Repo Earth

by Jeff Walsh

  “Was, being the key word,” Marcus said. “As in, the virus you uploaded was doing quite a bit of damage, but no longer. It's been eradicated.”

  Vex peered at Marcus but said nothing. There was something in Marcus' tone, something about his posture that was different. No, he thought, it's his eyes. Something else is staring out from behind them.

  “I understand your confusion,” Marcus said. “And it'll all become clear in a moment. But I want something first.”

  The Attillian Captain continued to glare at Marcus.

  I want to know why you killed your people,” Marcus said. “Why is it that you and your crew felt the need to eradicate your own world.”

  Vex's skin darkened.

  “There's no need to get angry,” Marcus said. “I'm just curious. You could've left and taken your crew anywhere. But you didn't, so I want to know why.”

  The massive Attillian darted forward. Only a few feet from Marcus, Vex slammed into an energy field. His own force sent him hurling backward. He slid to a halt and glared at Marcus.

  “I don't know what you've done to regain control of this planet,” Vex bellowed out. “But you''re sorely mistaken if you believe something as simple as an energy field can keep me at bay.”

  Vex stood and clenched his fists; they began to glow a crimson color.

  “I know all there is of you Vex Draughn,” Marcus said. “I've seen each and every detail of your past. I watched as you tapped into the power you wield, the energy that lay dormant within you. I know about your war and everything you did to your people.”

  “You know nothing of me or my people,” Vex blurted out. He strode across the room and slammed his clench fist into the energy field. A burst of crimson and white light flashed. The room shook slightly and Marcus smirked.

  “I assure you,” Marcus said. “You're only getting through that shield when I so desire it.”

  Vex stepped back and spread his feet in order to brace himself for the next strike. His hands clenched and at his sides. Vex breathed deep and as he exhaled the crimson glow of his fists grew brighter.

  “You're not wrong,” Marcus replied. “I didn't know anything about you. It's Volja that knows everything about you and your people. Volja has been around longer than nearly any living being. All the Zatarii have existed long enough to how the Attilian home world was destroyed. Volja showed it all to me. I was shown the moment when you and the others were all selected because of your loyalty to Attillia. Each of you were hand picked because of your willingness to give what was needed to protect your home.”

  “I know your world was once a peaceful place,” Marcus continued. “Yet, you were forced into war. Your world was under attack, faced with a threat that would enslave you all. So your people did what was needed to ensure their survival; they initiated the Starfaller program. They built you, Vex Draughn, you and all the others who were selected. They turned you into machines of war, and under your command the Starfaller program saved your world. There were casualties of course, or at least that's what you were told. But you, and your commander Tira, discovered the real cost of saving your world, didn't you?”

  Vex stepped forward, the internal power he'd drawn out radiated from his fists. A crimson inferno swirled around his hands. Strike after strike shook the room as Vex attempted to break down the energy field.

  “Each member of the Starfaller program had survived the war,” Marcus continued. “They all made it home, didn't they? Just as you knew they would. Yet, upon arriving home, your fellow Starfallers were deemed uncontrollable liabilities. They had become a threat to the Attillian race. And as each member returned home as heroes, they were executed.”

  Vex stepped back, his breathing heavy. “We saved our world,” he growled.

  “I know you did,” Marcus said. “And you were betrayed. Even your families were annihilated. There was to be no trace of any member of the Starfaller program. But you had friends that gave their life to send you a warning. There was to be no celebration. There were no honors to be given for those who risked everything, given everything, to protect their home. Instead, you and your crew were coming home to be slaughtered.”

  Vex screamed out in rage. The power surrounding his fists now encapsulated his entire body. He kicked forward into the energy field and the control center shook violently.

  Small cracks were forming at the outset of the field.

  “He's nearly overloaded it,” Kora said.

  Vex brought his hands up over his head and slammed down onto the energy field. It shattered into thousands of pieces, each of which immediately dissipated into nothingness.

