The Worker Prince Read online

  “I don’t know if I can let him go,” Lura said, as she had over and over since the decree’s release.

  “If we want our son to grow old, we have no choice, love.” Sol’s practiced emotional burying failed him and his voice cracked as they moved past numbered doors toward Test Pad Seventeen-A.

  The dark walls and floor of the narrow corridor absorbed what little light the reflector pads overhead provided. If Sol hadn’t known the way, they would have progressed more slowly. But in moments, they stopped before a gray door marked Seventeen-A as Sol entered another key code into the security pad.

  The door swung up and Sol rushed Lura and Davi onto the test pad, where Aron was busy double-checking the courier’s navigation system. Mounted on the launcher, the courier appeared bigger and taller than it actually was.

  Upon seeing it, Lura clutched Davi tightly to her chest and let out a gasp.

  Sol squeezed her hand as his eyes met hers with as much comfort as he could manage. “Lura, we must hurry!” Tiny daggers danced and sliced at the surface of Sol’s pounding heart.

  “I’ve got the coordinates programmed. And I borrowed fuel for the sub-light drive from Station Thirty-Four,” Aron said and Sol winced. “It should take them a while before they miss it.”

  Sol climbed a small ladder and examined the courier one final time. “Tran’s already been alerted. Why’d you do that?”

  “There was no time to go anywhere else,” Aron said, his face registering alarm.

  Sol motioned to the courier. “Let’s get the engines prepped. They don’t know where we’ve gone.”

  Aron and Sol hurried about the final launch preparations as Lura held Davi and softly sobbed. After a few moments, Sol stepped down off the ladder to join her. “He’s going to Regallis, Lura. Aron checked it out himself. He’ll be in the capital. Someone will give him a life we never could.” Tears flowed as his hands caressed the feathery down atop his son’s head.

  “How can this be happening?” Lura said through her sobs. “We’ve waited so long for a child!”

  Sol’s arms wrapped around her, holding his family for the last time. “We have to have faith, Lura. God will protect him. It’s time for him to go.” He reached for Davi. Lura resisted a moment, then kissed Davi’s forehead and surrendered.

  His infant son lay so light in his arms—soft and warm. The eyes looked into his with total trust, but instead of cuddling with him as he wanted, Sol hugged the tiny boy to his chest and hurried up the ladder to the courier.

  Placing Davi in the molded cushion, he wrapped the safety straps around him, put the life support pad in place, and turned it on. Its LEDs lit up bright green as it began to hum. The note Sol had written for whoever found Davi rested secure in the info pouch on the side wall. Everything was good to go.

  Lura rushed up the ladder beside him. She removed the treasured necklace his mother had given her before their joining ceremony and set it beside their son. Since the ceremony, Sol had never seen her without it. Tucking the family crest emblem inside the blanket where it couldn’t float free and scratch their son, he reached for the hatch, bending down as he did to kiss Davi’s head.

  “Always remember we love you,” he said, the last words his baby son heard before the hatch closed over him.

  Sol clasped Lura’s hand and led her down the steps. He nodded as Aron entered the launch code in the computer, and they all moved out of range to watch.

  The courier’s engines ignited, whining as they rose to full power in preparation for launch. The room vibrated around them as the courier’s engines shot out twin columns of orange-red flame, rocking the pedestal upon which it rested, before launching with a lurch up a ramp and into the clear blue sky on its journey to the edge of the solar system.

  Sol wrapped his arms around Lura as she collapsed against him, sobbing and Sol’s own tears refused to be restrained any longer. Then armed starport security forces arrived, surrounding them, as Sol glimpsed Tran’s angry orange eyes peering in from the doorway and sighed, resigned.

  Chapter One

  “Why do they keep staring at us?” Sweet, fruity perfumes contrasted with stale sweat from gyrating bodies afflicting Davi’s nose.

  Farien nodded toward the dance floor and Davi realized all eyes in the Bar Electric were focused on them.

  “I told you we looked good in our uniforms,” he joked as his eyes turned back to his friends. After twenty-one years, he’d never gotten used to it.

