Chapter 2
SUE
The huge screens made everything appear closer, and the greatest of them all sat in the front, above the podium. Sue could almost feel the eyes of Head Servant Lunde staring straight at her. Of course, it wasn’t real. Head Lunde and Counselor Novak were hundreds of miles away, in Legacy, the great sprawling capital, where most citizens lived, and the only place in which Moon people made up the majority. As far as she knew, no head servant had ever set foot in Charlestown.
“I welcome you all here today, to the annual selection of candidates. To remember how our great nation once rose from the ashes, like the phoenix of ancient mythology, a feat accomplished only because of the sacrifices and service to the common good made by our predecessors.
Long ago, these acts became an example of how one person’s Service can benefit all, for generations to come, and therefore, Service to the State became one of the founding pillars of our society. Only those who are willing and able to serve are worthy of citizenship. And capable of carrying the burden of responsibility that citizenship carries with it. And so, with no further ado, I welcome the representatives of the Services.” Sue looked down to the podium below the screen and saw four figures rise from their chairs, while Mayor Robertson remained seated.
The first to step forward was Dr. Erle Nielsen, the senior scholar, an ageless woman with long grey wisps of hair, small glasses that threatened to fall off the tip of her nose, and a smile that never seemed to break through her absentminded demeanor.
“I’ll make this quick,” she said, producing a crumpled piece of paper.
“I welcome Initiates Chas Drummond and Felicia Petit to the Students.” She paused for a moment, scanning the crowd. “Yes, that was it.” She finished, crumpled the paper back up, and put it in her pocket. Sue frowned. She would have thought Dave to be a natural Student, but she knew they were extremely selective. Two Students from Charlestown this year then. Well, she’d seen worse.
“First Janissary Ivanov,” a booming voice announced, and an imposing figure, six feet tall, athletic, with short white hair, and clad in the customary black, took a step forward. A perfect face marred only by a long scar running from his temple to his jaw, set in stone.
“To the Janissaries, I welcome Initiates Susan Atlas, Frederick Burke Lowe, Hugh Winters, John Victor Preston, Lydia Dille Gardner, Peter Philip Howe, Lucinda Rice, Jeffrey Leighton, Stephen Balinski, Lawrence White, and David Wagner. May you reap honor.” Sue noticed Laurie straightening as the First Janissary spoke his birth name, Lawrence, while Vince looked more nervous than ever. She didn’t think the Wardens would pick him, although who knew what they were looking for. Now, he could only hope to avoid selection altogether. But in the end, it was Dave who caught her attention. She almost hadn’t noticed, since he never used his birth name, but there were no other Wagners around. Dave looked more confused than anything. He was about as far from the ideal Janissary as she could think of. Sue could only imagine the thoughts that had to be racing through his mind at this moment. Did the Janissaries select cannon fodder on purpose? She hadn’t thought so before, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Next were the Wardens, but Sue didn’t pay much attention. She had been chosen. She would serve with the Janissaries, which was about the best she could have hoped for. Sure, it would be tough, and the next three years would be the biggest challenge she’d ever faced, but as long as she listened to her instructors and did her best, she might be a citizen by her twenty-first birthday. The Master Warden, a big, bearded man she couldn’t remember having seen before, dark haired and olive skinned, only chose three Initiates, and then it was time for the final Service to choose their Initiates. The Whip Master stepped forward. The gaunt man was at least a head taller than the other representatives, bald, and clad in a shiny fabric that emphasized his lean figure. The electronic tattoos on his head, face, and hands swirled slowly around, changing patterns and colors, seemingly at random. His face remained expressionless, and as he began to list the selection of Initiates, he never once consulted a list.
“The Corpus represents the truest sacrifice, the complete giving of oneself to the common good. This year’s Initiates for the Corpus are the following: Herbert Trent Glover, Samuel Herrera, Juliette Dale Griffith, Cindy Quellar, Jack Burke, Leland Ferris, John Henry Minden...” As the list continued, Sue lost track of them all. So many! The Initiates for the Corpus numbered more than double that of the other initiates altogether. She had never heard of anything like it. So many of her friends and neighbors to be swept off in chains. She was stunned.
