Genesis

by Tej Pratap Singh

  Now KC was on the ground having depleted his wall completely. Exposed! The few remaining assassins got up disoriented, composed themselves, and with whatever energy they were left with, aimed at KC.

  KC looked back into their eyes with conviction. If this was his end, he wanted to face it right on. They fired without wasting a single second. The beam of electrons gushed towards KC through all the debris of the shattered material which lay suspended in the air as a result of the ongoing fight…

  A wall appeared around KC out of nowhere deflecting the electron beam. A single beam was fired back on the assassins vaporizing them in an instant! KC couldn’t believe it! What was happening? He tried to look up, he could barely see, he had lost too much blood and was losing consciousness. He anxiously looked around. There were no Union guards! Who had saved him?

  “By the sheer number of people trying to kill you, I’ll say you must be someone very important,” came a voice. KC looked up.

  “Jenny!” murmured KC hardly being able to make out clearly or believing his eyes. Was he dreaming! But he could always recognize Jenny even if she was standing in a crowd of millions. “Jenny,” said KC again but he was so out of breath that the words didn’t even leave his lips.

  “I am Jenny from the 3rd sector,” said the girl who had just saved KC. “Who are you? You need medical help. Immediately,” she added holding KC’s head up on her lap.

  “Jenny,” said KC mustering all the energy he could salvage, “Is it really you?”

  “Yes,” said Jenny sounding surprised, “do I know you?”

  “Not yet,” said KC trying to smile but miserably failing at it. He knew that Jenny didn’t know him yet in this time.

  His comn link got activated as Crona zeroed on to him.

  “Supreme Cdr,” informed Crona, “Your wall is activated at a 100%, ready at your command.”

  KC looked up around him, his elite guards had arrived. Just as he looked up, his guards fired a controlled pulse beam at Jenny. They thought her to be an assassin.

  “Oh crap,” said Jenny as she braced herself for the inevitable outcome. With his lightning reflex KC raised his palm and deflected the pulse beam surprising everyone. The impact was so massive that it threw KC several feet away but he saved Jenny in the bargain.

  “Ceasefire,” yelled KC, barely able to move. KC’s guards cordoned the area raising their walls. The outsiders and the commoners outside the wall could no longer see the events inside the wall. Jenny inside the wall couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She rushed over to KC and checked his pulse. It was there. As strong as ever!

  “Who are you?” asked Jenny again keeping her hand on his forehead. “I have never seen a wall this strong. You deflected a pulse beam with your hand. Who does that? And these guards, who are they?”

  KC looked at Jenny. He had million things to say but didn’t know where to start from. He had actually done it as he had promised Jenny. He had bent time and found her again! He opened his mouth to speak but could speak nothing, his lips were dry. He was losing his breath, he tried to speak again but couldn’t. Jenny moved closer to him looking into his eyes. She could see her reflection in his.

  “This is not the end…. It is just the beginning,” said KC losing consciousness.

  “What?” said Jenny not able to clearly make out what KC just said.

  “Move back lady,” said Akil, “release the Supreme Commander.”

  “Ah…OK,” said Jenny reluctantly letting go KC.

  “You saved the Cdr till we got here,” added Akil. “The Armed Union owes you our deepest gratitud. Do you need a safe passage back to the 3nd sector?” asked Akil looking at Jenny as the AMU medic quickly placed a modulator ring over KC’s leg. The rings hovered over KC’s leg repairing his damaged tissues instantly to their pristine form as before.

  Akil looked at Jenny, his wall gave him Jenny’s complete bio-data instantly superimposed on the space around her. Akil could see it as he moved his eyes looking at Jenny.

  “Why would I need a safe passage?” exclaimed Jenny. “I have no threat to my life from anyone.” “Well, now you do,” Akil pointed out looking at the commander. “You just saved the life of the Supreme Commander. Many bystanders saw it, as did many assassins. By now the news would have spread to all the known 14 sectors of the universe. All the anti-AMU elements would want you as dead as Cdr KC!”