  Farien stood shorter by almost a foot than his two friends, but made up for it in a bulk that filled out his gray uniform. The shiny gold buttons and shoulder insignia appeared ready to pop loose at any moment. Yao was the tallest, thinner than the others. A humanoid from the planet Tertullis, he would pass for human if it weren’t for his dark-orange-tinted skin and purple eyes.

  “I think they’re staring at you, Prince Rhii,” Yao said.

  Like an old habit, Davi forced a grin and waved casually, the crowd watching his every move. “And to think I felt like just another cadet at the Academy.” He looked around. “Serve-bot!”

  Metal feet pounding on the floor mixed with flashing lights and the electronic tones of a recent pop hit blasting through speakers overhead. The robot waiter waded through the crowd toward their table. Other cadets, a few officers, and regular citizens filled the dance floor and tables as identical serve-bots worked the room with drinks and food.

  The serve-bot stopped at their table on one corner of the dance floor. “How may I serve you, sir?”

  “A round of drinks for everyone, on me,” Davi instructed.

  “On you, sir?”

  Davi chuckled. Bots’ vocabularies were simple, practical, and devoid of any colloquialisms or idioms. “Bill it to the Royal Palace, please.”

  “I’d need authorization—”

  Davi sighed, holding up his ID. The serve-bot scanned it, its facial LEDs lighting up with recognition. “Right away, Prince Rhii.”

  Yao and Farien chuckled as the serve-bot hurried off.

  “Come on, Davi, when are you going to drop the childhood nickname and use your real name, like a man. Xander sounds much more mature than Davi.” Farien’s face was serious, yet Davi couldn’t help but laugh.

  “It may be a nickname, but it’s one I like.”

  Farien rolled his eyes. “Haven’t you been teased enough over it? Do you want to be taken seriously as an officer? We’re not kids anymore. We’re going into the world as adults.”

  “Let the man choose his own name, Farien,” Yao scolded. “No one’s asking you to change yours even though it sounds a little feminine.” Yao and Davi exchanged a look and laughed.

  Farien scowled. “It’s not feminine! It’s a family name!”

  Davi and Yao just laughed harder as Farien took a huge gulp of his beer.

  After a moment, Yao turned serious again. “Now that you’ve made the public happy, how are you going to deal with the other crisis?”

  “What other?” Farien asked.

  Davi and his friends had come to the bar to celebrate graduating from the Military Academy. After receiving congratulations and hugs from their friends and family, the three headed off to Bar Electric to discuss their assignments and dream about the future awaiting them—which meant Davi had skipped out on the celebratory dinner planned in his honor at the Palace by his mother and uncle, the High Lord Councilor.

  “They’ll get over it.” Davi dismissed it with a wave.

  “When have they ever gotten over it?” Yao asked with a knowing look.

  Davi sighed. “Yeah, they’ll make me pay, won’t they?” They both laughed. “Let’s make it worth it then!”

  “Vertullis,” Farien muttered as he took another sip of his favorite off-world beer. “Babysitting slaves, great.”

  Davi chuckled and sipped his own beer. “What did you expect—some grand adventure?”

  “No, but maybe at least an assignment on one of the distant planets with breathing apparatuses, aliens to encounte
r …”

  “We can make our own excitement, as usual.” Davi grinned at Farien. Farien rolled his eyes and laughed as they gave each other a high five.

  “You’ll be there supervising work crew guards. I get to be supervised by some newbie fresh out of the Academy like you,” Farien complained, a glint in his eye. “Funny how your Uncle couldn’t pull strings to get you a cushier assignment.”

  “You’re a newbie fresh out of the Academy,” Yao reminded him, shaking his head as Farien grinned.

  “You can shut up, mister star-student-professor,” Farien answered. Yao had received the most prestigious assignment of all.

  Uncle Xalivar’s explanation was that Davi needed to earn the people’s respect, not just count on it because of his uncle’s favor or position. But Davi did sometimes wish his uncle would relax a bit and use his influence on his nephew’s behalf. He was High Lord Councilor after all.

  Seeing his friends staring, he brushed it off and reached over to squeeze Yao’s shoulder. “Yes, congratulations, Yao, it’s well deserved. The Presimion Academy is a fantastic school,” Davi said, proud of his friend. The ceremony had consisted of the usual speeches, and faculty aggrandizing, but Yao had won recognition for his skills with math and sciences, and Davi had received the leadership medal.

