Willing Slave, Unwilling Master Ch. 09

I let this all sink in, shuddering slightly. I'm glad Master doesn't expect me to fight for him; I don't think I could do that.

"I could bore you with details of the skirmishes between our forces during those years. Seriously," he smirks. "I had to write an essay on that period, but what's relevant to you is something that happened about a hundred years ago. We had been getting slowly closer and closer to each other's planets for years, and finally it happened that a specially designed Vil ship was able to slip close enough to Earth and fire."

I notice Master shiver before continuing in a slightly hushed voice. "The warhead hit the island of Japan, which was completely annihilated; every man, woman child and animal wiped out in seconds, followed swiftly by the united provinces of Korea and much of China and Russia." He sighs softly, "What wasn't wiped out in the initial blast was quickly lost to tidal waves, earthquakes or erupting volcanos, not to mention the ash that turned the sky black as night."

"I've never heard of any of these places, Master," I say quietly, trying to wrap my mind around whole landmasses of humans suddenly disappearing."

"No, well, that's hardly surprising. They are gone, and it's not as if the rest of the world escaped either. In fact, some people think that dying in an instant was merciful compared to the slow drawn-out death from starvation or worse, as the ash thrown up by the explosion plunged the globe into perpetual night."

"But you're still here Master?" I say quietly, remembering what it's like to be cut off from the sun completely and shuddering.

"You have the hubs to thank for that," he says, stroking my knee affectionately. "At least that's what we call them now. They used to be military bases. When the bomb hit they were protected by the same repulsion shields we used on our ships. Overnight they became the only safe refuge available; I can't even imagine how crowded they must have been."

"In the span of a year Earth lost nearly two thirds of its population. I think the Vil's intention was to bring the war to a swift end, but there was no way that was going to happen; not now. Remember what I said about hatred not being rational? Humanity was prepared to fight to its extinction if it meant a chance at revenge."

"After the bombing, the war became truly brutal. Conscription age limits were dropped completely; anyone old enough to operate basic ship systems was given three weeks training and sent to the front lines. Earth's attacks on Vil'rah began more and more to focus on civilian, medical and agricultural targets, seeking to do as much damage as possible."

"By the time the peace treaty was signed, the estimated death toll for both planets was nearly fifteen and a half billion, and both species were on the verge of total collapse. The Lower Vil were initially traded for food and medical supplies. I think for the Vil it was a matter of necessity; they would have starved otherwise. But I've also been wondering lately if a lack of available owners was also a factor in their decision, because the Vil insisted that each Lower Vil had a single owner. In the early days your species was treated more as a spare pair of hands than a slave."

"They would not have known how to speak English, Master," I say with a shudder. It's hard enough to understand what my Master wants and I can understand him! What must it have been like coming to a strange world with strange creatures and not having any idea what was going on?

"No," he agrees, "and their owners couldn't speak the language used on Vil'rah. Although that might not have been the worst thing in the world; a lot of people believed the Lower Vil to be spies."

"Spies, Master?" I ask confusedly.

"That they were sent here to learn our secrets, then take them back or otherwise report them to the Vil," he clarifies.

"But that would mean breaking one of the overriding edicts!" I say.

Master laughs softly, "I'm not so sure there were overriding edicts back then, sweetie." He gets up slowly, stretching as he looks out over the ruined city. With a soft smile he closes the car door and walks around to sit back in the driver's seat.

"It's starting to cool down," he says as a way of explanation. "With everything else, I almost forgot... well, the whole coughing up blood thing. Are you doing okay?" He attempts to keep his jovial tone, but isn't quite able to hide the worry in his voice.

I nod. "I'm okay, Master," I say softly. "My sister Leilani said sometimes when you're sick, you have to feel worse before you feel better."

It's strange actually saying my sister's name again after so long. I wonder how she's doing, I hope that she's found an owner that is as kind as mine and she doesn't miss us all too badly. She was always the one fussing over us, trying her very best to keep all of us out of trouble.

"I hope she's right," Master says absently, gazing out through the windshield.

