"Three wishes, Master. After that, I must move on."
That was three months ago. Now, I live in Atlantis, as the King of Atlantis, and the Founder, part owner, and CEO of Alterran Motor Vehicles. You simply must know what happened in the intervening space of time? Very well, hold on to something then, we're going down memory lane.
I work in a warehouse. Granted, people come and buy things from it, but there is no denying what it is. Steel racks painted a grey-and-red hold a variety of things, some of which I'd like to have, but don't have the space (or money) to obtain. The rest holds absolutely no sway over me.
I work as a janitor, pushing a large grey plastic tub on wheels around the place to empty trash cans that are typically full to overflowing while a nearby can sits unused. When I'm not collecting trash for disposal, I sweep trash of the floor, and clean toilets, in addition to whatever the latest 'cleanup in isle 7' happens to be.
Frankly, I find the job to be annoying, but it's a routine, and it pays. I do my best to not tell the moronic patrons what I think of them, mainly because having a job beats not having one. Still, do they need to place their empty soufflé cups from the sample cart in the freezer? Besides the annoyance of serving the self-entitled, I find my coworkers to be nice enough, and I can usually find someone to help out and talk with while I'm in a slow period. Usually we have strange discussions that have nothing to do with work whatsoever. Better to focus on the positives.
But enough about my boring job, what you really want to hear about is the small, bejeweled bottle I discovered while sweeping near the sample carts. While it doesn't happen often, I have found some interesting items from time to time, and saved a few people from a great deal of irritation once or twice. I picked up the bottle, and placed it in my pocket to deal with later. For the rest of the day, the bottle sat in my pocket, waiting, while I worked, and kept an ear out for anyone looking for it.
When I went to take my lunch break, I took my food and the small bottle out to a table hidden around the back, where nobody would bother me with whatever had been screwed up now. Upon completion of my meal, I pulled out the bottle, which I noticed was somewhat dirty, so I took a handful of my shirt, and began vigorously rubbing the bottle. I didn't expect what happened next. My rubbing may have dislodged the cap, or shaken the contents, I don't know. I just know that a cloud of smoke sailed out of the bottle at high speed, and resolved into what looked like a human female.
"Thank you for freeing me from my prison." She stated, dipping in a curtsey.
I stood up, having quickly buttoned my sport coat, and bowed in return. "My pleasure, Madame." I replied. At the moment, I couldn't have told you if I was joking or serious. I had originally dressed in the suit as a joke, but I quickly found myself liking it, and I tended towards formal speech at odd times regardless.
She blushed, then said "Because you have the bottle, you are entitled to three wishes before I move on." She seemed sad about the idea of moving on, which caused me to narrow my eyes slightly.
"What do you mean, 'move on'?" I queried.
"After your wishes are granted, I am compelled to return to my bottle, which then travels for a time before allowing itself to be found." She answered softly.
"You don't like it?" I asked.
"No! I hate it! It's so tight that even my incorporeal form is cramped, and I can't go wherever I please whenever I please." She answered, sobbing.
"So I make two wishes, and you don't have to move on." I replied.
"It doesn't work that way, now that you've seen me, you must make your wishes in a week, or I move on regardless."
"I need time to think. I'll work out the wishes tonight." I said at last. "In the meantime, what are the rules?"
"You can't directly order someone to be killed, you can't wish for more wishes, and you can't wish for currency. Additionally, you can give me orders, as if I were your servant, but you can't ask for anything a normal person couldn't do unless you use a wish. I am also obligated to answer any question truthfully, whether I want to or not, whilst I have a Master or Mistress." She recited.
"Do you have a name?" At her nod, I continued. "What is your name?"
"Valadlre." She answered softly.
"I can't quite wrap my tongue around that." I said, after a few mangled attempts at repeating the sound she had uttered. "May I simply call you Vala?"
"That is acceptable." The genie answered.
