“Pushy thing, isn’t it?” Alden muttered
He stepped out, helping Kira in the process. Several more military vehicles arrived in quick succession. Each one deposited dozens of fresh recruits. They hoisted their bags onto the cargo rack and then headed up the steps.
Kira took the lead and walked towards the ship. A group of civilians had already gathered at the bottom of the steps as they waited to board. When it was their turn, Alden strode up to the ticket agent and held up his wrist deck in front of theirs. A green light clicked on and he was given the nod to board.
“Thank you for flying with us, and have a nice time in New Tranquility.”
***
Arakiel crept between the trees, pushing branches out of his way. Light broke through and he could make out the launch complex in the distance. As he crouched and edged forward, he noticed a figure patrolling the outer edge of the forest. The person had an assault rifle strung over their shoulder and was dressed in a full military uniform. Arakiel didn’t mind killing mercenaries and thugs, but the thought of murdering a soldier troubled him. The Guardian had been explicit about not leaving any witnesses.
Picking up a large rock, Arakiel flung it at an adjacent tree. Several branches and twigs broke as it made contact with the forest floor and bounced away. The soldier raised his weapon and scanned the trees in the direction of the sound. Arakiel stood perfectly still, pressed against the back of a large spruce. The man crept into the dense foliage. It was obvious that he was trying to be quiet, buteach step seemed to produce more sound than the previous one. Arakiel slid out one of his knives.
As the soldier moved towards the rock, Arakiel slid around the tree and attempted to get the jump on the soldier. But just as he was about to make a move the man turned around and leveled his assault rifle at him. Arakiel kicked the gun out of the man’s hand. The soldier tackled him and they went flying back into the spruce he’d hidden behind before toppling to the ground. A whistle sounded in the distance, last call before departure. He couldn’t miss that flight!
He used his height advantage to overpower the soldier and then cut off his airway until the man passed out. Arakiel dropped him to the ground. He checked his pulse, still alive. There was no time left, he had to move fast. Arakiel stripped the soldier down, grabbed his clothes and quickly changed. In the distance the last soldier was already climbing up the stairs. Arakiel picked up the bag with the reactor inside and slung it over his shoulder.
He reached the back set of stairs just as someone started to wheel them away.
“One more!” Arakiel jumped on the steps and raced up. The attendant waved him in. He made the small leap from the top of the steps into the jet. Moments later the door was sealed and the spacecraft moved into position on the launch track.
***
Although the concept of up and down didn’t matter as much in space, Alden could feel the plane begin to level off. The pressure on his body also eased as they passed beyond the upper limits of Earth’s atmosphere. Their intense departure reminded him of aerial combat training. Kira seemed to be in her own world as she stared out the window.
“What are you looking at?”
“I’m just admiring the view. It doesn’t matter how many times I make this trip, I never get tired of it.”
Alden peered over her and out the port window. The blue hue of Earth’s atmosphere was rapidly dissolvinginto total darkness. In its place were billions of brilliant stars. The entire arm of the Milky Way galaxy stretched out from one end of their view to the other. Clusters of nebulas and white dwarfs dotted its exterior edges.
“You’ve never been off-planet, have you?” Kira asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.
“I’ve spent more time in zero-grav training than you can imagine.”
“How could you have never made this trip?”
Alden shrugged as he sank back in his seat. “What difference does it make? I’m here now.”
She shook her head, “You can watch a sunset on the vids, but there’s nothing like actually running your hands through the sand, feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, the sound of waves crashing against the beach.”
“Actually, that’s exactly what it’s like. It’s so…predictable.”
“Well that may be, but up here nothing is what it seems. Once the laws of gravity disappear, so does everything else. The first time you walk across the surface of the moon and watch the Earth set behind the lunar horizon—”
“Look at that!” Alden said excitedly.
Outside their window, the field of stars had begun to vanish. In their place was an ever expanding darkness that grew until it consumed every visible object in the night’s sky. In that moment, the distant light of the sun exposed the leading edge of a colossal Battlecarrier.
Alden could barely contain his excitement. It looked like a dozen skyscrapers bundled together. Thousands of lights were visible along the length of its hull. There were a number of blue barriers that allowed a constant flow of ships to safely enter and exit the hangars. Swarms of space fighters patrolled the outer perimeter. Cannons the size of their spaceship lined the top and bottom.White lettering along the leading edge of the ship read, ALLIANCE OF DEMOCRATIC NATIONS DES: COLUMBUS.
“Are we going to land in there?” Alden asked.
“No. We’re carrying military crew members so they won’t bother searching us.”
“Besides, no one would be foolish enough to fake their papers and ride on a military transport to the lunar surface, would they?”
Alden couldn’t get over the immense size. Based on the portholes and barriers they were still several kilometers away, but it obscured their entire view.
“Judging by your expression, you haven’t seen one of these either. The Alliance has twelve of them in operation. This one isn’t even the biggest. The Olympus is twice that size. It took them fifteen years to complete her.”
