They Cannot Scare Me with Their Empty Spaces

Short Story

The trouble with me is that I'm stupid. Probably, I am the most dim-witted Silicate in my squad. But that doesn't mean that I can't learn. For instance, I have learned that when Sergeant asks me a question, it's a good thing to shout my reply at the top of my lungs. 

"Do you want to be sent to the mines, Lat?"

"Yes, Sergeant."

"That was a rhetorical question, Lat."

I didn't know what rhetorical meant. "If Sergeant thinks I should go to the mines then I wants to," I shouted.

Sergeant shook his head. "The mines are a bad place, Lat."

"I want to do my duty for the Thoknar Protectorate, Sergeant."

Shouting always does the trick with Sergeant. He sighed. The anger seemed to melt away from him. "You're a good soldier, Lat. I wish I had more like you in my squad. But we have a problem, don't we?"

"Yes, Sergeant."

"The money you were supposed to be collecting from the Brevel residents has, in fact, been coming out of your wages."

"Yes, Sergeant."

"Would you like to tell me why?"

It was difficult to explain. I knew that the protectorate provided a service. It was the duty of all Horde City civvies to pay the weekly stipend. I'd been so proud when I'd been promoted to toll collector. The trouble was that many of the civvies didn't have much money.

It started with old doctor Trevens. He hardly ever charged people for his help, so obviously, he didn't have much money. Sergeant had said that if they didn't want to pay I was supposed to 'handle it myself'. But I wasn't about to hurt a doctor. So I'd got into the habit of paying the money myself. After all, what did I need money for?

And then a few more of the old ones couldn't afford the toll. Then some of the young ones, too. Everyone had good reasons. Soon, I was paying most everyone's toll. I had to start selling the little treasures Gran had liberated from the Vilicus. She couldn't have realised what she was taking, because some of her keepsakes fetched a very high price. But, I got confused.

Last week, I paid too much. That's how Sergeant found out that something was wrong. I didn't know how to say all this. Thinking that it had started with Dr. Trevens, I said, "Gran told me I had to be respectful to my elders, Sergeant."

"Your Gran? For Jum's sake. I should really send you to the mines, Lat."

"Yes, Sergeant!"

"You understand that the mines are dangerous, Lat?"

The protectorate are re-opening the mines. They are going to 'fuel Charmed Rock's economic resurgence.' Everyone was looking forward to that. There hadn't been much of anything since the Zyxlars disappeared and we got rid of the Vilicus.

"Protectorate says the mines are safe, Sergeant." I felt bad about correcting the sergeant.

"You really believe in the protectorate, don't you?" Sergeant sighed. "The trouble is that word has gotten out amongst the rest of the squad." 

"Yes, Sergeant! I told them myself. Honesty is the best policy."

"Honesty is the best policy? Where did you get that from?"

Gran had been a slave on a Vilicus ship when she'd been young. She'd picked up a score of sayings and wisdoms from all over the galaxy. "My Gran . . ."

"Never mind, Lat. It's not important." Sergeant shuffled through the papers on his desk as he made up his mind what to do with me. "Private Lat, you are to enter the Empty Lands. There you will kill one dozen scorpials and return to the city with their head jewels and their dried meat. All to the glory of the Thoknar Protectorate."