  Vex locked eyes with Marcus and sprung forward. Marcus watched as the massive Attillian moved so quickly he was nothing more than a blur of speed. Vex lunged for Marcus, but slammed into another energy field only a few inches from his target.

  Vex was tossed back and to the ground. He stood and screamed.

  Marcus looked at him and said, “I'm not your enemy.”

  ҉

  Genny ripped a workstation off the wall and slammed it down in front of Anthony. “Aren't you supposed to be doing something?” She asked him.

  “I'm keeping us alive,” Anthony responded. “Isn't that enough? Do you know how hard it is to generate shields for Taam and Bartl while they jump all around and shoot people?”

  Three shots nearly struck Bartl in the midsection, but were deflected by Anthony's shielding.

  Anthony pointed to Bartl and looked at Genny. “See!”

  Bartl returned fire at his attackers. He spun, dove, and rolled up next to Anthony. “Having fun?”

  “Actually,” Anthony replied. “Yeah.”

  Bartl popped his head out and around the workstation Genny had placed in front of Anthony. Using it as a barrier, he fired and took out two more Attillian crewmen. His eyes darted around; he saw his opening and dashed for an operational work terminal. “Keep me alive,” Bartl yelled to Anthony.

  “You only have to follow that order as long as he stays useful,” Taam yelled out as he shot three more soldiers who were attempting to enter the the bridge.

  Genny slammed her fingers down into the floor and peeled the metal flooring up. She yanked hard and rolled it to the right creating a metal wall behind Bartl as he worked.

  “Thank you,” he said as his hands darted across the interface. “Just a few more seconds and we should be good.”

  Genny sped forward and kicked a soldier who attempted to get to his feet. He flew back and crashed into Tira who'd taken up a defensive position behind a blast-guard.

  “Done,” Bartl yelled to Anthony. “Do your thing.”

  Anthony turned and saw the wall behind him light up.

  “On it,” Anthony yelled back.

  Anthony spun and placed his hand on the wall. A series of wires launched out from his arm and began plugging into various ports.

  “It's about time you do something useful,” Genny said to Anthony with a smirk on her face.

  “Attempting to gain control,” Anthony said. His eyes were darting around. It looked as though he were scanning monitors and screens that weren't actually visible. “It's behind a multi-teired firewall,” he said. “It's going to take me another minute to get through.”

  Bartl dashed back to Anthony and took a defensive position. With Anthony attempting to gain control of the Starfaller he was no longer able to generate energy fields for anyone.

  Genny yanked on the metal flooring once more and a section broke free. She twisted back and with a flick hurled the metal plate like a disc through the air toward Tira.

  The projectile sliced through the blast-guard like it was nothing. Tira arched backward just in time to watch the plating glide by, inches above his face. He righted himself and caught a glimpse of what Anthony was doing.

  “Times up,” Taam belted out. “Tira's figured it out. Anthony, we need control now!”

  “Computer,” Tira yelled “Execute bridge command Orii Bet Dashin.” He mashed his wr
ist unit and his vac-suit shifted to cover his entire head.

  “No!” Bartl shouted.

  A bright orange beam lit up across the bridge. Everyone screamed out in pain. Genny grabbed at her ears and fell to her knees. Anthony's eyes rolled back in his head as he fell backward unconscious. Bartl dropped to one knee as he fought against the pain.

  “Bio scrambler,” Taam grunted out through gritted teeth. He looked to Genny and Anthony, but their Bond-o-Threads weren't reacting.

  The scrambler must be shorting out the neural connection, he thought.

  He attempted to work his wrist unit, but every muscle in his body fought against him. He fell to the floor and his knees pulled into his chest. Blood began to pour from his nose.

  The Attillian crew was no better off. Everyone other than Tira screamed out in pain. The soldiers breaching the bridge fell back. The door slammed shut.

  “The blatnards...sealed...us...in,” Taam said as his vision grew dark.

  ҉

  “I can't imagine the betrayal you felt,” Marcus said. “But that didn't give you the right to murder everyone.”

