Reddened Wasteland

by Kyle Perkins

  “Yeah, talk about stress,” she sighed, “That is why I have been training so hard, and reading everything I can get my hands on. I want to be ready for anything that might come my way. I am already a better person than when I arrived.”

  “Glad to hear it,” he paused and a serious look washed over his features. “And what if Alerik stands in your way?” he asked, carefully scanning her face.

  It wasn’t the first time that scenario had crossed her mind. The more involved with The Union he became, the more it worried her that he had succumbed to their manipulation. It was one of the reasons she hadn’t made any attempts to reach out to him. “I love him, and I’d do anything for the Alerik I knew… But if he gets in the way of this, he isn’t the man I love. If he tries to stop me, I will have to put him down. This is bigger than him, this is bigger than me. This is the future of humanity. If we lose here, The Union will never allow even the chance of another uprising. Even tighter restrictions will be placed on the people. It would be an even worse place to live, if that is imaginable. We only have one chance at this, and nothing will stop me.”

  “I think you are finally ready,” Thorin said with a smile.

  “Ready?” She asked.

  “Ready for a surprise that I have been meaning to give you since the moment I met you,” he snatched her hand again and stood from the table.

  “Oh, I like surprises!” she said as she stayed close beside Thorin. He walked over to the cook and whispered something in the man’s ear. She couldn’t hear what was said, but the cook immediately darted off. She wondered what that was all about, but didn’t question it. Thorin always had people running around the place doing things for him.

  They left the dining hall and walked together for a while. She started to wonder if he was taking her in circles, like he was deliberately stalling. Finally, after what felt like a half-hour stroll, the two reached the set of doors that led to where she first saw Thorin, the room with fire all over the place.

  When he pushed the doors open, she gasped at the sight, temporarily stunned and incredibly confused. Everyone from within The Forge was standing in their armor, all in formation. The same row of lanterns from her first day at The Forge were lit, illuminating the walkway that stretched through the room towards a raised platform. Thorin led her through a path created by the people who had parted to make way for their leader. The people would kneel as Thorin and Velar passed. She still had no understanding of what was happening, so she just followed Thorin’s lead. Finally, they stepped onto the platform and Thorin turned to address the crowd.

  “Thank you all for gathering here so quickly,” he said as he looked over the room, “We have been at this for a very long time. Most of us, our entire lives. We knew that one day, there would be a war with The Union. We have even looked forward to it. All of our hard work and training has led us to now, and in a couple of weeks, we will take the fight to their front door. The burden of change sits on all of our shoulders, and preparations are nearly complete.

  “I want everyone to take the next couple of weeks to say goodbye to loved ones within our group. Many of us will die in battle, but it’s a sacrifice we are obligated to make, in order to ensure a better future for our species,” he said before gesturing towards Velar. “Many of you know Velar, but there are still those of you who do not. She is our key to winning this, and I would like to bestow upon her the highest honor possible, for her bravery in taking on such a dangerous, but crucial, task,” he said as a man wheeling a large metal box made his way through the crowd.

  Velar looked at the crowd and tried to smile, but her face was numb from anxiety so she really wasn’t sure what kind of expression she produced. She wondered what Thorin had up his sleeve. If she weren’t so focused on remaining upright, she would’ve been pissed at him for keeping her in the dark about whatever this was. She felt awkward and all eyes were on her. Was she supposed to say something? She had no idea. She took a small bow, hoping that was appropriate. No one gave her any funny looks so that was a good sign.

  As the box was pulled onto the platform, Thorin opened the top and pulled out a set of black armor. It was a matte black, and didn’t shine in the light. It was built specifically for her tiny body, she could tell. It didn’t look like the shiny sets of silver armor that the others wore. It had an emblem of a hammer on the chest and the helmet had a tiny slit for her eyes.

  “This is a specialty armor made just for you, Velar. It is customized for stealth. It will not clink and clank like the bulkier armors you are used to seeing. This armor is completely different and won’t even reflect light. You will be a living shadow,” he said as he reached into the box again.

