The Futility Wars

by Magnus Thollander

  The Futility Wars

  Prologue

  Year 2190, Luna Colony

  The alarm chimed and Matthias unbuckled himself from the bed. He would not carelessly drift around in the zero-g environment which he lived in. He slowly rose toward the sink and poured himself a glass of water to take his large dose of medicine, He had a rare genetic disease that makes his bones too fragile, and he had to live in a zero-g environment constantly.

  The disease is not well understood but it's fatal, if he enters gravity his bones will shatter and his rib cage will break and frag his lungs and heart. Had never left the colony or worked a proper job ever, He had a little contact with his mother and father. Both of them lived in the gravity section, He had only on a handful of occasions in his life left his hospital room and most of them was because he had a heart attack or blood did not transfer fast enough in his system, He did not even mind dying any more he was trapped in a room with just the galactic net to keep him busy. His mother and father visited quite often, but he did not want them around to look at him with pity, They had a new son that was normal, He is just a burden and wanted to be forgotten so nobody would be sad when he inevitably passed.

  He frowned at the needle he injected into his arm that contained all the painkiller he would need to handle the pain of hitting buttons on his keyboard. He used voice commands to control his computer mostly, but he had to occasionally use his keyboard and the pain of hitting the keys were impossible to take away without painkillers. He started to feel better and glided to his kitchen and pulled out a bag labeled “Dinner” and connected it to the hot water and waited a few seconds, He pulled the lukewarm beverage then started to suck the nutritional brew down. Motioned with his hands for his television to start, and he lied back down on his bed, he stayed perfectly still and yelled out channel switches until he got to something interesting. It was his favorite show Milky Way Mysteries.

  He just watched those crazy humans trying to find a way to leave Sol in a quick enough manner that when you arrived to the nearby system you would not have missed 80 birthdays, although time really never mattered anymore because everyone chugged down an “elixir” It pretty much made you live forever as long as you kept a healthy lifestyle and drank it down every 10-15 years, depending on the organ and muscle damage. He had to drink that elixir every 6 months to keep his organs just functioning. Lucky enough he was one of the few that got it for free due to his condition, normal people had to work a year to get a drink. He had always wanted to travel across the stars and conquer the unexplored territories, but he knew if he survived the gravity of the rocket thrust, he would have to save up millions of credits just to afford all the elixirs needed to make him live, an elixir every 6 months for eternity?

  That's just not economical, He had been playing the stock market and investing he made a few thousand credits, but he could hardly spend anything since he could not leave his room, His latest luxury purchase was 8 months ago when he imported an extremely comfortable bed since he spent 20 hours a day inside it. He hated his life, it would just make him sadder to think about these things, so he kept his focus on the television admiring the scientist trying to explain that there are a possibility of a sub light speed ship, but it would kill everyone on board and shred the ship into particles due to the friction and that was what they were trying to solve with inventing energy shields. He knew that the Earth Navy probably were developing energy shields and proper laser weapons instead of kinetic ones that had been around for a thousand years.

  The Channels were by surfing by until he saw that a news alert was kept occupying every channel and it was a mandatory watch. He stopped and just waited until footage came on, it took two minutes until he saw the first picture. A giant object just entered behind the sun and the Pluto observatory just reported it's a ship and it's massive.

  He was glued to the television just like every other human in the Solar system was, this was the first known alien to reveal itself to humans. He saw the alien spaceship started to angle and turn toward Pluto. He just hoped that those people inside the Pluto observatory got a resupply ship nearby and looking at it's speed they might just make it away. The news person said it would arrive the observatory before help could arrive. He watched the television until he fell asleep in exhaustion.

  He woke up and all channels were talking about the alien while have a visual death clock on the screen that shows when it would arrive to the Pluto observatory, Less than 3 hours scientist are surprised that a space ship can travel that fast, they counted from the sun to Pluto in less than 10 hours was impressive and downright impossible, with current technology it would take years. The space ship did it in half a day was quite scary according the news reporter. Scientist and Politicians tried to send information of peace and prosperity but the message would arrive at 5-hour delay. They just hoped the people on the Pluto Observatory was going to be okay.

  Matthias did not want to fall asleep again until he knew if the aliens was peaceful or not. He stared glued at the television, the camera footage was grainy and blurry, but that's the best observatory camera we had and it was still an hour or two delay for him. He guessed the alien had already connected with Pluto before he saw it on his screen, but he needed to know and so did everyone else.

  Earth transferred their entire navy to blockade the area around Earth in case the alien tried to attack, Entire solar system was in panic and demanded Earth's Navy defend them, Earth ignore their calls and kept massing their ships around Earth. They would gather all the forces and then do a counter-attack if the alien attacked. People across the galaxy were angry to the extreme and riots broke out around any Earth embassy in every space station and planet. It was swiftly put down by the military and Earth said they would defend everyone and anyone they just needed to gather supplies and fuel before venturing out and meeting the alien at Mars, the nearest colony toward the alien.

