The Last Revolution

by Carpenter, R. T.

  Alden struggled to hold his head up. Too fast, just dizzy, will be okay. He realized he was covered in blood. His head was too heavy to move; pressed back against the chair he stared out at the sky. For just a moment, the sky faded away. All he could see was the blackness of space, filled with billions of stars. It was just so peaceful; he closed his eyes and faded into oblivion.

  “I’m so sorry.” Kira leaned in and hugged Alden. “I had no idea.”

  He felt numb.

  “Did everyone die?”

  Alden shook his head. “Gabriel survived, although he never forgave me for what happened to Mary and Daniel.”

  “I’m sure he’ll come around at some point,” Kira responded.

  “He was on the Island when we were attacked. He’d been sent to secure one of the facilities, but the area was compromised. He’d never let that happen while he still lived. He was killed in action. I’m the only one left now.”

  “What happened to them wasn’t your…”

  “Please, don’t. I’ve been told a hundred times to honor their memory, feel proud and that my actions were heroic.”

  Kira was silent for several moments. She didn’t deserve to be snapped at, but he hadn’t wanted to tell her in the first place. Now that she knew, her reaction was just like everyone else’s. He didn’t want their pity or sadness; he didn’t deserve it. Just once, he wanted someone to tell him that it was his fault.

  “Is that how you ended up with this?” She ran her fingers over his shoulder and the location of the bullet wound from when they’d first arrived in Apollo City.

  “We weren’t expected to survive. They put us in stasis and sent us to Hyperion. Apparently the Council had been researching biological enhancements for decades.”

  “Isn’t that illegal?”

  “Not if you’re using it to help people. The Council is a peacekeeping force, they need as much help as they can get.”

  “Okay...”

  “Regardless, the procedure is so intense that most candidates don’t survive, or at least they didn’t use to. Gabriel and I were the first. The augmentation process fundamentally changes your body, your very DNA.”

  “It seems almost inhumane. Is that when the headaches started?”

  Alden nodded. “But we’re better for it. No one else can match our speed or strength. We’re the ultimate weapons. Exactly what the Council wanted…and needs.”

  “How can you still feel that way after the things we’ve seen?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing’s changed.”

  “Nothing’s changed? Everything’s changed! Open your eyes, they’re abducting and killing people in broad daylight!”

  Alden shook his head. “They’re not. They’re doing what they have to in order to maintain peace. There are other elements at play that we can’t even comprehend. Remember we’re not here to join the resistance, we’re here to kill Alexander!”

  Kira stood up. “After everything you’ve seen and done, that’s the only thing you care about, isn’t it?!”

  “Yes.”

  “These are good people and they need your help!”

  “I will avenge the death of Father McKinley.”

  Kira shook her head in frustration and stormed off.

  How could she be so blind? He walked off to the work area and the suits. The resistance may have been well intentioned at first, but that didn’t give them the right to bomb buildings and kill soldiers. Did she even care that her father had been punished because of Alexander’s actions? The situation underscored his concern. Whose side was she really on? The park hadn’t been the quiet place he’d been looking for after all.

  The next morning Alden was back in the shop when Naiad entered the room.

  “Where’s Kira?”

  “I don’t know.” Alden tightened the last few screws on the suit.

  “I figured she’d want to be here for this.”

  Alden shrugged. Liam walked to his side from another part of the shop. “Here’s the deck. It’s calibrated and ready to go.”

  “Thanks. Have you seen the motivator?”

  “Callisto’s working on it now. He’ll bring it over in a second.”

  “Great, we should be ready to go as soon as we get that installed.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help out?” Naiad asked.

  “There are some screws on the bench near you. Could you bring those to me?”

  He did as he was asked. Alden was astonished at how much he’d grown. Since General Stone had returned it was like the entire colony had come to life. People buzzed about with an energy he hadn’t felt since the Island.

  The change had been most evident in Naiad. He’d gone from hiding out, to actively trying to help with the suit. Even his demeanor had changed. He stood up straight, and spoke with conviction—something Thereon said he’d never done before.

  He liked the kid and appreciated the additional support. “Thanks.” Alden set the screws down and fastened them into the chest plate one at a time. “I saw you with some other kids yesterday.”

  Naiad held the metal in place for Alden as he worked. “They’re not my friends.”

  “Really? Why not?”

  “We just want to help. We’re too young to do much.”

  “You’re helping now.”

  “I know, but we want to do more.”

  “There will be plenty of time for that later. Don’t be in a hurry to throw your life away.”

  “We want to help now.” He got quiet for a moment and then leaned in. “The older kids assign us missions.”

  “Really, what kind of things have they asked you to do?”

  “We’re tracking soldier movements. It’s easy enough for us to get around without causing much of a disturbance. Plus we can fit through places that most others can’t.”

  Alden understood; he’d hate to be left out too. “Well, that is an important job. Just be careful while you’re out there. Don’t let them catch you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, Alden.” He turned and saw Callisto walk up. “Here’s the motivator for the suit.”

