It was the morning after Calista departed on her revenge quest. Ylisaya and I were skeptical of her chances of success, but Tony always had his own opinion about success or failure. Ylisaya and I waited in Cargo Bay Three watching the widescreen display as news correspondence debated the different effects the sentencing would have on the planet and their unusually complicated laws. At least the laws were considered complicated from the outsider perspective. We had seven solar cycles or four Venus days remaining on the planet till we could finally depart for Freya Station and hopefully find contracts that suited our situation. Tony arrived with breakfast, returning from a test run to use his newest disguise as a delivery drone. We discovered he’s quite good at driving around on the ground in absurdly small vehicles. Ylisaya worked on finishing the elbow on the Plot armor, as the full suit of armor hung between two creates. Ylisaya was just behind one day on her delivery of five days which had been extended to six. Tony walked into the Cargo Bay with four deliveries, of three bags and a tray of drinks.
“One Andy’s Senior breakfast wrap, potato bites, and hazelnut coffee.”, Tony said as he handed the bag of food to me.
“One Andy’s Senior Aurovean Dippers, potato bites, and citrus tea.”, Tony said as he handed the next bag to Ylisaya.
“Capacitors and relays.”, Tony said as he handed the next bag to Ylisaya.
I removed my drink from the tray as Ylisaya reached for hers. I could smell the other two drinks were Fizzy Cola and Sweet Milk.
“It’s a bit early for Fizzy Cola.”, I remarked.
“I’m saving it for later.”, Tony replied.
“What did you get?”, Ylisaya asked Tony.
“Just drinks, there’s still some left over pork chops and ribs, which is works out better because it’s just sitting in the food cooler.”, Tony replied.
“That makes sense. I’m guessing drinks are better than pork chops at washing down the life force of your enemies. Right?”, I asked sarcastically.
“First off, I had to think of something to say. And second, life force doesn’t have a taste, it just flows directly into the capacitors.”, Tony argued.
“Shhh. The sentencing is starting.”, Ylisaya said as she put down her Breakfast dippers.
We watched the image on the widescreen switch to a view of the court room as the court’s Vice President stood behind a podium. The Vice President held a data tablet in her hand and slid the fingers of her other hand over the glass of a data tablet. The vice president of the court wore a deep blue suit that seemed to be modeled after the Cooperative’s flag.
“The verdict of the honorable Judge Weberly is…Guilty. The verdict of the honorable Judge Vestamsnith is… Guilty. The verdict of the honorable Judge Yindelkhan is…Guilty. Arton Norsen is sentenced to death, and shall remain in custody of the Senate until a sufficient method of execution can be determined.”, said the Vice President as she deactivated the podium.
“What just happened?”, Ylisaya demanded.
“It’s their planet, their laws.”, I replied.
“Ha! Pay up.”, Tony said to Ylisaya.
Ylisaya turned the armored gauntlet around and began working on the glove of the armor.
“Wait…You two made a bet over this? What was Ylisaya going to win?”, I asked.
“I wanted deflector shields. I knew I shouldn’t have bet against someone who can predict the future.”, Ylisaya said.
“No prediction was made, because I would have automatically lost, and this upgrade was well worth the risk.”, Tony said.
“Okay…what upgrade?”, I asked.
“I want to be able use the Plot Armor’s life-force draining ability, by just grabbing an enemy.”, Tony said, as he demonstrated grabbing the Fizzy Cola.
“So we ARE calling it Plot Armor?”, I asked.
“Just until I think of or hear a better name. And I’m not saying this is a new weapon. Too many victims will link me to this method.”, Tony said.
“You’re the assassin, not me.”, I replied, as I shrugged my shoulders.
We returned our focus to the wide screen that continued the news coverage of the sentencing. A news correspondent started reading the written opinions from Judge Yindelkhan.
“Judge Yindelkhan wrote, Venus is a new world, but the hardships and struggles that women have faced in the past is not. The decision made here is not from the pressures and compromises that made women into victims who had to endure the abuses of men and even the society they lived in, the past they came from, and systems they unwillingly supported because they had no choice. But today we have a choice and as women we have to protect that choice. Saressah Dyleen’s appeal for her child will pull us back into the dark ages of being ruled by men. If Venus is to succeed the Cooperative must ensure that Venus endures as a safe place for women, ensure that women are not denied opportunities and if women are to have freedom from fear, it is the Cooperative’s mission to remove that fear. Allowing a reflection of the past when women were raped and forced to remain silent, takes away opportunities with it’s very existence. I must rule a guilty verdict, if the planet Venus is to not fall into the past.”, said the news Correspondent.
