by David Aries
A certain sensation jolted my instincts. I stared at the top of the metal, tiered cake that housed the upper layers of the garden. “Wait.”
“Sweetie?” Akko said.
“We’re not alone.”
“Your observational skills prove most impressive once again, Child of Earth,” said a voice that did not belong to our group.
Its owner descended from where I’d detected his presence without using the stairs. In fact, it was only as he floated—yes, floated—down from above that I realized there weren’t any.
Why bother with stairs when you don’t need them?
Our host certainly didn’t. The way he drifted down bore no similarity to how Sylvetty glided with her gorgeous silvers wings. He proved as such when he stopped still, hovering within sight yet out of reach.
I goggled, but not because he was pulling off a trick that would make any magician proud. I’d been in space long enough to expect something like a floating alien. What I hadn’t been banking on was him being so… small.
For a moment, I thought we’d been greeted by a child. The alien was no taller than a ten-year old, yet the aura around his person didn’t scream ‘youth’. Even if you ignored the wrinkles making his pasty blue face look like a prune, he had a presence about him that far outscaled his unassuming build.
Two big black eyes looked down on us in multiple fashions, sitting between dot nostrils and a huge bulbous head with a faintly transparent quality.
It was like someone had squeezed a brain into a tinted light bulb.
“Who the feck is that?” Sylvetty said.
“Something tells me he’s the head honcho: the guy who blew up Ulium,” I replied.
She jolted. “Dinnae pull me wing! This little guy?”
“Don’t let his size fool you,” Trez said. “He’s a ciro.”
“Why does that name ring a bell?” I asked.
“Remember the mining bot? Ciro tech. The woodcutter too. Even the sentinels.” She clicked her tongue. “Guess this explains it.”
To her, maybe. I was still dealing with a noun.
Vay snarled at our hovering host while flashing her fangs.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, glancing back at her.
“Ciros and xioths really don’t get along,” Akko explained. “The ciros tend to view xioths as barbarians, while the xioths see ciros as snobs.”
“That’s what happens when one race idolizes power and the other knowledge, yes?” Casella said.
“It’s not that… just that,” Vay replied, glaring gaze refusing to leave the pint-sized floater alone. “This ciro… I’m sure I know him.”
“Huh?” I said.
“Yes, I’m certain of it,” Vay said, taking a step forward. “You are High Councillor Waltgomery, are you not?”
“Wh—”
“What?!” Trez, Faris, Akko, and even Casella said with an energy that eclipsed my weak confusion.
Sylvetty flinched at their reaction. “The feck was that for?!”
“A-a high councillor,” Akko said. “T-they’re the most important people in the universe.”
“Seriously?” I replied, eyes wandering to and from Mr Important.
“Every planet in the Alliance of Civilized Worlds is represented by a councillor,” Faris explained. “A high councillor is a step above that.”
“There’s only, like, twenty of them, and they get more of a say about how the universe’s run than anyone,” Trez added.
I gawped. In a matter of moments, our host had gone from a potential child into being one of space’s ruling forces.
Faris stared at Vay. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah,” Akko said. “I don’t mean to insult you, but you never exactly struck me as the political type.”
“Political, me?” Vay scoffed. “I couldn’t care less about the comings and going of out-of-touch blaggards… with the exception of a patronizing ciro councillor who always feels the need to brand our federation barbaric at every turn.”
“And I stand by my claims,” the ciro said. “Glorifying the pursuit of strength over knowledge will do nothing but harm the universe’s continued development.”
I jumped in my skin. “So you’re really—”
“I will not deny my identity,” he said. “I am indeed High Councillor Waltgomery, 11th Chair of the Alliance’s High Council, Representative of the Ciro Race.”
My mouth fell open. It didn’t need to be in the civilized bubble to know this was quite the shocking revelation.
The guy behind this is one of the most important people in the universe?
That’s… actually, does that even matter?
It wasn’t like I knew the guy or that it was going to change how I approached this. After all, this wasn’t some mystery novel where the aim was to reveal the culprit. Our goal was to escape. It just so happened going through this guy was the way to make that happen.
He must know that.
I’m surprised he’s showing his face.
Hadn’t he realized the position he was in? We outnumbered him eight to one and were well prepared to fight. My mates were armed with pistols that could hit him with ease. Hell, I could probably jump up and get him with my axe, yet he hovered there without a care.
Is there something I’m not seeing?
“Harm the development of the universe?” Vay mocked, aiming her butchered sword at Waltgomery. “The one who will be is harmed is you if you stand in our way.”
“Must you respond to everything with savagery, Child of the Urona Station?” Waltgomery replied.
“If you’re not prepared to fight, then don’t step into the ring.”
“This is no ring—this is my private sanctuary. You have no business here.”
“Guess again,” I said as I got my axe ready.
“There is no need for violence,” Waltgomery said, more a statement than an attempt to grovel.
He didn’t even retreat.
“Sure, that’s real convincing from a guy who tried to blow us up, twice, between bouts of robot attacks,” I replied while preparing to jump.
“I did what was necessary to protect the experiment.”