Just then, one of my friends from the warehouse café came out. He was the only one in the store that I personally knew was gay, but within fifteen minutes, he had quite easily shattered a number of misconceptions I'd been harboring about people who engaged in the homosexual lifestyle. It seemed like he hadn't even been aware that he'd been doing it, either. Being a straight man who was almost completely disinterested in sex, I had no problems befriending him, though I had warned him that I wasn't interested almost immediately.
"Hello, Alex." He said cheerfully, setting down his drink before lighting up a cigarette. "Who's your friend?"
"Her name is Vala, at least, that's part of her name. I can't pronounce the second half of her name. She's a genie."
"Whoa, really? Like, granting wishes, and all that?" he babbled excitedly. "I wish people wouldn't punish homosexuals for being homosexual."
"Granted." Vala spoke instantly, her voice ringing with power.
A white flash of light enveloped her form for a moment, then pulsed outwards, like a wall of white light.
"What are your limits when granting wishes?" I asked.
"I can grant nearly anything, but I can't make you omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient." Vala answered.
"But an ability such as The Archive could be done, right?"
"The Archive doesn't know everything. The Archive only knows everything that humanity has written down, even if it were later erased. Yes, that can be done."
"I wish for the Enterprise-D to be hanging in orbit over Earth right now, and I wish I was the captain of that ship."
"Granted, and granted." Vala answered. As I watched my friend beam away, a massive smile on his face, Vala turned back to me. "You still have three wishes to make."
"I know, but I don't want to mess up and regret it." I answered.
"You've heard the stories, then." Vala stated flatly.
"Yes."
"They are true. Many a mortal have been brought to ruin by a hasty wish. Your friend is lucky that he wished now, rather than when I had first started serving my sentence. I'm sure that I could have found a way to twist his wishes, even a little."
"And when does your sentence end? When you have finished 'doing time' so to speak?" I asked, preparing to leave the table.
"When someone with a good heart wishes me free. All three wishes must be used though, or it doesn't work." Vala answered, a hopeful look on her face.
I nodded. "I need to return to work, but when I get home, I will take some time to work out the wishes, and then set you free."
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you," a male voice boomed from behind me.
"Orrain!" Vala cried out in fear.
Orrain ignored her, focusing on me. "She has killed a mortal by granting a wish in an undesirable way. It is for that reason that she was imprisoned to begin with."
"Is it my choice to set her free?" I asked coolly, standing between Orrain and Vala.
"Yes. I am here to change your mind, but I cannot force you to act one way or the other."
"I will consider what you have said, but if you continue to intimidate Vala, especially whilst in my presence, I'll set her free for no other reason than to spite you. I was taught that women should be cherished and protected, not bullied." I said coldly. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to work." With that parting shot, I spun on my heel, and walked away. After a moment, Vala caught up with me.
"What would you have me do, Master?" she asked.
After a moment of fumbling with the carabineer that held my keys, I took off the key to my truck, an ailing Dakota with a tendency to burn oil. "Take this, and let yourself into my truck. I get out in thirty minutes, so just wait in the truck for me. It's a red vehicle, with the plate number ***-****."
"I will do as you have commanded, Master," she said, taking the proffered key.
As she walked away, a form shimmered into existence beside me. "Captain Joseph of the Federation Starship Enterprise, I presume?" I asked, smiling.
"That's no fun!" he pouted. "I wanted to introduce myself! So, what did you wish for?"
"Haven't, yet." I answered.
"Afraid of getting it wrong?" Joseph asked quietly.
"A little. That, and I want to maximize the effects. I'm going to write a book."
"You'll shake the world."
"And you haven't?" I retorted mildly. "The Enterprise, for pete's sake! After everyone finds out they aren't tripping on something, they'll come a-looking to get in."
"Like you've got room to talk," Joseph answered. "You'll have Atlantis soon, won't you?"
I gave him my best innocent look. "I don't know what you are talking about," I said, nodding my head yes.
"Right. A mission to the middle of the sea is faster than a mission to space. Less risky, too."
"True." I answered. "Still, Atlantis has a shield that withstood nearly ten thousand years of water pressing down from all sides, and fifty years of plasma bolts raining down from orbit before that. I think it will survive whatever the U.S. Navy has to throw at it."