“I don’t agree with that, but I guess there’s logic in there. Seems Fascist.”, Ylisaya said.
The news correspondent then read the written opinion of Judge Weberly.
“Judge Weberly wrote, it is the duty of a Judge to consider the results and effects of every decision, not just for the victim and defendant, but the effect on future cases and the new world we will awake to tomorrow and every tomorrow that the Cooperative promised to the women of Venus. I was nominated, evaluated, elected, and appointed to serve the women of Venus by the women of Venus in the role I fulfill now. I can only hope that the future of Venus is carefully weighed and measured as the process that brought me to the place I am now. It pains me to see any woman defy all our efforts to make a better world for them and all women who choose to join the Cooperative, and might choose the Cooperative in the future. On Earth society once told their daughters, nieces, and sisters that a girl can do anything a man can do, if only given the opportunity. I was given such an opportunity and I give that opportunity to the future, but we must also be vigilant that women can also have flaws. To protect the future of the Cooperative and the women of Venus, I must rule a guilty verdict.”, said the news Correspondent.
“I’m noticing a pattern here.”, Ylisaya said.
“What pattern? The fact that first judge kept saying, past, past, past, and the second judge kept saying future, future, tomorrow. You don’t need a vision to predict what the third Judge will talk about.”, Tony said.
“Actually the abundance of women with highly influential titles. Why does a court case require three judges and a vice president? Why does the Senate have so much work, they almost never shut down? Why is it so easy for a Huntress to move up in society?”, Ylisaya asked.
“I think I can answer that. Look at the other side of their society, the lower levels. All the dangerous jobs are done by either Huntresses or machines….Sorry.”, I said as I turned to Tony for a moment.
“No big deal.”, Tony replied.
“So if every court case needs more judges, and every committee needs more senators, that’s means more opportunities for women to hold a political title. I think they would make up new offices if their population wasn’t declining so fast. Besides yourself, who is the lowest ranking woman you’ve met?…Think back to our first night.”, I asked,
“Business owners?…No…Huntresses? Women are not allowed to hold a low rank!”, Ylisaya guessed.
“I think that was a trick question. On Venus that question has no answer.”, Tony said.
“Okay I have different question. If all the dangerous work is done by machines, why do the Enforcer mechs just have a frame with arms, legs, enough to wear armor, and shoot guns, the emergency rescue drones can fly, and service robots have pretty faces, shiny hair, curvy bodies, and wear clothes? That’s not a practical design, not like the others.”, Ylisaya asked.
“It’s a matter of imports and exports. Venus doesn’t build their own drones. Venus exports genetic research and cloning materials, including human, plant, and animal. The rescue drones come from the Protectorate, so they’re simple, efficient, predictable, and adaptable to any environment. It’s also illegal to weaponize them, and the easiest way to do that is to strap an explosive on to them. Now the enforcer mechs come from Mars, and are basic…very basic in fact…pure robot copies of me. So they have to be specialized for the role they’re intended, which make them less adaptable than if they were cyborgs. But they’re completely compliant with Mars Pax, even if used in warfare…Umm robot servers…Do you wanna answer that one?”, Tony said, as he directed his question toward me.
“The server robots come from Earth, and they’re not built as servers…They’re sex robots.”, I said.
“And no more questions about sex robots…ever.”, Tony said to Ylisaya.
“That’s good because this isn’t a question. When I look at them, even when I’m just around them it makes me feel like I can never meet the expectations this world has about women. They make me not want to stay here, in addition to the biased laws, complex court processes, and political assassinations.”, Ylisaya said.
“Feel? Hmmm...Do you feel that way too?”, Tony asked as he turned towards me.
“That’s an indirect question about sex robots, but yes. I just try not to think about it, because I know we’re not staying.”, I said.
“What would this world do to me if they found out I might be the chosen one?”, Ylisaya asked.
I glanced at Ylisaya as her eyes flicked towards Tony. I understood her intentions to get a vision of the future, if Tony can predict that result. I turned my attention towards Tony as well.
“Why are you two looking at me like that?”, Tony protested.
I flicked an eyebrow upwards, like how I saw Mykayla do with hers.
