I drank the sweet-tasting liquid as I listened to his tale. It relaxed me to a point where I found it difficult to move from my seat.
"The genome was discovered during mankind's migration from our depleted motherworld. It was a cure for a virus that had been caused by cosmic radiation. Billions of people died aboard the ships during the plague. They made a discovery, soon after reengineering the makeup of the strange radiation. A cure was generated. And the cure yielded far greater results than a clean bill of health.
"The Alpha Genome, once taken, will cause a human being to live in perfect health for four hundred standard days—never aging, and never succumbing to illness, but still vulnerable to physical contact. Flesh is still flesh, and the genome makes no difference as to how easily it can tear—only how easily it can be maintained, and repaired.
"After a while people learned that if the genome is taken once every year, they could grasp a sort of partial immortality. But flesh could still be torn, limbs could not be replaced, and reproductive abilities would cease. If you're shot in the heart, not even the genome can bring you back from death."
"This is all common knowledge, Doc, can you get to the point?"
"The Alpha Genome is about as understood as the human brain. It's a reengineered cosmic phenomenon; we clicked it just right for it to do what it does. Now to my point, one out of every one billion people who take the genome will be able to reproduce. Although I've never heard of a child surviving such a birth—except for one. A child born under extraordinary circumstances."
"I've never heard this story."
The doctor leaned in close to me and cracked a wide smile.
"How ironic. Not many have heard this story, but you look just like him."
"Like who?"
I jumped out of my seat when a nurse darted into the room and rushed towards us. "Doctor!"
"What is it, Nurse?"
"Alberts is flatlining!"
The doctor then shot out of his chair, and rushed out of the door with the nurse. "Did you give him a genome injection!"
"Yes, sir! It did nothing!"
"All right, give me 50 cc's of—"
Before my curiosity had resided they were gone. Once again I was all alone in a strange and unfamiliar place. So I did what anyone would have done after facing such a dilemma: I decided to leave. I couldn't be in the company of those who rescued me, knowing I would have no way to repay them.
At the time I did not believe in fate or destiny so I decided to ignore my mutation and continue living my life as I always have: moving forward without thinking about the consequences of negligence.
I had formulated a plan in my mind. I would follow these Remorans back to their home world, and after that I would jump ship on the GDR capitol of Arcadia and begin a new gravball career.
I pondered my future as I sat on the medical table of the infirmary aboard the carrier. It was there that I would very soon learn that fate most certainly does exist, and I would come to realize this in ways I never could have comprehended.
***
{>-Legate Ivan Lennin-<}
-The Salaran Citadel-
Ivan scratched his eyelids as he walked out into the hangar to greet his king. The suns had just risen, and they shone down upon the smoldering carcass of the Hammer. It was a cold winter morning in Salaras.
When Eden was first colonized the solar system was divided down the middle of its orbiting pattern to best divide the different civilizations, or the "collectives" of the human race. When it was winter in the Kingdom of Salaras, it would be summer in the GDR worlds and on Remora, spring in the Outlander worlds, and fall in the independent worlds.
The bitter cold only further expressed the damage the Hammer had accumulated. The freezing temperature highlighted the heat coming off its crumbling skeleton. When Arcoh had decided to power down the Hammer's shields in order to break through Minerva's atmosphere, the Hammer suffered heavy damage. The smoke from the hull alone was so thick it could be seen for hundreds of kilometers, pouring out of the mountain base's custom-built exhaust ports.
Arcoh left the Hammer and looked on at the thousands of men and women who were working diligently to repair the flagship. Metal welding sparks flew across the catwalk as Arcoh made his way over to Ivan, who was observing the newly visible metal and iron skeleton of the bulky Hammer.
"How are things in Salaras, my legate?"
"They tell me that the Hammer had suffered significant damage in the evacuation attempt."
"Maybe you don't remember. The pain distracted you. They were waiting for us. They had a plan, Ivan."
"I don't remember. We had a plan too, sire."
Arcoh responded with a grim look on his face, feeling still in shock of the events that had transpired. "We stood no chance; their entire fleet had converged at the edge of Rayden. We were not prepared to deal with a full-scale invasion. What took us almost a month to complete our mission was ruined in a matter of hours."
"Well, lucky you brought the Hammer back, sire, and managed to save some six million of our soldiers. How many ships were there?"
"There were roughly thirty carriers, and some three hundred warships."
Ivan turned towards Arcoh and broke his collected composure, which he was already trying very hard to maintain.
"Three hundred? How do three hundred ships end the lives of tens of millions of soldiers!"
"Enough of your insubordination, Ivan. They had a weapon."
Arcoh and Ivan continued to walk down the busy catwalk full of scurrying workers. Ivan was beginning to cease his outrage. He was furious at the fact the greatest army in all of Eden had suffered its first significant defeat since Arcoh first took the throne twenty-five years ago. A defeat the people of Salaras would not forget.
"A weapon?"
"Yes, Ivan, we have to obtain it."
"How do you plan on doing that?"
