if it was a rape.
When Nun didn’t speak, Jane thought about calling security over the internal communications but then thought, No, he would definitely kill me then as the chance a security guard is right outside my door at this exact moment is nil.
Finally, Nun ordered, “Take off your clothes and stand over there,” he motioned to a couple steps away next to an empty wall. He pushed her roughly when she didn’t move. She used that opportunity to pick up her sword, and again he quickly took it from her and threw it behind him. “Don’t do that again you stupid little animal. You can’t use such a sophisticated weapon, you’re nothing. You’re not the Lost People. You’re a manipulative group of barbarians trying to infiltrate all that we have accomplished. Humans probably started this demographics problem, to begin with. You all deserve to be punished and kept in cages.”
Jane couldn’t help it, she had to say, “I’m so glad that someone sees reason, and realizes that we aren’t the Lost People. It’s just too bad you are a raging lunatic.” He seemed surprised by her comment, and she didn’t waste the opportunity, Jane charged him violently with her whole body and at the same time, yelled, “Computer, call security!”
Nun grabbed the back of her hair and was about to kill her with his sword when a security guard burst in and easily tackled him before he could cut her throat. She escaped with just a small nick on her neck and probably some bruises.
More security guards followed and looked at Jane as she just stood there shaken. “He followed me into my quarters and was trying to rape me,” she explained.
“Liar,” Nun countered. “She invited me in and then called you. She is purposely trying to get me in trouble. We all know that humans are the most notorious liars in the galaxy.”
One guard said, “Lieutenant Commander Jane, you stay here. We will notify you of what will happen from here.”
The other guards just nodded and left with Nun between them.
Jane reckoned that the guards believed her over him. Not only was she of a higher rank, but she was a woman, and a woman’s word was worth twice as much a man’s in the Empire.
Jane went into her bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face and said out loud, “I can’t believe that just happened.”
Then her mirror lit up and said, “Jane, are you okay? Your heartbeat is over 100 beats per minute. Should I alert the doctor on duty?”
“No, I just had a scare.”
“Would you like some medication to calm you?”
“What do you have?”
“Valium,” the mirror replied.
“Mirror, you have been holding out on me. Why didn’t you ever tell me before?”
“Your heart rate has neve
r been so high.”
“Give me the valium,” Jane said, and the mirror dispensed the medication. She put on her pajamas, made sure her door was secure, and tried to sleep. But it was difficult. She kept waking up to nightmares of Nun’s face pressed against hers, saying terrible things about humanity. The worst part about it was, what he said played on her deepest fears about the Empire. Fears that she tried not to think about. But she had to admit, she and many of the others dreaded the day that human women would be infected with the same issue that is affecting the Alliance women’s fertility and then what would become of them? Would they be all sent to a special place to live out their days? Stripped of their jobs and titles? Alone in the galaxy as the human government had made it clear that any woman who volunteered would not be allowed back to Earth as a citizen. And Jane, as the rest of the women from the Dakota were deemed traitors anyway, so she could not return either. These were all frightening scenarios that she couldn’t shake easily even with the medication.
The first thing the next morning Jane was called into a meeting with Admiral Jei, Captain Ota, Doctor Rea, two of the security guards from last night, and Lieutenant Nun. She had not had a chance to see the doctor, and she had bruises all over her arms and a cut on her neck from Nun, so Jane was looking forward to hearing him trying to convince everyone else that she invited him into her room.
Captain Ota spoke first, “Lieutenant Commander Jane, last night you and Lieutenant Nun were involved in an altercation. As this happened in your quarters, we would like to hear your version of the event first.”
Jane stood up, “I was walking back to my quarters after playing cards at Doctor Rea’s quarters and I passed Lieutenant Nun in the corridor. He was going the opposite direction as I was, but when he passed me, he turned and followed me. I didn’t say anything to him, giving him the benefit of the doubt. However, when I entered my room, he aggressively pushed in behind me. Then he put his sword to my throat and told me to take off my clothes. I took my chances and called for security, and that is when they came in and saw him ready to kill me.”
Captain Ota then looked at Lieutenant Nun, “Now you tell us how you think this happened.”
“I was walking back to my quarters late last night when I passed Lieutenant Commander Jane. It was obvious she had been drinking a lot, and as she has had no lover onboard, she begged me to go back to her quarters with her for sex. I didn’t want to, but when I resisted, she got out her sword and began hitting me.” He showed everyone scratch marks she had left on various parts of his arms, face, and neck. “I was only trying to get some control when security came in. You know how I feel about these humans. I would never want to touch one let alone rape one. I was trying to disengage myself from this animal human when security came in. I didn’t call security myself because I thought I could deal with a human woman and didn’t want to get Lieutenant Commander Jane in trouble. She can’t help that she has no control over her primal instincts, humans are just less evolved, and she was drunk.”
Ota nodded at the security officers, and the larger one spoke, “When we came in Lieutenant Nun had Lieutenant Commander Jane in such a position, he could have killed her in seconds. I didn’t have the impression that he was trying to calm the situation. And when we led him to the brig to cool off, he told us a different story than what he has said here.”
“I was drinking,” Nun tried to defend himself. “I was upset that I was taken to the brig and not that animal. She was the one who started this, begging me to have sex with her. It was disgusting.”
“Thankfully, we also have the camera from the corridor to back up or discredit both of your stories,” Ota motioned to a 3D screen that appeared between them all, and they all watched the 30 seconds when Nun passed Jane in the corridor and then proceeded to follow her and quickly push into her room behind her. There was no evidence that she even spoke to him. When the clip finished, Ota said, “Now, let the gods decide, and let the sentence be passed,” and looked directly at Jane.
