Chapter 13: Civil Service

According to the time displayed on my PDD it was already 10 am. The large view ports displayed a sunny serene mountain scene with a large lake, dark green forests and snow covered peaks.

Dawn was sitting at the dresser, brushing her hair. I watched her doing it. I had made love to a woman for the first time in my life and it was a wonderful feeling. She had been gentle and, without many words, had shown me what I had to do. For the first time in my life I no longer felt like a boy. But then my own thoughts stopped. I certainly didn’t look like a boy or a man. Dawn however hadn’t said a single word regarding my looks.

She had finished trying to tame her unruly locks and said, “I need to call in and prepare for the executions tomorrow. Then maybe I can invite you for breakfast and then we must say good-bye.”

I nodded and got up. “I better get changed.”

I had an interesting night. Making lesbian love to a talented man is certainly a first for me.”

“I can’t explain my behavior and desires. Not to you or to myself. However, I’m going to seek a psycho-surgeon and see if something can be done.”

She turned. “If you do that, you won’t be able to apply to the Academy.” She got up and came close. “Do you know in law it’s considered more humane to execute an offender than to perform psycho-surgery? In some cases the delinquent has the choice and those who know what it means always choose death. You won’t be you and you’ll lose everything that defines you. The Fleet does not accept anyone who has received psycho-surgery. Besides it would be a great loss losing Eric or Erica, depending on which personality the psycho-surgeon thinks you should be.”

I sighed. “A doctor friend of mine said the same. But I need to find an answer to this and make a decision as to what I am and where to go with it.”

“Maybe you think too much about it, just do what feels right and it might just be the right thing.”

Somehow her words sounded right and I decided to stay Freya for a day longer. There was no potential harm this time, I was far from Nilfeheim and Dawn assured me that it wouldn’t raise an eyebrow. Besides I had nothing much to do that day.

Dawn now wore a red robe dress, the attached Justice Department logo featured an added sword, and put on a deep-red velvet hood. She changed from a pretty woman into a dark figure and the purpose was quite clear. So dressed, she stood before the GalNet terminal. I wanted to leave the room and give her privacy but she said, “It’s only a few formalities, nothing secret. Just stay out of the pick-up. Being seen as an executioner’s friend isn’t a good thing.” Then she activated her avatar pick-up.

Men in police uniforms and two beings with Justice Department logos on their chests received her in an official room. One of them was an X101 and the other a Garbini. It was the Garbini who spoke first. “Good morning, Chief Executioner 32. We’re terribly sorry for the mix up. We expected you today and not yesterday. It was in part due to the fact that the Justice Department cruiser was accidentally designated a Fleet Unit and we weren’t informed that you had arrived a day early.”

“I was lucky and found accommodations on Corri-Gas. I’m sure the recent space battle and alert status has mixed up many schedules.”

“Yes, Chief Executioner, that was part of it and the decision to hold the executions here was also made at the last moment. However, we now have another problem. Your assistant has not arrived. She’s stuck on Palomino. She’s on her way but won’t make it until the day after tomorrow.”

“There is much to do and it’s not just one execution. I can’t do all this by myself. Do you have anyone that can assist?”

“The Marine Commandant has offered to make it a Fleet affair, but the Chief Justice insists we handle it, as the delinquents were found guilty by a Union Court and not by the military.”

She nodded. “That would mean a retrial, and no one can be sentenced twice for the same crime.”

“The Marines and the local Police will do all the security and much of the prisoner handling but so far we have no volunteers who want to assist. Neither I nor my colleague from Factory can do it as we were part of the prosecution team.”

“I can’t do all this by myself, besides, regulations are quite clear. There is no more serious business than execution and it must be done by the book or we can’t proceed and must reschedule.”

“The Chief Justice has also been informed and he said the same thing. He will call us in two hours and we’ll keep you posted.”

The transmission terminated and she took off her hood. “It almost looks like there won’t be any executions tomorrow. My assistant seems to be late, but that means we have time for breakfast.”

