The Present

by Kenneth Thomas

  Somewhat ironically, having just accused Captain Kun-lee of being a deviant and traitor, Master Jiang commands him now to engage Pretoria, ‘Shoot! Shoot’! Having spent the last 80 years as a professor, he has become careless and carries no weapon.

  With Master’s Jiang unable to punish them, an emboldened Kun-lee raises his voice, ‘There is honour among us, and I will answer the Code of Honour between the Enforcer VanWest and myself. NEA and Enforcer will speak without fear of retribution. To discuss an END to hostilities’.

  ‘Hear, hear’, Colonel Mathieu agrees. However, Colonel Mason remains silent, all the time watching in a calculating manner. He is neither a winner of the Games nor a decorated hero, his background similar to that of Master Jiang, an Elite guard and henchman of Dr King.

  Master Jiang tone weakens but he continues to menace, ‘The Universal Council is all-knowing and your master. VanWest has no honour, this deviant is no longer an Enforcer, this Code of Honour does not apply. This is final’!

  Colonel Mathieu replies sharply, ‘The Code of Honour stands no matter what’!

  ‘Colonel, you continue to display deviant behaviour… like Colonel Cornelius’!

  Hitting a nerve it prompts Colonel Mathieu to ask a direct question about the Enforcers’ future, ‘With respect, Doctor King killed the Colonel. You heard the Commissioner, are we all not next? Tell us the truth’!

  Master Jiang hesitates and then tries to deflect the question, ‘Your… affection for the deviant Colonel poisons your mind. You forget he killed an Enforcer, Captain Alpha’.

  Colonel Mathieu says, ‘Alpha was a cyborg, a Space Soldier. Despite his selfish, unbrotherly behaviour, the Universal Council promoted him, designating him a leader at every opportunity. He was a test to replace us, correct’?

  ‘SILENCE’! Master Jiang commands.

  Colonel Mathieu presses, ‘Admit it! Captain Alpha is the future, cyborgs the new Enforcers, the academy gone’!

  Colonel Mathieu has been an Enforcer, come Elite, for over 100 years - his life artificially prolonged. His relationship with Colonel Cornelius longstanding, in the Universal Games of 2995 it was he who coached him to victory, just as the Colonel did for Captain VanWest five years later. They were most fond of each other. He too knows the history of the Space Soldiers, they were once like the Enforcers are now.

  At first enhanced with bionics, slowly over time, they became more machine than human - the commander of the Space Army, Four-star General Vladimir, the last not to be a cyborg. Everyone else is so, including Lt. Colonel Omega and Major Chromes. With no Spartan mantra of treating each other as equals, they only care about serving the Universal Council, doing whatever their master requests: not tied by any Code of Honour.

  Colonel Mathieu cannot take the Council’s lies any longer, he goes a step further than VanWest’s and Dr VonHelmann’s request by giving his support to the Enforcers to decide their own futures, ‘I grant all the Enforcers a vote, a free vote on a ceasefire with the NEA and the beginning of talks on a new order’.

  Flabbergasted Master Jiang forbids it, ‘Colonel! A vote? You defy the sacred commandments! Defy the will and power of the Universal Council! The Commissioner will hear of this, you will be executed. This will not go ahead under my watch’.

  Looking at the other Enforcers, Colonel Mathieu asks, ‘Who else here is a traitor’?

  Having stayed quiet, Colonel Mason makes his position clear, ‘The Enforcers of ColaBeers stand to serve our masters, the Universal Council. We do not defy’.

  With the mining settlement of ColaBeers not under seize, a sad consequence of Captain VanWest’s success in wiping the NEA out during his second tour, he chooses to stay loyal to Dr King’s even if this means the end of his own Enforcers.

  Chapter 4 A Free Vote

  There has been no democracy on Earth for centuries, the Enforcers always order takers, serving their masters - for the progression of man and the Universal. Master Jiang knows a vote, any talks with the enemy for that matter, is not a proposal Dr King and the Universal Council would ever accept.

  Dr VonHelmann looks straight at Master Jiang, hoping he can still convince him to switch allegiance, ‘The Council’s authority is no more. They are the past. Master Jiang, let thyself be part of the New Beginning. Trust in a future free of cyborgs and evil machines’.

