My eyes ache in the artificial light, but jeez, it’s good to see again. Thirty seconds ago, I was manhandled on to a chair, the pressure of the bot on my shoulders eased, and the bit of mask covering my eyes slid away.
I blink. Bright halogen light. The sound of people moving around. The mask moves down further, and my mouth’s free, so I can stretch my face.
Tiled floor. Hair in my eyes. Heeled shoes. I follow the legs up and find Janek.
‘Good to see you, Admiral,’ I say, testing my voice.
My throat feels like I drank bleach. The fact that she’s here, not some lackey, brings me out in a hot sweat. Things aren’t going to go well for me if she’s holding a grudge. I’ve heard about Janek’s methods before, and I have no desire to end up as one of her public displays of justice.
I don’t see a door. Not that it would do me any good to know where the exit is when my hands are still caught behind me.
‘Mr Lall. What a shame you decided to fight when this could all have been wrapped up diplomatically. Your bloodlust will have consequences.’
‘Funny. I thought it was you that sent an airstrike to destroy a building with all my people inside.’
Janek watches me. I can’t focus on the detail of her face, just the vague outline and the pale skin. She’s got her hands behind her back.
‘I understand that you were trying to flee in the company of Esther Crossland when you were apprehended. I must say that I expected more of you, Mr Lall, than saving your own skin while your people were dying in the streets.’
‘She gave you the slip then?’ I say.
‘On the contrary, Esther Crossland was shot and killed even before you were detained.’
Janek’s words hit like a punch in the stomach, and I can’t keep the pain from my face. Even so, I manage to say, ‘Nice try, Janek.’
A guard in the black uniform of a Coaly steps forward from the edge of the room and passes a screen to Janek. She taps the glass, then holds it up a few centimetres from my face. ‘If you didn’t know, many of our personnel have cameras. It often helps to revisit video footage of our operations. It lets us learn from our mistakes. In this case, it let us confirm the tragic passing of Esther Crossland. This video was taken from the chest camera of the officer who fatally injured your friend. There you are, fighting valiantly against the anti-personnel bot …’
It’s grainy and taken at distance, but I recognize myself kneeling on the ground. Looking stupid while I try and wrestle the thing off my back. The Neaths return to help me, and get taken over one by one. Then I’m on my knees, and a small figure runs towards me. I remember the sensation of the mask clawing its way over my face. And, as I drop to the ground, there’s a bang, a thud, and Esther falls to the ground.
Bile floods my throat. I clench my teeth. Janek won’t see me break down. I refuse to give her that.
Janek presses the screen again. ‘Take another look, Mr Lall.’ She moves the video back, and zooms in so that the image is even more pixelated. ‘There. She runs to help. And then, sadly, is terminated.’
I fix my eyes on the floor. I force myself to stay quiet. My hair trembles over my face.
‘Your mother. Your friend Enid. The scandalously untrustworthy Corporal Weston. All met the same fate earlier today. The people you helped to escape are being rounded up as we speak. It’s time for me to acknowledge that I have failed to bring the camp and its people under control, and the Federated States’ plan to give them meaningful lives of labour has been thwarted by your efforts. Every fugitive will be executed. There will be no more ship people in the Federated States. You should be very proud of your actions, Mr Lall. It’s all because of you.’