The Fall of the Infinite Empire
Chapter 51
Za-Hell picked up his spear and turned to face his mirror. A few months after having returned to Lehon, Za-Hell had been moved from the barracks dormitory to this private room. His entire military career he had bunked with others. Having one's own room was usually reserved for battle-leaders or those of even higher rank. The other guards, even those who weren't drones, did not have their own rooms. Za-Hell had ben bewildered at his having been assigned one, but now it made more sense, the reassignment coming as it did after his meeting with Zhed-Hai in which he had been given his special instructions. Zhed-Hai had anticipated the need to buy Za-Hell's complicity in treason, and had thought he could be bought with his own room. After thinking about it for a moment Za-Hell realized that wasn't quite true, for Zhed-Hai had eventually decided he needed to threaten Za-Hell's family. Well, he thought bitterly to himself, at least he had bargained a better price.
It was to prepare to visit his family in their new accommodations in the underground annex to Zhed-Hai's compound that led Za-Hell to stare at himself in the mirror. He had gotten the mirror once he found out he had a room of his own. It was not vanity that caused him to look into it. He was not, as Fa-Rush was, obsessed with perfecting his appearance. His clothes were the tunic and breeches of a warrior, and they did not change. He wore no other ornament. He looked into the mirror each day to ruminate upon his disfigurement. He still dreamed of himself with two eyes, still sometimes caught himself being surprised that others looked on him with disgust. He had to adjust to what he was, to what Zhed-Hai had made him. He had first made him into a freak, and now, Za-Hell thought, into a traitor.
The revelations of the previous days had shaken Za-Hell, but they had never really made him question what he would do. He would not endanger his family, and his family were under Zhed-Hai's control. The Elder could kill them with a single command. Za-Hell couldn't even figure out how he would stop his master if he wanted to try. There was no one he could turn to, and nowhere he could go. Every route he might take had been mapped by Zhed-Hai before Za-Hell had even realized the situation he was in, and all but one way was blocked. Zhed-Hai had selected him for this mission, whatever it was and whatever his reasons for seeing it done, and had brought Za-Hell's family into his patronage, knowing that Za-Hell would one day face this moment of decision. Za-Hell had been beaten before he had even known there was a contest.
So he looked at himself, the hideous betrayer of his people, the slave to another's will. There was no honor in what he was, and he had no right to fool himself into thinking he was anything other than a coward. He needed to understand, in his heart, his worthlessness. It would make it easier to obey; pride was a dangerous thing for a slave to hold on to. And his family depended on his obedience. He would not fail them again.
Za-Hell left his room and began his walk towards the annex tunnel. For whatever reason the annex was located quite far away, reachable only through tunnels so long they required a tram to get from the compound to the annex. As he exited the barracks hallway Za-Hell saw Fa-Rush sitting at one of the guard posts. This seemed to Za-Hell quite an odd thing, since Fa-Rush was usually far too conscious of his superior station to let anyone mistake him for a lowly guard. His clothes also looked familiar, which meant that Za-Hell, who did not remember things like outfits well, must have seen him wearing them recently. That too was strange. While Za-Hell could not tell you which outfit Fa-Rush wore from day to day, he did know that each day brought some ostentatiously new costume. But there Fa-Rush sat, looking blankly at the glass wall of the human's enclosure. Several stories below them the humans were starting their day, walking around gathering the materials they needed to cook their food and mend their clothes. Za-Hell looked through the glass at them and wondered what really the significance of that wall was. It didn't matter what side you were on, he thought, you were Zhed-Hai's slave.
As he approached Fa-Rush he stopped to give a salute, one which the major domo did not return, and did not even acknowledge. This was not so strange in itself, for Fa-Rush was not one for showing respect to subordinates, but that disrespect usually came with some kind of flourish, some barbed comment. Never just silence, and certainly never a complete absence of affect.
"Hello, sir?" Za-Hell ventured. Hearing his voice seemed to wake Fa-Rush from whatever daydream had so enraptured him, but only barely. He turned his head slowly and stiffly and looked up at Za-Hell with no hint of recognition in his eyes. Za-Hell was about to speak again when Fa-Rush opened his mouth slowly, lips beginning to form a word before closing again. He then stared at Za-Hell, just as he had been staring at the glass.
"Fa-Rush, do you need assistance?" Za-Hell asked as he slowly moved to the side and took a step back. Fa-Rush did not turn his head, even his eyes did not follow Za-Hell as he did this. He simply sat and stared at the spot where Za-Hell had been. After receiving no answer for several seconds, Za-Hell backed up more and placed his second hand on his spear.