  ‘Mad Newton… I’m not so easy to brainwash. I know you seek power, your motive not cohesion and progress’, Master Jiang retorts angrily.

  Dr VonHelmann continues, ‘You and I are not so different. Tell me thy teachings, they are founded in kung fu are they not? Are these teachings intended for machines’?

  ‘YOU and I are nothing alike’!

  Pretoria adds his voice, ‘Rebel, Utopian, citizens make great force around HQ, in every settlement but ColaBeers. Enforcer can join next. Together, we can make Earth strong. Stop the Council’s Space Army’.

  Still, Master Jiang resists, dismissing Pretoria’s words he looks straight at Dr VonHelmann and says, ‘Don’t use the same trickery on me as your weak-minded Utopian deviants, this mysterious Hans Ashtar and his philosophies. You’re the biggest hypocrite of them all. These evil inventions and technologies, many are yours, are they not? This world is of your creation, now you offer us all a New Beginning, of what? Obeying you’?

  Dr VonHelmann still tries to convince him, ‘It is a world I try to change for the better’.

  ‘CHANGE? You mean revert’!

  Dr VonHelmann had indeed created many advanced technologies when Head of Science, many of which this mysterious philosopher Hans Ashtar had warned against - the immorality of such would have dire consequence on for Earth, Utopia lost by the 21st century. But Dr VonHelmann saw his most astounding and advanced invention of all, a time-travel device called the Quantum Accelerator rod, as a way to revert all the damage done after the 20th-century. He saw the present as lost and, in a sense, sought to use technology to defeat itself: to rid the world of technology related to long-distance space travel that poisoned Earth and killed so many.

  Seeing Master Jiang not relenting, Captain Kun-lee musters up all his courage to challenge him, removing a laser dagger from his side, ‘I stand on the side of peace and an end to the chaos in Antarctica. I call on you, Master Jiang, to uphold honour and permit this vote for the start of negotiations. If you deny this request to invoke the Code of Honour, I challenge you to a fight to the death, dagger against dagger’!

  Colonel Mason laughs, ‘You? You cannot defeat the great Master Jiang. The best fighter in the world’!

  Master Jiang smiles wryly, calling Kun-lee’s bluff, ‘Captain, you so weak-minded and easily swayed, I taught you better than this, so be it. I accept your challenge’!

  Even though Captain Kun-lee is a top Enforcer, shown by his qualification for the prestigious Universal Games, he’s very much outmatched. Despite his advanced years, this once Elite guard remains the best of the best. Every Enforcer owes their skills to him, including Kun-lee. This fight would pit student against teacher.

  Pretoria tries to intervene again, ‘Space Soldier coming and you make bad decision, stay with Council. Machines take over world - will make many dead’.

  Master Jiang dismisses him again, ‘Quiet, simpleton’.

  Pretoria shakes his head, mere words have no effect on him. He’s as tough as they come, a once feral orphan boy of Queen Elizabeth’s slums, Pretoria was never taught to write and read. His incredible strength and determination kept him alive until he was adopted by the NEA. They would become his family as he rose up to become their leader in the capital. Unlike many others, he is not a Utopian. Still, he shares Dr VonHelmann’s vision of a better world and knows the importance of loyalty and strong alliances.

  Colonel Mathieu takes the brave decision to back Captain Kun-lee, drawing to a close the debate, ‘All has been said. Let it be so… A fight to the death, dagger against dagger. This to decide the Enforcers’ fate’.

  With all weapons now lowered, they proceed to t
he elevator, in turn, transporting into the courtyard below. The news of this ‘fight to the death’ is spreading fast, and hundreds of Enforcers have already gathered. Kun-lee looks slightly bewildered, his old hesitant nature resurfacing, somewhat ruing his spur of the moment decision to pit himself against such a skilled fighter and his former professor.

  Dr VonHelmann takes Captain Kun-lee to one side, doing his best to encourage for he knows a victory, however implausible, is of the utmost importance, ‘We trust in you, today you show all thy strength and leadership. I see why VanWest chose you, a man of honour’.

  Captain Kun-lee nods, replying, ‘I do this for honour. If I die, I die with it’.

  Knowing Master Jiang better than most, Dr VonHelmann offers some useful advice, ‘Watch out for his counter, do not leave thyself exposed, and do NOT hesitate when given a chance, kill, WIN’.