“No! Absolutely not! That’s the exact paradox that cost us a client and I want to avoid. How many times do I need to say it? Sharing the future is dangerous, and that knowledge will change us. We all gave into that temptation last night, let that be the end of it.”, Tony argued.
“How did you give into temptation?…You made a deal with Mykayla!”, Ylisaya remarked at Tony.
“Hey! She has the right to privacy, so you don’t get to question me.”, Tony said.
“You two actually did a good thing. You tripled Juno’s chances of seeing her son, still risky, but she now has better odds.”, Ylisaya said.
“Two?”, I said, as I realized she was talking about one other person besides Tony.
“Tony and Mykayla.”, Ylisaya replied.
“Did a good thing? Not the Tony and Mykayla I know.”, I remarked.
“I don’t expect glory, and I didn’t ask Mykayla to intentionally lose the bet, at least not directly. I especially don’t want the U.D.E. to learn I can think of strategies beyond revenue and profit. Nobody else knows that, nobody beside you thinks that, and if you tell anyone they won’t believe you. The Cooperative promises a lot of things to women, but listening to you doesn’t appear on the list.”, Tony said.
I wondered what Tony might have done that would make Mykayla give up fifty thousand credits. My thoughts made me realize, “The only other woman that turned down the money was Juno, for her son.”
“Nyrella’s secret!…You gave Nyrella’s secret to Mykayla!”, I said.
“Mykayla has just as much right to decide as a parent as I have, even if she had an abortion. Nyrella is a copy, so are all of her clone sisters. But that is up to Mykayla to reach her own conclusions. To decide for herself if that’s what’s best for her, the clones, and her place in society, but I only told her I’m genetically the father of the clones. She’ll find a lot of facts, but also a lot of dead ends.”, Tony said.
“That’s evil.”, Ylisaya replied.
“But that’s more like the Tony and Mykayla I know.”, I said.
I suspected Meiyo would be alerted if Mykayla obtained a parental License, and I needed to let Tony know. I looked at him and flicked my eyes towards the bridge.
“I owe one last Huntress report, I’m gonna finish that today, then I can resign, and we can just relax till Freya enters orbit.”, I said as I stood up and picked up my breakfast items.
“And since we have no current clients, I’m also gonna need your help.”, I said to Tony as I went to the Bridge.
I sat down in my seat and activated my console. I set my breakfast down on the utility shelf next to me and I accessed the report template. I estimated that because the real risk was exposing the Cooperative as a fraud and if Tony would not expose them, neither should I. I suspected if the Cooperative’s true goal is to merge with, take over, or inherit the Protectorate, Rylkonian heritage is actually irrelevant. I made the minimum five statements in each field of the template and I finally reached the “Recommendations” section. Tony entered the bridge and took the gunner’s seat. He accessed his console and reached into the storage compartment beside his seat.
When his hand emerged from the storage compartment he was holding a headset. He placed the headset over his ears and reached under his seat again. The second time his hand emerged he was holding a video game controller. Through my mirror I could see his console’s holographic display. Tony looked back at me through my mirror and he quickly saw my expression of disbelief. Tony lifted the controller so I could clearly see the buttons and he slowly extended his thumb, exaggerated pressing the button to start play, and returned his focus to the game running on his console. I couldn’t hear but I could see the clashing swords, magic incantations, and the music of the world of Contest of Crowns.
“Where are you at on your report?”, Tony asked as he queued into a video game battle arena of Contest of Crowns.
“I need a recommendation, preferably a solution that allows the Cooperative to inherit the Protectorate.”, I said.
“Lisella’s plan? From the interviews? That plan’s worthless.”, Tony said, and he used the video game controller to puppet the holographic avatar to throw magic spells at an approaching horde of monsters.
Watching the virtual battle made me wonder if this is what Tony’s perspective is like when he controls my movements in battle.
“Trades imply benefit to both ends of the transaction.”, I argued.
“So how does the Protectorate benefit from getting repopulated by the women of Venus? If they run the Protectorate like they run the Cooperative, they’ll be looking at running for only fifty years before they start suffering from under-population.”, Tony argued as he navigated a menu to improve the armor and magic skills of his holographic mage.
“The Cooperative went from twenty million to two million in just five years. You really think they can last fifty? That’s generous.”, I joked, and Tony laughed.
