Rajitha Bakshi

Runaway

She/Her

Age 16 T-T / 32 E-E

(Rajitha Bakshi sits at the other side of the table drinking a glass of ice water through a metal straw.)

CN: Name?

RB: Rajitha Bakshi.

CN: Profession?

RB: What should I say? I haven’t had a job yet or anything in my life so far.

CN: “Unemployed,” would be fine.

RB: Okay, unemployed.

CN: Preferred pronouns?

RB: She, her.

CN: Age and by which planetary standards?

RB: Sixteen years by Earth, but thirty-two years by Eas-Enerang. How are you finding life on Eas-Enerang so far?

CN: Speaking from an academic point of view, it is interesting.

RB: You can keep it. I wish I could leave this planet, but I know that I’ll be sent back home immediately if I show my face anywhere around any Immigration and Customs A.I. unit.

CN: You have anybody back home?

RB: A stepparent and my biological mother.

CN: Why are you trying to avoid your family?

RB: Family is a generous label for them. They want to send me to an educational/behavioral institution. Oh sorry, I mean, “boarding school.” They’re still the same torture dungeon performing forced assimilation experiments, except they changed the name to something less ominous sounding, like that makes it better somehow. Guess the fact that I’m already a subject to the Apiary means nothing to the status quo.

CN: You are a human subject to the Apiary?

RB: Yeah, but I’m glad to say that I didn’t get the status from betraying myself or fellow human beings. I’m the daughter to an assimilated domestic foreign, and she managed to get her foot in the door because she married Assistant Executive Jg.

CN: Your mother married an anuh-kaj? Isn’t marriage a human concept?

RB: Yes, she did, and yes, it is. I know what you’re probably thinking and no, it’s not like they love each other, it’s purely a business partnership. Jg helps a destitute mother and daughter immigrate to Eas-Enerang and live a glamorous life. All the mother must do is devote her undying loyalty to Jg by becoming a personal professional liar, a glorified majordomo to the estate, and get surgery to mutilate her face to fit Anuh-Kaj standards of acceptability. She now goes by Personal Assistant Ik Bakshi, and she’s the last person I’d ever want to see again.

CN: Why?

RB: She wants me destroyed. Probably not literally, though I wouldn’t put it past her if she didn’t care if I was. May the universe end me quick should I ever become like her.

(Bakshi sips some more water.)

CN: Why do you feel she wants to destroy you?

RB: It’s complicated. I know I still love her despite my resentment towards her. She’s my mom and I’m still alive because of her. I had cancer and a severe infection of my arm, and because of what she did, I was able to get the medical care available to Apiary subjects. Yet, there’s so much of what she does that when she says she loves me, it doesn’t feel like it’s authentic. She says it but I don’t think she means me for who I really am. It’s like what she does love is her ideal version of me she wants to exist, not the person who I need to be.

Every time the real me appears – if something about me goes against my mom’s worldview – she becomes hostile towards me. Often, she treats what I say as not having any merit and not worth of any respect of time to seriously consider. She’s the parent, meaning she always knows best when it comes to me. Sometimes she pretends like she’s actually listening, but I can tell from the way she acts and the stubborn answers she gives that nothing I said was absorbed.

Occasionally, we have an argument and one day we had a huge one. She was regurgitating garbage propaganda about how, Wong Kyong is respected by the Apiary as a hero of human rights because she was an advocate for nonviolence and rallied humans to confess to our species’ shortcomings, while Rhett Orkhan is not because of his advocation for violence and human supremacy. I told her Wong Kyong is an acceptable hero by Apiary standards because they’re using her contributions and parts of her speeches out of context, to manipulate humans into thinking nonviolence and faith in the system was how change was achieved. Meanwhile, Rhett Orkhan is called a human “supremacist” and isn’t regarded with the same reverence, because there’s no way to safely repurpose his contributions to promote the Apiary’s ends. They instead paint him as a murderous, bigoted brute when he’s more complex than they let on. In fact, his final stand and speech were both credited for inspiring Wong Kyong’s final speech before her attempted assassination.

My mom then started haranguing me about how “two wrongs don’t make a right” and how we got everything we have now without her having to resort to violence or crime.

I said to her, “There’s nothing wrong with avoiding irrevocable life choices, and there’s nothing wrong with caring for your own wellbeing and the people you love. We’re fortunate enough to not be in the position, where trading in dignity or health, or committing something illegal, is presented as seemingly viable choices to survive. You talk about “two wrongs don’t make a right,” when we ourselves benefit from the exploitation of people still living in those conditions and being taken advantage of, which is inherently wrong no matter how you try to reason it away. I’m alive thanks to you and I will always be grateful for that, but I’m also alive thanks to them, and I’m not going to ignore the fact that my own cybernetics were made unethically, and you shouldn’t deny that you secured a good life for us by marrying a worm who benefits off the suffering of others. Meanwhile, you self-righteously lecture about “the ends don’t justify the means” and call the people “stupid” or accuse them of “copping out” for whatever choices they made, without even attempting to examine the obstacles and opportunities present in their lives to understand why. We don’t have to live like them, but we don’t get to act like we’re better because we live a life that allows us to outsource the violence and crimes we support, out of sight out of mind.”