I peer at my owner for a few long moments, allowing myself a tiny smile as I remember how irate Leilani would have gotten, if she knew how little I was doing to keep my curiosity in check. "Master?" I say, drawing his attention, "What happened after the Lower Vil came to Earth?"

"Huh?" he looks at me with a raised eyebrow, "Oh, yeah. Well, it took about ten years for the situation to truly stabilise. People were convinced that at any moment we would return to war; I imagine the Vil lived in a similar climate of fear.

He pauses to take a sip of water. "Thankfully that didn't happen; in fact both plants prospered with smaller, elite societies, relatively speaking, of course. Even many years later the grief was very real, but we adapted and moved on. We started to reclaim the land around the hubs, and started growing and farming food, both for ourselves and to trade with the Vil."

"As part of the terms of the treaty both sides of the conflict agreed to a disarmament program. Our warships were recycled, giving us the materials to build the hub cities. Other building supplies we either plundered from abandoned cities like this one or else imported from Vil'rah."

"As time went on, the role of the Lower Vil changed; they were no longer vital to the running of our factories. They quickly found themselves a highly valuable commodity, which was good news for their working class owners. Someone who sold a Lower Vil thirty years ago made enough to buy a whole army of them today, if they were allowed to own more than one of course."

"I don't think I would like it, if you owned another Lower Vil as well as me, Master," I say cautiously, still not quite sure how I feel about being able to speak my mind.

"No, me either. Look how much trouble I managed to get myself into with just one of you," he laughs softly. "It's a good thing though; without that rule, many people would buy entire factories worth of Lower Vil and fire all their human workers. No one wins in that scenario."

"Anyway, it's not really a surprise that not only was there a demand for Lower Vil, but for more human looking Lower Vil. The Vil had been breeding your kind for years and were more than happy to set up breeding compounds on Earth; the first ever Human-Vil joint venture created."

"That's why I don't have scales like Emily and Zack?" I say, something clicking in my mind in a most satisfying way.

"Yep, I suspect they are a generation or two behind you, though I don't know for sure. The compounds are highly secretive about how they breed their Lower Vil, like a restaurant keeping the recipe for their fried chicken locked in a safe."

There's a moment of silence in the car as we both stop to take a sip of our bottled water. I've never really thought about where I come from. I mean, once we learned about how reproduction worked, it followed that we must have had a mother and father. Was one of my parents human? From what Master was saying, one of them must have been. Does that mean my mother or father is free? Living out amongst the humans? Does he or she know I exist? Would they treat me like Master's parents treat him, or like a slave?

I'm pulled from my thoughts by the sudden rumble of the car firing back into life. I look over at Master, who smiles at me wearily.

"We better get going, sweetie," he says, stroking my knee before turning his attention the car controls. "Tell me if you start to feel sick again, okay?"

I nod, sparing the city one last look before we turn back onto the road. It feels strange to know so much about the world; to be allowed to know so much about the world. I'm still trying to wrap my head around wormholes and space battles and hub cities, but still, something's bothering me. A tiny detail, that doesn't make sense.

"Master?" I ask slowly, testing the ice as always whenever I ask my owner an unsolicited question. "Why didn't the animals die when Earth was attacked?"

"They did. Well, most of them did. But the rest of them were saved by the ark project, basically a ship full of cryo-frozen animals kept away from Earth, just in case something happened. It just goes to show you the depth of human arrogance, that we never devised something like that for ourselves."

"Cryo-frozen, Master?"

"It's like a biomechanical gel, whatever you throw in it stays alive, but completely frozen; no need for food or even oxygen. They use it in ship escape pods. Don't ask how it works, though. I've always been more interested in history than engineering."

Master expertly steers around a bend in the road, sighing under his breath as a long straight, seemingly endless stretch of road opens before us.

"None of Emily's shows talked about spaceships or cryo-freezing, Master?" I say, feeling more confident with each question I ask.

"Another insight into the human condition, sweetie," Master replies, looking at me sadly. "People like to pretend the war never happened, I mean, they know it did. But the grief and the loss..." He shakes his head. "It's hard to explain."