Then Fa-Rush opened his mouth and said, "I require nothing." His words came out as a kind of croak. His voice was deep and scratchy, as though he had not spoken for a long while. After speaking he still stared straight ahead at nothing.
"Very well sir. I will leave you to your labors," Za-Hell said. He turned and walked away, unsettled by Fa-Rush's behavior. He wondered for a moment whether Fa-Rush had been the recipient of one of Zhed-Hai's revelations, as Za-Hell had been. Then he tried to put the foolish little fop out of his mind. Whatever had befallen Fa-Rush was likely beyond Za-Hell's understanding, he thought. And, probably more importantly to Za-Hell, he did not care what happened to him. Fa-Rush was a silly creature, but also cruel. If in the process of trying to help Zhed-Hai in his plots the preening fool was broken and thrown away, Za-Hell would not be the one to cry about it. He had his own concerns.
Those concerns took him to a tunnel on the bottom level of the compound, or what Za-Hell had thought of as the bottom level of the compound before his trip down the elevator a few days previous, before he had been shown where Zhed-Hai kept his secrets. Were his family and the other Rakatans they were now housed with another secret? Is that why they were kept far away from the compound? Or was that to keep what was happening in the compound away from these new guests?
Za-Hell entered the tram alone, and sat down in the otherwise empty car. After around an hour or so the tram, which moved at an incredible speed, came to a stop and the doors opened. Za-Hell wondered how far he had travelled beneath the ground as he walked to the security door and placed his hand in the slot next to it. After a sharp, short sting in his finger he removed his hand and waited for the door to scan his blood. The security system at this facility worked entirely differently than the one at the main compound. It was on a different computer system, had a different power source and worked on different principles. There were no identification chips, those with permission to enter had their DNA on file and had to have their blood checked to gain entry. Zhed-Hai had explained to the guards how to navigate the different security arrangements, but not why they existed. This had all happened before the annex facility had become the home for Zhed-Hai's vast patronage network, or at least part of that network. When the war began his guards had been sent out to select homes throughout the capitol city, collecting the great and the good who owed their allegiance to Zhed-Hai and bringing them here. Za-Hell had not been sent out though, not even to collect his own family. He had been given the duty to escort the human into the lower levels.
It was actually something of a surprise that his family was here, at least if you looked at the others who had been saved. Almost all were of higher rank and status than Za-Hell's family. This was not in itself so odd, given that Za-Hell's family was probably among the lowest ranked of Zhed-Hai's clientele. Most of the other guards' families were of higher social standing than his, but even some of their families had not been granted a spot here. In fact the number of guardsmen had been reduced recently as Zhed-Hai had released several from his service so that they could go to their families and flee with them. But many high-ranking clients of Zhed-Hai's, some so prominent that even someone like Za-Hell knew their names, had not been on the list. But despite that, his parents and sisters were there.
A long hallway separated the entrance to the annex from the actual living area, a hallway with no doors. Za-Hell understood that at least. It was another security measure. The walls no doubt hid defensive systems designed to inflict maximum damage on a force that tried to force their way in. As far as Za-Hell knew the very existence of this place was a secret. The guards whose families were not included had left not knowing what they and their families had missed out on, and the guards who remained were all restricted to the compound now. This made the extensive security precautions peculiar, and worrisome. What did Zhed-Hai see coming that he needed to take these kinds of precautions, Za-Hell wondered.
After entering the large underground living area Za-Hell sought out his family. He had a number for a room they have been given, and was able to find them fairly quickly. He was not quick enough, however, to avoid the stares of the rich, well-born clients of Zhed-Hai's who were milling about in the common areas. As he walked through the arboretums complete with sculptures and fountains he could not avoid the looks and occasional gasps from those he passed by.
Eventually he reached his family's apartment. It was smaller than their house in the city of course, but not so much as Za-Hell had feared. They each had a room to sleep in and a common area for cooking and eating. That is where he found his father, who was watching one of the droids gather up the used garments the family had produced in the previous day.
"My son!" his father called out, and rushed to embrace him, a warmer gesture than Za-Hell had expected. "It is very good to see you. Welcome to our new home."
"This is not our home," his mother said grimly, entering the common area from one of the rooms that were attached to it like spokes on a wheel.
"Home is where our family lives my dear," his father replied, affecting his most solemn and knowing expression. "And we live here for the foreseeable future."
Za-Fack, Za-Hell's sister, came into the common area and smiled weakly at her brother. "It is good to see you brother," she said as she bowed her head.
"And you sister," Za-Hell said softly.