We had breakfast ordered to the suite. I never had been much of a breakfast person but I joined her anyway and I could always be convinced to have a coffee.

While she was buttering a croissant she asked. “What are your plans for the day?”

“I haven’t really thought about that. I was sort of playing it by ear. Maybe some sight-seeing and then I was considering seeing if I can learn how to fly out there, maybe they rent out those flight suits. But no, I don’t have any plans.”

“It seems you don’t need money, but I could use the help and I could temporarily deputize you to the Justice Department. I wouldn’t want you to help me with the executions, that I wouldn’t ask you, and my assistant is only a day late. I’m sure the executions can be delayed a day, but having an assistant for the preparations would greatly help me.”

I sipped my coffee. “What would I have to do?”

“Take notes for me while I inspect the gallows or execution machines and talk to the prisoners. I make sure they’re aware of what will happen and that they have their last wishes taken care of. Then I need to go over the court files and see if everything is in order. Do little errands and such. It’s simply easier to have someone along to talk to and make sure I don’t overlook something. Regulations require an assistant but I assure you I’m not asking you to remain for the executions.”

“I think I can do that.”

She smiled. “You are a friend.”

We returned via system taxi to Corri-Door. The Justice Department was housed in the town below the spaceport, in a large square building. The taxi pilot didn’t speak to us much but he kept looking at Dawn, as she was now wearing her executioner’s robe and hood. The front of the Justice Building was a chaos of waiting crowds and news crews from all over the Union. She directed the taxi to the roof of the building so she could enter it unnoticed.

Inside, she was greeted by the same two Justice Department members. At first they paid no attention to me. The X101 said, “The Chief Justice of Pluribus is waiting to speak to you.” The machine being guided her to the next GalNet terminal. The Chief Justice was a Klack, as his avatar established. Next to him, a Pan Saran, identifiable by his chestnut locks and the anachronistic brass chest armor piece he wore.

The final being in the room was a Belarom. I knew little about the Belarom other than they were a member of the Attikan Commonwealth and Mr. Flensburger said they looked like a Terran hippopotamus crossed with a gorilla. Mr. Flensburger always liked to describe non-humanoid life forms by comparing them with some Terran animals, perhaps not realizing that none of his pupils, me included, had any idea what they looked like. There was certainly no Nilfeheim life form I could compare the Belarom with. It was big, had grayish skin and its potato-shaped head was split underneath its eyes by a huge maw. Eight pronounced teeth of almost underarm length protruded from it. The X101 was about as tall as I was but had shiny chrome metallic skin; I could see my own distorted reflection in it. I had seen Klack and Garbini before, during my grandfather’s funeral.

The Klack greeted Dawn and then said, “Chief Executioner, your assistant is delayed because we needed her on Palomino; she’s assisting Executioner 554 on a case there, as his assistant fell ill. We hoped she’d be ready to help you but the case on Palomino experienced a delay and your assistant simply can’t be here in time. The bad news is that Corri-Door is too far for any other assistant to arrive in time either and we can’t delay the executions for more than a day.

“We have the seventeen Dai, one of them identified as the butcher of Partook. The Partook lost seven colonies to this Dai clan right after they joined the Union. The Partook used to be an important Galactic Council species and if we botch this they might decide to reverse their decision. On the other hand, if we do it right it most likely will convince the Elly to break with the Galactic Council and join the Union. The Elly have a delegation here on Pluribus watching closely. Gaining their membership would deny the Kermac access to their technically most advanced thrall species. So you see, we can neither delay nor postpone the execution and must do the deed by the book. It’s imperative to show the Elly and the Partook that the Union takes swift action to punish those guilty of massacring Union citizens.”

Dawn nodded behind her hood. “I understand all this, but we’re the Justice Department and we can’t base our decisions and actions on political grounds. We must remain neutral and the law of the Union must be our only guide.”