He had been enthralled with these ships for as long as he could remember. Something about their size and sheer military force never ceased to amaze him. It had been his favorite subject in school. Some of his fondest classroom memories were spent studying diagrams, reading reports and watching vids on the space based aircraft carriers. They were so large they had to be built in space; the energy required to break the gravity well would have been incalculable. The Olympus was his favorite.
“I remember when she launched,” Alden finally said.
“One of the pinnacles of modern civilization,” she said quietly. “It’s the most destructive force known to man.”
“Unless you consider a nuclear bomb,” Alden retorted.
“Those relics? Besides the fact that they don’t exist anymore, what’s the worst they could do—destroy a city? That thing…” She pointed out the window. “…could decimate an entire country. The Olympus could erase civilizations...”
It seemed as if she was genuinely concerned, or scared, of these battleships. Wouldn’t a smuggler have just considered them an occupational hazard? Of course, whaling ship captains had to consider breaches an occupational hazard, but people still died. It was probably smart to have a healthy fear of the dangers present in your work. But maybe that was how you stayed alive; treating something with the fear and respect it deserved.
It was fear that originally led to the creation of the Three Nations. He remembered the lesson well. At one time there had been hundreds of different countries, each with their own unique identity. As the world’s oil supply had dropped, entire regions were thrown into chaos. Individual nations merged together in order to form larger and more powerful entities. It was argued the trend really started with the American colonies, but it didn’t pick up momentum until the Euro Zone was established.
Panicking at the loss of influence, the Arab League and African Union quickly followed suit. Only they didn’t stop. In 2024 they united their populations and established the first of the Three Nations, the United Islamic Empire. As the European Union and United States strengthened
their bonds, so too did the Russians and Chinese. They expanded upon their 2001 Sino-Russian treaty of friendship and launched an economic community. In 2043 they completed the integration, and the second nation was born; the Sino-Russian Federation.
The United States and European Union established a common currency a year later, but it would be almost a decade before they completed their union. In 2050, the Alliance of Democratic Nations came into existence. It was the third and final nation. The rest of the world saw the direction of the future and didn’t want to be left behind. It didn’t take long until every country had joined one of the three super nations. Some of the connections came from a shared history, or close geographical proximity; but most made their decisions based on religious affiliations.
Humanity found itself balanced once again. He remembered his teacher pulling up a holographic map of Eastern Europe. It was now the demilitarized zone between the Federation and Alliance. The biggest oil reserve ever discovered also happened to be the last. It sat beneath the Baltic Sea, directly between the two nations. Every major international organization had been disbanded decades earlier, and no objective institution existed to whom they could make their claim. The invasion of Helsinki occurred in the fall of 2085.
The Alliance had been caught totally off guard. As the world geared up for the final war of mankind, every major religion came together and ordered the end of hostilities. They formed the Council, and worked as an unbiased party to negotiate a sustained peace treaty. They filled the void vacated by the previous international bodies. Energy had been the prime motivator for the invasion. They offered a novel solution. Mine the moon for helium-3. It was a non-radioactive helium isotope that would provide every nation with the energy they needed.
Despite these agreements, it didn’t take long for hostilities to emerge along the borders between nations. It became apparent to everyone that treaties alone weren’t enough. The Council would need military might in order to defend what they’d worked so hard to create. The Alliance had been a long time supporter of the Council, so they handed over the I.E.P. or Inner-Solar Enforcement and Pacification unit. The other two nations matched the troop and equipment donations to make sure no one nation received favorable attention. It was from this elite IEP unit that the Angele Dei ultimately came from.
Alden stared out the window at the Columbus. It was the same year the Alliance had launched the Testament. The first of the Pacific class Battlecarriers. If it had been operational before the invasion, would the Federation still have attacked? Sometimes strength was strength.
As his thoughts returned to the cabin, he realized that someone was watching them. He attempted a casual yawn and pretended to look for the bathroom. At the front of the cabin one of the supervisors was speaking with a waitress, but staring at him. The manager’s bald head had an almost reflective quality. He was short, his suit was firmly pressed; no buttons were out of place. His entire demeanor was intense. As Alden took another look, the man diverted his gaze.
“So what do you think?”
“Sorry, what were you saying?” Turning to Kira he had to catch his breath; she was so beautiful.
“I was asking who you thought would win if the Three Nations went to war.”
“Why are you thinking about that?”
“Well, we did just pass within a few hundred kilometers of a ship built to destroy nations. One that carries seven thousand guns, five hundred fighter jets, three hundred heavy cannons and a rail gun that could punch a hole through a carrier.”
“You don’t have to remind me of the firepower. If the Three Nations ever went to war I’d be in the middle of it.”
“If that was the case, what side would you fight for?”
Alden shrugged, glancing at the manager once more. “The Council fights to protect the treaty, not any one nation. I’m sure we’d support whichever nation was wronged.”
“Do you review the treaty and decide who was wrong?”