Sylvetty groaned. “He’s talking about some fecking experiment again…”
“It’s why we’re all here, after all. I’m sure even the uncivilized among you have heard about the Great Robot Uprising, the period in history where the universe was almost destroyed by advanced artificial life.”
“If you’re trying to bamboozle us, don’t bother,” I said.
“I believe I’m doing quite the opposite; I’m allowing you to realize the nobility of my cause. Even though more than a century has passed since the uprising was quashed, many experts fear a repeat is all but inevitable with technology taking such a central role in our lives. How are we to ever fully destroy an enemy we cannot live without? That is the question Project Revert hopes to solve.”
“Project Revert?” I said, glancing at DD.
“Beep boop,” she replied. “I am afraid I have no knowledge of that name, Master Brandon.”
“There was no reason for you to know. It had no bearing on the task expected of you,” Waltgomery said. “A task you failed.”
She curtsied. “My most sincere apologies, Master Waltgomery.”
“Hey, don’t drift off on a tangent,” Trez said. “What’s Project Revert?”
“It’s how it sounds,” Waltgomery explained, “an attempt to discover whether or not civilized life would be able to adapt to living without the essentials to which it had come accustomed—to revert to a time before it was dependent on technology, if you will.”
Casella tilted her head. “Huh?”
“Basically, he decided to dump a bunch of people on a planet without any tech to see how they’d get on,” I said. “Right?”
“I suppose that’s one way to put it,” Waltgomery replied. “I would say it was an opportunity to see whether or not subjects could thrive without the modern conveniences t
hey’d become reliant upon.”
“Subjects? I think you mean prisoners.”
“I had little choice but to utilize such methods. Using participants aware of the experiment, or simply that I was expecting something of them, would skew the results. The only way I could get the information I desired was to bring in those ignorant that they were being tested.”
“And that makes it okay?!” I snapped.
Faris growled. “You’re diabolical…”
“He’s a total whack job, alright,” Trez said. “The thing is, though, I can at least get why you abducted us, even if it’s as scummy as shit… but what’s the deal with the planet? What’s that gotta do with sticking it to the androids?”
“An excellent question, Child of Free Bevis,” Waltgomery replied. “I constructed this test site for two significant reasons: it allowed me to see how subjects would cope across a variety of settings within one experiment while also creating a habitat unfamiliar to all. By combining foliage and wildlife from a variety of planets, I lessened the odds of certain races performing more favorably than others due to their improved knowledge of included environments, effectively leveling the playing field. That way, there was less chance of my finding beings skewed by undesired variables.”
“You call giving people a fighting chance ‘undesirable’?” I said, unable to believe what I was hearing. However Walt tried to dress it up, he was confessing making this whole experiment harder to reduce the odds of anyone surviving too easily. “Do you know how many people have died because of you?! So many lives lost… all because you wanted to see how we’d cope!”
“This experiment has the capability to protect the longevity of the universe. Everything I am doing has the potential to save millions, upon billions, of lives. While even a single life lost is a tragedy, it’s also a necessary step toward saving civilization from destruction.”
This time, I couldn’t speak at all; my mouth was open but nothing came out.
What sickening madness.
“Ya fecking demon!” Sylvetty snapped. “I saw people butchered before my eyes, and I’m supposed to believe that’s okay because of some haver?!”
“Countless herixes died because of your scheme,” Faris snarled, showing her fangs.
“And, I repeat, I am sorry about your losses,” Waltgomery said. “You may think me heartless, but I care deeply about you all and everyone else who has taken part in this experiment.”
“Bullshit,” I said.
“I have no desire to see you dead; that is why I offered you freedom when we last spoke. If at all possible, I would like you to consider that deal anew so we may resolve this conflict in a peaceful manner.”
I flinched. “Are you joking?!”
“You have been outstanding subjects who have given us a considerable amount of data. It seems fair to reward you for what you have contributed by allowing you to leave.”
“After we give up The Core and let you wipe our minds?”
“This experiment must remain a secret.”
“What a surprise,” Trez said. “You don’t think the universe is ready to hear about how you’re kidnapping people and making them fight to survive in this shithole.”
“Not everyone is understanding; not everyone can see the greater good.”
“Oh, shut it!” I said. “Stop talking like you’re some noble hero. All you’ve done is sat and watched while we put our lives on the line. I mean… look at this place!” I threw my arms out. “You’ve even got yourself a lovely garden to watch from. Where do you get off talking about ‘the greater good’ when you’ve sacrificed fuck all? I’ve had to fight, had to kill, just to make it here. I’ve been stabbed, bit, beaten, poisoned, drowned… yet that’s supposed to be okay because you got some good data?!”
“That was not my intention, Child of Earth—”
“And knock off that ‘Child’ crap. It’s like you’re trying to piss me off.”
“What did I tell you? Patronizing,” Vay said.
“So I’ve noticed. He’s been looking at us like we’re peasants this entire time. Bet he had loads of fun watching us commoners struggle. It wouldn’t shock me if that was the real truth behind this so-called ‘experiment’.”
“What?” Waltgomery said.