CN: You managed to tell her all of that?

RB: Err, what I said was more paraphrased. I was trying to say it, but she kept interrupting and talking over me. She even threatened to have my cybernetics removed…which, all eventually wore me down to the last of my patience and caused me to go nova.

CN: What did you do?

RB: I yelled, “Shut your hypocritical hole you simple, bootlicking, worm baiter!” She then yelled in my face, and she called me a “spoiled, poor little rich girl, who needs to get her head checked” because to her I, “believe violent extremism is the answer.” With that, the argument ended.

CN: Do you believe violent extremism is an answer to problems?

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

RB: Extremism? No. Violence? Only when nonviolence is not an applicable option for a better outcome. Seriously, what good is showing off how much better you are morally, if you’re dead by the hands of those with the worst morals? If I did believe in violent extremism, I’d be no different from the Va’ists, wearing their big, stupid, bulbous hats, spouting off their dumb unvaccinated asses about how they shit on everything in the name of patriotism, freedom, and choice. It’s a ridiculous and unfair false equivalency to suggest fighting back somehow will make you as bad as the ones knowingly endangering our lives.

CN: Forgive me, I did not mean to imply such things.

RB: I’m sorry, I’m not upset at you. Just irritated on how lazy reasoning easily becomes pervasive among my species, as more become accustomed to mistreatment.

Anyway, I thought the end of the argument was the end of it, but I overheard her talking to Jg later that night. She lied to Jg and said that I threatened her because I was bigger than her and urged that I be sent to boarding school. It seemed to be clear that she was more concerned about proving herself right than actually caring about me. I knew Jg never liked me – and the feeling was mutual – so I wasn’t going to wait for the final verdict. Ran into my room, quickly packed whatever I could, slipped out and fled.

CN: You have been a runaway since?

RB: Yes, and so far, it’s perhaps one of the best decisions I’ve made. I ran into Nic and Jamal at a mass demonstration, where we got to talking and meshed quite well. They accepted the real me with no problem. I’ve been living with them and helping with mostly activist work since. They’re my real family as far as I’m concerned.

(Bakshi sips some more water.)

CN: What was it that you all found a bonding commonality over?

RB: A whole many things, but politics is our main. They’re more into the mechanics and current issues than I am, though there are a few minor things they tend to butt heads on. I’m more into the histories and conspiracy theories – or what some would dismiss as such. They reasonably fill in the gaps to questions, though sometimes I don’t believe in some conspiracy theories myself. However, there are times when they make too much sense to not fit, and occasionally they are proven to be true.

CN: You have any examples in mind?

RB: Sure do! There’s the boarding schools and their experiments on human kids. You familiar with that one?

CN: I am familiar and that one is true.

RB: How about worker shortage crises being manufactured by businesses and their associates, to manipulate potential hires into accepting lesser benefits out of desperation?

CN: Yes, and that one is true as well.

RB: Okay, what about the Missing Majority?

CN: No, I am not familiar with that one.

RB: Have you ever wondered why almost all the humans who fought in the Battle for Antarctica – other than those who were known to have relatively large populations – were mostly the worst people imaginable, like slavers, ritualistic sexual predators, warlike bandits, and bloodthirsty murderers?

CN: It never did cross my mind. I assumed they were the ones who agreed to volunteer but go on.

RB: There were communities that were strictly pacifist, but it was not like there were not enough other groups that valued honor, humanity, or the environment who were willing to join the fight for Earth’s future. There are at least a few preserved accounts on record by these kinds of people, turning down the Apiary’s deals because they didn’t trust them. In addition, there were many other similar communities that were never even bothered to be reached. With so many honest folks willing to fight, why would the least trustworthy people be chosen to make up much of the force to decide the fate of the species? Almost as if the Apiary was hoping for some of these guys to try something, so they could act surprised at the betrayal and have justification to oppress humans. Something awful that can be pointed at and claimed to be representative of an entire race.

CN: It can be argued that the least trustworthy were chosen over those who could be trusted more, because of their inclination for superfluous violence and narrow-minded greed were easy motivators, thus making them prime expendable candidates to fill out most of the ranks. Those same motivations would service well in the terraforming of your native planet. As for the betrayal, it would have meant the Anuh-Kaj would have somehow intentionally caused the downing of the A.I. unit used to access the Apiary’s teleportation outpost, knowing that there would have been a human with the capability to hack artificial intelligences, and foresaw a plan that would utilize both.