Arcoh smiled and kept the plan he had to himself as an officer ran up behind him tapping him on the shoulder. "Your Eminence! General Green and the council request your presence immediately, sir! If you will be so kind as to follow."
Ivan spoke out before they headed towards the edge of the hangar.
"What is the meaning of this summons, Lieutenant?"
"I was only told to bring the both of you to the consulate."
Arcoh smiled and gestured to the young officer. "Lead the way."
Arcoh and Ivan followed the messenger through the elegant hallways of the Salaran citadel. Gigantic thirty-meter tall hallways built of gold and white iron paved the elegant passage ways of the great army's headquarters. They were lined with statues of previous emperors that rose almost to the circular ceiling, which had been covered in artwork taken from cathedrals of old Earth. The outer edge of these open hallways were lined with massive columns that lined the entire citadel. If one were to stand at the edge of these passageways, the vast plains of Salaras could be seen with all their glory.
The citadel of Salaras was embedded in the lonely mountain range that overlooked the marshlands leading to the golden city of Caldor: named after the first king of the old-world nation. It was a beautiful city built of golden steel and skyscrapers that commanded the horizon. There was no doubt in the fact that the Salaran Kingdom boasted a very elegant feel to their many occupied worlds. With that elegance came great cost in equality among the kingdom's people.
In Salaran society there were but three classes of people. The working class made up almost 95 percent of society. This class included everyday people who worked many various jobs that kept the nation in check. All the gears are the same size, move at the same speed, and can be replaced. It was a very easy machine to manipulate. For the most part they all remained at an equal level of wealth. The citizens were also given jobs to do based on each individual's skill set. If any of these citizens felt the need to defect to the GDR in need of personal freedom, the government would remove them, and anyone they had ever known, from society. The kingdom's ruler had complete
control over which direction he wanted to move his citizens in. This base has allowed the Salaran Empire to survive over two thousand years, the only one left from Mother Earth.
These some seventy billion people were brainwashed, through the use of media and propaganda, into believing their way of life was the only way humanity was to survive in Eden. Most of them actually believed that freedom and choice were evil, and they were even tricked into becoming patriotic over their deceiving government. Although that being said, several million people escape the government's influence every year, and defect to the free worlds on the other side of the solar system.
With respect to the population, 4.9 percent of it made up the military, and the technicians, that served their purpose, under the largest military presence in all of Eden: over a few billion strong.
The third and final class was royalty. It consisted of the bloodlines that had been present since the formation of the kingdom in the earth year of 2197 A.D. They were the leaders and the celebrities of the kingdom, and were looked up to as such.
Arcoh was the last in his bloodline, and he made sure of it by murdering all but a few of the remaining royal family members. He needed that to push himself beyond his limits, beyond morality. He needed to create a name for himself, a legacy. He told his world that he was necessary for their survival. He convinced himself that he was a necessary evil.
Arcoh and Ivan had arrived at the giant double doors of the consulate. Arcoh stopped the lieutenant from opening the double wooden doors, and his legate sensed his hesitation.
"Are you nervous, Your Grace?"
"What a ridiculous question, Ivan. I refuse to dignify a response to that."
"The denizens of Salaras have heard of your failure, and talk of revolution may soon be at hand. Kings have been overturned before, sir." Arcoh stopped and stared at Ivan expressing the anger he felt within his heart. "Will you be the one, Ivan! Do you have what it takes to rule the largest nation in Eden?"
Ivan backed away from Arcoh and looked down at his feet. The commander was afraid of his king.
"Your Grace, I will always remain loyal to you."
They entered the commissary that was filled with Salaran generals who all looked very concerned. The thirty of them sat around a circular table. The generals wore white and red suits, and most of the men wore four-star emblems on their shoulders. General Hayden Green sat in Arcoh's throne, as he was the acting emperor in Arcoh and Ivan's absence.
When he noticed their arrival, he stood upright, and placed both his hands firmly on the table.
"Glad to see you alive and well, Your Eminence."
"How were things in my absence?"
"Quite unchanged, Your Grace. The cabinet has called you here to discuss how the events of your campaign had transpired. Why don't you take a seat?"
"I don't plan on staying long, General."
"How many soldiers were lost, sir?"
Arcoh folded his arms and became slightly nervous, which was very abnormal for him. If anything the generals should've been nervous. The words of his military commander weighed heavily on his conscience. He may have actually thought for a moment that he was right, but it only lasted a moment.
"Twenty-seven million men were stationed in the fringe sector after the purge of the Raydenites had been completed. We managed to evacuate about a quarter of those forces."
General Harland, a seasoned commander who sat in the seat in front of Arcoh, spoke out against the generals who murmured to each other at Arcoh's statement.
"Twenty million men and women? What again was your pointless goal of traveling to the fringe sector? I cannot believe we just lost TWENTY million soldiers! That's almost 5 percent of our entire fighting force. Now why again did we begin this campaign? To send a message? How is that working for you, my liege?"
