The Present

by Kenneth Thomas

  After a long sigh, LeSouris relents and stretches out his forearm, squeezing his eyes shut he mouths, Trust in Utopia!

  He grimaces as he feels the needle rub against his skin, soon feeling its effect. Puking orange liquid as his body transforms, his pointy ears shrink and his skin becomes flabby and wrinkled, even more so than that of Iris and indeed that of Sista Cee! His face looking more and more like an oversized and colourless prune, shrivelled and round.

  ‘You look good’! Gs tells him with an amused look, ‘The more wrinkled, the better in Jerseyan society’.

  ‘I know, very sexy… but this last time ever, thank you’, a still coughing LeSouris replies sarcastically - his voice turning squeaky.

  ‘Listen carefully… If this Inspector ask questions, talk like me, aye’? Drawing a small smirk from VanWest, which prompts an unamused Iris to thump him in the shoulder, unimpressed by his rudeness.

  ‘Aye’! Iris answers, a little startled to hear her own squeaky voice.

  ‘Aye’! VanWest follows, as does LeSouris. ‘This for the New Beginning’.

  Sista Cee informs them that the inspection will happen at any moment, ‘They’re close’!

  Handing them some greyish, rag-like clothes. Gs moves to the final item, the creation of their pseudo-identities, pointing to VanWest, Iris and LeSouris, in turn, ‘They ask, your names Bruva V, Sista Eye, you, hmm… Flabby Ls. Remember, walk small like me’.

  As the lift doors open, Gs directs VanWest and Iris to hunch over and pick up a crate of Papini, with LeSouris walking behind. They then follow him out of the cargo hold to await inspection. For VanWest, stepping out gives him an instant rush, a surreal feeling not too dissimilar to déjà vu; a feeling of returning home after a long absence. Regaining his composure, he surveys the port - as a well-trained Enforcer should. Gs instructs them again to keep holding the crate.

  Over 20-foot tall, a bronze statue stands imposingly at the other end of the landing zone. That of a muscular man smashing a mighty hammer into an anvil, it is Vulcan the Roman God of metalwork and fire. A small inscription on its hammer, written in Latin, reads Ad Quod Opus Hominis Progressum Ad Totam Concilium. It is the Universal’s second commandment and that of the Enforcer’s motto: to work for the progression of man and the Universal. A troubling reminder of who is in charge here.

  Similar to the Roman statue of Jupiter seen in Stage 1 of the Universal Games, these neoclassical statues serve an important purpose, as a display of power and to mark Universal Council territory and jurisdiction. This, in particular, a place of work. The trading post’s location is smart, the lava that flows close by provides a much-needed source of energy for its operations. Mars being much further from the sun than Earth, 243 million miles to be exact, is close to minus 60 degrees celsius on average.

  An inspection unit emerges from behind the statue, led by a tall, slender man dressed in a skin-tight black jumpsuit, his snake-like posture is creepily akin to that of the Interrogator. Accompanying the Universal Inspector are four patrol androids, whilst VanWest does not foresee any issue he still feels worried. The Universal Council should not be looking for them here, given this trading post’s relatively minor and unknown status. Being unarmed and without support, they stand little chance of escape if discovered.

  A concerned Gs whispers to them, ‘If they come, bow low. Remember names, Bruva V, Sista Eye, Flabby Ls. No looksie in the eyes’.

  The Inspector strides towards them, his eyes narrowing as he gets closer, looking for any minute detail out of place whilst pressing his phaser against his chest. Patrol androids zoom ahead, surrounding the ship and blocking any prospect of retreat. Hum! The androids commence scanning, primarily looking for concealed goods and biohazards. Their persons carefully scanned not only once, not twice, but thrice. Such is the heightened level of alert.

  As Gs instructed, they say nothing, hoping that Sista Cee’s DNA alteration will do the ‘trick’. The Inspector keeps staring at them until each scan is complete as they bow their heads. However, for VanWest and Iris, the weight of the crate starts to wear, lactic acid building up in their arms. With the final scan complete, the Inspector places his phaser back to his side. Nothing out of the ordinary has been detected, and the Inspector’s attention turns to that of a much larger ship that docks further down the landing zone.