“...and finally Christopher Jenkins. Welcome, Initiates. Serve well, until death sets you free,” the Whip Master said. And with that, the officers began to separate the Initiates from the former Candidates. Sue was ushered along to the front of the square, to stand in front of the representatives side by side with the rest of those chosen for Service. She was given a black armband, as were the other Janissary Initiates. The Students wore white, while the Warden Initiates put on green. The Corpus took a while to gather, but once they were all there, they were given red armbands, while officers paid close attention. It wasn’t unheard of that fresh Initiates tried to run, and those chosen by the Corpus had less to lose than the others.
Dr. Nielsen just waved an officer over to gather her Initiates, and Chas and Felicia looked more than ready to get moving. The Whip Master didn’t even look at the Initiates wearing their red armbands. Some were sobbing, while others seemed to let all hope die, steeling themselves for whatever might come next. First Janissary Ivanov walked around, looking each of his Initiates up and down, speaking a few words with each and every one. When he stopped in front of Dave, he seemed to wrinkle his nose at his skinny bones.
“Initiate Wagner. It seems we’ve got quite a challenge here. Well, we’ll just have to try to make a Janissary out of you, kid. Any questions?” Dave seemed to hesitate before he answered.
“Sir, I wonder if there’s been a mistake...” he said, before trailing off.
“Speak up, boy. Here’s your chance,” the First Janissary barked.
“Sir, I don’t think I’m Janissary material. I mean, I’m the highest ranked for academic achievements. In school. I wonder if there’s any chance of being transferred to the Students?”
God, how can you be so stupid, Dave? Sue thought. She wanted to scream at him to stop. She almost expected the First Janissary to slap him or something. But Ivanov just nodded and seemed to consider what Dave had said.
“I think you’re right, son. You don’t look like you have what it takes at all.” A smirk crept across the face of the older man, and Sue shivered.
“Sadly, Dr. Nielsen just left, and I won’t be able to reach her for a while. But I think I know someone else who would have use for your talents.” He looked over at the Whip Master, and Sue saw sweat break on Dave’s forehead, as he struggled to say something. He remained silent, though his face turned pale and his eyes closed as the First Janissary moved on.
As he reached Sue, she felt herself shrink before his eyes.
“Initiate Atlas. I fear we are out of time, as the train leaves in fifteen minutes.” Sue was torn between self-preservation and friendship, but in the end, friendship won. She spoke just as Ivanov moved to turn away.
“Sir. I think it would be a waste to send Initiate Wagner to the Corpus. Look at him. He’d be dead meat in a month. What kind of Service would that be, sir? Perhaps the Wardens would take him?” She had no idea what the Wardens actually did, as most of it was secret, and there were few, if any, Wardens from Charlestown. But the way she saw it, anything would be better that the Corpus. The First Janissary fumed and was about to lash out at her, probably ready to trade her black armband for a red one, when the Master Warden interjected.
“She’s right, Ivanov. It would be a waste.” He smiled. “We’ll take him.” The First Janissary looked furiously from Sue to the Master Warden, and then back again at Sue. Then he exhaled and shook hi
s head.
“All right then, enough of this nonsense.” He turned toward the Master Warden. “Take the boy. Now, let’s get on with this. Damn kids need to learn some respect.” The last was murmured as he walked off, signaling the officers to take the Janissary Initiates to the waiting train. As the Corpus Initiates walked off to the southbound train, the others followed their representatives toward the trains that would take them north. Dave followed the Master with the three other Warden Initiates, and as he passed Sue, his lips moved, mouthing a silent thank you. Sue smiled briefly, although she was angry with him for opening his mouth. That head of his will get him in trouble again, she thought. And the next time, she wouldn’t be there to save him.
Sue wondered if she had just made a huge mistake. She wasn’t the most social, but as far as she knew, she’d never had an enemy. As she boarded the train, she caught the eye of the First Janissary and wondered if she’d made her first.