War and Money Read online

  She doesn’t speak for a few seconds. “I don’t like to think of that. Da puts tiny bits of his salary aside when he can by skimping on food, but I once heard him and Ma talking when they thought we were all asleep.”

  I roll back over and see tears in her eyes. “Talking about what, Viga?”

  “Da said he’ll divorce Ma once she’s infertile and marry a young woman.”

  “What!” I spring up too fast and almost knock Viga off the bunk.

  Viga wipes her tears and sits up as well. “No, listen, it’s not so bad. He’s going to give Ma money from the advancement bonuses once his new wife starts having kids. Ma can live in one of the underprivileged housing units so she won’t be on the streets.”

  I know what the underprivileged housing units are. I saw them every day on my way to school. They’re tall structures, walled in so no one in them can come out among regular society. The people in there are little more than animals kept in cages until they die. They’re either too weak, too old or too sick to work, or, according to Viga, they can’t have kids. I didn’t realize infertile women were shoved in there, too. Those poor people have scraps of food delivered to them. It’s subsistence food, the stuff that’s not fit for other people. It’s the minimum to keep them alive. They can buy additional food, if they have the money. To think of Viga’s ma, or my ma, in there makes me cry as well.

  “Don’t cry, Dax.” Viga uses the end of the blanket to dab at my tears. “This is the world. We live, we die. There’s not much in between.”

  “There are wars. That’s what’s in between, Viga. Never ending wars!” I stand because I can’t sit still any longer and my heart’s pumping so hard it feels like I’ll explode.

  “Quiet, Dax,” warns Kova as she tosses the cube. “If anyone hears you, you’ll get us all disciplined.”

  I take in a deep breath. “Does it matter? We’re all dead anyway.”

  A hush falls over the dormitory as they all jump to their feet and salute. What now? I straighten and salute as well when Tablon walks in with Lenora a few steps behind him.

  Chapter Five

  Like a factory auto-bot, Tablon stops, bends and picks up the clay cube. He examines it and hands the cube to Lenora. “You Anti-foe’s sit around all day playing child games? Is that why you’re in training camp? Is it?”

  Briett shakes his head. I’m willing him not to speak, but he does anyway, “No, we’re here to get good with laser guns so we can kill the aliens before they vaporize us.” He grins like he’s proud of his answer.

  For whatever reason, this infuriates Tablon and he pokes Briett in the stomach. “You must be that waste of oxygen, Big Pig. Did I say you could speak, piggy? No, I didn’t. You don’t open that fat mouth of yours until I give you permission. You’ve just earned your squadron a first-violation discipline.”

  Viga groans softly, “Oh, no.”

  I want to ask what a first-violation discipline is, but decide to wait and hear it from Tablon’s mouth, just in case he gives me a second-violation discipline for asking what the first one is.

  Tablon motions to Lenora. “Lead Lenora will be in charge of your discipline.” He spins around and strides from the dormitory with his hands clasped behind his back.

  Lenora’s mouth is set in a slight smirk that makes me want to slap it off her. She walks slowly down the aisle, nose in the air. “This squadron is pathetic. I’ve never seen such pitiful alien bait.” She stops at Briett. “Big Pig, you’ll lead your squadron.”

  Poor Briett smiles and throws his shoulders back. “I’ll be the leader?”

  Lenora smirks more. “Yes, you will. You’ll be 100% responsible for carrying out the discipline. If your squad fails, you’ll incur a second-violation discipline. Okay, recruits, follow Big Pig into the gathering area in front of the dorms and get on your knees.” She goes and waits by the door.

  Briett nods and waves to us all to follow him. When I get near Lenora, she glares at me and gives me a shove in the back as I pass. I stumble like I always do when they shove me, but this time I was expecting it and I don’t fall. I calmly continue outside and even though it’s late afternoon, the sun seems even hotter now. I’m not outside for more than ten seconds before I’m drenched in sweat.

  Briett is the first to drop to the ground on his knees, but he goes down too fast and hard and tumbles over. I rush and help him get back on his knees.

  “Orwan!” Lenora screams. “Front and center!”