  Vex struck at the energy shield with everything he had.

  “At this rate he will breach the shield in less than an Earth minute,” Kora said.

  “You and each member of your crew made a decision that day,” Marcus said. “If the leaders of your world, if the people of Attila were so willing to throw you away, you would give them no less in return. So you, and your commander Tira, took the greatest war machine in the Attillian empire and turned it on its own creators. You decimated your own world and renamed your ship Starfaller in memory of those who were betrayed.”

  Vex screamed. “You dare judge me?” He stepped forward and kicked into the energy field. “You dare look at me with condescending eyes?” His hands rose high into the air and slammed down into the field. The room shook once more. “You know nothing of betrayal.” Vex's skin darkened, and the energy he wielded poured from his body.

  His fists collided over and over against the energy field. Small cracks began to form at its edges once more. “You know nothing of my people.” Vex's rage emanated from his body. “You know nothing of their weakness. The fear that filled them. The war had made them weak. But I could've given them the strength they needed.” With each sentence he struck out harder and harder.

  Vex was nearly out of breath. He locked eyes with Marcus and stepped back.

  Kora started to speak but Marcus motioned for her to stay quiet.

  “They feared what they had created,” Vex said. “We'd given them their safety. But instead of heroes returning home, all they saw were monsters.”

  Hex balled his hands into fists once more and gritted his teeth. Marcus watched as the Attillian Captain focused and summoned his rage from deep within himself. The crimson aura radiated more intensely.

  “Sir,” Kora started to say.

  “Just be ready Kora,” Marcus said as he cut her off.

  “I lead my people to victory,” Vex continued. “And they dared to end my life. They dared to slaughter my family. They feared me, but they knew nothing of fear. The sound of my voice caused them to flee. At my sight they trembled.” The crimson aura flashed. Tendrils of energy snapped at the walls.

  “It was then that I realized,” Vex said, with his voice cold and dark. “Fear enslaves. Fear dominates. Fear is the only true power. It was fear that turned my own people against me. And it would be fear that gave me what was mine.”

  Vex pushed off and the ground beneath him shattered.

  “Now Kora,” Marcus said calmly.

  Vex collided with the energy field. It shattered under the force of the attack. He reached for Marcus, but in a flash of white light Marcus was whisked away just before Vex could grab him.

  The Attillian stumbled forward. He spun and peered around the room. He was alone.

  “You know what I am, what I can do,” Vex bellowed out. “And you are afraid.”

  A snap to Vex's right caught his attention. The brass doors had opened and through them Vex saw Marcus and Kora standing outside.

  Without hesitation Vex pushed for them. With blurring speed he was outside and closing in on Marcus. The tiniest flash of light caused Vex to slam to a halt. He slid across the ground for a few feet before stopping completely. He righted himself and reached out; his fingers touched another energy field.

  “It is over,” Marcus said. He was roughly fifty feet from Vex. “The war, your vengeance, all of it, it's over.”

  A loud hum came from behind Vex and he turned to see the power returning to the citadel. Lights began to pop on and Vex watched as the horizon lit up. It wasn't just the citadel that had lost power, Volja had gone dark.

  “How?” Vex whispered.

  “You knew of Volja's malfunction,” Marcus said. “It's the only reason you would've attempted such an act against a Zatarii. And once you understood that Volja was exposed, you saw your chance to obtain power.”

  Marcus gestured to his left. With a flash of white light Taam, Bartl, Anthony, and Genny appeared no more than twenty feet away.

  Vex looked to the group and back to Marcus.

  “You've done it,” Vex said. “You condemn me for my actions, but you've done no less. You've taken control of Volja. How?”

  “Not everything must be dominated and controlled,” Marcus said. He turned to his friends who were badly hurt. He saw Genny craning her neck and the two locked eyes. “It'll be just a moment until the extent of your injuries will be fully corrected. Take a moment to gather yourselves; you're safe now.”

