B. Larson - The Empress

At the outer rim of the galaxy floated an arrangement of stars known collectively as the Faustian Chain. Colonized by Old Earth separatists during the Second Expansion, these stars were rich with human-habitable worlds in relative proximity. This span of sparkling suns occupied an ovoid volume of space some twenty lightyears in diameter. To the envious eyes of distant worlds, the Faustian Chain resembled a jellyfish-shaped constellation interlaced with plasma-streams, glowing nebulae and glimmering pinpoints of light.

In the region of the Chain known as the Northern Arm, the local Nexus government officials from Neu Schweitz still held sway, while the majority of the southern colonies such as Mendelia and Tranquility existed in relative isolation-and in some cases anarchy.

The most infamous of the worlds in the Northern Arm was Ignis Glace, a small planet that circled a miniscule, dim red dwarf. The ancient Latin word for fire is: ignis, and the word for ice is: glace. The world possessed a very odd climate that lived up to its name. It orbited tightly within the red stars narrow band of habitable space and would normally have enjoyed a mean surface temperature slightly warmer than that of Old Earth. But the climate was much harsher on Ignis Glace. The pitiful planet was tidally-locked with its star, meaning that one side permanently faced its sun, while the other side endured everlasting darkness.

Due to its unusual orbital configuration, the world was divided into three broad categories of landscape unknown to other colonies. Nightside was a vast region of dirty glaciers and darkness, Sunside was a place of unrelenting radiation, and Twilight was the relatively comfortable zone where most of the population resided. Twilight occupied a belt of land near the terminator line, where the sun hung forever on the horizon in a fixed location. In this hundred-mile wide region that circled the planets waist, the sun was visible and provided sufficient warmth, but did not beat down with unmerciful intensity.

As with so many worlds living in isolation from their brethren colonies, Ignis Glace had developed a culture of its own which was shaped by the conditions of the planet. In coping with the unique difficulties of their environment, the colonists and their descendants had adapted a social structure most outsiders thought of as unpleasant. The structure came about due to the requirement of gathering resources from the Sunside and Nightside regions. Not everyone could work in the relative comfort of Twilight. Rich veins of metals, valuable radioactives and rare building materials were abundant, but few wished to labor where the sun could cook your eyeballs like eggs-or where the lack of it could freeze them solid.

At first, honest rugged frontiersmen took on the difficult work. Legendary characters were spawned and entered the colony folklore within their own lifespans. Pioneering Sunside miners such as One-Eyed Otto, with his toasted, hairless and well-tumored skin, became as famous as fur-clad, goggle-wearing, toeless Nightsiders like Matilda Chenard. But over time, as the labor demands exceeded the supply of such individuals, prisoners came to be used instead. Those convicted of major crimes were given a virtual death sentence. They were ordered to work for years under grueling, dangerous conditions. Still, these gulags were not enough. The need for colony labor in the ice mines and sand-dredgers remained unquenched.

By the end of the fifth decade after colonization, mechs became the universal answer to the labor shortage. Human brains were combined with artificial bodies, allowing survival under extreme conditions. After a goodly mind-scrub, these hybrids of flesh and machine worked happily enough in the most inhospitable of environments.

At first, only the most heinous of crimes warranted permanent service as a mech, but over time the laws grew more strict, and almost any trespass would do. Prisoners were sentenced with regularity to this grim fate. Their fleshly bodies were removed and discarded like ragged clothing. Their minds were cleansed of negative thoughts, and they were reborn as industrious creatures of blended metal, polymers and submerged brain-tissue.

By the end of the first century after colonization, as fateful events were unfolding on nearby worlds, the creation of new mechs by the ruling class had become a matter of course. The wealth flowing from the enslaved workers now seemed limitless. Privileged families had gone beyond the designation of metals-merchant or factory-owner. They had taken titles for themselves which were now handed down in a hereditary chain. Likewise, the ranks of the laboring classes had become locked in their servile roles. Over the years, they came to provide the critical function of breeding stock for the express purpose of producing the next generation of mech laborers. While those at the bottom felt sullen and abused, those at the top warred among themselves.

Among the mechs, few could be found that were anything but ecstatic with their role. Their minds had been conditioned and altered so that they experienced a rush of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins when their masters were pleased with them. Who could blame a mech guard, for example, if he were to feel ecstasy while collecting a harsh tax payment from a bleeding serf?

There was a sole mech among them, however, who was made differently

An individual awoke with a gasp. He opened his orbs for the first time, snapping polymer orb-shields in confusion. It seemed to him he had a tremendous headache, and felt a dozen other burning, itching sensations as well.

He did not know much, but he knew he was in a strange place. He tried to recall how he had come to be here, but failed. Attempting to reach up to his face, he found himself restrained. Fear jolted his body-but he did not feel a heart racing in his chest.

He looked downward to see what it was that restrained him. Fear changed to horror as he saw he was manacled to a metal table. His horror increased as he saw his hand was not a hand, but a gripper. The metal appendage clacked, its two opposing mandibles snapping together like the claws of a crab. Where had his hand gone?

Sick despair filled him as he realized the truth: he was a mech. He could not recall who he had been, but he was certain he had begun life as a normal human. Confused, his eyes roamed his environment, which consisted of a dusty cubicle no more than a dozen paces wide in any direction. The walls resembled black iron. There were instruments suspended on retractable arms overhead. The arm directly above him terminated in a silent, motionless drill with a diamond point that sparkled no more than six inches from his face.

How could this have happened? he asked no one. His voice reverberated in his audio implants, but he did not recognize it.

He lay there, examining his environment and wondering about the crimes he must have committed, but which he could not recall. He did not cry out for help or make demands of his captors. Mechs were convicted prisoners, minds in metal bodies for which humans had little sympathy. Due to some great error in judgment on their part, every mech had passed on and become a servant. This fate was both a punishment and a form of redemption. Everyone on Ignis Glace understood mechs deserved their fate.

He hesitated to call for help because he knew his mind had been wiped, but not yet conditioned. He did not relish the thought of accelerating the process to the final conclusive step. Once conditioned, he would probably enjoy lying here in a dirty room awaiting the pleasure of his new masters.