"Za-Fack, leave that moping in your room and show your brother the gratitude he has earned. Come along boy, have a seat. Your mother and sister will fetch us something to eat," his father said, the solemn look gone.
Za-Hell acquiesced, moving to the sofa his father was gesturing at. After he sat down he asked, "Where is Za-Lan?"
Za-Fack sat down in a chair opposite Za-Hell and answered, "She is spending time with one of the families in our block of apartments. There is a boy there her age."
"He's not a boy, child!" their father snapped. "He is full grown, and the son of a major industrialist. Your sister, at least, is doing her best to adapt to the new situation," he said, casting a skeptical look Za-Fack's way.
"What about that boy she was seeing, the one you told me about? Tcha-do? Something like that?" Za-Hell asked.
"Well…we can't know for sure of course…but there is some reason to worry," his father began before his mother cut him off.
"He's dead," she said flatly.
"Now my dear, we do not know that for sure," his father replied.
"What makes you think he is dead mother?" Za-Hell asked.
"The boy's family belongs to Kru-Garth. His father serves in his fleet. Anyone like that was targeted. The same night your master's guards came for us, warriors came for them. We heard them fighting," she answered.
"We didn't get a good look, because we were hiding," his sister said.
"We weren't hiding child. We were simply minding our own business. That's why we don't know for sure," his father repeated.
Thinking it was a good idea to move on from that subject Za-Hell asked, "What about you sister? Making any friends here?"
"It's hard. They are all so…rich," she said, laughing a little at the last word, but only a little.
"Were any of your friends…taken?" he asked.
"No, I don't think so. None of my friends' families are that important. They didn't really have any patrons. The war will probably pass them by," she said, trying to sound hopeful.
"That is why you should be looking on this as an opportunity, Za-Fack. Everyone here is of great importance, otherwise they would not be here. You could make friends and connections with the people here and put yourself in a good position after we go back home. There are going to be many opportunities," their father said, more chipper than he had been in some time.
"Opportunities?" Za-Hell asked.
"I mean, after the war is over, things are going to change. I have spoken to those who know, and there are many down here who know a great deal about the situation. The battle the other day did not go the traitors' way." Za-Hell winced almost imperceptibly at his father's use of the word 'traitor.'
"He listened to others talk," his mother said under her breath while she gathered more clothes for the droid to take.
"Well I didn't make a fool out of myself talking up a storm, that is true. It pays to listen sometimes," was his rejoinder. "Anyway these men say that Drisk-Koan will certainly lose the next engagement, and Soaf-Rushk will be isolated, and all their clients will be in for a hard time. Many positions will open up in the next few months, and it will be the people here who will take them. We have been selected, chosen. We are going to be those in charge when this is all done, and we have you to thank my son!"
Za-Hell could not match his father's enthusiasm, nor could he even really pretend to. Tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of Rakatans had died in that battle, and his father was thinking, no doubt, of taking over the business of some family that would be wiped out in the next few weeks in some crusade of vengeance.
"Is that true brother? That Zhed-Hai is winning the war, and that we are going to be let out soon?" his sister asked hopefully.
"I…I think so. He certainly doesn't seem afraid of an attack on his compound. The other guards say that Kru-Garth has gone to find reinforcements, and that Drisk-Koan's fleet is crippled. But I don't know how long that will all be. I don't know what Zhed-Hai is planning."
"He does not tell you?" his mother asked.
"No, I am just a guard. He doesn't tell me things," Za-Hell said.
"The ones who came for us, they said you were a commander, that you had high rank," she said uncertainly.
Za-Hell thought about his single room, and figured that it would seem to one of the guards like he had some special status. And in a perverse way, perhaps that was even true. It had been him who had been ordered to take Myra below.
"I don't think he shares his plans with anyone. Besides, this isn't really his war. Its Kru-Garth's. I think Zhed-Hai was taken by surprise. He had to rush back home."
"Well, I mean, he is the senior member of the council after Soaf-Rushk, who has clearly chosen the wrong side," his father said. "Certainly when this is all said and done Soaf-Rushk will be off the council and Zhed-Hai will have the prime position."
"I don't know father. I don't know what will happen."
"Have you received orders, about after the war?" his mother asked.
Well, Za-Hell thought, the moment has come. "I have," he said.
"And?" his sister asked.
"I am to be sent off world. I will be supervising an expedition to settle some of the Human slaves in another system."
"Well," his father began, clearly unsure what this meant for him and the family, "that sounds very important. No doubt that is why the Elder has brought us here, because you are doing such important work for him."
Za-Hell simply nodded.
"How long will you be gone for?" his mother asked.