The Belarom spoke with a laboring, deep voice, “That’s exactly what we said to the Assembly, but the Dai and the four other delinquents you are to execute have all been processed and found guilty in an orderly court of law. The sentence was spoken and verified by the independent legal academy. All that remains is to complete the task by terminating the lives of the delinquents.”

“I came here to do exactly that, Secretary Urpetro, but I’m alone. By our laws and regulations I must have an assistant. I found someone who’s willing to help me with the preparations, but I gave my word that he does not have to be present at the executions.”

Everyone suddenly took notice of me and the Klack said, “Are you a legal Union citizen?”

“Yes, I am.”

A Union police officer reacted to the gesture of the Klack and scanned my CITI, before I was even asked the usual courtesy question and he looked at his PDD. “Olafson, Eric. Union citizen of Nilfeheim, High Honor resident of Twilight, Special Executive Enroe Industries. Applicant to the Union Fleet Academy. Completed sixteenth birth year. No criminal record. Was investigated three times by Union Police and each time Legal Central declared him innocent of breaking any laws.”

“I was investigated?” I said, before I could stop myself.

The Policeman nodded, still reading from his device. “First after a space battle incident over planet Nilfeheim, conclusion: Olafson acted in self-defense and through his action saved Union world Nilfeheim from certain destruction. Second investigation: Olafson was abducted by non-citizens on Twilight and freed himself by killing three known criminals. Investigation closed no crimes committed. Shortly thereafter, prevented a weapon store robbery and a spore bomb attack on Twilight. Third investigation: Killed three Union citizens and several non-citizens, all identified terrorists, freed the kidnapped planet governor of Twilight and several civilians. Investigation concluded: Citizen Olafson distinguished himself in heroic manner, no crimes committed.”

The small crowd was silent and they all stared at me. I felt embarrassed hearing all this read in such a matter-of-fact way.

The Klack spoke, “Well, it seems that, despite your young age, you’re quite an active and responsible citizen and have seen death before. I’m looking at your CIT record and see no psycho problems or other concerns that would prevent me from doing what I must do next.”

His holo stepped closer to me and his antennae wiggled while he turned his head to look at me closer with his almond-shaped black eyes. He then clacked with his mandibles and said, “I’m a Klack. I’m one of the Union’s Chief Justices and have lived among Humans for 56 years. These beings have used the gender-specific words ‘him’ and ‘he’ to describe you, and yet I’d swear you have female Human form. How do I address you, as a female or male?”

I was deeply embarrassed again but Dawn spoke before I could say something. “Right now my friend prefers to express gender identity this way and it’s female.”

No one seemed to be surprised or take offense to that and the Klack said, “Under the Justice and Jury act of 3423, section 12, I herby draft you into the service of the Justice Department and herby deputize you to the position of Deputy Executioner. I’m sorry to do this to you, Human. But it’s necessary and I hope you understand.”

Again I was in a situation I didn’t want to be in and said, “What about my Academy application?”

“I’ll personally contact Union Fleet Command right now, please stand by.” The Klack avatar disappeared.

“I guess I have no choice in this, right?”

“Yes you do. You can decline and reject the draft.” The Belarom sounded apologetic. “I know it’s sounds unfair, but if you do you’ll also reject your citizenship. Citizenship comes with rights and privileges but also with duties and responsibilities, as you might remember the words of your teacher when he declared you a citizen.”

The X101 actually put his hand on my shoulder. “The Justice department won’t be ungrateful and the Union really needs this done.”

The Chief Justice reappeared, and with him was an old man in a Union Fleet uniform. The old man said, “I’m Admiral of the Fleet Obrock McElligott and since I was at the Assembly Chief Justice V’Thensnhk told me about his problem and yours.”

The projection of the highest officer of them all glanced at me but seemed to look at something on his end. “You aren’t even due until October first, Applicant, but because you’re a registered academy applicant you’re technically Navy thus I herby detach you by my direct order to the Justice Department until your task there is done. Should your task extend beyond October, you may take the Academy entry tests on the next entry date in four months. I personally guarantee you won’t lose your chance to apply.”

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