  Apparently I’m not allowed to help anyone. I come to her and salute. “Yes, ma’am,” I spit the words like they’re venom.

  Lenora slaps my raised hand. “You don’t call me ma’am and you don’t salute me, stupid smudge.”

  “Fine.” I drop the salute.

  She walks around me. “You’ve got a tender heart, don’t you, smudge? You think that fat lump is worth helping?” Now she’s in my face. “He’s not. And you’re no better than him.” She takes a step back and looks at the others. “The discipline for you AFGFs is to miss today’s training session and to clean the other dormitories…in your underwear!” She laughs.

  I’m panicked. “But I don’t have any underwear on. Tablon ripped it off me and threw it away.”

  Lenora raises an eyebrow. “That’s Senior Lead Neemiss. Then you’ll clean naked. Doesn’t matter to me, but you won’t dirty your uniform. Now strip and clean my dormitory first, the Lead Squadron, third dormitory from the left. It better sparkle when we get back from training.” She also clasps her hands behind her back.

  A loud buzzing sounds throughout the camp and an announcement calls for all recruits to head to their assigned training areas. They all emerge from their various dormitories, some looking cocky, and others, terrified. I can’t be naked, I just can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’m shaking so hard I might collapse. Briett is the first to strip off his uniform and fold it neatly on the ground. The others do the same until it’s only me left fully dressed. Lenora grabs my arm, twists it and throws me to the ground.

  “I said take off your clothes, recruit!” She kicks me in the ribs.

  It hurts, but I can’t let her know that.

  A crowd is starting to gather, pointing and giggling at us.

  Briett pulls his undershirt over his head and carries it to me. “I don’t need a shirt. It’s too hot out for a shirt. And if they want to look at my tubby tummy, let them!”

  I get up, keeping my eyes on Lenora and accept Briett’s gift. I’m about to take off my clothes when my fellow AFGFs make a circle around me, turn around facing out and close in so nobody can see me. I strip off my uniform and put on the shirt. It’s so stretched out, it comes down almost to my knees.

  I tap Briett on the shoulder. “I’m done. You’re a life saver. Thanks.”

  My group breaks the circle and together we head to the Lead dormitory, doing our best to ignore the jeers. I glance over my shoulder at Lenora and know that I’ve just defied her in front of everyone, and it feels amazing. Thank you, Briett! At the dormitory, Viga takes my hand, turns to Lenora and grins.

  Lenora takes off toward us, but Viga pulls me into the dorm and locks the door behind us. A barrage of hard thumps on the door makes Viga laugh out loud, but I’m mortified that we’ll get in trouble.

  Lenora shouts, “I can hear you laughing!”

  Briett sits on the nearest bunk, shaking his head. “I’m such an idiot. I thought I was going to be a leader, but I’ll never be anything. She said I was the leader, but she didn’t mean it. I can’t lead anyone. We’ll get another discipline now and it’s because of me.”

  When she stops laughing, Viga gives Briett a pat on the back. “You’re brave, Big Pig. That’s better than being a leader.”

  I sit next to him. “You’re a hero, my hero. You risked getting in trouble to give me your shirt. That makes you a hero, Briett.”

  He perks up a bit. “I guess.” He looks around, his eyes getting bigger and bigger. “Wow, this dormitory is nice.”

  He’s right,
the bunks have sheets, fluffy blankets and two pillows each, and the floor is polished tile with small area carpets near each bunk. It already looks spotless.

  I get off the bunk. “What are we supposed to clean?”

  The door unlocks and Lenora barges in. She has two other girl Leads with her, each holding two buckets. They walk around and empty the buckets, filled with mud and dirt, all over the floors and bunks, throw the buckets across the room, turn and leave without a word. Lenora grins and follows them out.

  Viga and Kova are standing together, shaking their heads, looking absolutely disheartened. I feel the same way, but we don’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for ourselves.

  Over in the far corner I see a few mops and brooms. “Briett, you’re our leader, why don’t you give us all assignments. We’re going to clean this dormitory so it’s cleaner than it was before.”

  He nods. “I don’t know how to lead anyone.”

  “Yes, you do. It’s up to you to tell us what to do.”