“Well no, but the Council leaders do, and I trust their judgment. At the end of the day, I do what I’m told to do. I’m a soldier, not a politician.”
“Doesn’t that bother you? Being forced to put your life on the line without knowing if you’re even fighting on the right side?”
“I know I’m fighting on the right side. I don’t really want to talk about this anymore. I’m going to go stretch my legs.” Releasing the restraint button, he stood up and moved away. His steps felt lighter and it took a bit to gain traction, but with each step he grew more accustomed to the limited gravity. Thankfully they had a grav-matter engine, otherwise he’d be floating down the aisles right now.
I wonder how they would have designed the cabin if walking weren’t an option. Rails, tubes, private chambers? Currently the cabin was long and cylindrical. The tan interior was lit from above. Rows of seats stretched out on either side. Despite having space for two hundred people, there could have only been fifty occupied spots. Towards the back a lone bartender washed glasses and minded his counter space.
Beyond their seats at the head of the jet was the observation deck. Windows stretched 180 degrees. In the first century of flight there had actually been people up there. With the rapid advancement of computers, that seemed silly. He wouldn’t trust another person driving his car, let alone flying him to space. Computers were just so much…safer.
A set of stairs descended to his left. Alden went to the lower cabin. He was almost at the bottom when he realized that the entire area was filled with soldiers! Stupid, he should have known. At least a hundred of them sat around chatting amongst each other.
Pressing his body against the wall, he attempted to remain out of sight. Suddenly the overhead lights dimmed. Had they seen him? The familiar glow of a holographic communication came to life. Chancing discovery, Alden peered around the corner to see more. Every soldier was staring at the front of the ship at the same hologram. He appeared to be a general, and his chest was covered in medals.
“Now that we’ve safely passed out of Earth’s atmosphere I’m going to explain your mission. You’ll be traveling to New Tranquility in order to provide support to the platoons stationed there.”
A quiet cheer erupted amongst the soldiers.
“There is nothing to celebrate!” the voice snapped. “I know what the advertisements show at home, but New Tranquility is no longer the pleasure capitol of the lunar surface. The sports, gambling, spas and high end shopping that you’re picturing no longer exist. People are scared and the local population needs us. They are disenfranchised by the fear of war, revolt and death brought down on them by the lunar terrorists.”
“These foreign fighters have been increasing their attacks and the visibility of their targets. The local forces are severely outnumbered; they’re being ground down. Your primary mission is to assist in maintaining the peace. You will also conduct counter-terrorism operations, street sweeps, interrogation, riot suppression and intelligence gathering.”
Alden rested his head against the wall behind him. In what seemed like another life now, he would have been the one leading these men into battle. Now he was hiding like a coward.
The holographic figure continued, “The most fatal mistake you could make is taking this operation lightly. Be alert at all times, travel in teams, check in regularly, and be wary of the locals. Attempt to gain their trust, as they will have the most direct line to the heart of this terrorist network. But do not go out of your way for them, because they would not do the same for you. It’s liable to get you killed. Remember everything you learned in training and you’ll be home before you know it.
“During this flight prepare your wills, and write any letters you would like sent to your family in the event of your unlikely death. You are currently surrounded by your countrymen, but you may come in contact with members from the other two nations while serving on the moon.”
An audible groan rose from the group.
“Stop it! Up here you are all on the same side. Everybody needs their
helium-3 distribution. If we don’t work together, we fail together. What will you do when you return home and H-3 rationing has been cut even further? Suck it up and remember that your nation has asked you to serve and keep this alliance safe. Each and every one of you is now an ambassador for the Alliance. What you do could affect billions of people. Do your best to work with the other two nations while you’re on the moon. It’s not just an order, but it’s possible your life depends on it. Now, make your nation and country proud by kicking some terrorist ass!”
A cheer went out among the group and then the hologram disappeared.
The soldiers began to discuss everything they had just learned. Alden didn’t want to be discovered listening in on classified intelligence. He returned to the passenger cabin. Alden could see the back of Kira’s head and he walked past several empty rows as he returned to his seat. She had been typing on her wrist deck but stopped the moment he slipped into his seat.
“What are you doing?” Alden asked.
“Nothing.” She turned the device off. “Where have you been?”
Alden shrugged. “Just went for a walk. The manager up ahead is making me nervous.”
“Why?” She lifted herself up slightly to see over the seats.
“He hasn’t said anything to you, has he?”
“No one has.”
“Is it possible that he knows who we are?”
“Doubtful, unless your photo is making the rounds through the Alliance database. Could they have gotten a picture of you last night?”
“I don’t think so. There was too much going on and it was really dark.” The man now stood next to the forward bulkhead staring at him. Alden suddenly realized that his every move was being watched.
He stood and took Kira’s hand, helping her out of her seat. “Let’s go to the back observation deck, we need someplace quiet.”
“No, I’ve seen several people walk back there. However, no one has gone up to the front observation deck.”
“Are you crazy,” Alden whispered. “We’ll walk right past him.”
The Last Revolution Page 12