RB: Huh…good point…but I bet you think Rhett Orkhan and Wong Kyong are really dead.

CN: They were confirmed to have been killed.

RB: Oof, they got you good! They are both still alive, and there are certain facts that point to it.

CN: Is that why you said earlier there was an “attempted assassination” on Wong, and not that an assassination happened?

RB: Yes, and here’s my reasoning.

Number one, the neighborhood Rhett Orkhan was based in during the Great Troubles was one of the more well-known communities that was outwardly anti-Apiary. They were known to secretly create things to help protect the residents and their allies. After the cetacean bombing runs razed the community, cetaceans making a sweep of the area discovered a system of underground tunnels connecting almost all buildings throughout the neighborhood. What were the chances someone as intertwined with the community like Rhett Orkhan, would not know of something like that and use it for escape?

Number two, Apiary collaborators found the building Wong Kyong was using as a safehouse. The assassination bombing occurs about two days later, killing all but one occupant who later dies from wounds after saying Wong was among the victims. What tends to be overlooked in the story is that the safehouse shared property space with a communally run textile sanitation, repair, and recycling facility, which normally sent out a crew for pickups and deliveries. All personnel were required to utilize full hazmat wear, and before these crews leave the area, they’re often checked over by cetaceans at a checkpoint. The day before the assassination, a disturbance nearby the checkpoint was reported, causing much of the cetaceans there to leave their post, while the textile crew convinced the ones left to wave them through after minimal inspection. A mighty big coincidence like that occurring before the bombing, points to the high likelihood that Wong left the safehouse with the crew, in disguise or hidden onboard the crew’s vehicle.

Hold on a moment while I pull up number three on my smart-e-gram.

(Bakshi searches her smart-e-gram on her cybernetic arm.)

CN: That would suggest Wong Kyong and her accomplices knew of the assassination attempt prior. How would they attain the information? Why would the dying victim of the bombing say she was one of the victims? Why would anyone continue to stay knowing impending death awaited them?

RB: She was very well loved and respected by those around her. I wouldn’t be surprised that they would volunteer to keep up a ruse just to get her to safety, even if it meant death. It would’ve clearly raised suspicion if nobody showed up to work the day of the bombing, and having any possible survivor to attest to a successful assassination is a good way to throw off a search. As for getting a heads up on the assassination, it could’ve been pure coincidence she chose to leave that day, but I’ve prefer telling you of another theory for that explanation after I show you this.

(Bakshi pulls up a photo on the smart-e-gram of a small group of people cautiously running between buildings.)

RB: This is number three. This picture was taken by a war correspondent during the Grand Pushback. It’s all kind of far away, but you see that person with the coilgun? It’s a little hard to make out, but that coilgun is custom made, with special sights and stock, and an attachment that can allow shotgun and grenade launching capabilities. This type is extremely rare, but one person was known on record to own one and use it in battle: Rhett Orkhan! And look here, at the more feminine figure. Wong Kyong was known to always carry around a small sling bag with her, which carried her emergency supplies and most valued personal belongings. One of these was a rabbit’s foot, a trinket made from an extinct animal back on Earth. You see the bag she’s carrying? What is that blur on the bag?

CN: It could be a defect on the photo or some debris that blew across at the precise moment of the photo shot.

RB: Or…hear me out…a rabbit’s foot! Bam! The heroes live on!

CN: Why would they be together?

(Bakshi turns off smart-e-gram while talking.)

RB: They’re best friends. Why not?

Now, going back to how Wong Kyong could possibly know about the attempt on her life. You’ve heard of 3S?

CN: The Secret Society of Scientists?

RB: Yes, them! It was reported once that they were working with allies, who they kept classified. Now get this…a secret alliance between both human and anuh-kaj scientists, were working with PROHU resistance movements. You’ll need to ask my friend Dh about the details on how their hivemind works, but the Anuh-Kaj share any information mentally with one another, just by looking at each other’s eyes. That’s why they don’t need any established educational systems like my species. If you can somehow convince one to help you, they can easily become spies. Any move their kind makes can simply be learned with a look. They can tell our scientists, and the scientists can tell the resistance. Brilliant, right?

CN: Where do get all this information from?

RB: From various sources on the Datum Sprawl.

CN: The Datum Sprawl is an insufficient source of verified information. I have to say your theories express semblances of plausibility, though there is much that is desired to be verified or further explained.

RB: Good luck with that. The places that can give you pure unadulterated facts are the Apiary’s Memory Trace Libraries, and they don’t give unlimited access to anyone, except for a relative few who’ve got the power or privilege to do so freely. It’s one of the ways how a race that doesn’t lie can keep secrets still. I have more histories and conspiracy theories to tell if you are interested. Ever wondered why there was always an influx of weapons and drugs in human communities?

CN: No thanks that will be all. Thank you for contributing.

RB: And thank you for the opportunity.

- End of Recorded Interview -