  Captain Dell, still sore from Pretoria’s knocks, offers to moderate as pulsating green bars shoot up from the floor to transform the hexagon-shaped section of the courtyard into a cage. Upon entering, only the victor will leave, Kun-lee’s performance determining the future of his fellow Enforcers as well as his own.

  Master Jiang has only been an academy professor for close to a century, having earned his role by protecting Dr King. During his time as an Elite guard, he prevented many assassinations attempts. Indeed, Dr King is the leader of the Council in part thanks to him. However, unbeknownst to all, Dr VonHelmann’s words have affected him, he hides his human feelings well; burdened with the weight of being part of many questionable and heinous deeds he too objects to cyborgs replacing the Enforcers. Those he taught so well.

  ‘Fight, fight’! The Enforcers start to chant as the two ready inside the hexagon.

  The pulsating bars shine even brighter, ominously surrounding them as they step inside and square up to one another - their clothes transforming into black kung fu robes. The watching Enforcers are on edge, despite their chants, for many their feelings are mixed, on one side is their great academy professor, on the other one of their own, their Captain. They too by now know the stakes and what this fight is for.

  To many surreal, this is no training simulation as the two contestants give each other a courtesy, a traditional kung fu salute. The left hand open and upwards, pressed against the right fist, followed by a slight bow to one another. As Master Jiang is given a laser dagger, a signal that the fight is about to commence, the Enforcers fall silent - a realisation that this is really happening!

  Moderating, Captain Dell reads out the rules - coincidentally those created by Master Jiang himself. Raising his arm, he goes through the rules:

  ONE - Death is only permitted by dagger.

  TWO - If the dagger is lost, both must return to their half and wait to recommence on my instruction.

  THREE - Only the dagger can inflict damage, there are no kicks, punches or anything else similar permitted’.

  Pausing briefly before reading the final, fatal rule,

  FOUR - No-one can leave the hexagon until one is killed.

  Captain Dell looks at each before dropping his arm, ‘It’s go time’!

  His tactic one of all-out attack, Captain Kun-lee wastes no time and lunges at Master Jiang, who with a smile calmly sidesteps before acrobatically rolling forward and behind Kun-lee. The Master next mockingly swipes at Kun-lee to force him to jump away. Kun-lee is undeterred and lunges once more at Master Jiang but again misses. Even in this small hexagon, he’s unable to get close, each lunge leaving him more vulnerable to the counter that Dr VonHelmann warned him about as Master Jiang saunters around as if assessing and marking Kun-lee’s technique.

  Master Jiang knows Kun-lee’s all-out attack requires an extremely high level of stamina to maintain. And with extraordinary agility for a man his age, his plan to tire out Kun-lee is working, dodging every attack he simply waits for his opponent to slow. Now slightly confused and disorientated, Kun-lee mistakenly thinks he has corralled Master Jiang into one of the corners, lunging at him once again, this time with a vertical slice down towards his head he leaves himself open. Dr VonHelmann gasping at what he sees.

  Agh! Master Jiang strikes and thrusts his dagger into his hip, causing Kun-lee to stumble backwards and drop his dagger. It doesn’t look good!

  Following rule 2, the fight is halted, with Master Jiang returning to his half as a wounded Kun-lee is instructed to pick up his dagger. Pretoria and Dr VonHelmann fear the worst. But this prompts the Enforcers to resume their chanting, backing and urging Kun-lee on, ‘Fight! Fight Captain Kun-lee’!

  Master Jiang is poised to win; only a decisive blow is needed to finish off a wounded and enervated Kun-lee, whose blood starts to stain his black clothes. Strangely though, as Captain Dell drops his arm to recommence, Master Jiang doesn’t move. Instead, he looks across at the Enforcers, their passionate chants for Captain Kun-lee unsettling him. Once his student, he has never stood opposed to them, his mission for the last century was to guide them as their professor. Gone is his calm demeanour and confidence; he is saddened to see so many turn on him.

  Walking up slowly to Kun-lee, he lifts his dagger over his head, leaving his body wide open for a counter. Kun-lee too disorientated to notice the change in Master Jiang’s behaviour takes the opportunity to strike, thrusting his dagger forward and piercing his professor’s chest.