  It’s a prisoner transporter, its occupants the likely recipients of Gs’s Papini shipment; liquefied and injected by their handlers to prolong their lives for the grime and laborious days ahead in the mines. Even though the inspection unit begins to move away, the long wait proves too much for Iris, and she can no longer keep hold of her end of the crate. She tries to call LeSouris to come and help, but it is too late.

  Bang! It comes crashing down, the lid breaking open and the bags of Papini spilling onto the ground. The Inspector turns sharply. Scowling, he removes his phaser and aims it at her wrinkled forehead. VanWest and LeSouris brace themselves, clenching their fists, ready to react if need be.

  ‘Ss-state, state your name’? The Inspector orders, his speech very similar to that of the Interrogator who tortured VanWest on the SCC-400, also like that of a hissing snake.

  A quivering Iris replies submissively, mimicking Gs’s voice, ‘Bruv-va, I… Sista Eye’.

  Even though he is not entirely convinced, a well-timed communication causes the Inspector to disengage. Before leaving, he points down to the Papini bags, ‘Be wis-se to clean, clean it’!

  LeSouris and VanWest lift the crate back up, as Iris hurriedly places the bags back inside. With the Inspector out of earshot, Gs whispers to them to get going, ‘Follow my Sista Cee out. Carefully carry crate, aye’.

  Iris nods, and they hurry, keeping their heads bowed, to catch up with Sista Cee, who waits for them at the entrance of the transportation hub. Before it initialises, VanWest notices out of the corner of his eye that the Inspector has turned back from the prisoner transportation ship, this time striding back with his phaser pointing at Gs’s forehead.

  Before he can inform the others, Sista Cee instructs the tube to take them to the ‘Red-light district’, close to where her office is located. In a flash, they all transport. They are immediately struck by how quiet the place is, worryingly quieter than one would expect. A district popular with Jerseyan traders, who stopover to entertain themselves in one of the many Hypersphere simulators - it should be livelier than this.

  VanWest has visited a similar place before, after his graduation to Enforcer. This trading post is designed similar to Clavius Crater, located on the moon. This district only permitted for Jerseyan traders, lower Elites ‘the descendants’, and on the moon only Enforcers on leave, on account of ‘health’ reasons. The simulators are said to alleviate and reverse the effects of long-distance space travel. But all of the Hypersphere pods are closed - the whole place is in lockdown.

  Activating his Moggle X lenses, he spots two Quadrotors hovering in the distance, their warning lights orange, indicating that they are on the hunt. An anxious-looking Sista Cee leads them down a path to her office, which is located at the other end of the district and close to the dome’s wall. Iris helps LeSouris to carry his end of the crate as they hurry on.

  Daring not to speak in case they rouse the attention of the Quadrotors, they pass between two rows of lead-painted shacks. VanWest notices that his hands are shaking, a sign he has come to know as imminent danger. He looks back and realises they have been spotted, the two Quadrotors stalking them. Sweat drips down Sista Cee’s wrinkled face as she ushers them into a much narrower alleyway. A clever move that buys them a few precious seconds, with the Quadrotors forced to split and fold to follow.

  Sista Cee points at her office, approximately 100 meters from the dome’s wall, hoping that the Magicbox will be able to transport them this distance, if not more. Adding to their haste is their skin-transforming back, less than 10 of the 45 minutes of their disguise remains. The landing zone’s inspection proving to be too time-consuming. With VanWest’s bio
nics deactivated and masked, he hadn’t set a timer on his Moggle X as per usual in one of his operations.

  ‘Guys, I have a bad feeling’, VanWest warns in a low voice.

  ‘One of those feelings’? Iris whispers back.

  Before VanWest can answer, a sweaty Sista Cee unlocks the door to her office and rushes them inside, shutting and then bolting the door behind. Wheezing and huffing, she tells them, ‘I get the Magicbox’, as the trio drop the crate on the floor.

  Waaahhhh! A high screeching noise, a siren blares cacophonously, dropping them to their knees - a raid is imminent. The building begins to shake next as they struggle to get back to their feet. They MUST teleport. An authoritative voice looms outside, instructing that ‘Universal law is in place, stay indoors or you will be arrested’.