“I see a difference of philosophies. The Rylkonians don’t plan to keep the Protectorate. How can the Cooperative argue for or persuade the Protectorate into thinking continuing to invest is a benefit?”, Tony asked as he sent his avatar into a battle within a castle.
I thought about Tony’s question and found I was filled with more questions than ideas.
“What happens when the Protectorate shuts down? The most powerful faction takes over… So who’s that?”, I asked.
“Either the U.D.E. or the Space Pirates. Hmm both are quite bad propositions. So you want to present to the Cooperative that if they can’t partner with the Protectorate, or if the Protectorate doesn’t support them, then the Space Pirates or the U.D.E. will take over?”, Tony said as he sent his avatar into a one-on-one duel against another dark wizard opponent.
“How many alternatives are there? The JATO Alliance is isolationist, Mars is run by war mongers, and the Commonwealth of Mercury is betting on the Mars Pax Treaty and the Protectorate. If the Cooperative wants to survive, they need to fix their debt problems, their equity problems, stop importing labor, and let women actually live.”, I agued, as I started writing my resignation.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Right, right…Wait a minute, I thought the JATO Alliance wants an autonomous and independent Earth, if they were isolationist, they wouldn’t trade at all.”, Tony said, as his avatar was defeated and he selected another.
Tony’s next holographic avatar in the video game was a werewolf covered in savage armor, with a battle axe, a round curved shield, and a variety of throwing weapons. Tony moved the new avatar from shadow to shadow, climbing over walls, and patiently watched virtual enemies just before slashing a killing strike. I imagined this avatar’s fighting style better suited Tony’s normal strategies.
“The JATO Alliance only trades with the other nations of Earth. As far as Mars Pax is concerned, they want nothing to do with other planets. That’s isolationist.”, I said, as I sent my final Huntress report and my resignation to the Cooperative.
“So are we free of the Cooperative and ready to leave for Freya station?”, Tony said, as he moved his Avatar to the throne room in the Castle.
“Almost, I might have suggested to Meiyo, if the Cooperative fails before an inheritance in the Protectorate can be achieved, she should seek citizenship without Rylkonian lineage.”, I said.
“A marriage? I don’t think so. Meiyo has dedicated almost half of her life to Venus, and has been the top Huntress since the founding of the Cooperative. And how many Protectorate citizens have a high enough status and are willing to marry?….Oh no, not me!…Absolutely not. Meiyo has been nothing but a complex of mystery and drama, since I met her on Mars. Any woman romantically involved with me will have to live with a huge target on them, maybe even a bigger target than the one on me or the target on you.”, Tony said, as his second avatar avenged his previous avatar in a one-on-one duel against the dark wizard.
“As long as Meiyo stays on Venus or within the influence of the Cooperative, the U.D.E. can’t touch her. I’ve seen how you try keep her from seeing how you notice her. I know you can see in all directions. I’m not sure if she knows that, but she’s not shy around you. She’s high up enough in Cooperative society it would be worth while to the Protectorate after we leave and just as valuable while we’re still here. You can’t seriously say you’re not at least a little curious?”, I asked, as I watched the holographic video game through my mirror.
“I think Earth born women are more complex than you calculate. Meiyo can see every move another Huntress might make. If Mykayla takes the easy move and goes for a clone like Nyrella, there’s a chance Meiyo will investigate such a change in behavior. There’s a fair chance Meiyo might take action either directly or unknowingly, and she doesn’t need the authority of a Huntress to bring suffering to her enemies. A divide between two Huntresses could push Venus into civil war. So no…I’m not curious.”, Tony said as his avatar began collecting treasures.
I can normally tell when Tony is lying, as well as how much he is lying. But this time he wasn’t lying at all. Which meant I needed to consider his statements carefully. If Tony knew what I was thinking before I needed to explain and we didn’t use cyberlink, there was the chance that Tony used his scanner vision, but Ylisaya never had an opportunity to see a vision. That could mean only one thing. He knew much more than he revealed.
“You already slept with Meiyo! The night you two were alone on Mars! That’s why she’s always behaving odd around you.”, I said as I turned my head to look over my shoulder at Tony.
“Meiyo is too important to the Cooperative. Her entire life had been structured, to turn her into what she is today. But she turned into a woman on a world with no men. None of them were anything like her father and the only other men she knew were pirates and warlords. All of them were less than her father, at least in her eyes. She knew a direct attack on her father’s palace and a challenge against Warlord Zokoro meant certain death. She just didn’t want to die without knowing at least that kind of love. She asked, I explained, she asked me to show her more, and then she kissed me.”, Tony said as he turned off the game.
