Log 1 Matter | Antimatter (2 page)

Jamie nudged him. “Come on, let’s go down for
breakfast.”

***

Three months on and they were studying on the
floor in Jamie’s room preparing for the mid-year exams. Jamie
stretched, cracking his neck and back as he did. Ryama glanced up
at him thinking he was popping his knuckles, a habit of his Rya
hated listening to.

“You’ll have to stop that if you want to be
an operative. Hard to be stealthy when you’re popping your
joints.”

Jamie chuckled.

“Come on, there’s a new movie.”

“What about study?” Jamie frowned and stared
at his range of tablets and EBrains lying around on the floor.

“I need a break. We can take two hours and
support the movie guys; they get graded on their showings, extra
credits for audience. Or you can stay and I’ll take a break.”

Suspicious now, he asked, “What are they
showing?”

“A school made production and before you
complain it’s only for ten minutes. The main movie is ‘The Ghost of
Avalon’.”

Jamie tried not to laugh at his “winning”
smile and said, “I’ll come.”

The last thing Rya had dragged him in for was
a show about a planet called Earth in Estancia Station, and how the
Avatara were creating worlds there to determine the best way to
rule. Many Avatara had come under some pressure from the other
races but it was legal, however Jamie didn’t like the project at
all. They made their way down to where students had converted the
basement into a massive retro theatre. It was already dark inside.
Rya found them two chairs close to the back but Jamie sniffed the
air and pulled him away. They found two aisle-side seats halfway
down.

Rya said, “I’ll just get some drinks and
snacks.”

Jamie nodded, sat, and took time to look
around, observing his “world”.

A male sat next to him.

“This seat is taken.” Jamie glanced at the
male with some annoyance.

“I’ll be gone before your friend comes back.
Tell me what you see.”

Jamie frowned and studied the male properly.
He looked military. “I see a military male and I smell that he’s
wearing expensive fragrance; sixty-four bodies in this theatre;
someone spilt a drink three rows down; unwashed socks two rows
behind on the other side; the security guard had an argument with
his wife again; just in front the guy has masturbated but hasn’t
washed himself so I’ll tell my friend not to shake his hand;
someone is arguing in the bathroom; the projector is trying to eat
the tape—why they don’t just give up the old ways and accept new
tech I don’t know—the popcorn machine was recently refilled;
there’s a couple kissing in the back corner on our side and I don’t
think she’s enjoying it very much, the—”

There was a chuckle. “That’s enough.” The
male stood. “Thank you, Jamie.”

“You should find a seat for the first ten
minutes; the movie students get extra credits exam time for
visitors.”

“I can spare ten minutes.” He walked to the
rear and sat.

Rya passed the military male with arms full
and sat down. Jamie took a drink and popcorn.

Rya said, “There’s chocolate too.”

Jamie automatically determined how much
exercise he’d have to do and if it was worth it. The students’
movie began and he didn’t give the male a second thought until the
end of the production when Rya asked, as he twisted around, “Who
was that militaria who was getting up as I came back in?”

“I think they’re considering my
application.”

“That was quick. He’s gone now.”

“I asked him to watch the first part, support
and all.” He flashed a grin at Rya who threw a piece of popcorn at
him. They watched the horror film, Jamie’s favorite genre. As the
credits rolled across the screen, Jamie could see a few people they
knew who looked like they wanted to talk.

“Let’s get back.” Urgency filled him now and
the need to stop a fearful gnawing that had been triggered while he
had waited for Leanne to be executed. The military would be able to
access those records, and Jamie knew they’d be considering how to
deal with him. “I don’t think they’ll continue my app if I fail my
exams.”

A couple hours after midnight Rya got up off
the floor and slapped his e-book closed. Jamie saw him to his room,
feeling protective. Rya kissed him with some passion. He released
Jamie and said softly, “Listen to me; if they come for you just go,
don’t give me another thought. If you are gone, I’ll pack up your
things.”

Jamie hugged him and they stood like that for
some time, both thinking of Rya’s twin sister who had
“disappeared”.