  Sista Cee opens a cupboard filled with an assortment of strange looking devices. One being the old prototype transporter, the Magicbox. Commonly used until the 27th century, whilst it worked well at teleporting inanimate objects a short distance, it was too often not so good at teleporting living objects such as humans; the device working by aiming a red laser beam and then slowly sending particles through the air at a speed of several thousand every nanosecond. Unfortunately, a number of reported cases of body parts going missing earned it a bad reputation, monikers such as the ‘Magic Vanishing Box’ and a ‘Box Half Full’.

  Sista Cee has quite the collection of devices, including a Jerseyan favourite, the Electrozapper. A primitive but effective weapon that is especially good at disabling androids and other machines. Not so much though with Space Soldiers. On the top shelf, there are rows of cans labelled ‘Papini XYZ’.

  With the loud commanding voice repeating for all to comply and stay indoors, Sista Cee hands LeSouris a can, ‘Hyper Papini help to breathe outside dome’, instructing him to take some himself and distribute the rest as she prepares the Magicbox.

  LeSouris rips open the can, its powder much whiter, purer than that of regular Papini. Pouring it on each of their hands, he instructs to lick it up like before. The sensation is intense, temporarily sending everything into slow motion - with the noise of the sirens outside disappearing and replaced with a sweet humming noise. It takes them a moment to regain their bearings.

  By the time they do, Sista Cee has setup the Magicbox, with a red marker beaming out from its top. She carries the machine to the hallway and points it in the direction of the dome’s outer wall, on the other side of the metal shack. VanWest has read how this prototype works in the Universal Council’s Wiki, they will have to run along the beam’s laser one at a time and hope it transports them before they hit the metal shack’s wall.

  Iris has used it before and offers to go first, ‘Copy me’!

  As she speaks, a vision comes into his mind. The XYZ Papini having heightened his senses, he can now see the androids waiting outside. Worse, he sees the Inspector from the port dragging a small bloodied and beaten Jerseyan, who spasms inside an Electrolock. It’s Gs! It appears that he has succumbed to his torture and given up their location. If true, the Universal Council must also know that the trio seeks the Universal Council’s base. Perhaps they shouldn’t have shared this information, but they certainly can’t turn back now. Strangely, the sirens’ wailing ceases, VanWest knows something is about to happen.

  In a low voice, VanWest informs them that ‘they have Gs! We MUST go’.

  An alarmed LeSouris finishes some more XYZ Papini before replying, ‘We better transport then’!

  A panicked Sista Cee pushes Iris out of her way as she runs towards the metallic wall, disappearing as a loud bang rocks the building. The walls glowing red, VanWest urges Iris to go. Doing well to stay aligned with the beam, she disappears after a short run. The room turns into a furnace, the Inspector trying to incinerate the walls to reach them. He grabs LeSouris and shoves him forward, unsteady on his feet after licking up more hyper Papini, he staggers along the line and disappears.

  The Magicbox’s laser beam starts to falter, smoke coming out from its side, short-circuiting after transporting three in quick succession. VanWest sprints towards the melting wall, hoping that the beam holds long enough for him to pass through.

  Bang! The door breaks open with the next loud thug, followed by a volley of shots that ricochets along the, now empty, hallway. VanWest teleporting in the nick of time.

  Chapter 8 Eradication of Ellsworth and Queen Elizabeth

  A moment never thought possible in the history of the Enforcers has arrived. After VanWest’s rallying cry, Colonel Cornelius’s death and Captain Kun-lee’s victory over Master Jiang, the Enforcers have won a free vote to decide their future. Following a period of hesitation, the votes come in fast.

  But it’s not long until the Universal Council reacts. Not accepting any challenge to their authority, Commissioner Ming delivers an ominous message: Effective Immediately The Space Soldiers Will Take Control Of Queen Elizabeth. Be Sure To Stand-down And Comply. All Those That Took Part In This Unauthorised Vote Have DEFIED The Commandments And ARE Considered TRAITORS.

  The news shocks all, but even for those yet to vote, their future looks bleak, ‘the Space Soldiers will take control’. Effectively, they have all been made redundant and without purpose. For Enforcers, there has never been such a thing as retirement. With most dying before 30, their lives usually ended in one of two ways, the first being killed in action and, for those less fortunate, the second being sent for ‘rehabilitation’ in Ward B of the moon base’s medical complex. For all their ‘privileges’, their life expectancy mirrors more that of a citizen than an Elite. This status of ‘Elite’ and immortality ever so elusive.