“Oh. I was expecting to hear that a price was involved, or that she simply paid you with sex.”, I confessed, as I returned to reclining in the flight seat.
“I don’t offer those kinds of services, and Meiyo would never offer nor accept. But if I’m ever in a similar situation ever again. Lesson learned, I’m just gonna avoid the topic.”, Tony said, as he stored the headset and game controller in the side of the gunner’s seat.
“Is that why you avoid conversations about…women shaped robots?”, I hesitated to ask.
“That’s a question about women shaped robots, but yes.”, Tony replied.
Tony and I stood up out of our seats, but the communications array chimed, which meant the ship received a message. Both Tony and I thought the situation was strange since neither of us had any current clients and we had not pursued any new contracts since Juno ran away from the dance off. Tony reached over to the console of the Captain’s chair and the message was a video of Meiyo, but the video was highly distorted.
“Greetings crew of the Something clever. Jhessyreen, the Cooperative has accepted your resignation, but we must now hire you for a special mission. I can explain in greater detail when you return to the Senate. The person we really need is the Phantom, the only one who can complete this mission for the Cooperative, and we offer a substantial payment. We will explain that as well when you arrive. This is urgent regarding the future of the Cooperative. I will be waiting in the Senate.”, Meiyo said.
Tony and I returned to Cargo Bay Three. Tony handed me stun and Flash Pulse ammo. He also offered lethal ammo, but I didn’t take any. Tony removed his delivery drone disguise and replaced it with the completed pieces of Plot Armor. He looked at his last unarmored arm and covered it with a cloaking device.
“Stay here and don’t look at any propaganda. TV shows and any movies older than fifteen years should be fine, but I’ll ask what you watched. We’re heading to the Senate.”, Tony said to Ylisaya.
“Before you go, we should test the gauntlet’s fit.”, Ylisaya said.
Ylisaya carried the gauntlet over to Tony and slid the Plot armor over his arm. Tony examined the armor and examined the the unusual apparatus that Ylisaya attached to the armor.
“If this works, you can have a set of deflector shields.”, Tony said to Ylisaya.
Ylisaya grabbed Tony’s hand by both sides, with one of her hands right against the life drain apparatus. Tony seemed concerned and I was shocked that the device didn’t steal Ylisaya’s life force. Tony pulled his hand away.
“I thought you said that’s dangerous.”, Tony protested.
“I’m testing out the safety switch, the life-drain has to be activated. Otherwise just touching other cyborgs would be difficult.”, Ylisaya replied.
Tony removed the incomplete gauntlet and handed it back to Ylisaya. As we traveled Tony remained cloaked, and we only spoke when no one else was around. I brought only my revolver and Tony only brought his hand cannon. We arrived at the Senate and we found Meiyo in her office with a Genetic Researcher attending to her. Meiyo sat in her chair and I could detect Meiyo had undergone cybernetic enhancement. Her skin, her eyes, and the fact that all her injuries were now gone were all clues that she was now a cyborg. Tony removed his skull helmet and his holographic face was already activated. Meiyo gestured for the attendants to leave.
“Please sit. I apologize for the urgency, Genetic Research tells me the first few days of cybernetic enhancement is like learning how to talk, walk, and live again.”, Meiyo said.
I took the seat closer to the window, and Tony was left to take the chair closer to Meiyo’s desk.
“In your message, you said you had an offer for us.”, I asked Meiyo.
“Your job is watch the Phantom, no more reports, but my problem is slightly more complex, but basically I have a prisoner to execute and I have no executioner. The Protectorate offers ten million for unregistered suspected space pirates, so the cooperative is offering five million as a retainer fee and another million each year for the next five years.”, Meiyo said.
“No. Get one of you huntresses to do it, or you can take care of it yourself so you can keep the money.”, Tony replied, as he stood up and started heading for the door.
“None of us will kill an innocent man.”, Meiyo protested.
“What makes you think I will?”, Tony demanded, as he gripped the door.
Meiyo sat there speechless, as I stood up and prepared to follow Tony.
“We also have new tech….Watch.”, Meiyo said, as she closed her eyes.