  He thinks for a few seconds, then grabs the buckets. “I’ll fill these with water. Um, Mick and Parna, can you start sweeping up the dirt and mud? And Kova, Brinna and Viga can mop up what’s left. Dax, do you know how to do laundry? You can wash the bedding.”

  I give him a smile. “Sure. I used to do all of our laundry at home and was pretty good at it.”

  Kova stomps her foot. “This isn’t fair. I really need training. I was hoping to ask our instructor if I can use a lighter gun. What am I going to do if I can’t shoot? I’ll be killed as soon as I hit the ground.” Tears fall.

  I don’t want to paint a rosy picture of our future, but it isn’t doing any good to have our squadron crying and giving up. “Don’t cry. Every tear you shed takes a bit of you with it. We have to be strong for our families back home.” I grab one of the brooms and hand it to Kova. “How much heavier is the laser gun and how big?”

  She holds the broom and points it like a gun. “I lot heavier than this. Maybe fifty times as heavy, I don’t know. And the gun is about a meter long.”

  “Okay.” I take the broom. When Manti and I were little, we’d play soldiers and aliens and I’d always prop my heavy toy wooden laser gun on my shoulder because I wasn’t very strong. “Get on the ground, on your stomach, and lean on your elbows.”

  She lies down and props herself up on her elbows. “Now what?”

  I hand her the broom again, but put the handle on her shoulder. “Use your shoulder to take some of the weight. And what if you and Briett put down cover fire low to the ground. You’ll be a smaller target that way and the gun won’t be so heavy because you won’t be carrying it.”

  With another sniff, Kova nods. “I get it. That might work. How did you think of that?”

  I shrug. “Something I remembered.”

  Manti always said I was good at figuring things out, like the time I helped her fix the cracked leg on her school desk by making a splint with a stick and loose thread off her sweater. It saved her from getting detention, even though she hadn’t broken the desk leg. Both of us suspected it was a boy who hated her because she scored higher than him on our advanced mathematics midterm exam. As terrible as school was sometimes, I’d rather go back there than be here.

  Briett, with the two buckets in his hands, nods. “I can do that, too, Dax. I like the idea of being a smaller target for a change!” He bursts out laughing. “Think of that, me, small!”

  We all laugh for a minute until Viga steps in as leader and puts us to work. I get the muddy sheets and blankets off the bunks and look around for a washtub or machine, but there isn’t anything in the dormitory. I remember that Briett said we have a water hose outside of our dormitory, so off I go with my arms full of laundry to find a hose.

  There’s a strange humming sound echoing around the deserted camp, coming from the area behind Viteri’s office where the fighter ships are. If it’s a ship taking off, I want to see. I rush over to the office, peek around the corner and watch for a moment. The engines of the fighters are on and there are two recruits standing beside each fighter ship and a female instructor explaining the drill. I don’t hear much of what she’s saying, except for ‘climb to altitude’ and ‘don’t bank too steeply’. I’d rather learn to fly a fighter than be a foot soldier, but that’s only a flicker of a dream that I really shouldn’t allow into my head. But wouldn’t it be wonderful to fly up through the clouds where nobody could tell me what to do? I’d be free.

  The woman raises her arm and closes her fist. Right away, the pilots climb up a short ladder into their ships through a small entry door in the belly. A few seconds later, the engines roar. It’s a magnificent sound; pure rumbling power and freedom, the only way to escape from the camp. I want to be in one of those ships.

  “Orwan!” it’s Viteri.

  I spin around, drop the dirty laundry and salute. He squints his eyes and shakes his head.

  “What am I going to do with you, recruit? You refuse to obey even the simplest orders. Exactly how dumb are you? Did you cheat on your exit exams? You must have because I see no possible way you could have passed.” He kicks at the laundry, steps on some of the sheets and grinds them into the dirt with his boot. “There’s a cleaning station behind the mess hall.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Drop the salute, Orwan.”

  “Yes, sir.” I stand at attention.