  “KC! Did I just save Kenneth Cent?” exclaimed Jenny. “The commander of all the sectors.”

  “Didn’t you recognize the Cdr?” enquired Akil.

  “No,” replied Jenny promptly. “My parents had kept me as far away from the mess created by Cdr KC and his Armed Union. That’s why we migrated from the 1st to the 3rd sector. Had I known it was Cdr KC I was saving, probably I would have thought twice.”

  “How dare you, you imbecile?” interrupted Akil. “How dare you speak of the Cdr like that?”

  “Why shouldn’t I?” replied Jenny staring at Cdr Akil right in the face. “The Union wars in sector 1 which lasted five years destroyed my home and my family for no fault of theirs. The 1st sector lost 200 million lives. For what?”

  “For peace!” replied Akil promptly and forcefully.

  “Where is it? Where?” asked Jenny with tears rolling down her eyes.

  “Arrest this outlander,” said Commander Akil to the elite guard, “and throw her outside the Union borders. May be then she will realize the meaning of peace. When she is swallowed whole by Garmaniens and others of their kind, the moment she is out of the AMU protectorate.”

  “No, stop!” ordered KC regaining partial consciousness as the guards arrested Jenny. “She is right. I deserve no respect. I have only caused suffering and pain to my citizens, just to meet my aspirations.”

  “What are you saying Cdr!” intervened Akil. “You have always worked to make the Union strong. Within a negligible span of 15 years, you have gone from commanding three sectors to 14 sectors of the known universe.”

  “Yes, I have, but peace has vanished from all sectors since. I have everything Akil, but in reality, I have nothing. My father, my mother, Akil you my friend! I have lost everything. Everything. Tell me when was the last time we actually spoke like friends? When was the last time we shook hands? When was the last time we fought together…for peace?”

  Akil had no answer.

  KC looked at Jenny. “Jenny, thanks for saving my life,” said KC. “You will be staying here till I can guarantee your safety and... I assure you of your return to the 3rd sector,” added KC losing his breath.

  * * *

  It was early in the morning when KC came out of his quarters and looked at the massive city in front of him. He lowered his wall. He wanted to feel the cold breeze touching his face. But he couldn’t! His quarters had a wall of its own and that was still up. After what had happened, Crona couldn’t risk losing the Supreme Commander again.

  “What is this?” said KC vexed. “Crona, I can’t feel the wind, it’s wild down there. Look at the trees move... why can’t I…?”

  “You are lucky you are not,” interrupted Jenny as she walked out from the neighbouring quarter. KC had kept her close, as close as he could. Though Jenny knew nothing yet, KC had resolved not to lose her this time over. Not even for the world, he had resolved.

  Crona had just raised KC’s own wall instinctively. She sensed Jenny as an intruder. A potential threat to the cdr. KC immediately lowered his wall back again.

  “Crona…” said KC calmly, “she can be trusted.”

  Surprised, Jenny moved closer and looked down at the storm below. It looked beautiful. Snow falling gently and the trees dancing with the wind. It was like a symphony.

  “Why did you say that…?” asked KC looking at Jenny as she looked down at the storm.

  “Commander, it seems you have never been out of your shields and your walls,” said Jenny still st
aring down. “Maybe you are not aware but it’s biting cold down there. Who knows how many are going to be frost-bitten today? I grew up like this you know. Just had a weak wall that my mother used to share with us.”

  How dearly KC wanted to tell Jenny that he was not from this time, the time he was from, was as the sector commander of AMU on Earth, where he had faced such and even worse conditions almost every day. How he wanted to tell her that she was his wife in that time. That how much he loved her. He missed her. How he wanted to rush over and just hug her and kiss her like never before. KC was exploding with emotions from the inside. But from the outside, he just smiled as he looked at Jenny. Tightening his grip on the railing on the balcony of his quarter which towered over the city.

  “Jenny… I…” stopped KC not knowing where to start from or whether even to tell her!

