The Zero Sum Game

The flame of red borealis stretching the length of the inner sea sky frame shouted MagLanders on their way and set an alert sizzling through my brain. I knew immediately that my lotus blossom days of steamy air and peeled oranges and the gentle flute notes blown from my lips were over. I'd passed so many days of contentment in such a way that I never realized I had aged until that moment. My shoulder-length white hair told the story and I only noticed it when the strangers buzzed up to the door of my glass home.

I stood up to greet them, finding a hitch in my hip and the need to lean on a cane. I made them welcome with habit-fish snacks and contentment reasserted itself with my new friend's laughter. We watched the stars peep into view sitting among the lotus petals drinking a golden wine before the leader Egaile finally had the courage to address the purpose of their visit.

His dark face wrinkled as if in severe pain. "You must come with us. FalzGad demands your help."

My insides flopped. I had married that one in my youth before our essential personalities convinced us of wisdom. Habit reasserted itself. I leaned forward and patted his knee. "I will go with you." That is the lesson I'd learned in my younger days of plenty. I would open myself to duty.

In the morning, I packed all I had built during my days of seeking truth and ventured forth with Egaile leading the way and only stumbled once or twice when I entered his fluxee ship that took us off through the golden seas and looked back to the place of my dreams and retirement and of peace.

The crack of lightning forced us to stop at the Bobbings of the Crested Ones. My forehead hurt with impending field front, so much so that queasiness tasted acid on my tongue. Then we saw.

Laser whipped elders were strewn between the near homes. I covered my nose with both hands but I was not so raw as the others. "Body shieldings. Hurry. Follow on my comm."

The wail of a child bit into hearing range. I slipped into the fluxee and found the young one clinging to the lotus bloom stem. Others followed suit and soon we had dripping youngsters and old collected in the main Bobber. The dead we left for burial later.

The battle continued around us, sparking off the rainings. We were defenseless against any strike except for the ion shield I withdrew from my belongings and connected to the Bobber housing, knowing what I had could ease their traumas. We scraped together food rustled from the broken homes where we could. The new orphans gradually calmed, one held in my arms, the others clinging to my arms and legs and each other.

None could say why we were at war or with whom. I am old enough to think that life is war unless one can escape and I cursed FalzGad under my breath. I didn't need this, not now. Next morning all arms fire had ended.

The elders of the Bobbings agreed we would take the orphans to Big Miminame for shelter since they had their own wages to repay and rebuilding to work. In Big Mininame, the leaders applauded Egaile and gave him his medal for duties performed in war and for his care of the orphans and he left us for higher work but we were released to continue our voyage under a slender grayed dandy by the name of Seneca Living Deed III.

Weariness crept into my bones as day by day we'd stop at the Waits-Upon-Time, where Seneca would sip his champagne and eat live eels. His staff bustled me off to hold the hands of the grieving and the shuddering under the blankets from disease and waste and age. I gave up my Entertain Surround from my store of earned belongings because it eased my labors and eased their days and all were happy. When finally we reached the Outer Beginnings of FalzGad land, Seneca Living Deed III was paid off well by the GateKeepers for his many kindnesses and dedication to duty.

The Many Handled Priestess led us through the rakings over our Tokanage, through the BeFittings of Youth, past of the Screamers of Being, dodging the Gossip Trawlers and Spike Imagers and really after all the time on the golden sea, the trashiness of FalzGad city acted like acid on stainless steel gates of my composure. Near to tears, I stumbled into my closet near FalzGad's audience room, waiting for the beep on my implant.

It seemed like days passed and when the beep came, it was only the Many Handled Priestess at my door. She led me to a buffet.

Trembling with hunger, I loaded up my dish and carried it to the circle of settees where the OnceUsed sat poised on the edge of their chairs, with one small VitaCake centered on the tiniest plate.

Aghast at my apparent seeming of piggishness, I flushed through to my roots.

The Many Handled Priestess stood and handed me a linen for my lap, rolling her eyes. So I picked a tasty bite and shoved it into my mouth to get rid of my awkward display of manners, only to find the purple coifed OnceUsed clear her throat dramatically.

I swallowed without chewing much and nearly gagged.

She offered thanks and then lifted her dainty tea mug up for a toast. That over, the other ladies turned to their cakes and I could finally eat and I was nearly finished when a deep voice caught my attention. "My Gawd, what is it that you're wearing?"

I looked down and saw my tattered and stained leisure wear I had worn that day nearly a year ago when I'd been called to come and back to her and then around the room finding everyone in white linens with piping of one color or another and each with a jacket with a single buttoniere. My mouth dried up and when I tried to speak nothing came out.

"My Gad, Many Handled, haven't you allowed the poor woman a bath?" This kindliness from a woman near to my age almost shattered me into tears. Kindness. Who would believe it?

The Many Handled Priestess pursed her lips and soon the ladies all pushed and pulled me into a backroom where they dug into my belongings and took the remainders of my earnings and tried them on and of course I gave them what they clearly liked and I was allowed to shower and soon they had me looking like them but clean.

Another beep announced it was finally time to see FalzGad. A Director took me by the arm after handing the Many Handled Priestess and the other ladies huge bouquets of red roses. We walked silently down a tiled corridor into the silver and steel office of FalzGad.

He looked as I remembered. A little owlish, a little like a Roman Gladiator, a little bit like a penguin in the middle. He kissed my cheek. "Well. Well. You are looking well, my dear. I was so worried about you and here you are. Well."

I kissed his hand and we settled into cozy chairs for a chat of about fifteen minutes.

Then a knock announced a new arrival to his door and he escorted me out. "Thank you for coming. You've eased my mind."

Alone in the hall, I looked around the elegance, the expensive paintings, the chirpings of simulated nature and wobbled in place, not sure of what to do, where I was, or even who I was or what I wanted but new I was broke.

Then FalzGad's door opened and he handed me a Credit Voucher. "Here. Please take this, to cover your costs."

I kissed his hand again and fingered the gold token and all I could think about was my glass house on the golden sea.

I managed to stand there long enough in the atrium that the Director stumbled over me. "May I aid you," he said through thin lips while glancing at his watch.

That's when a thought rattled through my head. This whole year's voyage was nothing but a zero sum game where I gave and gave and in the end, I'd be lucky to get back to where I had began.

I handed him the voucher and requested a MagLander trip home after shopping for supplies and he set it up for me.

Back home again, I found my lotus blossom, drank in its perfume and thanked nature for such wonder. I picked oranges and nothing tasted sweeter. I folded down onto my floor in one of my old lounging wear and relaxed someone had given me the deepest massage. I lifted my flute and found a song of floating out and soon I forgot time again, watching the golden sea lit by a golden sun and knew I'd found my golden age once more.