Convergence: Genesis

by Flores Bermúdez, Heiner; Christina Hopkinson, Rachel;

“What the girl knows could be of interest to many people. I understand you might want to keep The Augur. I only want a moment with him.”

  “I don’t care about The Augur,” he assured, “I already told you the guy’s a fraud. The man has so many minds in his head, that he’s lost...” The Puppet Master burst into laughter before continuing: “... his sanity.”

  “The fact you’re not after The Augur makes things easier. I only need to speak with the girl. When she tells me where I can find him, I’ll leave without causing any harm.”

  The Puppet Master moved his head, and screwed up his face, emanating doubt.

  “I could help you, but...”

  “But?”

  “You know... you said it yourself earlier, Vaquero, the people around here don’t really appreciate you. There are still many who are hurting over Garet’s death. A death that you caused. I can’t just help you as if you were a friend. What would the people think?” he said, and accentuated his malevolent smile.

  Dasslak stared at him. He was certain about what would happen next, he had come prepared to pay an incentive for the information.

  “How much do you want?”

  The Puppet Master looked satisfied.

  “It’s not going to be cheap,” he warned, happy. “I have to convince my followers that I’ve done a good deal.” The Puppet Master’s face abandoned its usual smile. Now he appeared very serious, almost as if he were another person. “Many people here understand that trying to kill you could perhaps bring about more problems than we’re ready to allow ourselves at the moment. Even so, they're not going to be happy if I just agree to what you're asking for. The people could think me very weak. They must know that I got everything it was possible to get from you. They must feel that we anger you."

  Dasslak was beginning to feel uncomfortable. In spite of the fact that he never cared about the tone in which somebody spoke to him, he hated them making him waste his time, and so much circumlocution on the part of the Puppet Master was beginning to frustrate him.

  "What is it you want?"

  "What about your sword? It's as famous as you are. Would you be prepared to give it to me?"

  "The only way of getting this sword is by killing me. Do you care to try it?"

  “Oh, no, no, no! Please, I’d stand absolutely no chance. I never thought that you were just going to give me that sword. Besides, what would I do with it?"

  "You're wasting my time. Tell me what it is you want for the information."

  "Oh, Vaquero! Here I was thinking we were having a good time. I suppose it was just me... Okay then... To business. I know from a good source how much you charge for your work. Pretty expensive, I have to point out..."

  "The figure?"

  "If you're prepared to go to so much trouble to complete this assignment, it means this job is special... You must be charging more money."

  "What is the figure?"

  The Puppet Master thought about it for a few moments, and gave Dasslak the sum:

  “Two million credits will be sufficient."

  The assassin had contacted Yavar Aflir before arriving on the planet, knowing that he would need money to negotiate with the Alphas, and although the Puppet Master was asking for too much, he had to find The Auger at all costs. Even so, he was almost on the limit of his budget, and he knew that if he just accepted without protest, the Puppet Master could become greedy and try raising the price, so he feigned annoyance.

  “I can’t. It’s too much.”

  It was obvious to the assassin, and the Puppet Master and his guards smiled, pleased; they were not in the least bit interested in the money, the only thing they wanted was to make things difficult for him.

  “That is the price. You need to talk with a member of the Alphas. If you want me to allow it, you’ll have to pay the two million.”

  “So, the agreement is this... I pay, and you allow me to speak with the girl I’m looking for...? And then, you’ll allow me to leave here, without any further hindrance?”

  “Very well, everything you say,” replied the Puppet Master. “You ought to accept it, it’s a steal.”

  “It’s still a lot of money.”

  “Come on, Vaquero, it’s a fair price considering what you did in the past.”

  Dasslak waited a moment, in order to give the Puppet Master the impression that he had managed to take everything it was possible to get out of him, and answered:

  "You leave me no option. Two million then..." He said, screwing up his face, trying to display annoyance. "...We'll synchronise the accounts." Dasslak moved his hands in the air, activating a few commands in his eye device which began the transfer.

  "Excellent choice," answered the Puppet Master, pleased.

  One of the Puppet Master’s men took out an antiquated device, with a small screen, and received the data from Dasslak’s account. A few seconds later, the transfer had been completed.

  “It’s done, boss,” the man said to the Puppet Master, who smiled satisfied.

  “Very good... I will tell you who the person you’re searching for is. It’s the girl who’s looking so nervous behind you... The one who escorted you here... That’s Cora. You can take her with you ... Ah, and do me a favour, will you? When you’re finished with her... Kill her!”

  A look of sheer amazement appeared on Dasslak’s face; a strange event you didn’t see every day. Cora, the girl he had been looking for, was the very one who had accompanied him through the tower.

  The girl had been listening to the entire conversation between the Puppet Master and Dasslak without knowing what to do. She had remained seated, without saying a word, in the hope that the Puppet Master would not say who she was. And if he did, that the contract killer would only want to talk with her. But now she knew what would happen to her; the Puppet Master had signed her death warrant.

  Dasslak turned around immediately, to find that the peculiar girl was already moving. She was trying to escape as fast as she could out via the balcony in the rain.

