Silver

A silver point dangled from a delicate chain, tracing lines into the freshly fallen ash. The sea was calm today as the ship the Tutum sailed through a thick fog. Today was a rare chance to come above deck and breathe open air, for the crew only allowing the passengers to come out during dense fog. The majority of the time, the passengers are restricted to below deck.

Although the sea and even the fog itself was a sight to behold, her interest was on me, a silver point cutting lines in the ash. Slowly but surely revealing the divination, she was so intent on seeing. She had often used this method to provide the passengers comfort on the journey. But today was different; each client that asked about their future had received devastating new bad omens. As the silver point swung back-and-forth, she sang

"This ae nighte, this ae nighte, Fire and fleet and candle-lighte, If hosen and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane the song went on quietly and drawningly. As she strained between the dream times"

"You can't see the future."

One of the men on the deck laugh. As a few children ran on the deck, finally free of the confines of the lower deck. This Woman did not pay them any attention; the knowing consumed her. The scorn of men or the child's laughter was worldly interference creating a current, pulling her back from the knowing. And when she had seen, she began to cry as tears disrupting the ash, puffing up clouds of green and yellow. Yet, hopefulness lit her face, for the answer: if ever thou gavest ye values most.

The horn sounded. All of the passengers rushed to their below deck accommodations as parents were rounding up their children. The darkness surrounding, providing no sliver of light, only a fast rhythm of a beating heart, a terrified and reminiscing heart, a living heart. The body, ever driving forward into the unknown. In the darkness nostalgia and delusions about the future were the only comforts provided.

These places had sweet water until it became something worth taking. One more month at this steady place or maybe just a couple of days. Rumors have spread telling people how skilled laborers will be accepted at the port of Good Hope, a place across the sea filled with life, liberty, and happiness.

Yelling and struggle above deck—the attempts of parents and people to hold back fear. The doors were contravened, and illumination cut the darkness inside the stuffy accommodations. Freight containers held at a minimum of 50 individuals each. A firm voice was ordering them to exit. A silver point on a delicate chain held out from shaking hands. It was tracing lines in the air, a left hand overlooking the name tag that read Abede. A green uniform with a scanner and sidearm on a belt and holding a testing table in the right hand.

A trade, she was giving up the silver chain. The authority Abede taking the chain and telling her to move to a different line. 400 or so passengers lined up on the deck for processing—the Authorities asking each individual about their skills and prior competencies. Then the individual was scanned for a short health inspection, followed by an aptitude test. The exchange was to have a favorable score interned into the aptitude test. The test was always carried out on deck to ensure full supervision by the drones and ensure no misconduct. Successful individuals moved to line A, and unsuccessful patrons moved to line B.

Every authority inspector was allowed to pick five individuals with failing scores to put into the pass line. This provided a humanitarian outlet to an otherwise grueling job. A Grav-tank descended, opening its rear cargo door ramp onto the deck. From line A, 30 persons in total were transferred on the Grav-tank. The Grav-tank appeared awkward as it ascended; warcraft of its design were intended for battle, not humanitarian work.

The inspection was complete, and all remaining passengers return to their accommodations. Abede continued to look at the silver point and instructed all inspectors to board a second Grav-tank that had just descended.

Now settled in the sky, Abede held the silver point from high above the sea as it traced lines held by feeble hands. The fog had lifted. From the rear door of the Grav-tank Abede could see the Tutum, an enormous cargo ship sailing on a calm sea. Today was a routine inspection. From left to right, a rocket flew in the beautiful still sky. The Rocket struck the mid-ship of the Tutum and exploding, vaporizing the ship and all who remained on board. Abede looked up and muttered quietly, "good bye line B".

A voice spoke from the corner of the red light cargo bay of the grav-tank.

"Why do you watch this happen every time? It's not like it changes what happens or ever looks different if you watch"

Abede spoke softly and nearly inaudibly "It is how I honor them, remember them, this is the last one"

Another voice laughing spoke, "They're not even human"

Abede turned sharply to point in the direction of the speakers. Two other dressed in drop trooper outfits gaggled near Abede. One's name tag read Beischel and the other Chorro. Abede spoke sharply and cruelly, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

Chorro spoke gently: "well… they're not like us, they're Sapiens, they're not enhanced they're not even modern humans"

Beischel: "look at what they did to this planet. They fought each other. They poisoned the sky with radiation. There would be no Sapiens left if it were not for us. If it was not for the gift of fusing the hosts with humans."

