Becoming Chosen
Chapter Twenty

Human nature is one of our problems. We have done our best to create interlocking structures that should mitigate against changes. All our research and development say it should work, but there is a risk we can’t plan for. If a person or persons decide to violate the norms, they will be off the map for behavior. History has shown us that once the norms degrade, many of the worst impulses of humans come pouring out. Depending on the status of these norm violators, the damage could be anything from a mild aberration to complete catastrophe. The only check will be the will of those who uphold the norms to resist.

Excerpt from the Notebook of Foster Delhim, Sealed Archives

When the bastards had collected Ami from her duty station, she had been scared. The hard-faced men had talked to her section leader, then came and loomed over her at the work station. They had told her to stand, and when she did, they had each roughly grabbed an elbow. The act was so far from how the Tech treated each other, that Ami had heard gasps. Her section leader had opened his mouth, but Ami shook her head. She knew what this was about, and there was nothing that could be done to prevent it.

The long walk down to the room where she had been roughly shoved inside had given her plenty of time to fear the worst. But then the lack-wits had left her alone. She supposed that other people would be wound tight with anxiety at what would happen and when, but Ami found that it just made her angry. And anger was an emotion she knew well and could use.

Eventually someone would come to ask her questions. Questions about where Ronan and Miri were. Well, they could ask, but she wasn’t going to give it to them. The best way avoid talking about them was to keep the conversation on her. If she couldn’t get under an officer’s skin and keep them distracted, then she wasn’t a Sunderland.

When the announcement for all crew to head to their duty stations blared through the ship, Ami figured she was in for a long wait. But she was wrong. After a few hundred nearly subsonic growls of the thrusters had passed, the door to her empty room slid open, revealing the hulking form of Nesbit’s pet monster, Ferro. Ami felt a frisson of fear. This was the man who had killed Captain Collins. It was a hard pull but Ami stuffed the fear down. If she wanted to beat Ferro, she couldn’t afford to defend, ever. It was all attack or nothing.

“See, and I wondered if they would be able to spare anyone during the turn,” Ami said, her voice dripping with every ounce of contempt she could muster. “If I’d thought about it, I would have known they would send someone with no useful skills. And of course, you’re just about the only Tech who fits that bill.”

Ferro stared at her for a moment, then said, “Funny.” He walked forward, deliberately, but not quickly. When he was face-to-face with Ami, one of his huge fists lashed out and slammed into Ami’s stomach.

The pain was startling, and for a second Ami just stood there gaping, trying to breath. Then she crumpled to the floor. Panic flooded her as she tried to get her diaphragm to move, anything to get air into her lungs.

Just as she was starting to be able to breathe, Ferro kicked her in the ribs, hard enough to knock all the hard-won air out of her lungs again. While she struggled, he squatted down, so he could look directly into her eyes.

“Thank you for making it clear that I can’t just ask you questions. I was worried that a little thing like you would be pissing her pants in fear. The Captain said I should try the easy way first, but I think we can say that box is checked, no?”

Ami couldn’t respond, but it didn’t matter, Ferro was not really looking for an answer. He stood and left the room. Shortly he came back with a chair. He set it down in the middle of the room and sat.

“This is how it is going to go, Sunderland. You are going to tell me where Candemir and Blaylock are hiding. And anything else I want to know. It’s going to happen, so you might as well come to peace with the idea. If you do, you’ll take a lot less damage.”

When Ami said nothing, Ferro stood and clamped one hand on her shoulder and dragged her upright. As soon as her feet were on the floor he threw her against the nearest wall. Her head cracked painfully, but she managed to keep her feet.

Then a fast series of open-handed blows landed on her face, left, then right, then left again. Her ears were ringing and she felt her lip split. The thought that she might die here flashed bright in her mind. It was scary, but it was no match for the anger burning in her.

You want me to talk? Ami thought. Well, you can tell it to the Void. If Ferro really was ready to kill her, there was nothing that she could do to stop him. But she could keep him from getting what he wanted. Fine, bastard. Not one word for you, even to the death!

A cold fatalism filled Ami. Yes, they could kill her, but she wouldn’t let them break her. Ronan might have goofy smiles and dopy eyes for Miri, but she had loved him for years. Between her anger and that love, Ami knew she had what it took to stay silent. For Ronan, she could endure.

“Well?” Ferro asked. “Why don’t you save yourself some pain and tell me where they are. We both know you know.”

Ami let her head flop down, tasting the blood in her mouth. She nodded her head, still not looking up, all the while sucking on the blood from her lip. Then she lifted her head. Ferro was directly in front of her. A grin twisting her cut lips, she spat a big glob of blood directly in his face.

The big man’s eyes were no longer cold. Now they blazed with anger, more anger than Ami had ever seen in her life. He clenched his fists, pulling one arm back. Ami closed her eyes as the blows began to hammer down.

Ha! Don’t like that do you, moron? Better get used to it, because it is all you will ever get from me.

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