  “What?” asked Jenny looking at KC with her lovely green eyes. She did feel some strange connection to KC but her entire life’s experience and KC’s reputation were clouding her opinion.

  “So…how did you manage to survive that… condition?” asked KC deciding not to tell Jenny anything yet. And not knowing what to say, he just wanted her to stay close. Just wanted to talk to her.

  “Have you ever had one of those days when you realize something big?” asked Jenny. “Well, when I was seven, that day came for me, when I realized something big. I still remember, I came out of my freezing cold chamber. There was snow all around. Lots of snow and I thought, what in the name of the universe am I doing here. So inhuman. People on some other planet of the star system are probably enjoying the sun. And here, I was standing in the middle of an ‘ice planet’ where -30 degree was considered – a warm day! Wearing countless layers of clothes, waiting for the star to show itself just a bit, to get some warmth.

  “Then all of a sudden I saw something. I couldn’t believe it. It was a dried up rose stem from a rose plant. It had somehow managed to come out of the snow. It looked as dead as the dinosaurs are today,” added Jenny. “But that was not all. There was a small bud on top of the plant which had opened up, as alive as ever. Bright red. The little bugger had survived three days of intense snowfall. A rose plant considered the weakest and the most delicate of them all. Wonders happen in the most unexpected ways, Commander. And to tell you the truth, they are all around us. The trouble is we are so busy in our routine, so…machine! That we never look around. Possibly, we don’t even want to believe that we are more than what we thought we were yesterday. Because yesterday we didn’t look around!”

  KC skipped a heartbeat, he realized something he simply had to do. A moment later he looked at Jenny only to notice her impeccably fine features; her deep eyes, her cute nose, her goddess-like chin and her hair as they moved forth in the soft breeze.

  “Jenny,” said KC in a strong voice, “it’s time.”

  “Time for what?” asked Jenny.

  “It’s time that I start taking responsibility for my actions,” said KC looking far ahead into the city. “It’s time to change things. And yes… Thanks.”

  “Thanks for what?” asked Jenny trying to keep her hair in order as the breeze blew them over.

  “Thanks for…being here,” said KC, “this time I’m not going to lose…you.”

  “As in?” said Jenny puzzled.

  “Nothing,” said KC as he stormed into his quarters closing his walls.

  He knew he couldn’t make Jenny understand the depth of the situation. He himself didn’t know whether he was half out or half into the mess he had created due to his time jump and the resultant altered reality.

  “Gather the Council,” ordered KC closing his eyes contemplating.

  “Very well sir,” replied Crona, “by when?”

  “Right now,” said KC bluntly.

  Crona’s message spread like wild fire. KC had never before gathered the Grand Council, let alone take advice from them. KC’s most trusted generals reached the Great Council hall before the council and discussed the sudden turn of events.

  The councillors began to reach the council hall and directly appeared at their designated seat as a bright flash appeared every time a council member or an AMU General location-jumped to his respective seat in the council hall. The giant council hall was full of such flashes as the council members started to arrive. The intensity of flashes increased until the council hall was full.

  The Grand Council was ready. The distinct sound of the AMU drums followed. The impeccable sound of the drums got louder and louder with every passing second till the very floor of the council hall started to shake. The sound of the AMU drums could be heard well beyond the city.

  KC walked into the grand hall, there was pin drop silence, as was after any war when KC would return to his HQ after a bloody campaign which would have killed millions or destroyed several solar systems in one of the outer sectors or any revolting sector. KC took his throne at the center of the hall as the whole council watched in terror wondering which sector the battle was going to now. To which direction would the Supreme Commander point to?

  “Council men, Generals,” began KC, “there is great turmoil in the Armed Union. Something…with which…I am not pleased.” KC got up and started walking, his hands folded behind his back in a very calm and composed manner. Something the Grand Council was not used to see.

