Chapter 23 – Dead-End #3
"You made a lot of very inflammatory and defamatory comments about Seraphim and, by proxy, Grace Mining Initiative," Adelaithe continued, her voice sweet and dripping with pity.
"CPEF takes those kinds of damages very seriously, and they've found the initial equivalent damage to be in excess of the potential winnings from the Galactic Tournament of Superiority. "
"In excess of," I repeated, mouth feeling clumsy. The numbers shuddered and shivered before me as I stared at the sum. "As in –"
"Even if you won, you'd still owe Seraphim a sizable debt, to say nothing of our original claim.
As I said, this is CPEF's preliminary finding; we expect it will go up.
The initial investments we put in, alongside our partners, for infrastructure alone, only for you to go and upend it!
So we have a problem here, don't we? I know you don't know me well, not yet anyway –" When I looked up at her, startled, she gave me a pleased little smile and a wink.
"But I'm not the kind of girl who likes who show up with a problem and no solutions. "
I tore my eyes away from her, looking to Silver Sea. "Is this real?" I asked, numb, my fist tightening on the papers as they crinkled in my grip.
She gave her tiny nod again.
"These damages are a problem for you, Alikander, and for Seraphim.
So we'd like to offer for you to come on home.
There won't be any funny business, just a chance for you to learn a bit more about who we are now, and who we're on the road to becoming.
If you like what you see, we'll film a little video saying as much so we can set the record straight, and your debt will be cleared.
Quite generous, given the financial hit we're taking!
But money just isn't everything. Seek first to be righteous and abide by His word, and the riches of the Heavens will rain down upon you.
" Her smile grew even wider, closed mouth and tight.
Her blond hair was done in perfect bouncy curls, although her face was free from any other colour beyond the natural rosy blush of her cheeks.
I hated her. I wanted nothing so badly as to fly out of my seat and throw her to the ground, to hit her and keep hitting her until she was nothing but blood and gristle. Until she'd never fucking smile again.
"And if I don't like what I see," I said, voice low. The papers crumpled in my hand, and I kept grinding them in my grip, tighter and tighter.
"Oh, we'll find something for you to do for work.
It won't be glamorous, but it will be decent.
And there will be none of these re-education camps you keep going on about.
Honestly, I don't know where you came up with that idea!
You'll go to service four times a week, just like everyone, and go on with your life.
Easy! We've even drafted an agreement stipulating just that.
I've sent it to your ketaari friend to look over.
" Her smile grew knowing, and in a fake whisper she added, "I know you can be a little paranoid, so I thought you'd like the extra layer of assurance.
" Adelaithe leaned back, smoothing away imaginary wrinkles from her blue skirt. "Now, I’m sure you’ll need time to think about it –"
"I won't," I said, flat. "I said I'm not going back, and I'm not."
A tiny line appeared between Adelaithe's pale eyebrows, creasing her otherwise unlined face. "You know, I suspected you'd be stubborn. I think you should really run this by your other… friend. The abayan boy."
"He's not a boy," I snapped, suddenly furious. She didn't understand anything and had no right to be so dismissive.
Adelaithe waved my interjection away. "Oh, it's hard to keep up.
No matter what he calls himself, you tell him what we're offering, since he won't be able to afford to pay your debt either, and I'm sure he'll tell you it's better to be alive and well-treated, as per the contract we've drawn up, than dead on those sands.
I may not understand how the two of you fell together, but it's clear you care about each other in your own special way.
Let he who is without sin, you know." She raised her hands, and then shrugged.
"The offer stands. And honestly, Alikander, I'm not even sure the conglomerate is going to let you step into that arena in the first place.
If you die out there, CPEF is going to find that the conglomerate is responsible for damages in lieu of you.
" Next to me, Silver Sea twitched, Adelaithe continuing on merrily.
"The conglomerate chose to broadcast what you said, so they're culpable.
I'm sure those higher-ups in their fancy offices are running the numbers right now.
You're pretty popular but…" Her smile sharpened as she tipped her chin toward the papers, now wadded into a ball in my lap. "Gosh, that is a big number, isn't it?"
I stared at her, my jaw clenched so hard that I could almost taste blood. "I just don't understand," I hissed after a long silence. "If you hadn't filed the debt claim, I never would have come here and this wouldn't even be an issue for you. Why did you even bother? Why now?"