A hologram of Meiyo wearing her tri-tech armor appeared in the center of her office. The hologram looked at me and then at Tony. I reached out with my hand, I watched my hand pass through the Meiyo’s projection.
“I wish I had something like this before.”, Meiyo’s hologram said.
“Can you hear us?”, I asked, but I wasn’t sure who to ask.
“Yes, and she can also see us. We’re being scanned.”, Tony said.
Tony walked over to Meiyo’s desk and examined it. I began to feel the slight tingle over my hands and face as the scan moved back and forth. Tony waved his hand over the desk and each movement slightly disrupted Meiyo’s hologram. Meiyo’s hologram walked through her desk and looked at her motionless body. The hologram looked back towards Tony and me.
“I hoped becoming a cyborg would help me to understand your perspective, but all it has shown me is there’s so many ways you look at the world.”, said Meiyo’s Hologram, as it vanished.
“The cooperative thinks the way your cyborg brain works also prevents you from feeling distress, remorse, regret, or guilt, makes you the ideal assassin. How do you kill so many monsters without becoming one?”, Meiyo asked Tony, as she opened her eyes.
“I think the Cooperative has made some critical assumptions about me. Ideology isn’t preventing me from executing this rapist. I’m refusing because currently he has popular support, which might conflict with my promotion to First Class Citizen. The Cooperative is just a trade partner, the Protectorate loses nothing by staying out of Venus politics. A tech trade isn’t going to work either, Rylkonian engineers can build a better machine in a day. And the final assumption is none of them are monsters, just bounties to collect.”, Tony replied to Meiyo.
“What if I could reverse both of those limiting factors? If I take away his popular support, and make the Protectorate’s involvement worth a second look.”, Meiyo asked Tony.
“Becoming a cyborg has changed you.”, I said to Meiyo.
“It’s like my eyes have been opened. It’s not as simple as sacrificing our principles for some greater good. The Cooperative is dying, for every woman who leaves Venus we need five robots to replace the void she leaves behind. But we haven’t failed as long as one woman remains who can live free of fear. She will have a planet, servants, and an army that doesn’t eat nor sleep. It’s like Judge Vestamsnith said today. The Cooperative is a dream, an idea, a concept and women keep that dream alive. But I’m not dreaming anymore. We all know how this story ends. The Cooperative doesn’t want women, they just want to replace us with robots.”, Meiyo said, as she looked out the window.
I wondered if Meiyo and Tony talked about the U.D.E.’s military officer on Mars. I know I told Meiyo about Tony’s pronouns, and now Meiyo has started considering her future as a cyborg. I started thinking, “Maybe I should have listened to all three judges.”
I glanced at Tony to see his reaction. While he was unlikely to respond emotionally, I knew Meiyo’s words shared his experiences. I thought it was coincidence that both of them reached similar conclusions.
“How much influence does the U.D.E. have over the Cooperative right now?”, Tony asked.
I was shocked that Tony determined the U.D.E. held so much leverage with just suspicions. Both Tony and Meiyo knew if she answered, it would be an act of treason against the Cooperative, depending on how Tony planned to use that info. I watched Tony’s eyes start to rapidly move, and I knew he was contacting Meiyo with cybernetic communication. I saw Meiyo’s eyes and her mind was responding as expected. Meiyo and Tony seemed to disconnect and Meiyo struggled to return to her chair.
“Is cyber-link always like that?”, Meiyo asked.
“As a cyborg, you’re just one day old, using cybernetics will push your body to your limits, until you learn that they’re part of you instead of replacing you. You’ll get used to it in a few days.”, Tony said to Meiyo, as we watched her collapse in her chair.
“What now?”, I asked Tony.
“We’re going to see Saressah?”, Tony said.
“Why?”, I asked.
“She has invoked Omni Liberis. So we just need Saressah’s statement, and Meiyo needs someone who doesn’t have the same face as a huntress.”, Tony said.
On the monorail I sat facing out the window, and Tony stayed cloaked as we traveled. I needed answers and Tony had them. I didn’t expect him to tell me everything, he was going to measure his responses, so I needed to measure my questions.
“Is Meiyo a traitor?”, I asked.
“She’s gonna become the Queen of Venus, she’s gonna use both human nature and the robotic advantage, so the only ally she needs is the Protectorate. Now is the time to move. But to answer your question she’s a traitor today, but when all the women skip out and abandon the Cooperative, she’ll be the only one left. Not a traitor if there’s nobody to betray, just robots. That’s better than trying to ally with the U.D.E.”, Tony said.