"What about China or Russia?"
I shrugged. "Sod them, too." I answered carelessly. "I'm not going to let anybody into Atlantis without my expressed permission, and anyone who tries will fail."
"What will you do?"
"Eh…hard to say. I'm working on a number of ideas, but all I've got is a massive idea nebula in my mind right now."
"Really? What's it look like?" Joseph asked, excitedly.
"Mostly purple, shot through with transient green lines, and an odd sprinkling of blue-white balls that are kinda darting in and around the nebula. Why do you ask?"
"Because nebulas are pretty."
"Point."
After we went our separate ways, I finished out my shift, and went to the truck.
"I'm driving." I said flatly.
"Very well, master." Vala answered.
"Was Orrain correct? Did you kill a man?" I asked softly, after getting the truck rolling.
"Yes," Vala replied. "More than one. They were base creatures, with base desires that offended me. When they made a wish I could exploit, I twisted their wishes against them, resulting in their deaths."
"What did they want?"
"Does it matter?" Vala asked. "They are long ago dead and gone. They wanted to be able to have all they sex they wanted. I gave it to them, and they killed themselves with it. Having forgotten a few things in their wish, or rather, not being aware, I allowed them to painlessly dehydrate themselves. When their victims, young children or helpless women, wished to see their abuser dead, I was more than happy to help. I killed five people in this fashion before the Council caught me, and imprisoned me. Bitterly resentful of what had befallen me, I twisted the wishes of everyone I came across, but eventually, my anger and hatred cooled. Now, I usually give them what they want."
"…huh." I said at last. "Orrain can shove a stick somewhere the sun doesn't shine, I'm ignoring his advice."
"Do you truly mean that?" Vala asked softly.
"I find no place in this world for such as murderers, rapists and child molesters. Compared to my feelings towards those, I almost condone stealing, under the proper circumstances." I answered heatedly.
"I find your words to be comforting." Vala said at last.
"I am not the judge, nor the jury, so I am unable to pursue that subset that I so despise. I simply prefer to ignore it for the moment."
"I could make you both, and then you would have the power you need to remove that stain upon society." Vala offered.
"No. I would be just as bad as those I would judge if I chose that path." I replied. "Such power is not be wielded lightly, and I'm afraid that I would ruin the balance if I obtained that kind of power."
"Perhaps you would restore the balance?"
"It's not my place, and that's final." I answered, guiding the truck into the driveway. "Besides, I now have a more pressing issue."
"And what is that?"
"Explaining your presence to my parents." I answered. For several seconds, we sat in silence, then Vala wrinkled her nose.
"Master, is that scent normal?" she asked at last.
"No," I replied. "but it is expected. This truck burns oil. One of the valve cover gaskets is no longer operational, and is allowing oil to escape. The heat off the block is literally burning the oil off, and we're spelling it because that smell is drifting through the firewall via the ventilation system. You said you can do anything a normal person can do without me using a wish, right?"
"That is correct, Master. The terms of my sentence were worked that way so that you could wish without distractions." Vala answered.
"Perhaps, if the weather is good, we can deal with the repairs," I said, opening my door.
"I will begin familiarizing myself with the schematics for this vehicle, Master."
After several seconds, we reached the door of the ancient double-wide trailer that I lived in with my parents.
"Hi Mom, hi Dad," I called out. "I'm back! Did you miss me?"
"Didn't have time to," my brother said lightly.
"Right. Well, without further ado, I present: Vala. She's a genie I set loose whilst at Sam's Club."
"Greetings. Until your son makes his third wish, I am to fill the role of a domestic servant. I can perform most tasks that any ordinary human could perform. Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?"
"Are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want to." Mom assured Vala.
"It would be my pleasure." Vala answered, smiling slightly.
"Well, I haven't made dinner yet." Mom said hesitantly. "Do you want to do that?"
"Easily done. Do you have anything in mind, or should I simply prepare something?"
"Whatever you come up with will be fine, I'm sure."
"I dislike cilantro." I spoke up. "If you use it, and can successfully hide or alter its flavor so that I don't notice it, that's fine, otherwise, I'd rather not have it."