“If you see Diane, if that’s even her name
now, give her a hug? Since she’s just a female version of me you’ll
recognize her.” Rya moved away and opened his door.

As he stepped in and turned, Jamie noticed
his down-turned mouth and glistening eyes.

“I will.”

“What is it about me that those I love
leave?”

Startled by Rya’s soft but soulful words,
Jamie reacted too late and the door closed.

Love?

Jamie went back to his room a little
confused. Ryama had encouraged him to sign up but he reasoned that
the reality of separation would be painful. He walked through to
the small bathroom and washed his face. He stood staring at the
dark grey eyes, so dark they looked almost black. It was a rugged
face not quite framed by short, dark hair. A bang caused him to
rush back into the main room. The shutter on the sliding door
flapped around in the strong wind that roared down the mountains at
times. Rain pelted onto his tiny balcony where water was pooling
already. He leaned out, loving the feel of the cold drops of water
on his face, and saw the stormy skies lit momentarily by a bolt of
lightning, thunder following seconds after. Githto was known for
its storms and even after forty years he loved the wild
weather.

That night, he lay on top of the covers, and
watched and listened to the storm with his arms behind his head.
Sleep came easier on nights like this, which annoyed him because
these were the nights he wanted to stay awake.

It took another six weeks before he
“disappeared”.

Jamie woke with a start. Two figures loomed
over him in the dark. Outside he heard the wind tearing through the
trees and rumbles of thunder in the distance. Rain bombarded his
window. One of the figures gently pressed on his shoulder until he
gained his senses. They flicked on a main light and showed him the
queen’s seal as he swung his legs out of the bed. He checked the
credentials, a little annoyed he hadn’t woken up before they
touched him on the shoulder. Both were dressed in dark clothes and
were hooded but the female wasn’t muting her energy.

Jamie gritted his teeth but forced himself to
say, “I accept.” He started to look around but, as the female shook
her head, he clenched his hands into a fist, angry that she was in
his room studying his body with interest. Suddenly, she turned away
and left the room. After a slight hesitation the male stepped
forward and injected something into his skin. “Get dressed, warm is
good.”

As Jamie dressed he rubbed his arm, aware the
female had tested him and that he had failed that test. What would
that mean for him? More stupid counseling? The male held out his
arm, indicating the door, and Jamie strode out leaving his life
behind, looking ahead to start anew.

Excitement filled him as he sat in an
unmarked roader. He barely noted the scenery except that the rain
pelted down on the front windscreen and wind lashed at the trees on
either side. They entered the airport via a route Jamie had never
been on before, but once through a gate he noted they were at the
back of the spaceport. Next to a small hangar on the tarmac was an
unmarked, dark ranger, cigar shaped, but his thoughts drifted to
Rya. He wasn’t allowed to contact anyone, not for ten years. He
stepped up a metal ladder and over the rim of the hatch, and a crew
member dressed in nondescript, black clothing led him down a narrow
passage, up a level, and then to a tiny cabin, single berth. It had
an even tinier shower and toilet. Jamie barely noted the “décor” of
the ranger interior except that it was mostly straight walls inside
with dark grey panels hiding essential systems. The flooring was
standard and what Jamie called “spongy grill” matting that seemed
to grip footwear and absorb noise.

He took his meals, generally ignored by the
others on the ranger, but his eyes took in everything. By the end,
Jamie realized he’d filled his mind with useless crap.

Iota Military Location Delta

Sitting in a small recreation room with
several harness seats and small tables bolted to the flooring, he
watched the ranger dock with a larger space vessel on the main
screen. He stood up when told, and waited by the main trap.
Everything was nondescript and “blah”. Was that on purpose? He
wasn’t overly impressed with the hatches opened on both sides of
the trap. In front of him the male Jamie met in the theatre, this
time all in black, was standing in the tube waiting. Others he’d
seen, but not talked to, filed through. Jamie made to follow but
the male held up his hand. The dark orange hair and freckles on the
backs of his hands hadn’t been noticeable in the dark movie
theatre.

“Jamie Livio Raner, I want a quick verbal
list of at least fifty things you observed on the way here.”

