THE PRISONERS DINNER

An inmate who escaped the Endless Winter on Earth must confront more dan erous foes in space!

As I shuffled throu h the hallwa" of our space stations tin" detention center##m" an$les ma neticall" shac$led to two other inmates##I tried to pinpoint the e%act moment thin s went wron in m" life! Id made plent" of mista$es! Tons! &ut there was a time I was at least headed in the ri ht direction! After sur'i'in the Endless Winter (ac$ on Earth and (ein luc$" enou h to transfer to the space station) I thou ht I was home#free! People were so cau ht#up in the lo(al catastrophe) I assumed the final month of m" *#"ear incarceration would (e for i'en! Ne'er once did I ima ine Id still (e in +ail on the ,i(erator II! -oin on four "ears (ehind pol"car(onate (ullet#resistant laminate! An officer stopped our uard escort! .Where "ou headed) son/0 he as$ed) o lin Da"ne) the female inmate! .The Prisoners Dinner)0 our uard whispered! .Not that wa" "oure not)0 the officer said) his hand restin on his o(scenel" round (ell"! .Some space +un$ hit the s$"wal$! -otta ta$e 1orridor &!0 Our uard nodded and we did an a(out#face! .Hope "oure hun r")0 the officer said to us) ne'er loo$in awa" from Da"ne! It reminded me of the moment m" wife first entered m" dental office! I couldnt ta$e m" e"es off her! 2rom the moment I first held her hand) I $new I had to ha'e her! 3ust li$e I had to ha'e m" 'inta e Porsche 1arrera -T! 4nfortunatel") I too$ care of onl" one of those thin s) once I had it! .Thin$ its down here)0 the uard said to himself) ta$in the lead! After transferrin to the space station) I reali5ed 6uic$l" that the rules in space re ardin speed" trials and the treatment of prisoners were 6uite different than at home! The whole criminal +ustice s"stem was (ein o'erhauled! And the s6uare foota e to detain criminals was at a minimum! That particular detail was somethin the en ineers certainl" didnt consider when (uildin the space station! Althou h most of the worlds 'iolent criminals were left on Earth) there was a lot of new crime happenin ! After all) people were loc$ed in a tin can in outer space after losin their families and friends! No one $new how lon the ,i(erator II could sustain itself! People were assi ned +o(s) li'in compartments) and (eha'ioral modification pharmaceuticals!

Desperation and frustration transformed t"pical law#a(idin people into shameless criminals! The interim polic" on the ,i(erator II for handlin prisoner o'ercrowdin was to use us as uinea pi s! 1linical trials) human (lood (an$s) fetus incu(ators) new product testin ! We were at their disposal) with 5ero laws in place to protect us! The new leaders of the ,i(erator II were scientists) not politicians! The" (ecame power#drun$! And we were at their merc"! No one could sur'i'e awa" from the space station! Their space station! So we surrendered to their policies) which each da" (ecame crueler and more (i5arre! Sometimes) I couldnt help (ut thin$ how luc$" those (astards were (ac$ on Earth) fro5en solid under a sea of ice! .,oo$ ali'e)0 the uard said to me! I hurried as (est I could) ma neticall" connected to two other people! &ecause wed (een held in solitar" cells) I was e%cited to tal$ to other humans! I as$ed Da"ne the 6uestion all prisoners li$e to $now of each other7 .So) what are "ou in for/0 I whispered! .2a$ed m" own disappearance! 1ontrollin asshole of a hus(and)0 she whispered (ac$! .2i'e "ears plus restitution to the police department! 8oure Nolte) ri ht/0 I rinned! Inappropriatel" pleased she was sin le! And $new m" name! E'en thou h one of us wasnt oin to ma$e it throu h the ni ht! .8eah! Im a dentist! Or I was) at least! Professional misconduct) for me!0 .Im 9ac$)0 the old u" chimed in! .All I did was swipe somethin off one of The Scientists des$s! Im a +anitor) not a murderer!0 .:uiet;0 the uard (ar$ed! Now) m" crime wasnt worth" of capital punishment! As a dentist) I occasionall" performed treatments that werent alto ether clinicall" necessar"! Somethin I ne'er would ha'e considered) if I didnt ha'e an e%#wife and child support pa"ments for three children! &ut this little di'ersion that the Scientists coo$ed up was IT for me < either I start o'er) or I die tr"in ! And either was o$a" with me! .1an I as$ "ou) sir) what "ou $now a(out this dinner/0 I as$ed our uard! His repl" was curt! .Its top secret! 8ou pro(a(l" $now more than me!0 We continued wal$in ! All we $new a(out the super#secreti'e Prisoners Dinner we 'olunteered for was a ame of some sort! A Russian Roulette#t"pe dinner where one of us would (e poisoned! The two sur'i'ors would (e freed!