“So that’s the plan? Scare off all the women! Ten million men murdered in eight months! Five million women took the chance on the Cooperative, and the other half went anywhere else. We watched law after law get passed pushing this planet into suffering, and now we hand a colony over to a Tyrant.”, I protested.
“But Meiyo is still part of the Cooperative, she’s allowed to make those decisions. Our role is outside the planet. The Confederacy, the U.D.E., space pirates, and even the JATO Alliance don’t care about the Cooperative’s supply and demand issues. Well maybe the space pirates care a little bit. But a planet with an army of enforcer mechs and nothing else to steal isn’t a place I expect to find a space pirate. I hope it stays that way.”, Tony said.
“So what are our orders?”, I asked.
“You’re going to bring me to Saressah, and I’m gonna get the truth out of her. Whether or not she believes I’m Arton’s executioner doesn’t matter.”, Tony replied.
“She’s got the sympathy of a planet. Not somebody you want to antagonize.”, I argued.
“Openly defying a government that protects women, breaking numerous laws to take away an opportunity from other women who work for half a lifetime to earn, and now she’s calling upon those exact laws to protect her rights and the life of a child forbidden under those same laws…she’s a problem.”, Tony said.
“Then what’s your solution?”, I asked.
“I hate this situation of go here, talk to this person, go there, talk to another person, and try to peace together a coherent solution. What if keeping a promise causes betrayal or even treason? Is that promise still worth it? Meiyo’s solution doesn’t seem so crazy anymore.”, Tony argued.
Sarressah was kept in an abandoned jail house, and she was guarded by three Huntresses and a few dozen enforcer mechs. I suspected the Cooperative wasn’t happy about her very public statement defending Arton Norsen. The jail house had not been used for a few years, as the Cooperative claimed it was free of crime. I imagined that a hospital would be a more suitable location to keep her, but a hospital would invite two problems. First, she could ask for a doctor, and the doctors run the hospital. Second, no hospital wants to get accused of being a prison. The huntresses showed us to Saressah, she was sitting in a large soft chair, wrapped in a large blanket, and listening to a device that played music. I suspected the music was not for her benefit, but meant for the unauthorized child within her. Saressah looked at us and then returned her attention to the music, as we followed one of the Huntresses.
“Do you know who we are?”, I asked Saressah.
“Hired killers? I’m ready for you. Arton is innocent.”, Saressah said.
“Who told you to invoke Omni Liberis?”, Tony asked.
“My attorney.”, Saressah said.
“But that law only applies to the executioner of your rapist.”, Tony argued.
“Are you seriously gonna say you’re a lawyer wearing a skull mask and power armor?”, Saressah argued.
“You’re first guess was correct…I’m a hired killer.”, Tony said.
“Then the law says you have to listen to me.”, Saressah pleaded.
“Omni Liberis says you get to tell the executioner the last thing you want your rapist to hear before the rapist is executed. I cannot get from start to finish with any other plan.”, Tony said.
“He’s not a rapist, stop calling him that.”, Saressah argued.
“Then I’ll just call him Arton. You invoked a law that condemns him to death. I’m just here to collect your statement.”, Tony argued.
“Look at me. Nobody will listen to me. What else was I supposed to do?”, Saressah pleaded.
“You say this wasn’t rape? You say you consented for this? Then you could have done a million things differently.” ,Tony argued.
“We had no other choice! The Cooperative will never allow our love!”, Saressah yelled.
Two of the huntresses were watching from a walkway above and the yelling drew their attention.
“Love? Look around you. Does any of this look like love?”, Tony argued.
“You’re just a killing machine, you’ll never understand something as important as love.”, Saressah said.
“Are you Cathlahn?”, Tony asked Saressah.
“I was…but any religion that forbids abortion is prohibited on Venus.”, Saressah said.
“Did you ever read the Cathlahn Holy Book?”, Tony asked.
“No.”, Saressah replied.
“When the creator brought the first soul to life on Earth, the soul asked why it was alone. So the creator split the soul into two parts. One part was larger and the other part smaller. One part was reformed as a man and the other was reformed as a woman, but the Creator never told them which held more of the first soul. The man and woman were drawn to each other never knowing that they needed the other to find fulfillment, but both wishing they fulfilled the other. That’s how I know love is the most powerful force in the Universe. It can make rational people do some really stupid shit for no good reason at all. I was once married, but we divorced and that was when I realized which parts of the soul each of us held.”, Tony said, as he turned away.