Jamie listed them easily, even categorizing
them, but the male only nodded, giving no indication of whether he
was impressed. Jamie had heard about micro expressions but had no
training to identify them. At least the “crap” had become useful
after all.

“Step across and you accept that you are a
cadet with a training establishment dedicated to the Sentinel
Program. You will accept every part of your training as being
necessary. Questions are permitted. If you disagree with your
training assignment now, we’ll provide you with documentation on
which you must sign your acceptance to have your mind wiped from
this moment to a moment before you were woken from your bed.”

He asked, “The injection?” It was most likely
some kind of false memory adhesion. All of his memories from an
hour before he was injected would collect and build on the false
node. Anyway, wasn’t it a bit late to be telling him this now? But
then it was harder to leave.

There was a slight nod and Jamie detected a
hint of a smile. Had the male heard his thoughts? And Jamie was a
little disappointed. The Sentinel Program? It wasn’t quite what he
had in mind.

“Is there … a possibility of changing to … um
… another role?” Should he have asked his name? In Aryan Society it
was polite to offer it but this might be his handler, which
required a more unusual relationship. Ryama had told him that often
handlers chose their own cadets.

“Yes, but it is what you will excel at. Be
assured of that. You will be expected to train and then work as a
Sentinel. Ten years after your first job, should you choose to do
so, you may then reapply.”

“Ah.” He almost turned it down. He lifted his
eyes then. “What or who might I be a Sentinel for?”

“A person of power. People. Secrets. Things
of power.”

So not babysitting.

Jamie happily stepped through to his new life
not forgetting people started off as babies but that his handler
said “a person of power”. What baby was powerful? He was happy in
his version of the truth as he really wanted this new life.

“Oh, Jamie.”

He turned.

“We’ve cleared your tools. It’s good to keep
your hobby.”

He’d been woodworking ever since the
execution, and carved new life into old, restored furnishings and
art; built new furniture from old. When he worked with wood it
soothed his soul, occupied his mind, and aligned his energy. He
would do anything but babysit. He held to that firm thought and
smiled.

Iota Military Location Alpha

On his sixty-second birthday Jamie was done with
cadets and was seconded to the Aryan Military. His body was lean
and he was super fit. As to his mind, when he had first arrived he
noted that almost every other cadet was Avatara Modernus and below.
Of the Eight Races in Aryan Society, only one race was represented
on his course, the Eighth Race. They’d placed him in “prep” school
and he tried not to be too sour about it. As it turned out, he
barely managed to cope with females in command and they were all
lower matter and energy rated than he was.

He was now in Naleli Station, Warrex. The
Fourteenth Regional Queen ruled in the station with three warlords.
There were many military training bases on planets in systems
within Naleli to explore. Ready for the next phase and somewhat
excited, his expectations to have some time to “play” were quickly
destroyed. This was no school academy or training for newbies. From
the moment he stepped foot on Warrex he began to learn and was
treated like an operative. He was expected to meet the standards of
conduct, academia, fitness, and extra-curricular activities. They
drove their operatives on pride, quality, and innovation.

He was shown to a bare and tiny room. It was
much like a cell. Not another test! He tossed his bag on the cold
floor, disgusted with the place. There was a bed to his right, and
that was it. Others were provided opulent suites, with service, and
some ribbed, teased and grumbled. No one was told why they had been
given the different rooms. Most laughed at Jamie’s cell, not that
it mattered as he had no close friends, certainly nothing romantic.
He loved doing what he was doing. Love could wait. Sex was still …
confusing. Indulgences were accepted but he’d rather use his time
to learn.

***

Just a few years later, Jamie packed up a
small bag and left for his very first assignment. At first, when
people he knew went missing he’d ask questions, until he learned to
keep his mouth shut. Now he was going without notice. Their
teachers expected it, which is why any training revolved around the
core work—covert operations. So, if a teacher went missing, and
another stepped in, it was business as usual. And occasionally,
with that change, the program would change. If you weren’t flexible
enough to cope, you were shown the door.