.I cant o (ac$ in that cell)0 Da"ne whispered! .Ill o cra5"!0 9ac$ and I nodded! I had nothin to o (ac$ to in -enPop) (ut the prison on(oard the ,i(erator II was no wa" to li'e! It was alread" claustropho(ic (ein on a small floatin cit" out in space! Ima ine (ein confined to an = % = room inside a small floatin cit" out in space! And who $nows how lon the" intended to let us rot in there! We were read" to ta$e our chances! The uard opened the door and we entered the room! He wa'ed the de aussin wand (etween our feet) disen a in the ma netic force and freein us from each other! He e%ited and loc$ed the door! .Too late to chan e m" mind/0 I +o$ed! The room was not unli$e our cells) e%cept ma"(e twice the si5e and e6uipped with what loo$ed to (e a two#wa" mirror! On the ta(le were three lasses of water) each with one capsule (eside it! .SWA,,OW 8O4R PI,,)0 said an automated 'oice from spea$ers in the corners of the ceilin ! We each too$ our dail" (eha'ior modification pill as instructed) and sat down! The other door in the room immediatel" opened) and ser'ers placed food in front of us! Sushi for me) a fried chic$en dinner for 9ac$) and chocolate#chip panca$es and (acon for Da"ne! Plates) (ut no sharp utensils! 3ust chopstic$s and spoons! .9ine smells too ood to (e poisonous)0 Da"ne said! I nodded in a reement! .&E-IN EATIN-)0 said the 'oice! So we ate in silence for a few minutes! Da"ne pushed her food around with her spoon! .I thou ht eatin real food from (ac$ home would almost (e worth it)0 she said! .Those meal#replacement pills do lea'e a lot to (e desired)0 I a reed! .1ONTIN4E EATIN-)0 the 'oice said! Da"ne followed orders! .I ha'ent seen m" wife) 9eldine) for months)0 9ac$ said! .Shes up in lon # term care) "ou $now! Al5heimers! Thats wh" I too$ that sil'er (owl from the Scientists office! I cant afford to $eep her there no more)0 he said) pic$in small strips of chic$en from the (one! .Either of "ou married/0 .4sed to (e)0 I said! .Hence the unnecessar" dental procedures I was accused of performin ! -ot three $ids and an alimon" pa"ment!0 9ac$ nodded!

