War and Money Read online

  Now I’m really glad I didn’t ask Briett when he was leaving. It’s absurd to send him into battle. What’s the point? Even if he can lay down cover fire, he’s sure to get killed right away. There’s no sense in denying that. He’s too bulky to move quickly and he has absolutely no sense of stealth. I watch as Viga gives Briett a pat on the back and tells everyone that game time is over and it’s time to clean up and go to sleep.

  Briett is still chattering on about how he won the game and didn’t die. I wonder if they let him win. I feel so bad for him that it hurts and I can’t stand the sight of him being happy like he has nothing to worry about. All I want is to block out everything and not think. I shut my eyes tightly and press my head into the pillow.

  When morning comes, Viga shakes me awake. “Come on, RIC, time for you to take the helm.”

  I didn’t sleep well and wake up with a headache. “Okay.”

  Kova is still sleeping, so I slip out of my bunk and run my hands through my hair. Somehow I’ve lost the bit of yarn Ma tied in my hair. I’ll have to look for it later because it’s all I have of her. Ever since I was little, she’d always have a piece of yarn in her pocket. Outside, I’m shocked that even this early, it’s hot and humid. Of all the places on Earth, why choose the equatorial zone of Mid-World for a training camp? I remember reading about how Africa used to be divided into multiple countries a long time ago, but when Global Command was elected to govern the world, Africa was united into one big country under the World Military Leadership’s control and called Mid-World. That’s when the Council of Commanders was set up. Maybe that’s why they united it, so they could use it for their own purposes. If that was the case, how many other training camps are in Mid-World?

  I have to stop thinking. It’s a waste of time and energy to wonder about what’s left of my life. Before heading to Viteri’s office, I stop by the water hose to freshen up and let the cool water cascade over my head and face. How can something this simple feel so luxurious?

  Even with the water splashing on the ground, I hear something else, like grunting, not too far away. What if a wild animal sneaked into camp? I shut the water off, wring out my hair and listen. The sound’s coming from near Tablon’s dorm. My heart’s racing and I’m shaking all over, but if I save his squad from an animal attack, I’ll be a hero and then he’ll have to leave me alone. Maybe I can leverage a brave act like that and request pilot training instead of certain death on the moon.

  It’s hard to be quiet in boots, but I manage to tiptoe close to the dorm and see movement to the side where there’s a stack of storage boxes up against the building. But I don’t have any weapons or anything at all to fight off an animal attack. The biggest animal I’ve ever encountered was a stray cat in my neighborhood at home. Oh, come on Dax. Improvise. That’s what Da always says when I can’t figure something out. Okay, I’ll improvise. There are rocks all around the camp and rocks can make effective weapons. There! By my feet. A fist-sized rock that’d do damage even to a big animal.

  With a good grip on the rock, I creep closer. The grunting is coming in fast bursts now. I’m sure that means the animal is about to pounce. Sweat is pouring down my face and into my eyes. I’m not more than three meters from the storage boxes. With a couple of deep breaths, I run to the other side of the boxes.

  “Argh!” I shout to scare whatever is there and prepare to throw my rock.

  In an instant, I let the rock drop from my hand. It’s not an animal at all, but Tablon and Lenora. Both have their pants off and she’s on top of him. They’re having sex! I’ve never seen anyone having sex before, but there’s no mistaking what’s going on. We learned about it in Reproductive Science.

  Lenora waves her arms around and shouts at me to leave. Tablon pushes her off and pulls on his pants. I have no words at all. I should look away and run, but I can’t, my feet won’t move. He jumps up and gets in my face.

  “You tell anyone, smudge, and I’ll kill you. I’ll snap your spine and leave you to die in the jungle.” His face is bright red and sweat’s streaming off his face.

  I glance at Lenora, who now has her pants on, too. She’s furious and glaring at me. I let out my breath, realizing I’d been holding it the whole time. She makes a motion across her neck, like she wants to cut my throat.

  I back away and hear Tablon whisper to Lenora. “I told you we’d get caught. Why did I listen to you?” He sees me and narrows his eyes.