  A crackling noise was heard from the television and an armored shell of a human appeared next to a person on Pluto inside the observatory, the man looked shaken but otherwise unharmed. “This man err... Alien is called Seeder, It's the closest translation to Earth basic. There are grave news about an enemy they call Futility. It's an endless horde of ships that travel the cosmos devouring and killing any space faring and ground based lifeforms with any kind of intellect. We on the space station have seen some videos of the scenes of battles, and we are in agreement that this alien wants to help us become stronger to help us and their people. They come in peace, I repeat they come in peace!" said the man.

  A huge silence then cheers sounded out from the news crews and people across the solar system. "Err... Seeder I mean the alien, His ship contains millions of drones and uh... Build block? Bad translation… One second. Ah yes it's similar to Mobile bases that can build more bases and drones, basically flying factories. He needs volunteers from humans to upload their being... Is that a correct translation? Oh, their consciousness into the base and help build a defense against the Futility. He comes in peace, and we have told him to travel toward the Solar Federation headquarters on Mars, where he will arrive in 2 days Mr Seeder tells me he hopes nobody attacks him, since it might just be the best chance we have to survive. My name is Nickolas Gretchen of the Earth Navy Technician Division, signing out!” the news switches back to the news room where they argue back and forth about the aliens.

  Matthias was confused like everyone else, he tells the computer to save any news clip or data packet about the aliens, so he could browse it later. Matthias went and called his dad, he waited a few moments before the signal connect “Yes?” “Dad, did you see the news about the aliens? Do you know anything, I know you probably cannot speak about it since you are a member of the Lunar Navy. But I need
to know!” said Matthias.

  “You know I can't speak about it, but I also have no new information I am on my way to the spaceship traveling to the command post, I will call you back in a few days!” his dad disconnected the call.

  Matthias was browsing the net about the aliens and only the same footage of the interview and the “speech” was available, a few people had some theories but what was the point of theories when all the leaders of Sol would meet “it” in two days. Matthias thought about the speed he needed to travel from Pluto to Mars and thought it was close to impossible but the alien did it somehow.

  He took another nutritional food container and his medicine, He almost forgot about the pain while watching intently on the television. Matthias just looked the clip over and over again until he fell asleep. Another day passed and Matthias did his thing, He had kept the TV on constantly, so he would not miss what the aliens wanted from the Solar Federation leaders, He knew it was a shorter delay from Luna to Mars thanks to the massive amount of communication relays.

  He was glued to the television when the alien was in middle of the Federation auditorium, and he was standing at the front, several marines were standing in front willing to block any alien bullets or attacks coming and several on the side to engage if anything happened. They had hoped nothing would happen since that space ship was a monster and probably packed with enough guns to frag entire earth navy.

  “I do not know your customs or culture, I do not know if you are friend or enemy, There is a common enemy of “Futility”. We cannot win this war, and we will share our technology and guidance in return for your help, our fleets of trillions of beings will travel to your galaxy, and we will resupply and rest, and when the “Futility” arrives you will fight and buy everyone time, when your Warriors are dead, your people will join us across galaxy repeat this until we are strong enough to destroy the “Futility” I need warriors to take charge of my Shells and build more Shells to make more warriors to fight and stall the enemy.” The alien spoke it was clear yet missing any sense of life or warmth.

  Everyone was stunned in the Solar Federation and everyone was looking at the President, when he stood up and said “How long do we have until the “Futility” arrives? Will this technology be shared between all humans or just those who become machines like you? How can we feel safe with people being unshackled AI's running around the galaxy? What is to say they won't turn on us humans?”

  The Alien just stood still and stared at the same position, he did not move his head when he replied “I do not know how long Futility will arrive toward this location, It depends on how long the Ortha can defend their galaxy, Technology will be shared to the Warriors who take up the task to defend this galaxy against the Futility, If they give humans technology after they become Shells then that is also acceptable, I am concerned with the Futility and my people not the Humans. All Warriors have to accept a pact that makes them unable to attack any Human or convoy race, This is our one and only fail-safe, To be a Warrior you must have a strong will, there might be warriors that lose their way and attack Humans or the convoy, but if you have will you will not succumb” people were murmuring and asking basic question about the alien races, the Alien did not reply to anything.

  “How does one become a Warrior? How do we choose who's “strong willed” or whatever that is needed to survive or even adapt to the process?" Said a councilman.

  The alien stood still for a few moments and replied "There is a procedure, the leaders of your race will assign people to become Warriors, the Warriors will make more Shells and so you can make more Warriors, cycle continues until everyone that wants to be a Warrior is a Warrior."