  With his hip wound patched, Captain Kun-lee sits up straight to show Dr VonHelmann the message. The Universal Council’s harsh reaction has, in fact, worked in his and the EaR’s favour. Even without the votes counted the Enforcers of Queen Elizabeth have been marked as ‘enemies’, by choice or not they are now on the same side.

  A smiling, calculating Dr VonHelmann had hoped for this outcome, keen to press his advantage he seeks more than a ceasefire, he wants to make an official alliance. Addressing Colonel Mathieu, Captain Dell and Captain Kun-lee, he pressures, ‘Look at what thy evil machines do now, they take thy role, thy purpose of existence. Join with us, forge an alliance with the NEA and Utopians. Join in the New Beginning’!

  Albeit unsurprised by the Council’s reaction, Captain Kun-lee feels slightly guilty, ‘Never have I been a traitor. I only meant to uphold the Code of Honour’.

  ‘I too have never betrayed’, Captain Dell laments.

  ‘This is not the dwell’, Colonel Mathieu advises.

  But Dr VonHelmann extols to them the merit of their new status as ‘traitors’, ‘You are now free Enforcers, able to make thy own choices. Seize it’!

  Colonel Mathieu decides it’s time to declare, the Enforcers having overwhelmingly voted 1. Yes. The Enforcers though are too stunned to react, having gathered in the courtyard they look to their leaders, the Captains and Colonel, for guidance.

  But the Universal Council are first to take action, Colonel Mathieu hologram fades, and a message comes through, Ellsworth UNDER ATTACK. Colonel Mason ATTACKS With 100 Enforcer patrolships. 10 Universal Spaceships. A second message quickly follows, Neurotoxins Released - Citizens Dying In The Streets.

  Enforcers of different settlements fighting one another - never has this happened before. As with the massacre of the citizens in ColaBeers, Colonel Mason proves yet again to be unscrupulous. Always Dr King’s ‘yes’ man, he now seeks to kill Colonel Mathieu to become the Enforcer’s one and only Colonel. Captain Kun-lee gets to his feet, he knows they must react. They MUST fight.

  Dr VonHelmann continues, ‘Name yourself Free Enforcers and join Earth’s resistance, EaRA…. What say you? Do you trust? Do you embrace us’?

  Pretoria brings more news, this time from New Jersey, showing all a short message from Warlord Method A, PATH Broken. Universal Law. Chaos Coming To Journal Square Nex
t. Help Us Land Peeps.

  ‘Commissioner Ming make attack on Ellsworth, attack on Jerseyans. Attack on all. We must unite’! Pretoria insists.

  There is nowhere to run, they only have one choice; the captains, Kun-lee and Dell, nod to each other in agreement, much to Dr VonHelmann’s delight. Captain Kun-lee answers solemnly, ‘We are Free Enforcers, we support the EaRA’! He next replies to Colonel Mathieu’s message, hoping it can still get past the Universal Council’s jamming devices, Queen Elizabeth Free Enforcers Come To Your Aid. So Come The NEA, Utopians. Together We Are Earth’s Resistance.

  In front of all Enforcers, on the 4D holoscreens, the Captains, Dr VonHelmann and Pretoria extend their hands to seal their new alliance. They embrace the NEA way, gripping the hands and elbows of each other tightly. What this new alliance entails is still to be decided, but Dr VonHelmann already sees himself very much as its leader.

  ‘We are Free Enforcers, we are EaRA’! Captain Kun-lee declares.

  ‘Praise be’! Dr VonHelmann hails as he turns to the watching, now free, Enforcers. Without consulting the others, he pushes for even more, ‘Enforcers, come Free Enforcers, let us go to Ellsworth, support Colonel Mathieu and defeat this coward, Colonel Mason… Onwards then to defeat Commissioner Ming. What say you’?

  Captain Dell is the first to reply, ‘Affirmative! I FREE Enforcer join you’!

  In a lower voice, Captain Kun-lee says next, ‘Affirmative, I Free Enforcer join’.

  Prompting the other Enforcers to follow suit, one after the other, ‘Affirmative! I Free Enforcer join’!

  Antarctica’s capital, Queen Elizabeth, houses by far the largest number of patrolships of any settlement, there too is an equal presence of NEA battleships. Just like with LeSouris’s Hawkeye well-hidden throughout the capital. Together under the EaRA, their combined number reaches nearly 400 strong.