.I was)0 Da"ne said! .to a rich (astard!0 She a(sent#mindedl" stro$ed a small scar o'er her e"e! 3ust then) the hall door opened and two men entered! The Scientists! .Welcome;0 one of them e%claimed! We clumsil" pushed our chairs (ac$ and stood) still holdin our utensils! He motioned for us to sta" seated! .En+o"in "our meals/0 We nodded) feelin (oth star#struc$ and totall" resentful! .So far)0 I +o$ed! The Scientists stood at each end of the ta(le! .Its 'er" (ra'e of "ou all to 'olunteer for our special dinner)0 one of them said! .We hope "ou dont thin$ us (ar(aric! Were not murderers!0 That last sentence hun thic$ in the air) li$e the s"rup Da"ne was swirlin onto her panca$es! .Also)0 The Scientist added) .this dinner is s"m(olic of the 'er" thin that (rou ht "ou all here toda"! Greed!0 Da"ne dropped her s"rup pac$et! .Sir)0 she said) lic$in a stic$" fin er! .I mi ht (e man" thin s) (ut reed" isnt one of them!0 The Scientist lifted an e"e(row! .Pardon me) (ut did "ou not steal one million dollars of "our hus(ands hard#earned mone" and flee to another state/0 Da"ne loo$ed down at her plate! .He would ha'e $illed me)0 she whispered! I put a hand on her shoulder! Partiall" to comfort her) partiall" to 6uiet her! It was an ar ument that didnt need to (e won! .An" of "ou familiar with Thomas 9althus/0 the other Scientist as$ed! I dipped a sushi roll into the wasa(i with m" chopstic$s! .Its (een a while since I had a philosoph" course)0 I said! .&ut if memor" ser'es) the" were into social Darwinism! Population control!0 I popped the entire roll into m" mouth! .Ha; Im surprised Te%as Tech e'en offered philosoph")0 said a Scientist! The other Scientist lau hed! .8ou are mostl" correct! Population control is the how. &ut what is the why/0 I was a suc$er for a ood de(ate! 3ust as$ m" e%#wife! .The why/ I uess (ecause our planet wasnt onna (e a(le to $eep up)0 I said! .We populated faster than the Earth could sustain us!0

.Precisel"! So +ust ima ine O4R predicament) now that the Earth has (asicall" spat us out)0 the first Scientist added! >We were also intri ued (" 2rancis -alton)0 the other said) .who ar ued that if certain?!shall we sa") corrections werent ta$en) then the more?!inferior humans would ta$e o'er societ"!0 The Scientist continued spea$in ) (ut the word >inferior unsettled me! It was a word m" e%#wife often used! I made her feel >inferior! 9ac$ loo$ed re"! .Im not feelin so well)0 he said! .Please)0 I (e ed the Scientists! .,et me eat the tainted dinner! Im not married! 9" children hate me! 9ac$s wife is ill@ Da"ne is still "oun ! ,et m" life (e worth somethin !0 The Scientists i nored me and continued! .We spent decades (uildin the ,i(erator II! We $now e%actl" where the ,i(erator I went wron ) and were see$in to ma$e the proper ad+ustments!0 .,i(erator I had a technical malfunction)0 Da"ne said! .8es) that was the stor" the media was forced to tell)0 a Scientist said! .Truth is) there was an uprisin ! Turned rather ruesome) as I understand it!0 I pushed awa" m" plate! .Wh" are "ou tellin us this/ Two of us will sur'i'e this dinner and o on to tell others?!0 Then I reali5ed##as the scorchin hot pains (e an to sear the linin of m" stomach## that two of us were NOT oin to sur'i'e! .8ou sons of (itches;0 I hissed! Da"ne (e an to clutch her throat) aspin for air! 9ac$ roaned in an uish! .It is our (elief that those with criminal tendencies will produce children with the same tendencies! Our oal on the ,i(erator II is to (uild a more? eneticall" superior societ") "ou see)0 one of the Scientists said! The other interrupted7 .Its our dut" to cleanse the ,i(erator II of an" possi(le contaminants!0 .8ou neednt worr" a(out "our descendants)0 he continued! .We'e detained them all!0 .9" $ids// On what rounds//0 I demanded wea$l"!

.-enetic undesira(ilit")0 the Scientists responded in unison) standin to e%it! I summoned m" last (it of ener "! .Wh" the ruse) then/ Wh" the dinner/0 The Scientists smiled! .Self#preser'ation)0 one said! .Ima ine the uproar if word ot out!0 The other smiled! .Thin$ of the dinner as a partin .Please) can I see m" wife/0 9ac$ pleaded! .Im afraid thats out of the 6uestion)0 a Scientist responded! .Wed li$e to than$ all of "ou for "our ser'ice! 8our small sacrifice here toda" will help ma$e our 'ision for the ,i(erator II a realit")0 the other said as the" e%ited the room! 9ac$ had alread" succum(ed) lea'in Da"ne and me) heads down on the ta(le) facin each other! She reached her hand out to me) and I held it! I closed m" e"es and it finall" hit me##the e%act point where I went wron in m" life! It all (e an when a irl reached out her hand to me) and I held it! ift!0