  Without waiting for him to do anything to me, I rush back to my dorm where I lean against the outer wall to catch my breath. I’m still stunned and my head’s spinning. I knew Tablon and Lenora had teamed up, but to go this far? The thought of anyone having sex never crossed my mind, especially since Viteria made a point of stressing how it was forbidden.

  If they hadn’t seen me, I could have sneaked away without them knowing I saw them. Then again, perhaps this isn’t so bad. Why ignore an opportunity? This is a huge secret that I can use to my advantage. Viteri said if anyone was caught engaging in sexual activity, they’d lose their subsidy forever and would go to the front lines. I don’t want anyone, not even Tablon or Lenora sent to the front lines, but they don’t have to know that. If I threaten to tell, I can hold it over Tablon’s head. Best to keep quiet for the time being and pull out my blackmail when I need it. See, Da, I’m improvising!

  I splash more cold water over my face to cool off and go right to Viteri’s office. There’s a line out front, the other RICs I presume, and as usual, I’m the last one. A couple of kids turn and glare at me like I shouldn’t be here. I ignore them, still thinking of Tablon and Lenora. I don’t want my mind to go where it’s going, but I can’t help it. All I can think of is sex and what it would feel like to have someone touch me all over and kiss me and…I have to stop. I’ll never know what it’s like.

  The closest I’ve ever come to having a boyfriend was Marckon. We had lunch together every day and played games during recess and we got along really well. I still remember his gorgeous brown eyes and skin. And when he’d smile, his eyes seemed to shine. If I could, I’d have sex with Marckon. He’s about four months younger than me and is planning to advance on his Date of Fate, but I won’t be around to see him when he gets here. I’m sure he’ll be made a Lead or maybe a fighter ship pilot because he’s a higher status and smart and he catches on to new things fast. He’ll do okay in the Global Forces. And I’m glad.

  It’s almost my turn to go into the office when Tablon runs up to me and drags me out of line by the arm. He’s breathing hard and looks a mess. “Orwan, what are you going to tell the Commander?”

  He’s scared. I give him a casual shrug. “Nothing. Yet. But I will if you keep treating me and my squad like dirt.” I pull away. “Do you think they randomly use the verity-probe on us to see if we’re hiding anything.”

  We had one at school and they used it on me once to ask if I was against Global Command. I said no, but got detention anyway. I’m not sure how it detects a lie because it’s just a small bowl-like thing that sat on my head without any attachments.

  “Keep your mouth shut, smudge. Don’t you mention the verity-probe to the Commander. Ever.”

  “It’s all up to you, Tablon. You heard the Commander, it’s my duty to report any…activity.”

  “I know, but…just don’t say anything.” He wipes his sweaty forehead and glances around. “Don’t say anything.”

  I give him another small shrug. “I have to go.” I get back in line.

  Tablon stands for a few seconds, staring at me, then shuffles off toward his dorm.

  “Next!” shouts Viteri.

  It’s my turn and I walk into the office and do my perfect salute. “Good morning, sir.”

  “Orwan, you’re the RIC?”

  “Yes, sir.” I hold my salute and look straight ahead.

  “Interesting. End salute.”

  I drop the salute and stand at attention.

  He comes out from behind his desk. “You’ve got your first training this mor
ning, recruit. Use the time well. You’re being shipped out tomorrow. I won’t spend any more time with you here in training camp, wasting resources on you. You’re an instigator and have to be removed. We’re on the brink of an uprising.” He rubs his chin. “Over a hundred women have been arrested as of yesterday for refusing to breed. There’s talk of organized protests and factory walk-outs. People are saying they don’t want their children to die in war. Idiots. Why do they think they have children? Not to mention how it would hurt sales and the factories would lose money. The instigators must be stopped, like I stopped you. Why can’t women see the importance of reproducing and sending their offspring to war? Production has to continue no matter what.” He’s basically talking to himself at this point.

  Production? Of what, baby-making or weapon-making? Maybe both. He’s got it all worked out. Get rid of anyone who doesn’t go along with the system. Does this happen to other kids who ask questions? My squad doesn’t cause trouble, but they’re weak. Is that why they’re AFGFs? To get rid of them too? Culling the weak from the population?