  Velar stood there, admiring the armor in disbelief. She couldn’t believe she was actually going to be wearing her very own, beautiful set of custom armor. “Probably dying in it,” a sobering thought snuck its way in. Before she could follow that trail of thought, her attention was snapped back to Thorin. He retrieved a sword from the box, and as he held it up, the crowd gasped. Velar wondered what all of the fuss was about, but she didn’t say a word as Thorin presented it.

  “This is Liberty’s Razor. It is a sword that has been passed down from leader to leader since the beginning of our time here on Mars. It is razor sharp and only half the width of a normal sword. It will slice straight through armor and other swords. You will need every advantage we can give you in order for you to be successful,” he said, handing her the sword.

  “Thorin, I can’t accept this!” she finally found her words.

  “We only succeed if you succeed, Velar. We are all counting on you, and you alone,” he said, clasping his hands behind his back so she couldn’t hand the sword back.

  The crowd began clapping and cheering as Velar looked over the sword in complete wonder. Thorin smiled over at her and grabbed her free hand, lifting it high in the air as the crowd erupted into even louder cheers and clapping.

  Velar had never felt so important in all of her life.

  As the crowd cheered on, the man who had wheeled the metal box in collected the armor and sword so she wouldn’t have to carry them through the crowd. Then both Thorin and Velar stepped down from the platform to make their way out of the room. People approached her and shook her hand, congratulating her as she meandered through the crowd. After an eternity of handshakes and shoulder claps, they had finally reached the exit. Both Thorin and Velar turned and gave one final bow before they left.

  “That was insane! I wish you would have warned me!” she laughed, as the door closed behind her. She was breathless, floating on an adrenaline high.

  “Well, you did say that you liked surprises.”

  “I don’t know what to say, Thorin, except… thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for me and all of these people here.”

  “Why don’t we go back to my quarters? Have a drink, celebrate? Maybe listen to a bit of music?” he asked with a grin.

  “I’d love to,” she grinned back. She was the one who grabbed his hand this time.

  He led the way, down the hall and to a door that was unlike the others. It was a big, solid steel door with a hammer etched into it. He opened it to reveal a room full of weapons, armor and various books. It was a room very fitting for Thorin.

  Velar let go of his hand to sit on the bed while he walked over to turn on the radio. Old music from forgotten times on Earth filled the air as Thorin turned back to Velar. “So, a drink?” He asked.

  “Please,” she said, as she laid back and stretched out on the bed.

  After a moment, he was beside her with a pair of drinks. He handed her one as he sat on the bed beside her. “So, you handled the spotlight well,” he smiled.

  “I adapt quickly,” she laughed as she sipped her drink.

  “That you do Velar… That you do,” he said before he tossed back the liquid with one gulp, then laid back next to her.

  Velar laid there silently for a few moments, her mind still swimming from all that had just ha
ppened, when Thorin suddenly sat up and looked at her.

  “Velar… You do know that I care about you, right?” he asked, looking in her eyes with an intensity that both concerned and excited her.

  “Yeah, you seem to care about everyone in the settlement. I admire that about you,” she smiled.

  “No… I mean, I really care about you. Your progress has been remarkable. You’re absolutely beautiful, and so intelligent that it is intimidating at times,” he said.

  “You’re intimidated by me?” she frowned, she had not expected that. “If anything, I have been completely intimidated by you. You are so successful and such an inspiring leader. It just seems so effortless when you do it, you lead with such confidence and charm. These men follow you for a reason, the same reason I do. You are special, Thorin.”

  “So are you. I have never been so enamored by anyone…” he whispered, still looking into her eyes.

  “Well, you know that I have been very enamored by someone, before… But with you, it’s different.”

  “Alerik?” He asked with a frown.

