Sean Chaide
by Rick Tornello
A fog of space debris, accumulated
over a millennium encased the planet. Entry was
tricky and dangerous at best, even for armored
craft. That was all well and good
since no one of any consequence ever went there
willingly. The home of humanity was now a back
water, and worse, it was populated by those who
would not give up on the idea of earth as it once
was. The rule of law, a basis for all that came
after, was still the foundational political
principals by which they lived and died. It was
this hard headedness that drove the ruler of the
solar system into mental knots. The last law that
passed, allowing androids with total sentient
abilities full citizenship was a step too far. It
would be ending soon enough.
++++
The Sultan had ordered her to
be brought before him. Before her arrival he had
raged to anyone within hearing distance. “The
Earth is a garbage pit of a planet and this is
just one more example of that filth that needs to
be exterminated.” The Sultan had declared
war upon the planet Earth. “It’s
blasphemy against the natural order. Those
degenerates just allowed the S7 class and any
newer models, all totally sentient and as
indistinct from humans… as we… we as
natural born humans… could visually tell, full
citizenship rights and privileges. They can even
interbreed.” He paused, looked about
and observed the affect of his words and then
continued, “They must be eliminated or
a new species will take over the solar system. We
will be exterminated!”
The beings at court just bowed and murmured their
assent. Fear was the driving political force.
Earth’s ambassador stood in back of the
assembled officials on his assigned spot,
illustrating his ranking in importance and
impotence, his head bowed. His planet was about
to be destroyed by the growing fleet of warships
and support craft swarming into the staging areas.
The entire solar system’s battle fleet was
being assembled. He could do nothing. His aide,
standing by his side stood closer than usual. The
ambassador sighed. The boy cares about me he
felt. But what can he do? This is
madness.
The Sultan continued pointing to the back of the
room, “Mr. Ambassador, you dare to make
these things citizens and equals and bring
one into my court? I should have you thrown from
an airlock in deep space.” The Sultan viewed
the expression on the ambassador from Earth. The
ambassador, old, his eyes and face showed the
strain of years of diplomacy, stood erect waiting
for the death decree even thought he had been
ordered to bring one S7 to court.
“But as I am a man of dignity and an
observer of my laws, I will not harm you as you
have diplomatic immunity. However, as you have
noticed I am preparing the invasion fleet. I will
end yours and all the apostates on that miserable
planet you call home. You will have time to
consider your fate. Logistical supplies and
armaments take time to arrive and the order of
battle coordinated. Your planet is a garbage heap
but it does offer you some protection that must
be overcome. Why do I tell you all this? Because
I want you to observe and report back to your
people what you have seen so that they might
stave off the invasion and come to their senses,
and follow my rule of law!”
“Now show the android in.” And to the
assembled court he ordered, “Everyone out.
Leave me alone with this thing.”
Earth’s Ambassador wanted to drag the S7 out
as she walked in. His assistant held him back
whispering, “Don’t, you’ll only
make things worse. Let us leave and warn the
others of what we have seen.”
Into the empty throne room the S7 Humanoid stood
facing her executioner. The Sultan, a
being whose ignorance was only usurped by his
arrogance and sexual appetite, was taken off
guard by her beauty. This he never expected. He
had to regain mental control.
“You have a name, thing?”
She looked straight into his eyes. “Your
majesty, I am called by many names. Thing is not
one of them. I go by the name of Sean Chaide.”
She knew it was a daring move. She had
volunteered and her goal was to save or put off
for as long as possible any invasion of her home.
The Sultan declared, “After this meeting you
will be terminated. You are aware of that. You
are not to be allowed to live. You are not human.”
“I am sentient, I can procreate…”
“You are dangerous. But before I carry out
the task of ridding your home of the fools and
apostates who created you, I would like to
display the tools by which I will make this
happen.”
“If you mean your war machine, I have heard
much of it. Yes, please do. I am intrigued, not
so much of the how but why you feel you must do
this.”