  “Instead of serving alongside newbies fresh out of the Academy, he gets to prepare pre-Academy newbies.” Farien downed the last of his beer in one long sip, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and stood. “Anyone else want another round?”

  Davi and Yao shook their heads as Farien ambled toward the bar.

  “We’d better slow him down or there’ll be trouble,” Yao commented.

  Davi motioned to the door as three girls they’d seen in the front row at the graduation ceremony entered. “I think the diversion we need just walked in.”

  Yao turned toward the doorway as Davi stood, making his way toward the three beauties. He approached their table and smiled. “You all look even better than you looked at the graduation.”

  “You remember us?” the dark-skinned one asked as the girls exchanged shy looks.

  Davi laughed. “Of course. Who wouldn’t notice you three?”

  The dance music swelled forcing Davi to yell as he asked their names and chatted with them a moment. Then he offered them his arms. They giggled as they stood, two of them looping their arms under his as he led them back toward the table.

  “You know who I am, right?” he asked as they neared his table.

  The girls all nodded. “Of course, Prince,” the dark-skinned girl said.

  Davi preferred the rare woman who didn’t, but he nodded and bent to kiss her hand as they stopped at the table where Yao waited.

  “Yao, these beautiful ladies are Bela, Jaqi, and Vivi,” Davi said, helping the girls with their chairs. They smiled at Yao, ogling his uniform as Bela and Jaqi sat on either side of him. What was it about Tertullians that seemed so irresistible to women? Davi took the seat next to Jaqi. The sweet scents of the girls’ perfumes found his nose and made him smile. Vivi sat down on his left, being sure to keep from touching him without permission as was custom with Royals.

  “We saw you at the graduation,” Yao said, smiling awkwardly as Jaqi slid her arm into his.

  “Congratulations on your awards,” Jaqi said. “You must be very smart.”

  Yao blushed. Despite the fact they seemed drawn to him, he’d never been as comfortable around females as his two friends. “Well, I studied hard.”

  “Yao’s being modest. He’s been appointed a professor at Presimion Academy,” Davi interjected.

  The girls exchanged a look, then Jaqi scooted closer to Yao, resting her head on his shoulder. They’d worn beautiful gowns at the ceremony, but now their form-fitting pants and low cut blouses flattered their impressive figures. Vivi’s dark skin hinted at mixed racial blood, but Davi couldn’t guess which.

  Farien returned with another beer and smiled at Davi. “I see you two didn’t waste any time.”

  “Meet Bela, Jaqi, and Vivi,” Davi said as Farien took a seat between Bela and Jaqi.

  “So pleased to make your acquaintance,” Farien said, as he put his arm around Bela. She smiled, snuggling up to him.

  “Are you going to be a professor, too?” Bela asked.

  Farien grimaced as Davi and Yao stifled laughs. “I’ll be serving on Vertullis, making sure our worker population continues to produce at proper capacity.”

  It came out with such bravado that Davi and Yao couldn’t hold back and exploded with laughter.

  “Oh, Vertullis. I always wanted to visit another planet,” Bela said, looking impressed as Farien shot his guffawing friends an annoyed look.

  “What about you, Prince Rhii?” Vivi smiled at Davi. Her accent was Southern with slow and precise words, a pattern he found both intriguing and attractive.

  “Call him ‘Davi.’ He doesn’t like formality.” Ignoring sharp looks from Yao and Davi, he pressed on: “Our fearless leader will be leading the workers as well,” Farien said, ignoring the fact that Davi would be his supervisor.

  “Oh,” Vivi said, her eyes sparkling. “I always wondered what the workers are like. I’ve never met one.”

  “Me neither,” Davi chuckled. “We failed to offer you ladies libations. What can we get for you?”

  As Davi turned to search for the nearest serve-bot, a group appeared in the doorway—Bordox and three of his cronies. A huge, hulking cadet with light yellow skin and a dark beard, he sneered as he spotted them, then led the way to a corner table across the dance floor. Davi frowned. He hadn’t seen Bordox at Bar Electric in months. Why today?