  “Thanks. That should just about do it.” He dropped it into the chest plate, swung the cover closed, and put the final screws into it.

  A slight commotion rose up behind him. Callisto and Liam had joined Naiad. So had Solana and Thereon, along with someone he hadn’t expected.

  Alden gave a slight nod towards General Stone. He received an understanding nod and the non-verbal go-ahead.

  He took a deep breath. They’d all put a ton of work into the suits. He felt like he’d done everything right, but after he finished a project and it came time to turn it on, there was always a moment of nerves.

  Alden instructed everyone to stand back. He typed a few commands on his wrist deck and pressed the ignition. The overhead crane lifted the suit off the workbench, moved it out over the floor, and slowly lowered it until it was just above the ground.

  Pushing another button, the suit popped open and Alden stepped inside. The metal casing closed around him, and then dropped ever so slightly until the feet came to rest on the floor. Here goes nothing.

  He looked out into the audience to see if anyone else would join, but no one showed up. Guess she wouldn’t come after all. He pressed the final button on his wrist deck. The onboard computer sprang to life, along with the heads-up display and anti-matter generator. The suit’s strength took over and he pressed the release button. The suit was now under his control.

  Everyone in the audience cheered. Even Stone gave a slow clap. He knew in the depths of his soul, this suit had been built for him.

  ***

  The Jindomas bowed before Arakiel. “Follow me.”

  He was escorted through a remote part of Hyperion, closely followed by fifteen fully-armed Council soldiers. Giant windows ran along the wall. The local markets buzzed with activity beneath them.

  His cape flapped at his feet as they moved. Arakiel pulled up his ho
od, and then dropped it down over his head. Although they were far above the masses, he didn’t like the idea that he could be seen. He’d made that mistake already, and he wouldn’t repeat it. The element of surprise was his and he didn’t want to give up the advantage until he had to.

  They took a left and moved farther into the station. They were on the hydroponic deck. Hundreds of varieties of trees, plants and bushes grew all around them. It was large and open. Random service members from other parts of the ship strolled between the rows.

  “It’s just back here.” The Jindomas stepped off the path and into a grassy area between several trees. They walked through the foliage to a blank metal wall. He pressed a specific spot and a wisp of pressure escaped from the edges of the door. It dropped back into the black space and then slid out of the way.

  They stepped through into a small empty room. The soldier touched his deck and the back wall descended into the floor. It exposed a solitary tube that was lit up from the inside. It displayed the most incredible thing he’d ever seen: a zero-gravity combat suit. It was a deep red color with small swaths of black painted across the body.

  Arakiel stepped forward. His reflection appeared on the glass just above the surface of the suit. That was exactly what he’d need to complete his mission. The Guardian had been kind to him; he would not fail.

  Chapter 11

  “This is it,” Thereon said with a giant smile on his face. “Leaders have arrived from every resistance movement across the colonies. Nothing like this has ever happened before.” He reached out and put a hand on Alden’s shoulder. “I’ve waited for this my entire life.”

  “Enjoy the moment. None of this would have happened without you.”

  “It has nothing to do with me, they’re here for Stone. They want to hear what he has to say and see what he plans to do.”

  “They’re not the only ones,” Alden mumbled.

  They stood outside the rag-tag command center; a row of windows showed dozens of people inside. They were in a heavily militarized area of the Apollo City underground. Soldiers milled about on both sides of the cavernous hallway. Their gear and outfits reflected the various colonies they’d come from. Most had arrived as part of the security delegation from one group or another. An old man and his two young sons were handing out hot food and drinks to the grateful soldiers.

  They walked into the large, circular room. There was a raised platform along the outside and then a lower ring in the middle. At the center of it all was a large holographic display. Despite the early hour, it buzzed with activity as various factions merged and splintered between the excited attendees.

  Kira stood against the far wall, deep in conversation with Caleb and General Stone. She had her back to the entrance. Why had Caleb been invited? When they were in New Tranquility he didn’t appear to be that close with the resistance. It seemed dangerous for him to be here given his close ties to the Council. Although Thereon had mentioned his parents funded the original group.

  Kira moved in closer to Caleb as the conversation progressed. Alden suppressed a strong desire to walk over there. She had lied to him about what Caleb had said in New Tranquility. It hadn’t bothered him as much at the time, but now…

  Thereon grabbed Alden’s shoulder. “Let me introduce you to some of the people that are here.”

  As if he’d been given the cue, a robust man moved through the crowd towards them. His thin brown hair had been combed to one side. “Thereon, it’s good to see you again!”

  “Representative Richardson. It’s a pleasure as always.”

  “Quite a stunt you pulled, bringing Stone back from the dead. Most people, myself included, would have thought it suicide.”

  “Under other circumstances it would have been. However, the day really belonged to Alden.” Thereon moved out of the way and introduced him.

  Richardson’s eyes lit up. He vigorously shook Alden’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! News of your attack on Traterous has spread across the entire surface. Did you really fight an entire Council battalion?”

