by Trabex Books
The Advent of Tomorrow
Book One
The Prince's Mutiny
(Free Preview)
By Mariel Anne Loquias
This is a work of fiction. All the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
The Prince's Mutiny
Copyright © 2013 by Mariel Anne Loquais
All rights reserved.
1. The Union
No living man could call it a small war. The war divided regions and nations; surrendered leaders of all types of races and principles; banished unity of thoughts and surge of confidence of oneself; annihilated diversity of religion and tales of history; and worse, fashioned a new earth. A war which none of the living mankind has ever fully understood. History would say that mankind has been its own enemy. From tales or accounts from books that were saved from the disastrous events, wars were always and will always be part of the evolution of the world.
But it wasn’t an ordinary fiasco. It was great! Indeed, it changed the course of history. No one foretold it would come, not even the great and most celebrated men of all times.
People now are living so differently.
They abide to one rule. There are no whites or blacks or browns. No more several governments. There is only one supreme voice that is fated to be heard and followed—the Union.
The Union governs the people of the new earth. It is comprised of Ministers from states which vowed through a peace treaty to submit their sovereignty to one ruler—the Prime Minister.
The hundred year war that stemmed from the far east and provoked by the former superpowers soon found its end. The Prime Minister found no excuse to lengthen the agony of his people, and his government implements every decision he makes for the good will of everyone. A hundred and fifty years ago, the world was divided geopolitically into seven large regions—the continents. And in each continent were countries with their own governing system and economy. But the people back then lived in a state of unrest. Everyone aimed to achieve greatness without minding those below them. The world economy lost stability due to expensive long-term funding for the war. Years and years went by until the children of the warring forerunners realized the latter’s mistake, and a new leadership was born to give freedom to all who were oppressed. The war was indeed a harrowing memory; nobody ever hoped of seeing it again. The Union existed to protect its interests and the interests of the people of Novus—the new earth.
The once barren land in the northwest of the Atlantic and east of the Pacific sheltered the headquarters of the Union. It is the center of its power. The Ministers came to the Pyramid, a large triangular building fashioned from the old times in the country of pharaohs. They came for their regular meeting with the Prime Minister. Surrounding the Pyramid is the great city of Novus called Acropolis where the highly skilled and most intelligent people contribute for the progress of their new home. The world has become a better place to live in after the war. Money easily comes to the citizens who abide to the laws of the Union. Nobody suffers in Acropolis. Life is there, so says the Union.
Minister Hashinara said, “I beseech you, Prime Minister, to send more troops to the east. The Intelligence informed me that the Red Army has not decreased its number since the Captain arrived with the vessel Gladiator.”
“And how many men are in the Gladiator?” asked the Prime Minister who was seated in a high chair at the center of an oval table in a dimmed room.
“Approximately two thousand men are with the Captain and a few vessels to protect the realm from insurgents,” answered Minister Li Chen.
“Minister Chen, the Red Army, are they stronger than we think?” he asked.
“Forgive me, your Excellency, but we have no data on their number. And they rarely show themselves,” he replied.
“Surely, you must know, Minister Chen, that this Red Army is within your responsibility. You share the same blood, thinking and skills, perhaps,” the Prime Minister uttered calmly as he stretched his fingers against each other.
“I apologize for my shortcoming. When I return, I will see to it that this problem be addressed,” responded Minister Li Chen.
“Then there’s nothing to worry about, Hashinara. Li Chen will take full responsibility now with the Red Army and the Gladiator. He will make sure that the Captain and his force will sail back home safely and complete.”
Minister Hashinara nodded and gave a concerned look to Minister Li Chen who appeared troubled. He looked like he wanted to take back his words.
“And this quandary we have with the Red Army is not going to take long, I presume. It will soon be gone, just like how their Walls were eradicated from the map.” He smiled to Minister Li Chen. He then added, “Now, what is there for me to know about the Middle East?” The question was thrown to a man with thick eyebrows, dark brown eyes, and a lengthy beard. His black turban made him a stand out.
“Your Excellency, as for coal and oil, we have found no problems with the resources, but little uprisings are hindering the production. We heard that the insurgents are recruiting from the working class. If labor force dramatically decreases, it might affect Novus’ oil supply,” informed Minister Rehman.
“Are you hiding something from me, Rehman?”
“Everything’s under control though, your Excellency. The working class, the 3rd estate, is monitored. They have pledged their loyalty in contracts in exchange for an increase in their wages, which you have yet to agree, come Saturday.”
“I’m not talking about your counter measures. What I want to know is the rumor about the rebirth of faith in your territory.” The Prime Minister’s voice stiffened. “A very reliable source had told me that the instigators of these seditious religious rituals are from the 3rd estate. How true is that, Rehman?”
“My Lord, few workers were subjected to investigations. We are continuously tracking potential rebels.”
“What religion is this, Rehman? The one your ancestors had before the war?”
“We have no data as to that because we just cannot publicly expose this problem. It can affect a large number of innocent people. We are working discretely for justifiable purposes. And we all know that the working class is a mix of different heritages. History tells us that in the past, a large influx of foreign people came to the Middle East for work. And so it is difficult for us to identify which denomination is responsible for this seditious act,” Minister Rehman answered with a tinge of anxiety. He was always a nervous man.
The Prime Minister sighed and was silent for awhile. The Ministers looked at each other with apprehension.
The Prime Minister said, “So these little people aren’t really silenced after they started a new variety of holocaust. So little but with a substantial degree of pride and ego! No wonder why they are not sending anyone to the Union. They have fully isolated themselves from comfort and security. They denied our authority. Their stand to the war was useless. They were used and yet they gained nothing.”
“Why don’t we persuade them once more, your Excellence?” suggested Minister Juan Iglesias. “Show them some force. Prove to them that they’re alone and very weak if they want to go against Novus. Besides, the Peace Treaty states that all lands on earth are territorial property of the Union, and so it is part of Novus as well, and they must surrender their sovereignty, or else we will be forced to challenge them.”
“A bright idea from a man who talked from experience! I am amazed on how strategic your plan is. I remember that you were the ones
who colonized them, exploited their resources but gave them culture. Therefore, you are the root of their pious and almost puritan religion,” responded the Prime Minister.
“Indeed, I am truly sorry for the problems my ancestors caused. In exchange for their mistakes, I would like to volunteer myself to work on this problem.”
“You’re going to the Pacific to expose yourself to these wild savages?” The Prime Minister laughed. “They might not be mechanically equipped, but they are highly skilled warriors. And they get help from their neighbors.” He looked around the table and grinned at his Ministers who were speechless. “Am I right, Hashinara?” There was sarcasm in his laugh. Minister Hashinara looked down with shame. “I cannot believe this mismanagement you’re causing to Novus and to my people! How can you not control your subordinates?! I know there are uprisings and that you are keeping them from me. I am not underestimating your capacity to lead your people, but why the hell can’t you make it a little better?!” His voice rose. “Do you want another war? My grandfather worked hard to build this new world, to save everyone of us and the future. I’m not letting anyone or anything destroy what he had started—what your ancestors started, as well. Do you