  “Wait!” cried Dasslak.

  One second later, the girl it had cost him so much work to find, jumped from the balcony, and into the void.

  Chapter IX

  Difficult Day

  The weeks passed by, and Denn's training was coming on in leaps and bounds. The fact of being a convergence meant that his senses were more sensitive than those of any other human; a great advantage if one knew how to make use of it, and Senlar was teaching him how to.

  In spite of them training every day, they had not neglected their responsibilities in the fort; they worked tirelessly on it. Now, everybody had a small cabin where they could rest, and although it might have seemed it, it had not turned out to be simple. Now they were beginning to enjoy the peace and security of their fortification.

  The tragedy experienced, along with the hard work, had united them. They built a large eating hall where they would share dinner at nightfall, as if they were one big family. It was now a custom.

  But they were not just dedicated to setting up the place; in a Surveillance Centre, in the middle of the Fort, they monitored all the cameras that had been installed around the wall, as such keeping watch on the animals that were constantly approaching; in particular, a pack of enormous wolves that would always come during the night, surely attracted by the smell of the food.

  Fortunately, not one of the beasts had caused them any problems. Although they had ascertained that the wolves were resistant to the shots of the majority of their weapons, the walls kept them out. The large animals did not even approach the forest of tall trees, so they never had to deal directly with them. What bothered them the most was the threat posed by the flying animals; there was no way of protecting themselves from them but, curiously, and fortunately for them, they never came near the fort. They lived in the highest grounds, and when they hunted, they did so in the grasslands, where easy prey was abundant.

  Food was not a problem either; they had become experts at hunting and fishing. In addition,
the orchard where Dani worked had proven to be very productive. They cultivated everything they needed, and cared for it like one of their most valuable possessions.

  Denn passed by it every morning, on the way to his cabin, after his training with Senlar, just when everyone was getting ready to start their tasks for the day.

  That day, like so many others, Denn stopped to talk with Dani, who for some time now had been dedicated to the care of her precious orchard.

  “Good morning, Miss," greeted Denn, as he always did.

  Dani responded with a beautiful smile. She had a lot of affection for him, and it pleased her that he always came to greet her.

  "Good morning, Denn."

  "Guess what I brought you," he said to her, hiding his right hand behind his back.

  Dani, the same as on other such occasions, played along, as if she didn't know what he was hiding. She brought her hand up to her chin, and made out as if she were thinking for a few seconds.

  “Hmm! I give up!" she said with a smile. "What have you brought me?"

  Denn extended his hand, and with a slight motion, offered Dani a lovely wild flower. He always did it, trying to surprise her with a different flower each day.

  "I found it on some hills outside the forest of big trees."

  "It's beautiful...!" she said, as she breathed in its aroma. "... I'd like to go with you all one day... You know, to that hill.”

  Denn smiled at her with affection, and, leaning forward, made a gesture of gathering the leaves that Dani was finishing removing from the plants.

  “You know that it's dangerous," assured Denn, "I could never forgive myself for taking you with us if something were to happen to you."

  Dani left the watering can and sat down beside Denn.

  “I know... it’s just that...” she said, furrowing her brow.

  “What is it, Dani?”

  “We’re very well here, but... it’s as if we were prisoners.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked, surprised.

  “It’s just that we can’t leave this place... Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful for everything you’re all doing to protect us, and I understand that it’s very dangerous to go out and everything, but... How long are we going to be able to live like this? What’s going to happen when the people start to get tired? At times I wonder if we’ll have to live within these walls forever.”

  Denn was thoughtful for a bit. For a moment, he felt recriminations for not having assumed what Dani would be feeling.

  “I hadn’t thought about it... I suppose you’re right... But it’s the best we can do for now.”

  “I know... and I understand, it’s just that... I’m worried we’re going to become prisoners of our own refuge, just for the fear of what there is out there. It’s good that we take precautions; it’s good that we try to protect each other, but if we’re going to stay on this planet for the rest of our lives, we can’t live being afraid. We can’t allow fear to consume us.”

  Denn looked somewhat sad. With so much work needing to be done, he had not paused to think about the future that was awaiting them.

  “I suppose we’ll be living here for a long time... I hadn’t considered it... The people can get tired of being closed up all day within these walls.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about,” continued Dani. “... It’s not like there are many different things to do outside of these walls either, but you know...”

  “There’s a lot to do and see. If you knew the number of animals, trees, and beautiful landscapes. And that’s when we don’t even go very far when we go out to explore.”

  “It sounds wonderful,” noted Dani, and she gave him another of her beautiful smiles, one of those that Denn liked so much. “...I suppose I’m worrying over nothing... This can be a great place to live, and when we’re ready, we can go out and see all those things you talk about.”

  “We’ll be all right, I promise, I’m going to do everything possible for us to be safe, and for everyone here to feel secure.”

  Dani lightly shook her head. Without wanting to, she had worried Denn.