  He reached the center of the council hall and moved his hand upwards to raise his wall partially. On it was displayed the map of the AMU. It was a breath-taking scene. Even KC was taken back for a second. It displayed all the known sectors of the universe which KC single-handedly controlled. It would ordinarily take billions of light years just to move within half a sector itself. And there it was in front of everyone, 14 sectors of the universe. Where men from the AMU and allies moved from one end to another just within the flash of an eye. Such was the absolute dominance and control of the AMU.

  “Crona, turn all the hostile sectors into red color please,” ordered KC.

  As the council watched, the grand map of the known universe started to turn red. It started from the center, which was KC’s HQ-01 and slowly the whole map nearly turned red as the council watched in despair and hopelessness.

  “This, gentlemen, is the truth, in front of you… The Truth of the present. The Follies of the past and the End of our future. Now, if we rise and stop this madness, there is hope. And for Hope we will fight.”

  The council was dumbstruck! They couldn’t believe what Commander KC was saying. ‘KC’ and ‘peace’ were two words they could never relate together.

  “How many councillors vote for peace?” asked KC. There was absolute silence. Not a word was spoken. The KC they knew was an irrational, psychotic, dangerous and highly unpredictable person who, in the past, had got many councillors and men of authority killed because they spoke of peace and were against KC’s model of victory through suppression, conquest, domination and destruction of all that was weak. This time over they thought just the same - a trick by KC to find out who all were for peace and who all wanted to continue to fight and kill for their commander. And KC knew of this too.

  “Councillors, you seem to be baffled by my statement,” said KC maintaining a calm composure. “Cdr Akil,” said KC in a heavy voice, “order all my forces in the 3rd sector to return to ‘Ground Zero’. with immediate effect.”

  “Errrr…!” Akil didn’t know what to say, he stood there motionless. He looked at General Amin and Rul but got the same look from them as well. Stunned!

  “Do it,” said KC. This time loudly.

  Akil didn’t waste any time and spoke the words into his comn link.

  “All AMU units and allied troops to vacate the 3rd sector with immediate effect within the next three hours. This is not an exercise.” The voice echoed throughout the 3rd sector in all the battleships, ground stations and AMU strongholds. Within seconds, there was an emergency declared by the sub-sector commanders i
n the 3rd sector as all sub-stations scrambled from their present locations to return to their main battleships. The council broke their silence as they began to speak to each other. Silence was taken over by murmurs and soon the murmurs drowned in debates.

  KC smiled as he looked towards Akil. Akil smiled back trying to control his emotions as they got the better of him. The council men discussed and reached a unanimous decision. The old councillor got up. He took his time as he collected his strength and his brilliantly bright silver beard that crossed his knees as he stood up. He took a moment further to catch his breath and then spoke very softly.

  “Supreme Commander Kenneth, fellow wise councillors and the brave Generals of the mighty AMU, I never thought that I would live to see this day… Commander KC, your father had fought the battles of the first and second sectors under my command when I was the commander of the erstwhile Outer Sectors of ‘The Union’. That is what we called ourselves then,” paused the old Councilman as he released a brief smile and cherished his moment. “When I met your father after the war was over, I saw in him a unique spark and I knew it that instant that one day he would rule The Union. And I was right, as a decade later your father - Commander Cent - took over The Union.

  The Union was as happy as it could be. Civilizations flourished, there was peace and prosperity in both the sectors. Even the third sector joined The Union. We were happy. Then, Kenneth you took over in your father’s footsteps. You were every bit your father’s son, even brighter without a shadow of doubt. You… lost your mother in the moon battles and to avenge her death and to find her murderer, you raised several new battle commands and sent them into the unknown depths of the universe. Your battle commands fought for 15 years non-stop, in the bargain adding 14 sectors to the empire of the Armed Military Union,” said the old councilor as he took a break to breathe deeply closing his eyes.

  “KC, your hatred and vengeance took gigantic proportions. You could never find the murderer of your mother, the queen of The Union. But in the process, you alienated your father and killed several sons and mothers on numerous planets and galaxies all over the sectors. Soon your quest for revenge became your passion and your nature. You were so drowned in your hatred that you had forgotten yourself.