Zurkerx- The Empire Shall Grow

by Eric William Haluska

  “They’re late,” he says, annoyed as he looks at the digital clock.

  He has been waiting for his interrogator to come, a process he just wanted to get over with. He knows he’s going to be asked some bullshit questions, some of which are legit, but ones he doesn’t want to answer.

  Not wanting to think about the interrogator or the time, he turns away, staring into the glass of water that idly sits on the table. He can see his reflection, revealing his tired, fatigue-battered face. Seeing a reflection of himself fills him with regret as he begins to doubt his decisions to abandon his family and friends and join the Gewerksma. His regret digs up some memories of his family and friends, reminding him of the good times he once had. These memories fill him with a sense of happiness, hope that he can one day return to it.

  But for him to return to his old life, he needs his comrades to carry on the work he could no longer do. And yet, they are closer to their goal as they have tested out the CBW, which seems to have done its job, though it needs some work. With the CBW being further developed, he’s hoping they’ll do just that. As he continues to reminisce, the door knob turns, clicking loudly, snapping him out of his daydreaming.

  “About time you-”

  He turns around and stops himself. His weary face turns white; life pops into his eyes. Joseph Fitzcock walks in, grinning forcefully as he closes the door. Of everyone who could have interrogated him, it had to be Joseph. Gregori knows that this is not going to go well.

  Clapping his hands, Joseph makes his way to the other empty chair. He takes a seat and folds his hands. He looks down for a moment, trying to figure out what to say to a traitor of the Empire. He lifts his head up and smiles at Gregori as Gregori stares at him, frightened by what Joseph may say.

  “So, where do I begin,” Joseph says sarcastically as he unfolds his hands and presses his fingers into the table. “Do I start with the fact that you betrayed and abandoned your friends? Do I start with the fact that you have brought the deaths of hundreds including your friends, your family, and their loved ones? Are you aware that you screwed up your entire life for a cause that is meaningless?”

  With a sudden flow of rage, Joseph slams his hands on the table, scaring Gregori as he flinches. He is frustrated and confused on why Gregori would join the Gewerksma, an organization he once condemned. He wants an answer to his friend’s betrayal, an answer that only fits his narrative.

  “Joseph.”

  A stern voice rings in his ear. He briefly looks at Gregori, who is staring at him. Realizing it wasn’t him who said his name, he turns around, staring at the black window, seeing his reflection. He forgot that Marcus is watching, making sure he doesn’t lose control.

  Marcus knows that Joseph could get reckless, especially when he’s interrogating a former friend who ditched him. Yet, Marcus has decided to give Joseph a chance, but only for the purpose of seeing if he can control himself, a vital lesson taught in the Krenma.

  Joseph stares at his reflection, wondering if Marcus will intervene. He then turns around and faces Gregori as Gregori grabs the glass of water and nervously takes a sip.

  “Joseph, I had no choice,” Gregori says with no regret as he delicately places the glass down. “After I lost my job, what choice did I have? The government was the reason my life was destroyed, all because businesses are allowed to implement automation and 3D printing, causing economic misery for millions.”

  “Automation and 3D printing have taken many jobs, but they have also created millions, providing new opportunities for workers. Aren’t you Neo-Demokrists in favor of government intervention? Because the Empire has surely done that.”

  “Opportunities,” snorts Gregori. “The only opportunities come from the military, an institution with imperialist ambitions. Tell me, how is it ethical that businesses can replace workers with machines, losing a vital source of income that keeps their families fed and bills paid as the government provides little to no help? Tell me how the government tolerates the military building an army hellbent on regional domination while the crusade of the Gewerksma is condemned? Tell me!”

  Gregori breathes loudly, venting his anger towards an apathetic Joseph. It is true that the military is the number one job creator, creating careers many stay in until retirement. This has led to the common misconception that the military is building an imperial army, its destiny to slaughter millions, to steal their resources. However, this conclusion, by many, holds no merit given the military offers education and training programs for people who wish to specialize in fields of studies they wish to pursue after completing four years of service.

  And yet, the Gewerksma have tried to capitalize on this misconception, creating propaganda in hopes of convincing the people about the supposedly true motives of government. Joseph slightly adjusts himself, irritated by Gregori’s comments, annoyed that this interrogation is getting nowhere.

  “I’m not here to have a debate with you on politics and ideology. We need answers to our questions because without them, the survival of the Empire and Zentari will be extinguished by ill-informed individuals that couldn’t do their damn research.”

  “Ill-informed? I am well-versed in the concepts of liberty and economic freedom, which were created by this imagery of negative liberty, creating an illusion that alters our minds, boxing us in as new ideals are rejected, blocked to ensure we are kept in the dark about the heinous reality we live in.”

  Gregori pauses, allowing his words to sink into an aggravated Joseph.

  “The government is only distracting us from the irreversible damage inflicted by Einnerism. It’s the cold hard truth, a reality that even I was blind to. Not one administration has done anything to help free us or combat the inequalities that plague us. Not one.”

