10. Office Space

It was past nine. Jack hadn't reported to the dormitory, mostly because he didn't want to hear one more whispered word about "the empty Wall" or "those three dead guys" or about how "it could have been any one of us." Everyone was talking about it. Thankfully no one seemed to suspect he was the culprit – not even Yazzi. She hardly gave him a glance that night in the mess hall and he considered himself lucky. He had grown to actively hate her attention.

For now he was hiding out in the maids' common room, sitting cross-legged before the small fire and absently rubbing his stomach. That Borko bean soup was starting to catch up with him. He was beginning to hate those beans almost as much as he hated his commander. They tasted like lye soap and had the texture of old leather, no matter how much they were mashed up or seasoned. But they could grow in any kind of soil, in any kind of weather, without any care at all, so that's what the soldiers were fed. Jack burped.

Ari sat behind him, slumped against the wall. She was dozing quietly with a quilt around her shoulders. Her day wouldn't end until eleven. She was only on a sleep break because six soldiers had come through the infirmary today with some sort of cough. Dirty tracks of salt ran down her furry face and even in sleep she had both hands folded protectively over her lap. The sight made Jack bristle, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it too much. It would just make him angry and surely cause him to do something he would regret.

So he sat and pondered other things. First of all, he had to figure out how long it would take to stop this madness. The empire was growing and festering like one of those green boils on the women at the Wall, and it had to be happening with Aku's consent. But the power-hungry demon would never let anyone make an empire on his planet without some kind of kick-back. So what was the prize? Precious stones? Resources? Simple control?

Jack sighed, giving his mind a chance to escape its tether and wander. He saw the three dead men he'd left in the snow; the pools of blood, the shadowy bodies. The images of their still forms were burned into his inner eye, like the soldier he'd killed at Orzwitha. He wasn't sorry he'd killed any of them. But as it stood, he had no successes to balance out the rising death toll and the risk he was running.

All the Orzwithian women had somehow disappeared off the face of the earth. Ari had her ear to the ground, but she'd heard nothing of a successful escape. And then there was the disaster today at Tarrenko Village, which was now the proud owner of three dead soldiers (one killed with his pants around his ankles) and eleven dead women. His rescue had come to nothing.

Kiki hobbled into the room and sat down clumsily on a rug.

Well, almost nothing. He'd at least managed to help one person. Ari was more than happy to hide her "Gui-Gao" and Unt-Ork was more than happy to help Ari, so the beadworker was safe. She seemed to know it. When Jack had gotten her off his back and dropped her off in the maids' quarters a few hours ago, she was shell-shocked, her eyes huge and empty. But now she was working on another project, humming tunelessly and rocking back and forth while her lithe hands whipped around through space, making something out of the seemingly eternal supply of beads and string and bone needles she had stuffed in her pockets. She seemed so graceful when she wasn't standing or talking. Jack wondered what had happened to her.

He stole a glance at Ari. Kiki's little gift to her, the one he'd hidden in his shirt, had made it through the chaos at the Wall and the escape. A necklace of sparkling white beads twinkled merrily on the cat-woman's neck like a fallen star. It was dazzling in the firelight.

Jack had to force himself back to the matter at hand. How long would this mess take to clean up?

Well, that depended on many factors. The first was manpower. Jack had taken on hordes by himself, but an empire of millions was a far cry from a field of metallic robots. There was no way he could possibly do this alone. He would have to rally prisoners, train them in secret, and raise an army. This would have to be a calculated assault, not some rag-tag rebellion. That would only get people killed.

But most of the oppressed were women, uneducated in the ways of the sword. How on earth could they get their hands on weapons? How could they cover it up? How many could they get to fight with them? How soon? So many questions. So few answers.

Suddenly the door burst open. Jack whirled around. Ari woke with a start. Kiki gasped and skittered for the darkest corner of the room. A dark shape stepped forward until it was bathed in light, revealing … Unt-Ork. Everyone relaxed.

"General Digger wants you in her office," Unt-Ork said to Jack. "She told me you were to see her or …"

The little alien didn't have to go on. Jack saw the fear in her eyes. He stood up and motioned for her to take his place in front of the fire. She gladly accepted, plopping down on the floor. Jack slowly made his way to the door. Ari spoke up just as he left.

"Go," she groused, her voice rough with sleep. "Just try to keep your pants on as long as possible. If you're lucky, she'll be too drunk to try anything."

Jack nodded and slipped out.

The walk was long. Jack listened to the uncomfortable echo of his boots on the stone floor and missed his geta. He threaded his way through the fortress until he reached that same hallway with all those impressive wooden doors. As he got closer and closer to the general's office, his left hand began to quake. He had to still it with his right. Nervousness would never do – especially not in the face of Yazzi Digger.

But he couldn't help it. He was a samurai, not a ninja. Intrigue was hardly his forte. And if Digger discovered his plans, many would be accused and pay dearly for a rebellion that hadn't even begun. Standing before the general's door, he stilled his face until it was as placid as a calm lake and knocked.

"Enter!"

He did. The tatami were spread out as before. General Digger was lounging on a pile of pillows near her desk and playing with the necklace she'd selected at the barrack. She looked like a cat playing with a ball of string.

Jack stood at the door and didn't move, mindful of Ari's warning.

"Come here, Renakalli."

Jack moved toward her slowly until he stood at a respectable, safe distance. Yazzi waited until he stopped, then heaved herself off the pillows and stood. She looked at Jack for a long moment.