I snorted, lips curling into a smirk. “DD’s already told us about your private broadcasts. You’ve got to wonder who else is tuning in. Scientists, maybe? Or how about a bunch of condescending VIPs looking for a good show?”
“Preposterous.”
“I don’t know, I could totally see it: you and your snooty friends sitting in your own personal satellites, entertaining yourselves watching your inferiors suffer.”
“Me too,” Casella said.
“There were quite a lot of moons,” Trez added. “Perfect for a full house.”
“Did you forget my disgust toward the barbaric showcase that is the Cosmic Fighting Federation?” Waltgomery said. “I have no interest in bloodsport.”
“Unless you can justify it as being an experiment, right?” I replied.
“Now that I think about it,” Trez said, “it’s pretty funny how everyone tuned in to the same streams. Shouldn’t everyone have spread themselves to get all the data they could?”
“Cease with your baseless accusations,” Waltgomery demanded, the composure he’d done his best to maintain starting to slip. “This is a serious experiment that can shift the fabric of the universe.”
“Oh? Is it really?” I said. “An experiment to see how easily we’ll be able to adapt to a life without technology? Funny, because you seem more hooked on it than any of us. When you had a problem, who did you send? Oh, here come the robots to clean everything up. Not to mention who you had overseeing The Core. An android. Let me repeat that: an android. Aren’t they what you’re trying to eliminate? No offence, DD.”
“None taken, Master Brandon,” DD said, curtsying.
“You want us to believe you’re dedicated to ending the android threat while also being happy to build one? Does that seem screwed up to anyone but me?”
“It does seem rather fishy,” Akko said.
“More than just fishy,” Faris said. “It’s the exact opposite of what he claims to be against.”
“I understand your confusion,” Waltgomery said, “but, sometimes, sacrifices need to be made in the name of research. I did whatever I judged was necessary.”
“You mean whatever was convenient,” I retorted. “You could have holed up in The Core yourself, but you were happier building an android to do it while you watched from your ivory tower.”
Trez gasped. “A hypocritical politician?! Say it ain’t so.”
“As expected from a snob who dares talk down about my profession while sending others to their death,” Vay said.
“I’ve had enough of this insolence,” Waltgomery said, any and all pleasantries gone from his harsh voice. “If you don’t believe my motives, that’s up to you. My offer stands. Surrender yourselves, now, or do not hold me responsible for what happens.” His transparent dome started to glow.
My head throbbed. I winced, holding it as an image surged to the forefront of my mind.
I saw my girls… dead. Each of them laid bloody and beaten, bodies strewn around the garden.
W-what—
“What is this?!” Akko squeaked while clutching her head.
It wasn’t just her; all my mates were doing so.
“No,” Casella squeaked. “This can’t be…”
“Take a good look,” Waltgomery said. “Such is the price disobedience will cost.”
My heart tightened. That couldn’t be the truth. My girls were… they were going to…
“Don’t let him fool you,” Trez said through a grimace. “He ain’t a precog. If he was, you think we’d have gotten here in the first place?”
“It’s just an illusion?” Sylvetty asked.
“I don’t require future sight to know what will occur if you resist,” Waltgomery said. “Th
is is your last chance to surrender.”
The image was so clear it was like a scene burned into my eyelids. I clenched my jaw as I looked through Walt’s trick, right at the runt himself. “Are you really expecting us to accept? Sure, I’d been planning on doing so back at The Core… but now? No chance.” I crouched low and squeezed my axe. “You’re not getting away with this. It’s time you pay for your crimes!” With a roar, I shot up like a rocket and struck Waltgomery.
On his shield.
It bounced me back like a flipper in a pinball machine. The only reason I ended up on my feet rather than my back was due to my zerrin-gifted reflexes.
“What was that?” I said, staring upward.
A spherical shield hovered around Waltgomery, protecting him from every angle.
Where did that come from?
As far as I could see, he wasn’t wearing a shield generator, nor did that barrier look like the one strapped to my arm. It was more like a glass bubble.
“Did you think I was arrogant enough to face you unprotected?” he said.
“What the feck is going on?” Sylvetty asked.
“He’s a ciro,” Trez explained. “There ain’t a race in the universe with stronger psychic powers. How did you think he was levitating?”
“Never mind pushing images into our heads,” Faris said.
Sylvetty threw her hands up. “How the feck am I supposed to know what’s normal for you demon, alien… whatevers?!”
“Don’t mistake me for a simple ciro: I am High Councillor Waltgomery, 11th Chair of the Alliance’s High Council, Representative of the Ciro Race. My abilities are unmatched.” His glowing head brightened, summoning ten metal, baseball-sized spheres that floated from the upper layer to around his shield like moons to a planet. “If you refuse to accept my proposal like civilized beings, I have no choice but to respond with force.”
Akko gulped, backing away. “I-is this for real?”
Vay chuckled under her breath. “So, the little councillor wants to fight? Interesting. Very interesting!”
“Beep boop,” DD said, curtsying. “I have encrypted access to the entrance. There should be no need to fear any robot reinforcements.”
“Music to my ears,” I said before I pointed my axe at our floating captor. “Get ready, you bastard. I’m about to make good on my claim.”