Za-Hell could not bear to tell them the truth, that he was likely going away for good, or at least for many, many years, so he dissembled. "He could not say for sure, only that it would be a significant project and would take time."
"But you're coming back right?" his sister said anxiously.
"Whenever I can," Za-Hell said, once again hiding the lie in the truth. He turned to his mother who simply stared at him. He had never been able to trick her.
"Well we will make sure that when you return this family has achieved a station worthy of such an important servant of such an important Elder," his father said, oblivious to the subtext.
They spoke for some time before Za-Hell left. His father was sure that his skills at droid repair would be useful, even necessary, to Zhed-Hai and encouraged Za-Hell to speak to the Elder about it. His older sister showed up eventually and they talked about how she was adapting to the new situation. Both his sisters took after their mother and so could pick up on the fact that something was amiss, mostly through their mother's behavior. She kept her eyes on her son, as though trying to commit him to memory.
Eventually Za-Hell had to bring the goodbye that he would not admit was a goodbye to an end. He had his duty to return to, and his position on Zhed-Hai's staff was the only thing keeping his family here. He did not know what was going to happen, but the importance of the people gathered in that place convinced him it was the safest place for his family to be. He said his 'till I see you again's and walked out of the apartment.
"What is going to happen to you?" his mother said. Za-Hell turned and saw she had followed him out.
"I am taking a group of humans to another world. In the galactic core," he answered.
"Will you ever come back?" she asked softly.
"It doesn't have a Star Map, so…," he said before trailing off. "He doesn't want his enemies to know where it is I think. So maybe if the war ends and he's in charge, maybe I'll be back."
"Why are you doing this?" she said bitterly.
"You need this. Maybe it already saved your lives, but if it hasn't already, I think it will. I don't know what's going to happen, but I've seen enough that I know things aren't going to be very good for a while. I think this is the best place for you," Za-Hell said. He was reporting the conclusion to an argument he had been having with himself for the past several days.
"We could have just left. Gotten away from the city."
"So I could do what? You think many people are looking to take on a warrior with one eye? I would end up working for father, giving him help he doesn't need fixing agricultural droids in some backwater," Za-Hell said, shaking his head.
"There are worse things to be," his mother said softly.
"I know," he replied. "I am a worse thing."
"Son, you…," she started to say, before her son cut her off.
"I killed a child you know. A human child. He disobeyed our orders and I killed him. I thought it was justified because he was an enemy of the Empire. But really he was just a scared little boy, and he died that way. Because I wanted to impress some other guards. Because I'm a weakling. Just like father. He is in there plotting how to acquire powerful friends, how he is going to impress people who will never ever notice him."
"You aren't like your father Za-Hell," his mother said, fighting to maintain her composure. What she had just said was the closest she had ever come, in Za-Hell's recollection anyway, of admitting the disdain she felt for her mate.
"Yes I am," he replied. "I have been thinking about it, for a while now, and I know the truth. That's the only difference really. I see what I am. I'm not deluded anymore. And this, being what I am now," he said, gesturing at his missing eye. "This is honestly the best I was ever going to be able to do for you. Za-Fack and Za-Lan will have better lives because of it. You will have a better life, and father too probably. I found a way to do my duty, even with what I am. I get to be proud of at least something."
"It's not your job to take care of us. It's my job to take care of you and your sisters. You shouldn't have to worry about that. It's not your burden," she said.
"If that's not my job then I don't know what I am here for. If that's not my job then I am just some useless, cowardly killer. This way I can even make up for what I did, a little anyway."
His mother shook her head, since there was nothing left to say, and she couldn't face telling her son goodbye. Za-Hell looked at her and smiled.
"But who knows what will happen. If I can get back home, I will. I'll do my best mother."
His mother looked up at him and then nodded. He reached to take her hand and squeezed it. She reached up to where his missing eye had been and rubbed the side of his head.
"Goodbye boy," she said before turning back to the apartment. Za-Hell walked back to the tram, not even noticing the looks of disgust he received from the well born of Lehon this time. As the doors to the tram closed, unbeknownst to Za-Hell, another set of doors, far away on the other end of the annex, opened. Through the doorway came large droids on wheels, carrying between them empty stasis tubes. One by one they rolled through the door, spreading out amongst all the buildings of the underground annex, depositing the tubes, and departing. They were followed by other droids that installed the machinery to power the tubes, to synthesize the gas that would fill them. It took some time to do this for the hundreds of tubes necessary to install; one for each resident. Long before the process was done Za-Hell's tram left the annex. As it sped away other droids appeared from the shadows to disassemble the rail line. Once this was done for a fairly large section, two thick blast doors appeared from the cave walls, closing off those within from the outside world.