Tony started walking to the door and I followed.
“Well who had which part of the first soul?”, Saressah demanded.
“Omni Liberis only says I have to listen to you. That doesn’t make you my boss.”, Tony said to Saressah as he stood still.
I stood next to the door, waiting for Tony to keep questioning Saressah. Tony walked back over to Saressah, as the two Huntresses watching moved from the walkway above to the floor of the jail house.
“Which parts of the soul do you think we had?”, Tony asked.
“Well if you’re telling the story, and you learned more from the experience, then you would say you held the greater part and your ex held the lesser soul.”, Saressah guessed.
Tony removed his skull helmet and holographic face was already activated. Tony’s holographic face smiled and he held his helmet under the arm behind the cloak. Saressah’s eyes were held in fear as Tony revealed the robotic skeletal arm. If a robotic arm scared her, I’d feel bad to see her reaction to his real face.
“That was a test. Your response implies selfishness, that’s not love. The greater soul is always within the one you love, and the life that love brings. You failed! If either of you really loved the other, you wouldn’t be here. That’s how I know you’re lying.”, Tony said as he smiled.
I watched Saressah’s face feel a crushing weight of guilt, as if only she and Tony knew some terrible secret. I suspected she was lying about something and Tony either figured it out or she had unwillingly confessed to something.
“Now, are you ready to tell me the truth?”, Tony asked.
“Arton didn’t love me…but I didn’t give him a choice. When I couldn’t hide my baby anymore, that’s when he ran.”, Saressah said.
“That’s a start. But how about something simpler like, You’re sorry for ruining his life or he’s not needed because women contribute sixty percent more to the economy.”, Tony suggested.
“Just…I’m sorry, so sorry. I wish he had a fighting chance.”, Saressah said as she stared at the floor.
“The Cooperative would never tolerate the child of a rapist…From either parent.”, Tony said as he stepped away from Saressah.
Tony left the jail house and I followed him to the monorail. As we took the monorail back to the docks I suspected Tony knew I had some questions about the meeting with Saressah. Even though Tony stayed cloaked, I knew he was there.
“I see in every direction. If you’re going to keep giving me that look, you might as well ask, otherwise we should cyber-link or wait till we’re on the ship.”, Tony said.
“Did Saressah just confess to rape…raping the man who’s going to be executed for raping her?”, I asked.
“I think she’s lying about that too. Maybe she had a lot of power over his life, and maybe she did demand sex in exchange, but why get pregnant and risk getting caught if she has that much control? The reverse is only true if the rapist impregnates the victim. Not the other way around, and not on any other planet. It makes no sense to risk getting caught. No…something else is going on.”, Tony said.
“So if we’re ruling out the possibility that Sarressah was raped and the Cooperative won’t just let her keep the baby, ruling out the scenario that Arton is a rapist, ruling out the possibility that they were in love, and ruling out the scenario that Saressah is the rapist. What possible alternative is left?”, I demanded.
“That’s an excellent question….I think Arton knows something and someone wants that knowledge to stay secret, so I’m gonna risk it. I’m gonna agree to execute him for the money, so I can get close enough to ask. Let’s hope we discover that secret before I have to kill him.”, Tony said.
“What about your promotion?”, I argued.
“If Meiyo is correct, then no promotion is going to matter when the U.D.E. or the Space Pirates are trying to conquer the star system. We either need to know the truth or who exactly is keeping the truth hidden.”, Tony said.
“But if the Cooperative wanted to just silence him, they have a lot more easier, simpler, more convenient, and less expensive methods available. The complexity of their laws are designed to protect women, they offer no protection for men.”, I argued.
“I don’t think the Cooperative is pushing the agenda at least not anymore. If they just wanted to control the lives of women. Arton can’t give them that, dead or alive. If they just sent him to the factory, nobody on this planet would question that. I think executing him is a kind of statement. Actions speak louder than words, but from who and to whom, I don’t know. I would use it as a warning to Space Pirates to stay away, the planet Venus just isn’t safe for men. So don’t even try.”, Tony said.
Tony reached for his smartphone and accepted Meiyo’s contract to execute Arton Norsen.
Are you enjoying Battle Mode?