  When he looks up, I straighten my shoulders a bit more. “Yes, sir.” My hair’s almost dry and sweat’s trickling down my face and back even though it’s cool in the office. He’s sending me to the front lines without hardly any training. How is that fair? I was supposed to have two weeks. “Sir?”

  “What.”

  “I need training, sir. I’ve never fired a weapon. I’ve never even seen a battle. This isn’t right. You can’t…”

  “Shut your mouth. You’ll have training today. Not that it’ll do you any good. Orwan, we’ve gone over this. I realize your brain’s the size of a sub-atomic particle and you can’t comprehend the simplest of things, so let me impart a bit of strategy on you. We have wars with aliens to keep our global populations united to prevent uprisings. A common enemy creates unity. Wars with aliens means no wars on Earth. Then there’s the economical factor. The more wars going on, the more equipment and materials we need. And soldiers. If women refuse to breed, we lose our recruits. If we lose our recruits, we lose the wars and Earth is obliterated. We die. Wars are excellent for the economy, Orwan. A lot of people rely on that economy. People rely on wars to generate an income.” He chuckles to himself.

  I stand still, but my brain is whirring fast. War and money. It isn’t just a game, it’s real life. I feel bile rising up my throat. Where’s the line between right and wrong? Is there a line or has it been redrawn to suit the commanders?

  “I’m going to be sick, sir,” I mumble.

  He scrunches his face. “Then get out of my office.” He waves me away. “You weak kids can’t handle the heat.”

  I stumble out, collapse in the dirt and vomit. The sun is burning my head and my stomach is roiling. What’s happening? How can any of this be true? I breathe in the hot, damp air and retch. After a few minutes, my stomach settles and I take a moment to collect myself before shuffling back to my dorm. The cool air inside revives me somewhat and I see that everyone except Briett is awake and playing War and Money.

  My stomach tightens and I scream out, “It’s not a game!” I grab the cube from Kova’s hand. “They make money off us.”

  Kova looks at me. “Who does?” She reaches for the cube.

  I drop it on the floor. “The commanders. The rich people. We’re a commodity to them.”

  “What’s a commodity?” Briett mumbles from his bunk.

  Viga picks up the cube. “Big Pig, don’t you know anything? It’s something that’s used to make money, make a profit. Get it?”

  Briett comes over, stretches and sits down. “Oh. So I’m a commodity because my Da advanced me so he could get money?”

  Viga nods. “Exactly. Wait, Dax, what are you talking about? Are you saying our parents use us as commodities or the government does?”

  I’m feeling sick again, so sit on my bunk and take a few breaths. “Both. And I don’t get two weeks, I’m being shipped out tomorrow.”

  “What?” Kova jumps up and runs to me. “You can’t. You only just got here. We all get two weeks of training.”

  I shake my head and lie down. “I don’t. Commander Viteri wants me on the front lines tomorrow.” I’m so drained I can’t even cry. “I’m an instigator.”

  Kova hovers over me with tears in her eyes. “He can’t do that. You’ll get killed for sure. How are you an instigator?”

  I sit up. “It doesn’t matter. Kova, we’re all going to get killed. Don’t you realize that? They take us from our homes and put us in a war, knowing we can’t win it. In fact, they don’t want us to win. We’re expendable commodities. And if you dare question this logic, you’re named an instigator or non-conformist.”

  Everyone gathers around my bunk as if they’re waiting for some words of wisdom. I don’t have any. There’s nothing I can say to make sense of anything that’s going on. I give Kova a hug, but she keeps crying.

  “Attention!” shouts Tablon from our doorway.

  Not one of us has the energy to jump up as we should. Instead, we rise and dangle our arms at our sides.

  Tablon stomps down the aisle to my bunk. “All of you, go away. Smudge, stay.” He waves his hand to dismiss them.

  Is he going to discipline me for catching him and Lenora? If he tries, I’ll go straight to Viteri. If I tell him, maybe then he won’t send me away tomorrow.

  When everyone’s gone, I prepare for the worst. “What do you want, Tablon?” I refuse to address him as Senior Lead.

  He looks around and lowers his voice, “I want to make sure you keep your mouth shut.”

  “I didn’t tell the Commander. I said I wouldn’t, but I will if...”