Ivan defended Arcoh and glared down at General Harlan.
"Watch your tongue, worm. You will not speak ill of royalty."
Arcoh stepped forward to the edge of the table and announced his resolve.
"Gentlemen, please. The purge will go down as the most successful military campaign in history. Fourteen billion are dead; only 5 percent of their population remains. We have completed our first step into creating a new Eden, our first step in dividing the choices that halt our evolution as a species."
General Green tapped his hands on the table and took the seat back on the throne.
"No one is denying the success of your campaign, sir. You were correct in anticipating the GDR's stance, but what of these Remorans?"
Arcoh stood in silence for a moment pondering a response he could use to persuade the cabinet members. "We would have destroyed them had it not been for their weapon."
"Elaborate for the cabinet if you would, sire."
Arcoh cleared his throat and adjusted his stance.
"Hard to describe it was alien. They blocked out the skies by manipulating the atmosphere and completely disabling our off-planet communications." Arcoh stepped forward and slammed his fists on the table. "Gentlemen, ladies, we must obtain this power! We cannot move forward with our final resolution until this is accomplished."
General Harland could no longer hold his tongue, and gave his king a piece of his mind. "You have exterminated an entire race of people in this plan to bend all of Eden to your will. You are a psychotic monster and will stop at nothing to get what you want. Even after you have reached your objective! After you control everything! You will still crave for more. I've seen the hunger before. You have a sickness. Your cowardice is the only thing that had saved your life. You should've died holding onto that world! A captain should always go down with his ship."
Arcoh slowly looked over to Harland feeling furious and weak at his true statement. Arcoh knew his words to be true, but he refused to accept them. "With great victory comes great sacrifice, Mr. Harland. And you would do well to know your place."
"I know my place. It is right here. Between you and the great people of this nation. I am not afraid to speak my mind anymore! I would rather die than see you as the emperor of Eden. DON'T YOU ALL SEE WHAT WE ARE BECOMING!"
No one in the room acknowledged Harland as they feared defying royalty. For what would happen next is the result of defiance.
"My legate will oblige you then."
Ivan stepped up behind General Harland and picked him up by his throat. Ivan raised his other hand as Harland squirmed. Ivan sighed and even felt a little hesitation as he twisted his hands and broke Harland's neck. Ivan wore an uncomfortable look as he threw Harland's body onto the round table.
"An example of what will happen to all who defy their true king."
The cabinet remained silent at Arcoh's gesture, and stared at him as he stepped back from the table and straightened out his cape.
"Now. I have a mole inside of the Remoran Expeditionary Unit it would seem. They made contact with me a fortnight ago, and provided me with some valuable information on the location of this alien weapon. Success is close at hand, my friends. We will destroy these Remorans. We will remove them from history, and then we will conquer Eden, and salvage what is left of the human race. This meeting is concluded—oh and someone please dispose of my subordinate here."
Arcoh flung his cape as he exited the room through the giant double doors and Ivan followed behind him. Ivan then began to wonder what Arcoh's intentions really were, and how detrimental they would be to his soldiers in the months that lied ahead. His soldiers being his number one priority.
***
In the still of the night I lied "asleep" in my bed. My head was swirling around, trying to make sense of this new world that had presented itself before me. I cracked open my eyelids and noticed that Virgil had just entered the room with the ship's doctor. I laid silent and listened to their conversation.
"How long has he been asleep for?"
"He finally laid down about a couple of hours ago."
"Thank Eden for that. Poor damn kid. If only I had been there."
&nbs
p; Virgil sat down in a chair opposite me and the other patients that were closed in by the transparent, holographic curtains. Earlier I had separated them to look out of the porthole, which gave me a good line of sight into their dimly lit conversation.
"All right then, Captain. How long has it been since your last injection?"
"Hmm. Been 'bout, 130 standard days."
The doctor seemed puzzled by his answer.
"How old are you? How long ago did you receive your first injection?"
Virgil shook his head and lit up a cigarette.
"Hey, what is that, Captain? You can't do . . . whatever it is, you can't smoke in here."
"Yeah, Doc, I've heard it before, partna. Old-world habits are a bitch to kill. This is called a cigarette, and I'm smoking it when you inject me. Feel free to try and stop me."
I smiled as the doctor shook his head and took a genome capsule out of his front pocket.
"Answer the question, please."
"Oh, my age? Heh, I honestly don't know. I remember Mother Earth."
"You're telling me you are over 1,500 years old?"
"Something like that. I start to feel withdrawals, the warnings, about every hundred days. I need four of 'em a year or I will buy that farm, brother. That's what the doctors tell me at least."
The doctor looked surprised receiving this information. Most people who accept the Alpha Genome usually would stop taking their injections after an average of 250 years.
The population explosion was caused by people conceiving as many children as they possibly could before taking the injection. I always thought it was strange that Virgil had never had children, and had no remaining family. I had this sense whenever I asked him about his past—I knew he was guarding secrets.
A New Divide (Science Fiction) Page 6