  He looks past me at the fighter ships. “Don’t get any ideas. Your fate is determined, Orwan, and it doesn’t involve a fighter ship. Your face will be on every pro-fertility, pro-Global Forces advertisement on Earth.” He kicks at the laundry again. “You’ll be famous. Posthumously. Your death has to come quickly because there have been grumblings that excessive child bearing is hard on the mother. That sort of thing needs to be nipped in the bud and your death is going to stress how vicious the Katarga are and how desperately we need more recruits to fight them. We lose hundreds of supplies every single day. Soldiers and their personal equipment and weapons. Big losses all around. We need more recruits to keep our supply up, Orwan, and you’re going to be the one to help us keep them coming and get those whiny women to realize how Global Forces needs their children. It’s a system of balance, you see. We need lots of children to be born, and die, before the world becomes over crowded. Balance.”

  Sweat drips down my face and into my eyes, but I dare not wipe it away. I feel sick, whether from the heat or from what Viteri said, I don’t know. He’s staring at me. What does he expect me to say? “I’ll do whatever I’m supposed to do, sir.”

  “Yes, you will. I told you, you’re mine now to do with as I see fit. You will die for the Global Forces. And the bloodier, the better.” He touches my cheek with the back of his hand. “A young girl’s face covered in blood. Perhaps half your head blown off. That’ll make an impact. Parents never see what happens to their kids. I’ll spin it so they’ll advance their kids to kill the Katarga before the same thing can happen to everyone on Earth. Ha, ha, it’s perfect.” He nods thoughtfully like he’s talking to himself without me standing right in front of him. He snaps out of his wretched self-indulgent half-trance. “I’ll make sure your family gets an extra bonus if your death is especially gruesome. A reward for your service. When you were inciting students to question the wars at your school, did you ever think you’d end up here?” He lifts the filthy sheets with his boot. “Finish that laundry. Meal time is at 1800. That gives you two hours.”

  He marches back to his office, leaving me alone with his horrible words floating and spinning in my head. A reward for my service? Not sacrifice, but service. And I wasn’t inciting anyone to do anything. Is this his way of shutting me up for good? I stoop, pick up the bedding and go behind the mess hall with my knees wobbly.

  The cleaning station is composed of two large, open vats with paddles inside that are turned by a solar powered crank. I saw something similar once, only on a small scale, at the home of a friend who had a huge family. I can’t even remember his name anymore. It w
as a long time ago.

  Next to the vats are three rows of cord tied to posts and stretched out tight; the clothesline. After I dump the bedding into one of the vats and add water from a spigot, I turn on the crank and wait. Some sort of detergent is added automatically and soon suds bubble up and cover the laundry. I scoop out a handful of suds, rub them between my hands and over my face, and instantly feel cleaner than I have since I arrived. I stick my hands under the spigot and dump handfuls of water over my head.

  While waiting, I climb onto the edge of the empty vat so I can get a view of the fighter ships as they hover along to a grassy field, in a single precise row. I saw a lot of transport ships flying overhead at home, but never a fighter. One after another, they gracefully lift higher off the ground by a few meters, tilt so their noses point straight to the sky and shoot upward, disappearing into the clouds above. They’re so fast! I want so badly to be in one of them, getting lost in the upper atmosphere where nobody can see me.

  The water drains from the vats, leaving the sheets and blankets in a tangled pile. That’s kind of how I feel, all tangled up inside. And I can’t shake what Viteri said. What sort of person dreams of how a girl will die? That takes a special sort of demented mind.

  It hurts too much to think of him and his plans for me, so I’ll concentrate on hanging up the wash. The laundry is heavy, but I manage to drape it over the cords and relax in a lovely shady spot they’ve created. The coolness and the fresh smell of clean linen is wonderful and it takes me away for a few minutes. I feel like myself again, like when I’d hang our laundry at home.

  Home. I remember the first day I went to school when I was five, ten years ago, and Ma made me a new shirt and walked with me all the way. My teachers were nice and I made a few friends, but not once did anyone tell me I was destined to die at fifteen. I couldn’t wait to grow up, but now all I want is to be young again.

  Enough dreaming, back to the real world. With the ships deployed and the rest of the recruits who-knows-where training, the camp is quiet and all I hear is the melodious chirping of exotic birds in the jungle surrounding the camp. They sound so happy and carefree. I can’t help smiling in spite of the miserable situation I’m in.