"You're probably wondering why I've brought you here."

Jack was silent.

Yazzi gave him a crocodile smile. "Of course you are. You seem to be a very thoughtful man, Renakalli. I've gotten reports that the servants like you. You took the little gray one under your wing, and she is thriving. Now I'll admit that's a strange way to treat servants –"

"Slaves," Jack interrupted. "Servants are paid."

There was an icy pause. Jack mentally kicked himself for the outburst but maintained his composure.

"Whatever," Yazzi continued. "You seem to have … what is it? Rapport. That's the word. You have a good rapport with them. And the other soldiers tell me you're strange, because you're quiet and polite and you never drink."

Jack had no idea where this was heading. He kept his mouth shut. Yazzi was eyeing him.

"Man of few words, are you?"

Silence.

"Hm. Well, let's get down to business. I think you're the perfect man for the job."

Jack was baffled. It must have shown, because Yazzi felt compelled to explain.

"Our last man from the convoy was killed today at the Wall, in a most grievous manner that will have to be investigated. But in the meantime, I am recommending that instead of remaining an Ipshen, you will take his place. You will become one of the six ambassadors from Tarrenko to her majesty's capital at Gunzai. As the lowest ranking of the six, your first assignment will be a fact-finding mission: to visit all six of the fortresses and make reports of the state of the servants and soldiers there, so that you can present the information to her majesty. For example, are the soldiers and servants being treated properly, etc."

Jack scratched at his beard. "What is proper treatment?"

Yazzi sighed. "You know, if the women are subdued and reasonable, the men are firmly in hand, like that."

"Subdued? In hand?" Jack was beginning to get angry, but Yazzi saw only confusion.

"Yes," she drawled, like she was talking to an idiot. "If the women obey their orders without being lashed, they are subdued. If the men have the proper 'glow' about them when they fight, they are in hand."

But when she said "glow" she made a strange gesture around her face, and Jack suddenly understood. She was talking about that crazy red light he'd seen in the men's eyes at Orzwitha.

"Of course you can't see the glow, since you're just another soldier and her majesty has taken your mind from you. But just say it's there and you'll have no problems."

So the women were being beaten and the men were being brainwashed. Well, this was a fine mess.

Jack stared her down, fighting to quell his anger. "As you wish. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. I have your permit to travel, the authorization for a carriage, and the authorization to take two guards and two servants with you. It's in my desk. Come over here and get it."

He could hardly believe it, and did his best to hide his pleasure. Papers? Access? He could reach the entire Empire this way! What luck!

But then he took a long look at Yazzi. She was staring at him like he was a snack, the lamplight flickering in her wide yellow eyes. He hated those eyes. A half a second ticked by as he calculated distances and risk.

Yazzi was standing right next to her desk. He was six paces away.

Yes.

He approached like a wary junkyard dog and stood across the desk from Yazzi. She reached into the desk and handed him the papers. He took them cautiously … and the trap was sprung.

She pounced. The papers went flying. Jack hit the floor on his back was immediately pinned. He had fur in his eyes and a low, sultry growl in his ear.

"I live for the hunt, Renakalli. You know that."

Jack struggled, but it was no use. Yazzi was just too big (she was all over him), and she had gravity working for her anyway.

"But you know what of prey I like best? The kind that plays hard to get."

And she kissed him full on the lips. Jack gagged. Her breath smelled like old meat and her fangs kept clicking against his teeth. Finally he pulled away with a yell, twisting his head to the side. Yazzi opened her mouth in shock and one of her canines ripped against Jack's cheek. The wound started bleeding.

Jack didn't care. Taking advantage of Yazzi's surprise, he threw her off like a sack of cotton. She careened into a pile of nearby pillows. Quick as a whip, Jack picked up the scattered papers and made for the door. He was almost through it when he heard her voice behind him.

"That's right, run! I'll have you, Renakalli! I'll have you yet!"

He slammed the door and raced off through the corridors, blood trickling from his beard to his shirt.

Jack didn't break stride until he reached the maids' quarters. Clammy hands met cold walls as he stopped himself and heaved for breath. The common room door opened. Unt-Ork peeked out and grinned happily.

"Ari! He's okay!" she yelled into the room, then grabbed Jack and dragged him inside.

Jack closed the door behind him. Ari wasted no time in grilling him. Jack tripped all over himself trying to tell his story, but he finally got out Yazzi's pronouncement, including the part about the two servants. Unt-Ork, Ari, and Kiki all stared at him with their mouths hanging open.

"That's … that's incredible," Ari said, finding her voice. "So you can get out of this hellhole. Who will you take with you?" Her second question was soft, almost pleading.

"You, of course," Jack replied, "And Unt-Ork."

"What about Gui-Gao?" the alien asked.

Everyone looked at Kiki, who straightened up as much as her body would allow.

"Ah … kuh ta ka … aww … mah sehhh," she said, struggling and spitting with every sound. "Gah."

Ari smiled at Kiki. "I know you can," she said. "All right, then. We'll pack and leave with Jack in the morning."

Ignoring the call to be back at work, the two of them left for their room. Jack stared at the fire. Kiki stared at Jack.

"Ah … mihh oo."

Jack turned to her. "I will be back. And this will be over soon. I swear it."

Kiki gave him a lopsided half smile, clumsily patted his shoulder, and limped out of the room. Jack was left in front of the fire, alone with his thoughts again.

TBC