Across from me, Adelaithe frowned. "You know, we wondered the same thing when the claim finally went through.
Why now? Did you know, we've filed that claim six times in the years since you left – the latest one was four years ago, and I'll admit we'd given up after that one didn't go through either – but lo and behold, we got notice that that old claim was finally processed just after you left Yellow Fin station.
Only a few hours after! You know, we file claims for everyone who leaves as a way to tie up loose ends.
They always go through, and although they rarely actually bring someone home, we always pray.
Hope does spring eternal. Your claims, though, they just kept getting stuck somewhere in that filing office.
You must have had a fickle friend keeping an eye out, until they weren't. You see, this is why it's good to keep ourselves to ourselves: you certainly make new friends easily, Alikander, but you just can't trust them like you can trust your blood. "
I didn't know what to say to that. I did know that the idea that I could trust anyone from Seraphim was absolutely ludicrous – but what did it mean that the claim had been filed six times and only went through a few weeks ago?
In the end, though, it didn't fucking matter. The sum that had just landed in front of me was so astronomical that it might as well have been a deal for my soul.
This wasn't the kind of debt you ever paid as one person. This was the kind of fine levied against governments and mega-conglomerates. This was a noose around my neck and one that would just pull me straight back to the gallows of Seraphim.
My mind was reeling and I struggled to scrape together any words that made sense; they kept getting stuck in the gristle of my throat, tasting of ash.
"He will respond before the Tournament begins," Silver Sea said as my jaw worked, teeth grinding against one another.
"Wonderful, thank you, both of you. It's been such a treat to see you again, and just so much nicer to have a one-on-one, don't you think?
" Adelaithe stood up, picking up her bag and giving another squinty, fake smile.
"Alright, I'm off for the day. Don't forget: I'm just a message away. You have a nice afternoon now."
She left and, in a rush and all at once, I knew what I was going to do.
It came to me with bell-bright clarity and might well have been sung by a heavenly host for how suddenly and clearly it settled upon me.
All at once, my worries faded and I was left only with grim certainty and the strangest type of peace.
I was going to get out on those sands, and I was going to die. Let the conglomerate try to stop me: I would go out on my own terms, and god help anyone who got in my way.
"Sashen Solar," Silver Sea said, her voice low.
"It's alright," I said, firm. "I should have guessed – I mean, clearly she was baiting me into badmouthing Seraphim during that interview.
It's just –" And then I laughed, throwing the wadded up papers across the room and then scrubbing my hands hard across my face.
"You know, they've either underestimated how much I hate them, or they've overestimated my attachment to living.
Maybe both. I've got to get out there, though.
I've got to be able to get to the arena, Silver Sea.
Do you think the conglomerate would really –"
She huffed out a thin, whistling breath through her slitted nostrils.
"I am very skeptical. CPEF must take into consideration cultural value when weighing economic damages.
It is fundamental to the Primus accords: economic judgments must defer to legitimate cultural claims, subject to third party review to assure merit and authenticity.
The Tournament is based in ancient ketaari tradition.
To pull a participant because of a debt claim from a foreign entity would violate these accords.
Seraphim can threaten, but I do not think their claim would be successful. But…" Her mouth thinned again.
"But?" I repeated.
"Our executives are no longer all ketaari.
They may not consider the assertion of cultural value strong enough to countermand CPEF's initial ruling.
I will do what I can, Sashen. Leave it to me.
" Then, her yellow eyes tightening, she asked, "Are you quite certain you will not consider their offer?
It is a binding agreement with third party monitoring.
" When I nodded, she stood and stepped in close, touching a hand to the crown of my head.
"Yes, I suspected as much. Do you know, I think they will make many documentary films, and perhaps a feature film, about you?
And to think, I have your residuals." Her tone took on a dreamy quality, and when I looked up at her, she was smiling down.
It was her sort of a joke, just for me, so I laughed and shrugged as I pushed myself to my feet, feeling a little unsteady. "Just make sure they only use footage where I look hot. And that they cast someone ridiculous attractive to play my part."
"Of course," she said as we started to head from the room. "I will also be sure they include many explicit sex scenes."
I let out a surprised laugh, and bumped her side with my elbow. "You know me so well," I crooned, and then we made our way to a stupid fucking ceremonial tea where I pretended to be excited about tomorrow, instead of preparing myself to die.