Abede was annoyed by the facts: "I don't need a history lesson. Each Sapiens, everyone of them is what we were. Do you remember what you were like before the enhancements? "

Beishchel: "no I don't and I don't want to. Look at my arm". Beishchel turned the armour of her sleeve transparent to reveal an arm scarred by injection sites and cut marks. "This is what my shell came with. Whomever I was before this was a drug addict, and the enhancement made that all disappear. I don't want to meet the person I was".

Chorro: "why are you so melodramatic? Every Sapiens that was selected will get to become enhanced and get to rebuild humanity. They will be radiation resistant and superhuman in every way that they could imagine. Besides better than being sent to the pleasure cults. Here they get to build; there they get to be pets."

Abede looked down and plotted how to disengage from the conversation, but conviction denied him the ability: "you know that the odds are that in every group of 30, one must become a host".

Chorro: "that's how it works, in any case. One becomes a host and turns into one of those alien green men. But we need to harvest their blood to allow for the enhancement. For the greater good."

Beishchel responded: "For the greater good."

Abede felt the total weight of defeat and let his thoughts out: This is my last trip. I want to spend time with my daughter, for she faces the trill.

Beishchel: "you're finally doing it, taking on civilian life. Big steps. Children grow up so fast, and before you know it, they're off to the academy for the trill".

Chorro: "what's in your hand, that silver chain?".

Abede: "one of the Sapiens handed it to me. Many of them wear similar chains with this symbol, but none have ever been willing to part with it. This is the first time I had ever seen one willing to give it up."

Chorro and Beishchel looked on in amazement at the dangling chain, a silver point in the red light. Abede then shoved the chain into a pocket of the jumpsuit they were wearing.

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A Silver point dangled from a delicate chain, held by loving hands over a beautiful hardwood floor. The reception of thrilled fingers clasping an exciting and unique gift. She thought to herself, today, both of my guardians are home. I had not seen them both at the same time in months. They are often only here one at a time. I am so glad that both of them are here, and I get to spend time with them before the trills finally. My favorite guardian gave me a neckless with a weird shape and told me that I am very special and worth the world to them. As my guardians tucked me into bed, they told me that tomorrow was crucial; tomorrow was show and tell.

The following morning she looked down at the pendant, hardly containing her excitement. She clumsily put on her school uniform and sat down in front of a large screen. The screen flashed several questions and flashed an assortment of equations, historical questions, and statements. The lights bathed the room in an orange glow. The mechanical voice then spoke. "You are compliant for the greater good." The door to the room opened with a depressurization noise. She stood from the chair and ran downstairs, where she ecstatically ate Bashas Dalpor, a liquidy porgy material. Upon finishing, a bell rang as she watched the bowl of food descend into the table. Once again, a soft orange light filled the room. The wall began to flash more assortments of information until the process was complete. Then a voice spoke, You are compliant for the greater good." Suddenly the doors opened, revealing her two guardians.

Guardian: "You woke up today and are 100% compliant. That's a fantastic start to the day."

The child: "I tried really hard today. I didn't want to go back to sleep. I wanted to be with you both."

Guardian: "It is good. In two more nights of sleep, you will be ready to join us without the need for sleep. You will pass the trill with ease."

Guardian 2: "As long as you know that we are always proud of you. We will always wait for you. It does not matter how many times you need to sleep before you're compliant. As long as you want to be with us, we will be here."

The child: "Where are we going today? Are we going to get to go to the show and tell?"

Guardian 2: "Yes we will"

The child: "Can I share this?", holding the chain mid-air for the Guardians to take notice.

Guardian: "No, you cannot share that. There is much value in this, and you have not come to learn the recitation.

The child: "Why not?"… I know the story."

The guardians watch blankly.

The Child: "This is a heart-shaped locket. It is the embodiment of physical and spiritual beings. It represents the central wisdom of feeling as opposed to the knowledge of reason. This what you received from Sapiens all those years ago on the ship. This symbol is central to their being and understanding of the world. You could call it their religion. The cause of all their former grandeur and ruin. It is a symbol of love. The heart is the first to live and the last to die. It is our reason, and therefore my reason".

She paused briefly, then continued.

"I am ready to continue our work, providing balance to the heart. Having compassion and understanding, embracing life's gift of complexity. To give up the heart and embrace the greater good.”

She held her hand out to the guardians—a silver point of a heart locket held over a digitally altering floor. The floor peeled away to reveal the Oster chamber. Guardians reach out their hands to receive the chain. The room was once again bathed in a soft glow of orange, as both the room itself and the Guardians chanted in unison, "You are compliant for the greater good."