Page 2 of Indentured Companion
The strong young man went next, and seemed stoic as he entered and left the processing room. Cassie said ‘that’s a good sign, right’? The pretty young women nervously went one at a time and hugged each other goodbye, before hurrying to the other end of the corridor. They were all at various stages of weeping, so I didn’t know ifthatwas a good sign. For once, I was pleased to be rather plain and far from curvy. I really didn’t want to be someone’scompanion.I’d take hard labour over that.
“Miss Stone and Miss Stone please?” Cassie had to rouse me from my musings to signal we’d been called at last. A female Sacron, something I’d never seen before, waved at us with her two left hands as she leaned out of the doorway. She had lovely blue skin with white mottling, big blue eyes, white reptilian like frills on either side of her head, and a bright smile. Her frills reminded me of hair, but they could move like a viper could their cowl, with the shape of a frill lizard’s signature appearance. Her dress was tailored to compliment her four arms and tall figure. “This way please.” I held Cassie’s hand and we anxiously followed her into the processing room. We both sat on the other side of a white metal desk and I held my sister’s hand between us. “Good afternoon. My name is Yalla. I am your processing agent today. I’ve read your applications and your registration has been approved for indentured service.” Her frill widened as she smiled at us. Oddly, I was relieved to hear we were accepted. I didn’t want us to be dragged out like the old man and left to beg on the street. “Firstly, let me tell you that ten years ago, I was sat where you were.” Yalla began her peppy speech. Cassie must have appreciated it as she lifted her blue eyes up from her lap curiously. “I was casteless, desperate, and without a Xan to my name. I had a horrible experience during my registration and contract matching.” I paled. How was this supposed to be a reassuring tale? “I did 3 years of indentured service and earned enough money on completion to apply for a basic worker caste licence. I ended up employed right back here, and ever since I’ve been determined to improve on the service we provide, and the standard of contract matching. So what I’m trying to say?” She seemingly got to the point and smiled even brighter. “Is of all the processing agents youcouldhave had, I’m the kindest and will take good care of you. To the best of my ability, that is.”
“Thank you.” Cassie answered right away, and I added my thanks afterwards.
“Now, having read your files-” She half turned so her lower hands could type on her computer keyboard and her upper hands could review our tablets. “-Cassie Stone is the youngest at 21 Terran years and two weeks, whichjustmakes her legally old enough for indentured servitude.”
“Lucky me.” Cassie chuckled anxiously and squeezed my hand. She was right. Had father done this to us any earlier than her 21st birthday, and I would have been forced to go down into the slums with her. No one would take on an indentured servantandtheir dependant, and I wasn’t leaving Cassie to fend for herself. Not my sweet Cassie.
“Indeed.” She smiled obliviously. “And you are the eldest, Valerie Stone. 27 Terran years and 8 months.” I nodded. “Both of you are trading castes. Precious metals and minerals?”
“And gems, yes.” I answered, taking charge of the conversation. “We still have our caste, but not for much longer due to the unfortunate choices of our father.” There was no point pulling our punches. “Right now we don’t have his debt, but we’ve seen his finances.” Cassie tensed beside me. “He’s about to be declared as bankrupt, and then we will be dragged into it. But I checked, debt can’t be transferred to someone in Indentured servitude.”
“That is correct.” She smiled kindly.
“We don’t have his debt if we do thisnow. We just don’t have anything else either.”
“That’s good.” Yalla nodded and her frill flexed at either side of her head. “It’s a smart decision to enter into a contract now. You’re more appealing without a debt to pay in exchange for your servitude. Potential masters only need to be able to afford to house and keep you, and the pay-out upon completion. Had you waited until after your caste was removed with your father’s inability to pay off his debts, it would have been much harder for me to get you a master, who would have had to take on that debt as well.”
I don’t know why, but it was embarrassing to hear her say that out loud. It was the truth, but it made it clear that she understood just how desperate we were. “Time is therefore of the essence. So allow me to be frank with you.” I raised a brow and braced myself. From all my time negotiating alongside my father at work, I knew that wouldn’t bode well. “You aren’t allowed to leave here until you make a contract now you are registered. You have no Xan to buy any food, so you need to form a contract ASAP. You are both young and academically accomplished, with no debt, so you are valuable goods.” I didnotlike being referred to as ‘goods’. “But you are also on a timer. The moment your father files for bankruptcy, according to the account you have given us here-” She waves the tablets and our application forms in her lower right hand. “-you will have an unreasonable amount of debt to your names.” Yalla wasn’t holding her punches either. “You need a contract right now.”
“Agreed.” I nodded and Cassie gulped.
“Therefore, it’s not feasible in the time frame we have to get you both signed to the same master.” Yalla frowned and her frill flattened to her neck. “I know as siblings in these uncertain times, you’d prefer to be together. I can see you’ve put that as a preference on your registration forms. Unfortunately, you are not the kind of indentured servants a master who buys multiple contracts looks for. Neither of you would be any good at physically mining or enforcement. They also wouldn’t buy two contracts on their own. You understand, there’s a discount when large numbers of contracts are signed at once.”
Cassie was looking at me. I didn’t turn to catch her desperate gaze, but I shared her worry. “That being said? Asindividualcandidates, Ihavefound masters for you both. Good ones!” She tried to reassure us from that devastating blow. “Cassie? How are your math skills?”
“Excellent.” I answered for my sister. “She has graduated top of her class with a degree in financial accounting.” I spoke with pride and squeezed her hand.
“That’s right.” She added. “I was going to be in charge of the company’s finances.”
“Well?” Yalla cleared her throat and checked her screen, nodded, and then smiled at Cassie. “I have a contract here where you would be the accountant of an independent business. Trade and transport. Captain Unthulo is looking for an accountant for a period of 1 year. Full board on his ship with your own private quarters. Six figures upon contract completion.” She slid a tablet across the table towards Cassie. I waited anxiously as she read the entire contract, small print included. The smile on her face said it all and lifted a weight off my shoulders.
“It’s perfect Val.”
“Then sign it.” I urged her with a smile of my own.
“Excellent.” Yalla clapped her upper hands and then accepted the signed contract. “Congratulations. Please proceed to the collection area at the end of the corridor. Your master is waiting for you.”
“…oh.” Cassie and I looked at each other anxiously. “Right now? Can’t we go together?”
“I’m afraid not.” Yalla stood and walked over to the door to open it for Cassie. “Your master has already signed his side of the contract. The momentyoudid, you became his property. Your sister and I still need to discuss her contract.”
“Val.” We both stood and I pulled her into a fierce hug. My heart was breaking, but we had to do this to survive.
“We will be together again. Work hard, keep your head down, and I’ll see you in one year to get our lives right back on track. I love you.”
“I’m scared.” She whispers to my ear, and I hold her even tighter.
“I love you. Be strong for me baby girl.” I gave her forehead a firm kiss, before standing back to make her go. Her blue eyes watered with tears, but she blinked them away and steadied her breathing. It was unspoken, but we both knew that it wouldn’t do for her new master to see her crying when they first met.
“I love you too Val. One year.”
“One year.”
Just like that, my sister was gone. I felt like I’d been stabbed. Like something had been ripped out of me without my consent, and I wanted it back badly. I even took a step towards the door, but Yalla shut it and gave me a moment to calm myself. The reality of what we’ve had to do hit me hard, and Ididcry. Yalla brought over a box of tissues for me as I worked through my grief.
“Captain Unthulo has an excellent master record with us. All of his indentured servants complete their term safely and receive their pay-out. You’ll see your sister in a year.”
