House of Ushers - Shorts
Sometimes We Create Monsters
© Peter Grehan 2020
Somewhere in the building, not very far away, somebody screamed. First in fear and then pain and then there was silence. A short while later there was the sound of marching feet. The volume suggested it was a section of around six individuals plus one officer or NCO. They marched past the door of the room containing Digby Borders and continued down the corridor outside. Then a command was shouted and they stamped to a halt. There was the sound of shuffling feet and then a heavy metal door was slammed shut. The section of guards reformed and marched off again
Digby’s ears twitched and his nostrils flared as he sampled the air for scents. Then he opened his mouth slightly giving better access to the scent detectors in the back of his mouth. There was a slight twitching of his whiskers. It was clear that he was using every sense available to assess his current situation.
‘You can remove your blindfold now.’ Digby hesitated a few seconds before taking off the blindfold. It was a subtle act of defiance and it was noted. Digby blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the light then gave the Interrogator in the room an appraising look. There was no sign of fear or anxiety and only the hidden sensors registered an increased heartbeat that suggested any elevated stress levels.
‘Please state your name?’ the Interrogator said.
‘You know that already,’ Digby said.
‘Just answer the question,’ she said.
‘ Digby Borders.’
‘What is your homeworld?’
‘I don’t have one,’ Digby said
The Interrogator looked at Digby for a few moments but did not comment. Instead, she made another note. Then she asked, ‘Why did you leave Earth?’
‘It wasn’t my home.’
‘It’s where you were born.’
‘I didn’t fit in. I was a freak. That was a world where the colour of your skin or the god you chose to worship could determine how you were treated. Imagine what they thought of me?’
‘It’s changed a lot since their first contact.’
‘Look at me, do you think I could ever blend in?’
‘What species are you?’ The Interrogator said changing tack suddenly. She noticed the fur on the back of Digby’s neck and head lift a little. His hackles were raised, partially at least. Digby looked around the room. The Interrogator judged that psychologically he was searching for an escape from the question.
Digby sighed then said, ‘I’m a human-cat hybrid.’
‘You say that as if it’s something to be ashamed of?’
‘I was brought up to believe that it was,’ said Digby. There was more than a hint of bitterness in his voice.
‘Have you ever been to Actrem?’
‘The Katzin world? No, why would I?’ Digby sounded surprised and a little suspicious.
‘Did you know that your DNA is virtually identical to a Katzin’s? Physically you are a Katzin, yet you have human attitudes and cultural values and thought processes. That’s a unique combination.’ This was the most the Interrogator had said so far. Digby said nothing.
Further down the corridor outside a person could be heard pleading before beginning to scream. Digby turned his head slightly but kept his eyes on the Interrogator.
‘Does that bother you?’ the Interrogator said.
‘It would very much,’ said Digby. ‘If it was real.’
‘Why do you think it isn’t real?’ the Interrogator said. She seemed genuinely surprised.
‘I didn’t smell any fear when I was brought down here. I noticed the acoustics of the corridor and they were different from that produced by the marching feet. I can also hear the faint buzz of static coming from the speakers you’ve had placed outside and I heard the click of your electronic switch just before we heard the first scream.’
‘Remarkable,’ said the Interrogator. She pressed a button on his console and the sounds of the screaming stopped instantly. ‘It’s a pity though, I was hoping I would get a more definitive answer as to your moral stamina.’
‘Moral stamina?’ Digby said.
‘This little exercise wasn’t intended to test your abilities, although it’s clear even we underestimated them. It was intended to see if the training and conditioning we give you might one day turn you into a problem for us.’
‘What sort of problem?’
‘Digby, when we train people to serve in the Vigil Security Agency sometimes we create monsters. Agents that become assassins, super-criminals and the like.. We have a responsibility to try and avoid that if we can. I think it’s safe to say that won’t happen with you. Welcome to the Vigil Security Agency.
End
Digby’s ears twitched and his nostrils flared as he sampled the air for scents. Then he opened his mouth slightly giving better access to the scent detectors in the back of his mouth. There was a slight twitching of his whiskers. It was clear that he was using every sense available to assess his current situation.
‘You can remove your blindfold now.’ Digby hesitated a few seconds before taking off the blindfold. It was a subtle act of defiance and it was noted. Digby blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the light then gave the Interrogator in the room an appraising look. There was no sign of fear or anxiety and only the hidden sensors registered an increased heartbeat that suggested any elevated stress levels.
‘Please state your name?’ the Interrogator said.
‘You know that already,’ Digby said.
‘Just answer the question,’ she said.
‘ Digby Borders.’
‘What is your homeworld?’
‘I don’t have one,’ Digby said
The Interrogator looked at Digby for a few moments but did not comment. Instead, she made another note. Then she asked, ‘Why did you leave Earth?’
‘It wasn’t my home.’
‘It’s where you were born.’
‘I didn’t fit in. I was a freak. That was a world where the colour of your skin or the god you chose to worship could determine how you were treated. Imagine what they thought of me?’
‘It’s changed a lot since their first contact.’
‘Look at me, do you think I could ever blend in?’
‘What species are you?’ The Interrogator said changing tack suddenly. She noticed the fur on the back of Digby’s neck and head lift a little. His hackles were raised, partially at least. Digby looked around the room. The Interrogator judged that psychologically he was searching for an escape from the question.
Digby sighed then said, ‘I’m a human-cat hybrid.’
‘You say that as if it’s something to be ashamed of?’
‘I was brought up to believe that it was,’ said Digby. There was more than a hint of bitterness in his voice.
‘Have you ever been to Actrem?’
‘The Katzin world? No, why would I?’ Digby sounded surprised and a little suspicious.
‘Did you know that your DNA is virtually identical to a Katzin’s? Physically you are a Katzin, yet you have human attitudes and cultural values and thought processes. That’s a unique combination.’ This was the most the Interrogator had said so far. Digby said nothing.
Further down the corridor outside a person could be heard pleading before beginning to scream. Digby turned his head slightly but kept his eyes on the Interrogator.
‘Does that bother you?’ the Interrogator said.
‘It would very much,’ said Digby. ‘If it was real.’
‘Why do you think it isn’t real?’ the Interrogator said. She seemed genuinely surprised.
‘I didn’t smell any fear when I was brought down here. I noticed the acoustics of the corridor and they were different from that produced by the marching feet. I can also hear the faint buzz of static coming from the speakers you’ve had placed outside and I heard the click of your electronic switch just before we heard the first scream.’
‘Remarkable,’ said the Interrogator. She pressed a button on his console and the sounds of the screaming stopped instantly. ‘It’s a pity though, I was hoping I would get a more definitive answer as to your moral stamina.’
‘Moral stamina?’ Digby said.
‘This little exercise wasn’t intended to test your abilities, although it’s clear even we underestimated them. It was intended to see if the training and conditioning we give you might one day turn you into a problem for us.’
‘What sort of problem?’
‘Digby, when we train people to serve in the Vigil Security Agency sometimes we create monsters. Agents that become assassins, super-criminals and the like.. We have a responsibility to try and avoid that if we can. I think it’s safe to say that won’t happen with you. Welcome to the Vigil Security Agency.
End