"I think I understand, Master." I say, not meeting his gaze. "I don't like to think about my sisters, it... I don't like remembering."

I wait for Master to say something, but he doesn't. He just reaches across the car and takes my hand as together we drive towards the sunset.

--- --- ---

Dan

As I had hoped the sun has well and truly set as I pull off the road into the parking lot of the motel. There isn't much space for normal sized cars, as most of the room is taken up by huge anti-grav trucks, their floating undersides splattered in mud. Evidence of the farms scattered liberally around this area.

Holding my breath I just about manage to squeeze my dad's prized car between two hovering mini-vans. Rose, seeming to realise that I need to focus, stays perfectly still. But once we stop she leans forward, her face alive with curiosity.

"I need to go and rent us a room," I say softly. "Stay here okay? I'll be back soon."

For a brief moment I think she is going to argue, or at least protest being left alone, but the look fades quickly and she nods, "Yes, Master."

Leaning over I gently kiss her lips before sliding out of the car into the cool night air. This place is just like I remember it; a two story 'U' shaped building surrounding a pool area make up the body of the hotel, with the office sitting under a huge neon sign not far from the main building.

It is the neon's I remember the most, a mixture of green blue and purple light flashing throughout the night. My mother thought the sign was obnoxious, but I disagreed, and still do. Sometimes, very occasionally, retro suits a place. I wonder if this place was a remnant of life before the war, or if it was built new.

The thought is driven from my mind by a rumble in my stomach as I notice the office building has expanded to include a burger joint, which to my delight is lit with even more neon lights.

With a new eagerness in my step and a nervous look back at the car I walk the short distance to the office, jumping at the tinkling of a bell as I push the glass door open.

"Good evening, Sir!"

I stop in my tracks, looking at the Lower Vil behind the counter. She is covered in scales, which contrasts rather strangely with her blond wig and red checkered shirt. I can't see below the counter but I am willing to bet she is also sporting cut-off blue denim shorts.

Right. This could be problematic.

"Would you like a room for a night, hun? Or perhaps you're hungry! My sister makes a mean burger, let me tell you."

I have never heard such a ridiculously scripted, not to mention cheesy, statement said with quite such enthusiasm.

"Your sister?" I say, "As in your actual, biological sister?"

A flicker of confusion flashes across her reptilian face, probably invisible to most people, but I have had practice with Rose.

"Yes, Sir," she replies cheerfully, before continuing without missing a beat. "The burgers she makes are world famous!"

I highly doubt that the world, or what is left of it, knows about her burgers, but it is interesting to see two slaves from the same, what did Emily call it, litter, working together. If it wasn't for the fact that I am being hunted by government forces, I would do some digging.

"I wish to speak to the owner," I say, hoping I can come up with a plan on how to pay for the room before they arrive.

"Please, Sir! I can assist you with whatever you may need." There is a subtle nervousness to her voice, I guess she has more reason that most receptionists for worrying about getting her boss involved.

"You can assist me by getting the owner," I say, feeling increasingly guilty.

"Yes, Sir. Please excuse me for a moment." She disappears into a back room.

I peer out of the large glass window, trying to catch a glimpse of Rose, but it is too dark to see anything clearly, all that is visible is the back of the car; I suppose at least that means she hasn't driven off without me.

"What do you want?"

I turn to see a thin, yet clearly fit, grey-haired old man standing at the counter, the Lower Vil girl standing behind him with her eyes fixed on the floor.

"I need a room for a few nights," I reply, catching his eye and immediately regretting it. He must be ex-military; no one naturally stands so still or radiates such a supreme authority.

"Yeah? That's why the girl's here, ain't it?" He gives me a suspicious look.

My mind races through replies, before in desperation I take a stab in the dark. "I don't much care for scalers," I say, using the most common slur for someone from Vil'rah.

He raises a white eyebrow, "That so... You don't look old enough to have served on no ship boy, what do you know about scalers?"