  Alden smiled politely. He hated when people pandered to him. “The stories are exaggerated. I was just happy to help.”

  “You’re so modest.” Richardson turned back to Thereon. “I like him.” Then, to Alden, he added, “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know. We could use more men like you.”

  “Thank you, Representative,” Alden shook his hand. With that the representative turned and wandered off to the next group.

  “Sorry, I tried to save you from that one, but he seems to be everywhere at once. Let’s grab a spot along the outer wall. They’re going to start soon.”

  As they moved away from the entrance, Alden noticed a solitary figure leaned against the exterior rock ahead of them. He was partially obscured by the shadows, his arms folded across his chest. A thin red scar stretched across the front of his throat.

  As soon as Thereon made eye contact, he slowed down. “Viktor, I’m surprised you had the guts to show your face around here.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re still mad about the police station? Those turncoats got what they deserved.”

  Police station… Alden flashed back to the transport ride with Vasentus from the Island airport. He had talked about a bombing on the lunar surface at a police graduation. There had been 12 people killed and 45 wounded.

  Thereon shook his head. “I lost three good men when you destroyed that military flight in New Tranquility. They tore this city apart. You could have at least warned us.”

  Viktor pushed off the wall and moved in so he was face to face with Thereon. “Can’t do that, mate. Too many traitors in your midst.”

  When he returned with Council soldiers to quell the rebellion, he’d make sure Viktor didn’t survive.

  “You think this lone wolf act is admirable. It hasn’t occurred to you yet that your actions affect everyone. Or maybe it has, and you just don’t care.”

  He smirked. “We’re at war, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win. If you think we can gain our freedom without bloodshed, then you’re an even bigger fool than I realized. This will all end when we’ve spilled more blood than they have.”

  Thereon waved off the comment. “Forget it, you’ll never understand.”

  “On the contrary, I understand only too well. You’d better prepare yourself for what comes next, because you haven’t seen anything yet. A lot more people will die before this is all over.”

  “One day, this will all catch up with you.”

  “So who was that guy?” Alden asked a few moments later. They had found a good position to see General Stone speak and were out of earshot from Viktor.

  “Viktor Zola, leader of the underground movement in New Tranquility.”

  “So he was the one that bombed the transport ship?”

  “Yes. The other leaders wouldn’t condone the kind of things Viktor does. He’s careless, consumed with hatred, and will do anything he deems worthy, regardless of the consequences.”

  If Viktor was capable of those actions, how far would Thereon go to get what he wanted? He might as well push him a bit further. “The Council doesn’t restrain themselves from attacking civilians. Why should we?”

  Thereon shook his head. “It’s different. We never kill civilians. The day we lose sight of that is the day we lose the moral high ground. It’s what separates a freedom fighter from a terrorist.”

  “I don’t disagree with you,” Alden responded. “But you’re being torn down, piece by piece. How long can you afford to maintain the moral high ground when there’s no one left to walk it?”

  “If we consider civilian deaths acceptable collateral damage like Viktor does, then we’re no better than they are. We don’t deserve to win.”

  He’d always thought of the colonists as indiscriminate murderers, something to be purged from society. But as he listened to Thereon speak, he sensed general sorrow at the loss of innocent lives. In the distance he caught sight of Kira. That was
exactly what she’d tried to tell him the other night. Things were not as they seemed, and he’d been too self-righteous to listen.

  To his right, Representative Richardson excused himself from the New Beijing delegation. He moved to the middle of the room with a sense of dignity and purpose. It was as if the rock walls didn’t exist, and he was about to give some passionate plea for the passage of this legislation or that. The moment they’d waited for had arrived. The room fell into silence.

  “Almost fourhundred years ago, another group of colonists met in a room that probably didn’t look too dissimilar from this one. They’d left their ancestral home in search of a new land and new opportunities. They were farmers, lawyers, and blacksmiths. They believed the system would support them and provide the chance to prosper. They did what they’d promised to do: worked hard, and built an amazing new world. All they asked in return was the right to representation.

  “Instead, they were robbed, intimidated and subjected to violence. They did everything they could to remedy the situation, but in the end the system had failed them. It was at this juncture, this unique moment in time that they found themselves with two options: stand and fight for what they believed in, or disappear quietly into the night. Ultimately, a single gunshot made the decision for them. It changed the course of a nation, and ultimately, history.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at that same moment. We stand upon a precipice, with the same two options before us. With each passing day the Council tightens their grip over lunar control. They have never responded to our requests for greater autonomy or influence over domestic policy. After a lifetime in the senate, I can assure you things are only going to get worse. With that in mind, let me be the first to say…”

  Collectively the entire room held their breath as they waited to hear what came next.

  “We should declare our independence!”

  The room erupted in cheers. Kira, Caleb, and General Stone slowly clapped in the distance. It was happening, just as Thereon said it would. Alden clapped his hands so that he blended into the crowd. He didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.