  “Good. Because you didn’t see what you thought you saw. Lenora fell down and I was helping her up. That’s all.”

  “With her on top of you? And with your pants off? I know what I saw, Tablon.”

  He groans. “What’ll it take for you to forget this?”

  Might as well try something. “Get me training in a fighter ship and don’t let me ship out tomorrow.”

  With a snort, he shakes his head. “You’re scheduled for the front lines, smudge. And believe me, no AFGF will ever fly a fighter. Maybe I can try to delay your deployment or get you extra rations of food, but that’s about it.”

  “That’s not good enough.” I have to stand my ground, after all, I’m a non-conformist. This is my only opportunity for leverage. “I want to fly. And I want my squad to get extra rations and all of us stay together, nobody gets deployed until we’re all fully trained. And I mean fully trained, not just worthless training for two hours a day.”

  He’s sweating. “Forget it, smudge.” He turns to leave.

  “Okay, no problem. I didn’t really think you had the power to do anything. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go to the Commander now and tell him I heard kids were having sex, and suggest he use the verity-probe on, oh, I don’t know, maybe the Leads. See you around, Tablon.” I push past him, but he grabs me by the arm.

  “Wait! Ah, don’t do anything just yet. Let me talk to the Commander. Maybe there’s something I can do. He listens to me and asks me about the recruits. Go to the mess hall and set up your squad’s table. Don’t talk to anyone.” He lets go of me and rushes from the dorm.

  I’ve actually got him on the run and it feels good. After a minute, my squad comes back in.

  Briett rubs his stomach. “Is it time for breakfast? I’m starving.”

  Viga rolls her eyes. “You’re always starving, Big Pig. Dax, what did Lead Neemis want?”

  What should I say? I can’t very well tell the truth or my blackmail might backfire. I have to keep this secret to myself. But I hate to lie to my friends. “I think he feels sorry for us. He’s going to see if he can get us extra rations.”

  “Really?” Kova shakes her head. “He’s a decayed personality. Why would he ever help?”

  I know that term, it fits Tablon perfectly.

  “I don’t know why, Kova, but I’m glad he
’s willing to try. I have to go the mess hall. I’ll be back in a few.” I give Briett a pat on the back as I pass.

  The other RICs are also on their way to the mess hall, but nobody acknowledges me. I haven’t been in the mess hall before so have no idea where to go and decide to stand near the doorway and watch. The floor isn’t really a floor at all, but sand and there are skylights in the thatched roof. The RICs wipe off smooth, wooden tables and set out plates and cups. Some have two tables and a few have four or five. My squad is so small, we’ll all fit around one. There’s an empty table in the far corner which must belong to the AFGF dorm. As I set the wobbly table, a few RICs make nasty remarks and while it’s hard to ignore them, I do and continue working. They’re not worth the effort of responding.

  “Orwan!” calls Tablon.

  Not smudge? I turn. “I’m done here, Senior Lead Neemiss. Do you have news for me?”

  “Not here.” He motions for me to follow him out the back door. Once outside, he checks the vicinity and paces. “Here’s the deal, smudge. The Commander is giving your entire squad seven days of training, together, no deployments until the seven days are up.”

  How did he manage that? I never thought he’d actually do it. “And? That’s not the whole deal, Tablon.”

  His hands are trembling. “Your squad gets as much to eat as they want.”

  “And?”

  He looks around again. “And I have a friend who’s a fighter ship pilot. He’s agreed to give you a few lessons, for a price.”

  “What price? I don’t have any money.” I glare at him.

  “Not money, stupid.”

  Oh, no. I know the only other ‘price’ a boy is interested in. I shake my head. “No, no, no.”

  Tablon rolls his eyes. “Not sex either, smudge. He’d never jeopardize his training. Jarmer has a twin sister, Jarmella, who’s getting shipped out today. He’ll train you, in secret, if you agree to take Jarmella into your squad so she won’t be shipped out. She gets deployed before him because she’s not a fighter pilot and flyboys get longer training. The flyboys get three hours of free flight time every day, so he can sneak you into his ship during that time. That’s when they don’t have any instructors around. That’s the deal, smudge. Take it or leave it. I can’t do anymore.” Sweat is dripping off his face and his shirt is damp all over.