"My granddad," I reply, "He told me all about what they did." Actually he gave me a balanced account of the atrocities committed by both sides to each other and everyone in-between.

"He serve?"

It's a redundant question; barring the loss of more than two limbs or a head everyone served in the military. The hubs were too small to effectively hide, and leaving the protection of the repulsion shield was a death sentence in and of itself.

I nod. "He was a fighter pilot on the Invictus Eight," I say, truthfully this time.

"Well, he would know better than most," he nods sagely. "And he's not wrong, but the girl's alright." He looks over his shoulder. "Best workers I ever had, truth be told."

"Aren't you worried she'll turn on you?" I say, buying myself time.

He shrugs, "Risk you take, lad. Now you needed a room?"

"Yeah, just for a few days, just until I can find someone willing to take me on to the Central Hub."

"What business you got there?" he asks, a not unreasonable question; traveling between hubs is rare, even more so for someone my age.

"I want to join the Navy, but my parents...," I trail off. "Let's just say they are not exactly supportive; in fact they've cut me off."

I see the indecision clear on his face. He obviously supports anyone joining the military, as I was hoping. But he has also just realised I don't have any credits to pay with. This is why I needed a human; I doubt a Lower Vil would understand the concept of barter.

"I'm not a charity, lad," he says sternly.

"I know," I say quickly, "I'm not asking for a handout, just a bit of flexibility on price."

He raises an eyebrow as I pull my folded tablet from my pocket. "How about this? It's gotta be worth a few nights and a burger right?"

He looks at me for a long moment, before holding out his hand for the tablet. With only a touch of regret I hand it over; it's better than using my ident chip and broadcasting my exact location to the entire government, assuming they don't already monitor this place. Well, all I can do is hope that being privately owned they don't.

Despite his advancing years the old guy behind the counter seems to know his way around a tablet and soon he is scrolling through the myriad features this gadget offers.

"Grab the key for room forty-two, will you Veki? And tell your sister to make whatever the kid wants."

"Yes, Master!" his slave squeaks.

He nods at me once before returning to his office, his face buried in his new toy. I smile as Veki hands me a key card, a gesture she returns with more than a little relief.

--- --- ---

"You need to eat, Rose." I say softly.

"But what about you, Master?" She asks, for what feels like the thousandth time. I'm glad she has the new found confidence to answer back; I just wish she wasn't using it to argue with me.

"I have a doughnut," I remind her, "Now come on, sweetie, please don't make me command you to eat." I raise an eyebrow at her.

Slowly, with her eyes fixed on mine, she takes a bite of the burger. Satisfied, I pull my own dinner from the bag, wondering how exactly we are supposed to keep ourselves entertained in this bland hotel room, especially now, that I'm bereft of my tablet. My gaze wanders back to Rose; I am sure we can come up with a few distracting activities.

Suddenly there is a loud knock on the door.

"Rose, get under the bed. Now," I say in a panicked whisper.

She throws me a terrified look before diving to the floor and wiggling under the bed. Her ankle disappears from sight just as the door busts open.

The room seems at once to become an explosion of chaos and shouting as black-clad enforcers rush in. I had grandiose plans of making a run for it, but the sudden shock and the reality of what I am up against leave me completely immobile, like a rabbit caught in a headlight.

One of the men, at least I assume they are all men, shouts something at me. Before his words have even had a chance to register, I feel myself being pulled boldly off of the bed.

I hit the ground so hard that it knocks the wind out of me. The enforcers don't even give me time to work out which way up is before they force a black bag over my head.

Fighting with all my might the urge to struggle or fight back, I allow my hands to be restrained behind my back, followed swiftly by my ankles.

"Where is the girl?" one of them asks as a silence falls across the room.

I hold my breath, hoping against all hope that Rose might be able to escape this yet. Then she starts to cough.

There is a sudden crashing sound as the bed is presumably thrown aside, followed by yet more crashes intermixed with hacking coughs.

"Rose!" I yell, "Rose! Fight them! Don't let them take you!"

"Rose!"

I feel a sharp prick in my arm, and my already dark world falls away completely.