  “Take no notice of me, Denn. We’re fine now. I mean, look at Qein... he goes around playing with C0 and the other children. He helps in the fort, and he’s learning a lot. It’s better than anything else he’s ever done. It’s as if he’s experiencing the normal childhood he’s never been able to have before.”

  Denn began smiling once more as he thought about the boy. In spite of the things he had been through, he had been very brave.

  “It’s true, Qein is a very brave and very sweet boy. He looks very happy.”

  “Yes! That makes me very happy ... Like I’ve told you, ever since our parents died, I’ve had to look out for him, and it hasn’t been straightforward.”

  “I suppose not,” noted Denn. “You’ve never told me your whole story. This could be a good moment.”

  “Really?” said Dani, with a certain mischief. “It doesn’t seem like it to me.”

  “Well I think it does. You owe it to me in exchange for that flower.”

  Dani smiled. Perhaps his effort deserved some recompense.

  “All right, you win. But don’t complain if you find it boring... You know we’re from Toralo, right?”

  “Yes, you’ve already told me. But I don’t know much about that place.”

  “It’s a planet in the Henn system, a decent distance from the Primary Systems.”

  “And what’s it like?”

  “It’s all right... I suppose. It’s a very industrialised place in some areas. Nothing like here. Toralo is somewhat arid... you know... like the majority of planets.”

  “Well mine has a lot of green. Sure, there are too many cities with large buildings, but there are also areas with trees and vegetation. Outside of them is even more beautiful. Something like this place.”

  “I imagine so,” she said, with an expression of annoyance, “after all, you’re from a Primary System. You were lucky to have been born there. All those planets are terraformed, and their economy is very prosperous. They’re paradises to live in.”

  “I see that you know a lot,” said Denn, smiling. “And Toralo? How did your family come to be there?”

  “My grandparents arrived there in the Great Migration. At first, it was a planet that was uninhabited. In fact, there was not much of anything on it. The planet is just on the border of the inhabitable zone, but there was virtually no water. The Union decided to colonise it in 2250, when it was discovered. They constructed the first cities in less than ten years. By 2260, Toralo was ready to be inhabited; which was when it was my grandparents’ turn to be transferred. And that’s how my family got there...”

  Dani’s grandparents had been transferred, just like many people, in an event of utmost importance in the colonisation of the systems of The Galactic Union. Everything began with the overpopulation of the planet Earth, and their sad way of life.

  In 2160 there began the transferral of the excess population to Mars, a few moons, and the Primary Systems. And some time later, to Venus. By 2200, the number of earthlings living in places other than Earth was over six thousand million. The quality of life on Earth improved considerably; however, it would not be enough. As the years went by, the population of the Earth began to increase again, and once more poverty and chaos were starting to become apparent.

  By 2245, the number of people living on Earth was reaching almost thirteen thousand million. It was at that point that the second Supreme Leader decided to begin a relocation scheme that was even more massive than the previous one.

  He ordered the tasks of colonisation of the planets to be hurried up, and there was organised a selection of people that would be relocated. There were many who did not want to participate, they wanted to stay on their native planet; but for others, it meant the opportunity to start a new life, especially after The Union government promised good jobs for all. In the end, they managed to compile an enormous list of candidates, and the monumental t
ask began.

  In 2300, when the relocation project finished, the population on the Earth had gone down to four thousand million, and an enormous number of systems had been populated and colonized. The event was later known as The Great Migration.

  “...They tricked them with false promises so they could get them out of there,” continued Dani. “They got rid of the people they didn’t want, just to have the Earth to themselves.”

  “Don’t look at it like that, Dani; thanks to The Great Migration, The Union became what it is today. Besides, all those people who were sent to other places had better lives.”

  “Tell that to my grandmother," and she let out a laugh. "... She always said she had been conned. I remember how she told me that the biggest disappointment of her life was when their ship landed on Toralo,” she said, and burst out laughing once more.

  “Is it really that bad?”

  “Honestly, no, I suppose there are worse places; my grandmother always complained about everything. It might not be as green and exotic as this place, but the cities are pretty ... I think. Besides, they’re thinking about making it green. It had never been a priority, but the economy on Toralo has prospered quite a bit, and now the planet’s government can allow improvements to the place. With the technology there is now, they could transform it in twenty years. Perhaps it won’t be like this place, but it’s going to look prettier for sure.”

  “And your grandmother? What happened with her?”

  “My grandmother... After the death of my parents, Qein and I moved in with her. She was the only member of our family still alive. She was already very old, and could barely look after herself on her own. She was conservative, resolutely old-fashioned. She never wanted to receive improvements to her DNA. It seemed an atrocity to her. Her life, like that of my other grandparents, was short. She died of old age at just 133, a little over two years ago.”

  “What a shame... And, what did you both do next?”

  ‘After my grandmother died, I set to thinking about what was important. I decided that I needed to do something to ensure my brother’s future. I looked into enrolling him in a prestigious academy on the planet Earth... Can you imagine it? Earth! I saved what I could, many of my friends helped... In the end, I got them to accept him... We were heading there when the station was hijacked."