  His mind flashed back to an incident at the Academy after he’d beaten Bordox on the flight simulators. Bordox had let slip about a rumor claiming the “royal prince’s blood wasn’t so royal”—an attempt to rile Davi up and create a distraction.

  Davi and his friends had demanded to know what Bordox meant.

  “Who’d have known you’re so fond of folk stories, Bordox.”

  “If it’s a folk tale, I guess you’re the folklore prince,” Bordox had cracked. “A starport rumor about a baby who arrived in a courier craft from the stars and landed near the palace, adopted by a lonely princess with no offspring.” Then he and his friends laughed loudly.

  Farien had wanted to tackle him, but Yao and Davi managed to hold him off. It took their professor threatening to charge Bordox with impugning the reputation of another cadet without cause to end the incident, but Bordox had never really let it go. From that day forward, he and Davi became fierce rivals at everything. Bordox was not as smart or coordinated, and far less likable than Davi, but they each had their crowd and were very competitive. Since the incident, each set his goals of achievement at a level designed to ensure he could better himself over the other.

  Davi sipped his beer and reached down to finger the necklace he’d worn around his neck since childhood. His mother had given it to him, insisting he never take it off, even though the symbolism of it was lost on him. He’d never gotten around to asking her about it, but he’d never seen another like it, and he knew many regarded it as a symbol of his Royal heritage.

  “Would you like to dance?” Vivi’s question broke him out of his reverie. He spotted Farien and Bela out on the dance floor, and Yao had taken Jaqi’s hand and was leading her there.

  Davi stood and extended his hand to Vivi. “Absolutely. I thought you’d never ask!” Vivi laughed and took his hand as he led her to an open spot on the floor.

  They hadn’t danced long when Bordox and his friends came onto the dance floor. Not finding immediate partners of their own, they began tapping the shoulders of other men, looking menacing if they showed any reluctance. Then, paired with the former partners of the frightened men, they maneuvered themselves over to the area surrounding Davi, Farien, and Yao.

  Davi and his friends danced as if nothing mattered until the song ended, then Bordox smiled and leaned close to Davi. “So, folkloric pr
ince, what assignment did you draw?”

  “It’s nothing as glamorous as yours,” Davi replied, doing his best to ignore him. The music started again and Davi and Vivi resumed dancing.

  “Lieutenant of the Lord’s Special Police,” Bordox responded with pride. The LSP was indeed a respectable assignment. Only the cadets deemed most loyal and sure to serve with lifelong honor at the High Lord’s beck and call would ever be chosen. It didn’t hurt that Bordox’s father, Lord Obed, ran the LSP.

  “We’re going to Vertullis to keep the workers in line,” Farien said, breaking the lull.

  “Glorified babysitters. I wondered if they’d let you three do any real work,” Bordox replied as he swung his reluctant partner around them. The girl seemed too afraid to do anything but try and keep up.

  “Yao will be teaching math and sciences at Presimion Academy,” Davi responded.

  Bordox’s smugness faded a moment, before he recovered. “Presimion, well, at least one of you was smart enough to draw a real assignment.”

  Davi wanted to reply but Yao and Farien maneuvered their dates between him and Bordox. He did his best to maintain his composure, but Bordox had gotten him fired up.

  “Are you hungry?” Vivi asked as the song ended.

  Davi smiled. Not many girls would be so direct knowing who he was. He liked this girl. “Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. Would you like to order something?” She smiled, then nodded and he led her back to their table. Farien and Yao followed with the others.

  As he helped Jaqi into her chair, Yao leaned toward him. “Don’t let him get to you. It’s all petty jealousy. You’ve always bested him at every challenge.”

  Yao’s eyes met Davi’s as Yao slid into the opposite seat. Davi smiled, calming the raging storm within. It was true. Despite the constant challenges, Davi had always come out ahead. Bordox was still looking for an opportunity to prove himself better. Davi sighed, as he glanced over the menu. Perhaps Bordox’s LSP assignment would keep him off their backs. At least Bordox could feel superior for the moment, if he wanted. He didn’t have to know that Davi would have turned down the LSP if he’d been asked. It held little interest for him.