  “Yes, and I still love him. I won’t deny that. But, I definitely have very strong feelings for you. There is no doubt about that, and I can’t deny it any more than I can deny my feelings for Alerik. It’s difficult to manage. It doesn’t help that you are absolutely gorgeous, on top of all that. It’s enough to drive a girl crazy,” she let out an exasperated laugh.

  “Well, you’re not so bad yourself,” he actually blushed. It looked great on him. “I don’t want to sound harsh, but you should be prepared. Alerik probably isn’t the same person you once knew. The Union has a knack for changing a man,” he sounded sincere.

  “I know… it is a thought that I have been battling with, daily. He probably doesn’t even think about me anymore. Not to mention that new partner of his who, by all accounts, is beautiful,” she frowned.

  “Sometimes life throws a wrench in things. You two are on completely different paths, now,” he said as he put his hand on her thigh and began rubbing it gently.

  “We could also die very soon…” she breathed, her heart suddenly pounding, as she put her hand on his.

  “…and nobody wants to die with regrets,” he finished her sentence and leaned in towards her as he lifted his other hand to the back of her head and weaved his fingers in her hair.

  “I know I don’t,” she leaned in as well, biting her bottom lip. She was intoxicated by his eyes, a longing reflected in them that matched her own.

  “Then let’s make sure we have nothing to regret when our time comes,” he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.

  The feather-light sensation electrified her and effectively shoved all her hesitation and guilt to the back of her mind. Those feelings were buried, silenced to be dealt with at a later time. She placed her hand on the side of his face, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. And that, he did. Their tongues slid against one another, their kissing grew more intense with each passing moment. His fingers traveled up her shirt, caressing the soft skin of her stomach. She pushed him over and climbed on top of him, sliding her shirt off over her head. As he admired her body, she leaned down and planted kisses along his perfect jawline. His hands traveled up her back and had just reached the clasp of her bra when the music was suddenly interrupted.

  “WE REGRET TO INFORM THE CITIZENS OF LIBERTY THAT OUR HERO, ALERIK JACOBS, WAS TRIED FOR TREASON EARLIER THIS MORNING. HE WAS FOUND GUILTY. IT WAS REVEALED THAT HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE UNION WAS ALL A RUSE AND PART OF A PLAN TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. HE IS SET TO BE EXECUTED TOMORROW MORNING.”

  The announcement cut off and the radio went back to its regular programming.

  A wave of guilt washed over Velar as she listened to the announcement. She hopped off of Thorin and ran to the radio, using the stand it was resting on to hold herself up as her body was wracked with sobs.

  “Alerik, I’m so sorry…” she said to no one in particular, as Thorin sat on the bed in silence.

  Chapter Seven

  Alerik awoke to the sound of footsteps. He sat up, looking around the room he was in. It was familiar, from what he could tell, but his sight was blurry from the shot he took to the head. After a few moments, his vision came back into focus and confirmed that he was in one of the cells he had visited earlier on behalf of The Union. He quickly rose to his feet and realized Lucius was with him, sitting in the corner and staring off with a goofy smile.

  “How long have we been here?” Alerik said.

  “Six hours and thirty-seven minutes. We have been found guilty of treason. They should be sending someone here to execute us, soon,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

  “Well that is just fantastic. So it’s all over, and this was all for nothing,” Alerik muttered as he put his head into his hands.

  “I wouldn’t say it was all for nothing, you made some new friends.”

  Alerik frowned, “How can you be so calm about this?”

  “I was never supposed to have a life to begin with. You and Saskia rescued me, and showed me another entire world that I was missing out on. I have lived more in these last few weeks, than I did in the hundreds of weeks prior to your visit.”

  “Yes, but there is so much more left to see, Lucius,” Alerik sighed, “Once we are killed, there will be no one left to warn the Children of Old. Humanity will suffer for what we did. I just wish we could have done more for them. All we did was strengthen The Union. We just made everything worse,” he rested his head against the wall.