Jane didn’t know what she was supposed to do or say. After a full minute of silence, she asked, “Am I supposed to name the punishment, and if so, what is the punishment for attempted rape?” She knew that most personal disputes were handled by individuals, but she had never considered that she would have to decide his punishment this morning.
Admiral Jei spoke up then, “Everyone leave except for Lieutenant Commander Jane.”
Everyone obeyed quickly, the security guards holding on to Lieutenant Nun.
Then Jei looked at Jane, “It’s within your right to kill him with your sword. It’s clear that he was trying to rape you. This is one of the worst offenses in the Empire. Usually onboard it is between two men and the sentence is death for the perpetrator, but this is even worse as you are a woman.”
Jane listened and felt that it didn’t matter that she was a woman, rape was rape. However, she wasn’t going to bring that up now. “I don’t think death is necessary, is it?” Jane didn’t think that she could kill anyone without being in the heat of the moment. Last night, when Nun was ready to kill her, she probably could have killed him, but now in the light of day, she didn’t think she had the gumption kill him execution style.
“No?” Jei asked incredulously.
Jane looked into his grey eyes and asked, “What is the least punishment?”
“You can do anything you like.”
“Anything? I can come up with anything between nothing and death?”
Jei nodded.
“I don’t want to kill anyone,” she admitted.
Jei looked at her patiently, waiting for her to realize why she needed to kill Nun. He would wait. He didn’t want her to make a mistake in this and so he was prepared to lead her to the right punishment no matter how long it took to convince her to do it. Jei was furious that this had happened on his ship and not only that, to his human. When Jane had come into the room with bruises on her face and neck, he had wanted to kill Nun himself right then, but that was not the way justice was carried out. And this was Jane’s justice it had to be, or other attacks would follow.
Two minutes passed and then Jane said thoughtfully, “I have to kill him, don’t I? Or he will kill me.”
Jei nodded, “Yes. He knew the consequences when he attacked you.”
“Can I use my gun?”
“No, you must use your sword and do it publically here onboard. Today.”
“Today?”
“Yes, and soon.”
“Why?”
“So that no one begins to question the outcome of this tribunal. Are you ready?”
Jane looked at Jei as if she was in a nightmare and she was her guide trying to lead her through the chaos, “I don’t know. I’ve never directly killed anyone not in a fight or during war and never with a sword.”
“You can do this. Just think of how sad your children would have been to know you died because of this. He would have raped you and then killed you. Of this I have no doubt. Let your children’s grief give you the strength of what must be done. Let the gods guide your hands.” Jei motioned for her to go out where everyone was waiting and just nodded to Ota. Then they all walked towards the gymnasium.
Alliance gymnasiums were sacred places. Onboard the flagship Alliance Warship Kzi it was a regular place of worship while the men trained to the god of justice and the god of war. There was artificial candlelight along the stone walls and streaming banners proclaiming the glory of the Empire. In each corner was a statue of a god; justice, war, honor, and humility respectfully. On the stone floor, there was nothing but some simple lines marking the area of fair play.
Jane waited in the center of the stone gymnasium alone while the security guards brought Lieutenant Nun in and placed him in the middle of the gymnasium. His sword was taken away from him. He was on his knees, begging now, “She did it. That filthy human female is lying. Mark me, humans will be the death of the Empire. They are filth of the galaxy and you have invited them into your beds. You can’t let her
kill me. Admiral listen, she used witchcraft, she’s used it on you. That’s why you lust after her dirty body. It’s witchcraft!”
Admiral Jei thundered from the sidelines with the rest of the witnesses, “Lieutenant Nun of House Zioz you have been found guilty of attempted rape and murder. Lieutenant Commander Jane of House Human has sentenced you to death by her own hand which will be guided by the gods. Prepare for your punishment and thank the gods for guiding our hearts and hands today.” He paused and then added, “And it was proven that the human women have used no witchcraft to seduce Alliance men as the gods demonstrated with the duel involving the human, Doctor James of House Vo. To speak otherwise is blasphemy. Now prepare to meet the gods and explain your misdemeanors to them. Your time with the living is over.”
Jei looked at Jane. His grey eyes boring into hers, giving her confidence. He nodded, and she realized she was hesitating. She drew her sword with shaky hands. She had never even drawn blood with it, and now she needed to kill a man with it. She remembered Jei’s words to her only minutes before, ‘Think of how sad your children would have been to know you died because of this.’ It was true. She would have died had Nun succeeded. Jane took a few steps closer and then stood to the side of Nun.
Nun was crying like a child and shaking.
His crying had the opposite effect on her senses, though, as she only thought of her own children then and swung her sword with all her strength. However, as she had never killed anyone with her sword, she didn’t strike hard enough or in the right place. It didn’t work as well as she had thought, blood went everywhere when she hit his neck, but he wasn’t decapitated and didn’t die immediately which was disappointing as she wanted this over as quickly as possible. All the men watching gasped when she didn’t manage to decapitate him completely. It was obvious that he was going to bleed to death, and it was going to take a few minutes. Jane didn’t know if she should strike again, so she didn’t. She thought she might just make it worse and was unsure if she could speed it up. She didn’t want to look like a crazy murderer just striking him again and again with her sword. So, she just stood over Nun and watched the blood drain out of his body, and the life fade from his eyes as he spat out insults about humanity. Jane had such a strange thought go through her mind at that point, I've given life through more blood and pain than this one I've taken. I felt so much love in those moments I brought life into the galaxy, equal to the indifference I feel now taking life from this man. After Nun died, the security guards picked his lifeless body up, and she was told she could report to duty now. It was so ordinary it was surreal.