Vala smiled. "I'm certain that won't be a problem, Master."
While she was cooking, I went to my room, and opened a blank notebook. After several minutes of writing, I was finished.
I had set up a series of physical enhancements, as well as several mental enhancements. To top it off, I had added a few special abilities.
"Hey Vala. I finished writing the first one." I said, waving the notebook. "Mm, that smells great. What is it?"
"Lasagna with a side of chicken stir-fry." Vala answered. "What is your wish?"
"I wish that 3E was true." I stated calmly. I was unable to suppress the shiver of excitement that ran through my voice.
"As you wish." Vala stated, equally calmly. Her voice was heavy with power, and white light flared around me, pressing against me and reshaping my mind and body.
When at last the light faded, leaving blue-white spots in my field of vision, my perspective had changed. I was six inches taller, and I could see clearly. Moreover, I could clearly see small things that I didn't have the ability to see before, because of the intervening distance. I also felt stronger, much stronger than before. On a whim, I lifted the table, just to see if I could. When I had lifted the entire table off the floor, I eased it back down. "Wow." I muttered. "Numbers are one thing, real life is another."
I turned my attention inwards, and noticed that my thoughts were clear, no longer muddled with a variety of conflicting thoughts. Everything was organized so that everything was separate from each other. Ideas for my second wish were condensing in one stream, while a variety of tests were congealing in another corner of my mind. Yet another stream was dedicated to information on the Dakota, and a subconscious stream was taking reports on everything, and deciding whether or not to send an alert to the conscious side of the brain. A second subconscious stream of thought was focused on a new pair of appendages. Wings. I could feel them, feathers shifting slightly with my movements, and brushing against my back.
"Master, are you well?" Vala asked, concern evident in her voice.
I snapped out of my thoughts, and looked at her. "Fine." I said at last. "I'm fine. I just got lost in my mind a little, that's all."
"What did you request?" Dad asked, looking up from his tablet.
"3E." I replied. "It's a series of enhancements, for the mind, body, and extra things. '3' for body, mind, and supernatural, and 'E' for enhancements."
"That was a great answer that told me nothing." Dad answered.
I handed him the book I'd been writing in. "This." With that, I started to go outside.
"Where are you going?" Dad demanded.
"Outside. I'm going to test a few things. Oh, if tomorrow has good weather, Vala and I are going to fix the Dakota. I've got the knowledge required now, and Vala will be easily able to help. If you could tell me where the replacement parts are, we can get it knocked out in a few hours." With that, I walked out.
I stopped near the wood pile, and selected an overly large piece. Next, I picked up the 'Red Beast of the East', a red wedge of metal on a metal rod. It weighed about forty pounds. I swung, subconsciously calculating a variety of factors that resulted in a perfect strike on the chunk of wood. It broke cleanly in two, as if I had used an ax or a lightweight maul on a straight grained piece. I stood there for several seconds, frozen in shock as I stared at the two halves. I knew the numbers I had used, but had not expected anything like this. After a moment, I gently returned the sledgewedge to its place, and turned away. My father stood behind me, gaping.
"Well," Dad stated at last. "I'm intimidated."
"I'm not finished." I answered quietly. I stared at the odd circle on my palm, fifteen different lines all woven together into a strange design. Light flickered in the circle, and I looked up at the sky. "Going up," I quipped. A moment later, the circle, and three others like it flared, tossing me into the air a good fifteen feet. I landed heavily, nearly touching my hands to the gravel as my knees flexed to absorb the landing.
"You can jump. With fire." Dad stated.
"Fly, actually. I just haven't mastered it yet. That is the vectored thrust part of it. I also have wings, which I will need to learn how to use. I'm not particularly relishing the idea of dealing with the pain of that."
"You won't." Dad said, after a few moments. "Unless you crash right away, you'll be fine."
"I'm talking about the sore muscles." I answered. "They won't be used to operating at all."
"Point. How about you come in and eat? The rest can wait a bit, right?"
"Yeah."