  “Don’t look at it that way, Alerik. You did what you thought was right, and in the end, that is all that matters,” Lucius said.

  “Not when The Union gets a stronger chokehold on the people here, and all is lost,” he scoffed.

  “It’s out of our hands now. Be at peace with it. Our time here is over, but it happens to all living things, even androids. At least you won’t be recycled into another tool for The Union to use in the future,” Lucius said with his eyebrow raised.

  “Yeah, I suppose that is an upside about humans. When we are done, we’re done,” he said, staring down at the ground, “At least I will see Velar again. I guess that is something to look forward to.”.

  “That’s the spirit, my friend. Face your death with courage. From what you told me of Velar, she wouldn’t expect anything less from you,” Lucius said, just as the ceiling opened up above the prison. The same platform that they had taken before, back when they were guests and not prisoners, descended into the room. Alerik recognized a familiar voice coming from above just before the platform completed its descent.

  “It can’t be…” he was taken aback as the man came into view. It was Bragog, flanked by two elite guards.

  Bragog and his guards quickly approached the cell with their weapons drawn. “Alerik, I am so saddened to see you here. You could have done something great for The Union, and the people of Liberty. Instead, you chose to betray us. It makes me sick to see how far you have fallen,” he said, as a guard opened the glass door.

  “Ah. I see you got a promotion. Congratulations, Bragog. Truth be told, I honestly thought you were one of the only ones in The Union that actually cared about the people in the settlement. Turns out, you are a fucking worm like the rest of them,” Alerik spat on the ground in front of Bragog.

  Bragog nodded to one of his guards, who struck out with his rifle, dealing a hard blow to Alerik’s stomach. Alerik doubled over, trying to catch his breath through the pain, but the guards instantly gripped his arms and yanked him upright.

  “Face your death with some shred of dignity, Alerik, you fucking puke,” Bragog sneered before spinning on his heel and marching back to the platform.

  The guards ushered Lucius and Alerik onto the platform with the light suggestion of a gun barrel against their spines. The guards forced them to kneel as the platform ascended towards the docking area.

  “One day, you will all get yours Bragog. You, and the entire fucking Union. I may not live to see it, and you may n
ot either, but somebody is going to end. you. Once and for all,” Alerik hissed.

  “Keep talking, Alerik, and it won’t be a bullet in the head that puts your lights out. We can get really creative here in The Union, as you well know,” Bragog smiled down at him.

  Alerik eyed the pistol that was holstered on Bragog’s hip, “So, what happens to Saskia?”

  “Once she is found, she will be executed as well. She never reported in and is considered a traitor, just like you. So, you will be reunited soon,” he snickered. He must’ve noticed Alerik looking at his gun, because he switched it to his other holster in an exaggerated gesture, then glared at Alerik.

  The platform finally reached the docking area, where Alerik’s driver was waiting at the dock. Alerik frowned up at Bragog in confusion as the platform came to a halt.

  “He is here to take your friend back to the plant where he was created. Then he is to be recycled. We might repurpose him as a hundred set of handcuffs for your buddies in the mines,” Bragog barked out a laugh.

  The guards brought Alerik to his feet and marched him forward, with Bragog walking behind. They stopped at the end of the dock and, again, forced Alerik to his knees. Both guards aimed a rifle at his back.

  “Alerik Jacobs, you have been found guilty of treason. The punishment for such an act is death. Do you have any last words that you would like to go on record?” Bragog said as he unholstered his pistol.

  “Yeah, fuck you,” Alerik bit out, as he closed his eyes and thought of Velar’s beautiful face. He’d be with her soon, away from all of this. Maybe death wouldn’t be so bad. “Just get this over with.”

  Suddenly, Alerik heard two muffled shots and felt an immense pressure on the back of his head. “Strange,” he thought, “Didn’t think I would be able to hear my own death…” but then he realized he was still thinking, and he was still breathing. He wasn’t dead. Either that, or death was just some strange continuation of life.