  “You've stolen this from me,” Vex said. His anger welled up once more. He reached out and pushed against the energy field holding him at bay. “But how? How can you, a mere human, control a being such as Volja?”

  “I've stolen nothing,” Marcus said. “For Volja was never yours to begin with. And I am no more in control of Volja than you. However, Volja and I have come to an agreement. While you attempted to steal the life from Volja, I sacrificed mine on its behalf.”

  Taam was the first to stand. He looked to Marcus who in return looked back. The two locked eyes for only a moment, but what Taam saw pained him. While it was Marcus' voice who they heard, and his body that they saw, the life behind his eyes was not his.

  “You wanted domination,” Marcus said. “But I offered salvation.” Marcus snapped his fingers and Vex watched, off in the distance, scattered across the horizon, as sections of the Starfaller began to appear.

  “No!” Vex cried out.

  “Calm yourself,” Marcus said. “I'm no killer.” He snapped his fingers once more and the entire crew of the Starfaller appeared all around. The energy field dissipated and Vex pushed his way through the crowd.

  Commander Tira saw his captain and made his way toward him. Vex broke through the crowd just as Tira reached him. The two Attillian leaders looked and saw Marcus and Kora standing no more than ten feet away.

  Vex looked around, searching for any hint of another energy field. He found nothing.

  “There's nothing between us now Vex,” Marcus said. “Nothing. I hold no vengeance against you. I pass no judgment on your actions. If you can simply follow my terms, this will be the end of our interaction.”

  Vex looked to Tira then to Marcus.

  “You will never again attempt to harm my people,” Marcus said. “You will leave the Heezarians unharmed and cease your pursuit of them from this day forward. You will also never again aide those who wish harm against Earth, or its people.”

  “You dare issue me orders?” Vex asked.

  “If you refuse to abide by these, then your outcome is already decided,” Marcus responded.

  Vex turned and looked at his crew. He looked at the anger in each of their eyes. “You attempt to impose your rules onto my people. You hold no authority over me or my people. You are nothing. Even now you leave yourself defenseless, why? To demonstrate a peace offering? To show that you mean me and my people no harm?”r />
  Marcus said nothing.

  “Peace is a vulnerability,” Vex said. “That is why your world will be conquered. That is why you and your friends will die. You think peace is something to be desired. Peace yields no power.” Vex looked Commander Tira in the eyes. “Peace makes no demands.”

  Marcus dropped his eyes to the floor.

  Vex spun and darted forward. His hands stretched out, reaching for Marcus' neck but passed through him as though there was an illusion or a projection. Vex stumbled forward, spun, and looked to Marcus, then to Kora.

  “Volja has completed a full systems reboot,” Kora said. “All safety protocols concerning species 042 have been reinstated.”

  “Volja is no longer malfunctioning,” Marcus says. “It is no longer exposed. And as such, it is no longer within your grasp. Your pursuit of the Zatarii, of Volja, is over,” Marcus said. He looked to Vex, then to Tira, and then over the Attillian people.

  “You have each chosen to follow these men,” Marcus said. His voice now booming so that every Attillian could hear him with utmost clarity. “Thus, I now offer to each of you the same as I have to your leaders.”

  Vex looked around. Both Taam and Bartl were on their feet; Genny and Anthony huddled together. The entire Attillian crew watched Vex. He looked to Marcus. “Do you really believe my crew to be so disloyal? Do you believe your threats could sway them from my side. They have seen what I am capable of; they know who it is they follow.”

  Tira stepped forward and took his place beside Vex. “Your orders, Captain,” he said.

  “Kill them,” Vex said. “Kill them all and destroy this planet.”

  The crew of the Starfaller was not just a highly trained warrior race, born of war. They had each been subjected to the same modifications as their captain. Their loyalty was unwavering and their captain had given an order. With rifles and pistols drawn, the three hundred and eighty six Attillian soldiers took aim.

  “I am sorry,” Marcus said. “But your choice has been made.” He looked to Kora and nodded.