  “You’re an imbecile, Gregori. Have you forgotten about the basic income? The carbon market payment? Health savings accounts? Aren’t these enough for you? You damn well know that these things have helped millions including you, alleviating the pinches of poverty. These innovative ideas have-”

  “Have what? Been created by Einners Markuut and Einnerism to help me? Or is it this new term Neo-Einnerism you call it? All they do is create a prison for the shackled masses that are unable to move, leaving them to fend for themselves. It promotes selfishness, an inherited feature in the individual and an unacceptable thing in society. That’s why figuratively, the individual must be abolished, forced into a collective group that fights for a common belief, that aids others instead of themselves.”

  Joseph is baffled. Einnerism and Einners Markuut are vastly superior systems as both are flexible with other ideals, and both are mutually exclusive in protecting the rights and prosperity of the individual. However, he knows both can’t help everyone, a problem that every system struggles with. That’s why a basic income, carbon market payment, and health savings accounts were introduced into these systems: because they go hand-to-hand, reducing the burden of living on those less fortunate, creating the new ideology of Neo-Einnerism. To Joseph, what Gregori speaks is delusional nonsense that holds little merit.

  “You damn well know that isn’t what Einners Markuut is. You once believed in it. And don’t lie, everyone tried to help you-”

  “Everyone was against me and the people, especially the government and those that supported such heinous acts of civil rights abuse.”

  “Gregori, that’s not true! When you were in your darkest hour, we came to help, to provide emotional and financial comfort. And yet, after all we have done for you, you had the nerve to join those scums and kill the ones that loved you! Look where you are now!”

  Joseph slams his hands onto the table. He is furious, almost at the point of killing Gregori. Slowly, he’s becoming unwound, losing control of himself.

  Gregori stares at him, bending his head down. He knows to an extent that Joseph is right. His family and friends tried to help him, to shine a light over his dark self. But it was the light of Demokrism and its savior Neo-Demokrism that brought
him the relief he needed, that opened his eyes. His friends and family paled in comparison with that.

  ~

  As the conversation escalates, Marcus watches on. He sees that Joseph is unwinding, losing his control and identity. He has a feeling he’s soon going to have to intervene, something he knew was inevitable. As he keeps an eye on Joseph, a door behind him opens.

  “There you are, Supreme Commander. I’ve been looking for you,” says a weary Gadget as he walks in.

  Marcus remains silent. His eyes remain focused on Joseph, watching to see what he will do next. Gadget comes to a stop next to Marcus, looking at him before turning towards the interrogation room.

  “You must be out of your mind to allow Joseph to interrogate this guy.”

  “What news do you have for me?” Marcus asks as he tries to brush the conversation away.

  “The bad news is that it is in fact a CBW, a nasty one named Rubella Typhus.”

  “Quite a name choice, considering it’s named after diseases that have done significant damage to societies. What are we up against?”

  “As expected, it can obliterate our cyber infrastructure with ease, permanently erasing anything in its path. It has a mind of its own, an AI feature that’s able to maneuver and fight security programs without a problem. It can even upload itself to anything as long as there’s a connection present, which means it can escape without us even knowing…”

  He pauses for a moment, losing his train of thought. He is listening to the conversation in the interrogation room, an escalation that worries him.

  “And? Focus here, staff sergeant!”

  “Sorry. This bugger is also well-protected. It has multiple firewalls protecting it, a major advancement for CBWs, making it resilient to security programs, almost practically immune to them. Yet, I should reiterate that this is only the beta form of the CBW, meaning-”

  “It’s only in the developing stages, which means that the final product will be more resilient, faster, and do more damage on a grander scale…”

  He pauses, thinking the unthinkable.

  “My god, they’re planning an attack.”

  “An attack,” Gadget says slowly, refusing to believe his words.

  “Yes, unfortunately. If this CBW gets into our system, it will wipe out and disable our defense protocols, leaving us defenseless and vulnerable to this conceived attack. Their attack plan is clever, their goals straightforward.”

  The room falls silent again. Only the screams and shouts from the interrogation room can be heard, where the tension is at its breaking point. Yet, both men are oblivious as they come to the realization that the Gewerksma is planning something that threatens the sovereignty of the Empire, jeopardizing the stability of Zentari. Marcus breathes in and out, hoping there is some good news.

  “Any good news?”

  “Of course, there is. It slows down significantly when collecting data, leaving it more vulnerable to being quarantined.”

  “That’s how we were able to quarantine it?”

  “Precisely, it’s practically a gift to us. In addition to this CBW being a beta and it being slow to collect data, when we cut off the connection, we cut the CBW’s route of escape off, making it impossible for it to hide but-”

  “But what?”

  “Well,” Gadget says hesitantly. “Before Dexter Lair was able to cut off the connection, the virus was able to steal a single file. So, while the whole CBW can’t escape, it can send information to wherever it is programmed to do so.”

  “I’m well aware of that. Were we able to track where the file they stole was sent to?”

  “Unfortunately, we couldn’t, but thankfully, it was a heavily redacted before it was scanned into the Cloud, so they won’t be able to read its content.”

  “Thank God I called for that thing to be redacted. Otherwise, we would be in trouble.”