  Master Jiang staggers back, it looks like he has decided to end his life. Turning to the Enforcers, he delivers a final poignant message, ‘My time has past… This present is yours. Enforcers, make from it your future’! He slumps to the floor - dead. Dr VonHelmann and Pretoria stare at each other in disbelief and elation.

  Captain Kun-lee is too injured and exhausted to understand his victory has come by ‘suicide by dagger’, rather than ‘death by dagger’. It is nevertheless a monumental victory that will send shockwaves across the solar system, a hard blow against the Universal Council. With the Commissioner in New Jersey and Dr King on Mars, there is no one left to stop the Enforcers casting their vote for talks with the NEA; in what could prove to be a watershed moment in the struggle for control of Antarctica and the success of the ‘New Beginning’.

  In the end, Master Jiang was unable to reconcile his loyalty for Dr King with that of seeing his Enforcers turning against him - knowing they too would be disposed of. The Council was his life, his whole reason to exist for close to 600 years. Humans were never meant to live forever, his own life covering that of 12 generations of citizens. Immortality being one of the reasons that the Universal Council’s reign has lasted so very long - the Elites never dying.

  The pulsating green bars disappear as Captain Dell races in to catch an injured Captain Kun-lee who stumbles forward onto the floor, Pretoria and Dr VonHelmann following in next. With no medical bots around, Dell removes an aluminium bandage from a medical kit to staunch the bleeding. Kun-lee has lost a lot of blood but is fortunate that Master Jiang’s dagger missed his vital organs. The Enforcers’ chants cease, they now look dumbfounded and unsure what will come next. Only a short while ago did they lose their hero Colonel Cornelius, now their academy professor Master Jiang is gone.

  Pretoria crouches down and takes Kun-lee’s hand, pressing it against his chest, honouring him, ‘You make great man. Friend of NEA’.

  Captain Kun-lee has won the Enforcers their first free vote: the Enforcers able to decide freely on a ceasefire. Against the odds, Dr VonHelmann and the EaRA, an alliance of NEA and Utopian could grow to include the Enforcers with further talks, making them more able to counter the still much more formidable Space Army. If the vote is successful and VanWest can find Dr King and cut the snake’s head from its body, killing the leader of the Universal Council, then there is a chance at victory. This ‘New Beginning’ realised.

  With Colonel Mathieu watching, Dr VonHelmann requests him to act as soon as possible before the Commissioner can intervene, ‘Colonel, this is the time to act, authorise this vote. It must be NOW’!

  Master Jiang’s dea
th will surely bring a massive response, including the Commissioner’s contingent of Space Soldiers coming to this HQ to re-assert control. Colonel Mason is yet to respond, but if he chooses to side with the Council then Enforcer could be pitted against Enforcer as well as Space Soldier. Unprecedented!

  Colonel Mathieu responds quickly - authorising a first vote for a ceasefire. A vote never thought possible now gives all Enforcers six hours to decide their ‘future’. Much more is at stake than a ceasefire, their choice stark, one a fight for survival the other capitulation - their replacement by the Space Soldiers. A ceasefire would mark the end of the Universal Council’s control over them.

  A message scrolls across the Enforcers’ Moggle Xs, Return Your Vote For Ceasefire With NEA. 1. YES. 2. NO. 06:00:00 To REPLY.

  Chapter 5 PATH

  ‘Why you disrespect me? Why you disrespect PATH’! Method A shouts angrily from the bar area to Commissioner Ming, who stands at the entrance of Gambler’s Den.

  His small contingent of Space Soldiers surveys the casino floor and their red beady eyes scan Method A’s guards, having already neutralised the bouncers at the arched doorway. Oddly smiling, the Commissioner walks calmly towards Method A, along the red carpet and up the stairs, so confident that her Jerseyan guards would not dare to lay a finger on him.

  Only Elites are permitted to enter New Jersey, and then only unarmed and without an escort. There has never been an infraction of the PATH agreement like this before. With the chaos engulfing Antarctica, one would think that risking a war with the Jerseyans would be the last thing the Universal Council would want to do. But these aren’t normal times, and VanWest is no ordinary Most Wanted - his price and those he came with worth more moolah than Method A could ever dream of.

  Commissioner Ming makes it clear what he wants, ‘The humans where are they’?