“I am gathering the forces from all over the
system. This will be a holy war against the
infidel, Earth…” He hesitated not
knowing why and then said, “I think a better
execution is forcing you to witness the planets
destruction before I terminate you. Yes, that is
a fitting punishment.”
“As you wish.” She was calm and seeming
unmoved by his threats.
Her demeanor confused him. Normally those subject
to death would be at his feet begging for life.
She on the other hand seemed not to care. “You
are rather calm considering your situation,”
he said.
“What am I supposed to do? I knew
this was a possibility. I volunteered to meet you.
I, we supposed that I might be able to understand
your motives and…” She touched his arm.
He quickly pulled away in disgust. “Change
my mind.” He laughed. “Fools, you are
all fools.”
“Maybe so but aren’t we all based from
the same stock. Isn’t Earth the home, the
springboard from which all this arose?”
“Once it could be said so, but now? Now your
planet is an orbiting ruin. The one thing that
protects you is the garbage surrounding your
planet as armor. And the fact, that until your
creation, I was willing to ignore your pitiful
orb. But you and those like you are an
abomination that must be destroyed.”
“Why are you so fearful of us? We are not
war like, though we will defend ourselves to the
death. You must be aware of that?”
“What pitiful resistance can you muster
again my armada?”
She didn’t answer.
“You see, I will prevail,” he said with
all the authority he could muster in his voice
because when he looked at her and stared there
was something about her he couldn’t quite
figure out. His contemplation was interrupted
…
“Your majesty, might I offer a respite in
this verbal sparing, and as a condemned prisoner,
ask for a last meal?”
“I said I would keep you alive until after
the destruction of your home.”
“Yes you did. Might I suggest that we put
that aside for a bit?”
She had moved closer to him. He knew she was
unarmed. He stood his ground. Sean was exactly
his height. She looked directly at him. “Let
me suggest a little something else then. I know
you’re one for the best foods and I, like
yourself, suffer from the desire to have a taste
of the best before I die.”
He smiled at the thought. “Go on.”
“What say you that we both choose a recipe,
the best of whatever we may have had in the past?
You have the best chefs in the world. What say
you that we choose, and present each other with
that?”
No one had ever approached him with a challenge
or contest such as this, and on her deathbed no
less. He had nothing to loose. He waited a few
seconds, impulse was always his manner and
answered, “Yes, we will do that. What do you
have in mind?”
“Oh no. You misunderstand. It will be a
secret, a surprise. Mine will be for you and
yours for me.”
He looked at her even more amazed. “What if
your choice is beyond all I have ever consumed,
what then?”
Sean answered, “If it is not, I will
terminate myself right there and then. But if it
is beyond anything you have ever had, I will tell
you how it was made, where the ingredients
originated, the proper wines to mix, and then we
do it again. What say you to that?”
“You’re serious?” He asked
incredulously.
“I do not kid around with my life.”
“I agree,” He said with great
satisfaction.
She nodded and then asked, “Where is your
kitchen? I will begin.”
She fed him dinner that night. She listened to
his tirades that grew softer as the night
progressed. She spoke to him as if she knew him
for years. She explained the history of her food
selection. He listened as he sipped the wine.
He looked at her. He smiled and said. “I
didn’t expect this. Surprise me again
tomorrow with another food story like this.”
“What of your surprise for me? It is your
turn,” she said in a slightly demanding tone.
“After tomorrows dinner then I will have one
for you, he said. But he couldn’t
take his eye off her and the food cut to his soul.
He wanted more and would have it. He was the
Sultan and his wish was his command. The invasion
could wait a few days or more as supplies arrived.
There was no rush. And this was altogether
something new.
She had touched him in more ways than one, with
her bravery, her beauty and his DNA. By that
initial touch alone the secrets of his being were
laid bare. She knew now what he was made of, what
combinations of food chemicals would satisfy him.
With this knowledge she would always be at least
one step ahead. “As you wish,” she said
demurely. “Will you want it ready at the
same time?”
By Rick Tornello © 2014, revised 2020
& The Village idiot
Press
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