  “Supreme Commander,” Gadget says a bit hesitant. “I noticed it was a Black Folder. Tell me: what is Project Ominous?”

  “That is not for your ears to hear, Gadget,” Marcus says sternly, annoyed that Gadget would ask a ridiculous question like that. “Tell me how this is a ‘gift’ to us?”

  Gadget nods, knowing it’s best not to further pursue the content in that Black Folder.

  “All cyber entities are made up of digital code, giving them the infrastructure to exist. Most likely, this CBW will be similar to the one we have right now, meaning if I can gain access and take control of it, I can remake their CBW into a security protection program and use it against them. They virtually gave us the keys that will defeat their CBW.”

  “So, it can be stopped?”

  Gadget sighs.

  “It can, but I would need to penetrate and neutralize the firewalls that protect it, which could take hours or days, depending on how strong they are. However, once I’m in, I can utilize it as an antidote to stop their CBW. It’s our only remedy, our-”

  “Only hope. Can we do anything else to protect ourselves until then?”

  “Until I can gain access and take control of it, our only defense is to disconnect and shut down everything to minimize the damage, trapping the virus but also, leaving us unable to access our defense protocols to defend ourselves, although we should be able to communicate through our comms.”

  “I see. Good work, Gadget. Now-”

  “Why did you do it? Why?!”

  Both men jolt their heads towards the loud voice. No longer able to control himself, Joseph has resorted to shouting in Gregori’s face, giving the frightened man little room to breathe. Suddenly, he grabs Gregori and pulls him forward, lifting him up in the air as he begins to choke the man to death. Fearing for the captive’s safety, Gadget makes his way out, ready to intervene, but Marcus grabs him, halting him.

  “I’ll take care of Joseph. Get control of their CBW as fast as you can because it’s only a matter of when they’ll attack, and if we don’t have the remedy in place, we are vulnerable and powerless.”

  “Yes, Supreme Commander.”

  Gadget hastily makes his way out the door. He knows it’s best to get the CBW under their control as quickly as possible, making it a time-crunching situation. Again, his dreams of sleeping have vanished.

  As Gadget leaves, Marcus turns his attention towards Joseph as he strangles his struggling victim. As much as Gregori is scum, he’s a person too.

  “Joseph,” he says sternly. “Put. Him. Down. Now. And Gently.”

  Gregori is gasping for air. He wonders if anyone can save him. His former friend has gone down the drain since they parted several years ago. Joseph is mad and probably justifiably so.

  Then Joseph loosens his grip. He has once again forgotten Marcus is watching. Air fills Gregori’s lungs, and he’s relieved and shocked that he’s still alive.

  “Now, before I must come in there and do the interrogation myself, I will give you one last shot.”

  He pauses briefly.

  “Ask him what he knows about the CBW. After that, he is to return to his cell, and you are to report to me. I should not have to hold your hand through this interrogation. Do I make myself clear?”

  Joseph sighs. He knows he has disappointed his friend, his rival. He looks at Gregori with a remorseful look. Gently, he places Gregori back into his seat, releasing his iron grip as the man gasps for air.

  “You have- worse mood swings than my ex-wife. One moment she is flipping pancakes; the next she’s beating the crap out of me with a spatula.”

  “Tell me about the CBW,” Joseph says bluntly as he calms himself down.

  “CBW,” Gregori says with some confusion, giving the impression that he’s unsure of what Joseph is talking about. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  Then Gregori looks down to his left, realizing now what Joseph is asking him about.

  “You don’t know what I am talking about? I doubt that. We know it exists since it tried to steal information from us. Your digital fingerprints are all over it. So, I’ll say
again: tell me about the CBW.”

  “Fingerprints aren’t an exact science you know-”

  “Tell me about the virus!”

  Joseph speaks with authority. He’s aware that they have no evidence linking Gregori to it. He figured it would be a white lie, a sham that could make Gregori cooperate.

  Gregori goes from being scared to glaring at Joseph. He’s not responsible for the creation of the virus, although he did oversee its conception and development and is aware of its capabilities. But he knows that Joseph will be persistent in getting answers out of him, determination that is bound to hurt him. After all, his lungs have no intention of going without oxygen again.

  “I- I don’t understand how I was directly involved. I have only heard rumors about this CBW, nothing more,” says Gregori in a staged baffled manner.

  “So, you do know of its existence? What else did you hear?”

  “Well, I have heard this CBW has the capacity to destroy anything in its path, its nature being destructive to the Empire’s cyber infrastructure, setting back the nation for years.”

  “Really now?

  Gregori nods.

  “Yes. And that’s when Neo-Demokrism will rise and free our people,” he says maliciously as a smile comes across his face.

  “Why are you smiling?” asks Joseph with curiosity.

  Gregori then laughs. He isn’t sure why he is laughing. He’s a miserable son of a bitch who wants his normal life back. Yet, he basks in joy as the thought of returning to his old life becomes a reality.

  “Not only will you see your security fall, but the Empire will also fall, ushering in a new era, a place I can call home. You bastards have a surprise coming for you.”