  People argued that it was inhumane to select people for what would be a death sentence of their mortal body. There was an agreement that it would be a volunteer system and that anyone could apply, they would select the first batch from the most trustworthy and connected people on the list, they would announce the list in 2 weeks since that's the shortest amount of time to set up the list and get all applications in.

  After the press conference the leaders of Earth announced it was inhumane, and they should not be lured into a war with some alien race they don't know anything about, It could have been a peaceful race these aliens attacked or there was a misunderstanding that could be mended with resources just if they communicated properly.

  Earth put in a motion to expel the aliens and let them handle this war themselves. It was voted down by 670-190, Earth cursed everyone out for putting entire Humanity at risk for short-term technological advancements.

  Matthias knew Earth was just scared about losing their iron grip on Humans as a whole, Their fleet would be obsolete against that new alien technology turning up after people became "Warriors".He looked at the website and signed up his name including his medical history and political affiliations. Matthias guess he would be pretty high up on the list with his disease, He was basically cheating death with this "transfer". He called his mother "Mom, I signed up for the list, I figured it might help my situation. We both know a cure is not coming anytime soon for this." he heard a sigh on the other side of the phone.

  "Matty, You know the technology from the aliens might cure you! And then you threw your life away! You should take care of yourself! I want you to unlist yourself and wait until Dad comes home to talk some sense into you!" his mom replied angrily.

  Matthias wanted to reply before his mother disconnected the call, He looked at the list and saw his name. He closed his eyes and shutoff the computer and lied down, He would wait on his fathers call and hope he could put a word in, so he guaranteed came on that list. Matthias waited until his dad called him "Son what the hell are you thinking!? Have you gone insane!? Do you even know what you signed! That's DEATH! Don't think you are going to live like some happy robot like a cartoon, you will be a soulless, unfeeling automaton!" his dad yelled.

  Matthias started to tear up, and he said "But i'll be alive Dad, I'll be able to go places. I am just waiting for my time to run out or the gravity to accidentally increase and kill me.I want to live, dad! I want to have a future, I am alive but i have never LIVED a day in my life!. I don't care if it's a robots body or a humans body! I want to experience the vastness of space, I want to see! I want to be something, I WANT TO DO SOMETHING!" Matthias cried and his Dad was stumped. His dad ended the call.

  "What did he say? Did you get him to unlist?" he heard his wife's voice behind him. He wiped the tears off his face and walked to the fridge to pulled out a beer and sat down on his couch."Well?" He paused and drank the beer in one go.

  "Get me another beer" he commanded. His wife was shocked at his attitude when she saw the tears in his face. She went and got him another beer, and she sat down next to him "He said .. He had never lived, I know he was in pain and i did everything to make his life easier.. But to say this to me... To say he never lived a day of his life. I could never see it in his face, he always smiled" he started to sob "I'm going to pull some strings and get him first on that list." he said with tears running down his face.

  "Oscar!? What are you saying! There might be technology to cure him in that ship!" she said.

  "Don't! Just don't! Don't give him any more false hope, We had said that line to him every day for years! Soon you will be able to go outside and play with your friends! Soon there will be a cure to go to school, He's 17 years old! He had never left that god-damn hospital room!, I don't think he even had a friend before!" he roared. She started to cry, and they just hugged each other to sleep.

  Matthias kept struggling between taking the name off the list and keeping it for several days until he got a call "Son, Tomorrow the alien will arrive to Luna and you will be on the list, I just called to say Goodbye and Good Luck. Little Richard would say Goodbye too, but you know he can't speak yet! Jess wanted to apologize for the way she yelled at you before, she's been too ashamed to call you back, you know how she is. Anyway tomorrow noon the alien will arrive with the "thing", It has been briefe
d on your situation and the procedure is incredible simple it's just a helmet and a computer I seen it on video and seen the process done. I just want to say we Love you in whatever form." Oscar said with obvious hesitation and regret in his voice.

  "Dad, Thank you. I'm going to go farther than anyone ever been and I'm going to do it my way. I'm going to enjoy myself out there." Matthias said with a smile. They both said Goodbye and Matthias thought about packing but felt kind of silly when he would leave his body behind. He hated his body, so he was very happy about getting rid of it in a sense, He knew this was the opportunity to travel across the endless space, Matthias uploaded all his computer files to the cloud and password locked it and put a self deletion after 12 months. He would download his computers content and then leave Sol. A life he would enjoy out there in the stars. His way, Forever.

  Chapter 1

  Matthias put on his best jumpsuit and checked the clock it was noon, and he felt a bit awkward just standing around and waiting for an alien. He wanted to open the doors and peek his head around the corner, but he knew he would snap his neck into a thousand pieces, so he just waited. He heard metal on metal and soon the Alien was outside his gravity door, the light turned green, and he opened the door slowly the alien stepped inside and said "It is a sacred duty to protect your people and you will die in this galaxy defending it, you are a hero of Milky Way. Put this cap on and transfer will begin"