The Present

by Kenneth Thomas

This is quite the sacrifice, as Jerseyan custom commands, becoming a husband abdicates his role of warlord. In so doing, Newark and Newark Penn station would become the only place in New Jersey not controlled by Rulez Haah, Method A the only other warlord. Initially taken aback, Rulez Haah smiles widely, the deal pleases her. Her pointy, gold and silver, teeth showing.

  Rulez Haah sends Bruva Lem to stall the Commissioner, ‘Go meet them, tell them I will come. Keep him busy, aye’!

  Unfortunately, she is still not persuaded that there is no deal to be struck, but Method Bee has at least stopped her from taking them all to their deaths, at least for now. Rulez Haah beckons for her dancers to make their marriage official.

  With clouds of multi-coloured powder thrown into the air, she looks happily into Method Bee’s eyes and accepts his proposal, ‘Make Rulez happy dawg, our bond sealed… The Methods make family, and I protect you’.

  The two exchange a shaka sign of respect and she leans in to seal their union with the tips of their tongues rolling out and gently touching. Not a monogamous culture, Method Bee becomes the first of what could be many husbands. Effectively making Turnpike no longer a no-man's-land, the Jerseyan territory now split along the PATH network as follows:

  - Newark Penn ‘The Exit’ - Method A - Occupied by the Commissioner

  - Harrison to Exchange Place and Hoboken - Rulez Haah

  - Christopher Street, World Trade Center - Gangs Hater

  Calling to an end this warm moment, Method A repeats her call for Rulez Haah to react, ‘We celebrate this great day later, aye! Right now, we gotta stop Space Soldiers, use cannons against their spaceships, aye’?

  ‘Nah-nah… You gotta chill. Bee safe with me’, Rulez Haah replies. Her viewpoint unchanged, she at least gives Method Bee her protection. He’s no longer a warlord.

  Bruva Lem notifies them, Commissioner Meet On Rooftop, No Longer Stall Aye. Getting Hot.

  Rulez Haah makes her decision, ‘Go armed. We meet them. My word is final, aye’! Making it clear that she will lead discussions.

  Her guards gesture for Method A and Bee to follow, walking behind Rulez Haah as she leaves the chamber. Method A ponders what to do next, her last one-to-one encounter with Commissioner Ming ending with a head-butt to his chin, she knows he will not forgive and forget. She knows she MUST take the first opportunity she gets to save them both. And not allow Rulez Haah’s willful ignorance to cost them their lives.

  This time without the palanquin and her burgundy veil, Rulez Haah leads them back to the concrete flights of stairs and upwards until they reach the surface level, the ground reverberates even more strongly here. Still scantily dressed with her layers of wrinkled skin showing, she readies to greet the Commissioner. A worried-looking Bruva Lem waits on the stairs to the roof of the Transportation Center, like the Method cousins he also has misgivings.

  Bruva Lem advises, ‘My boss, I don’t trust. Commissioner bad dawg’.

  But Rulez Haah dismisses him as well, ‘Bruva, zip it’!

  Pushing past, she proceeds to the rooftop. Opening the large reinforced metal door, EXIT, she walks through to be met by the sight of the cyclops-eyed Commissioner in his black peak cap. Forebodingly, surrounding him are a hundred grey-skinned, red-eyed Space Soldiers. They all look identical, mechanically surveying for the heat signatures of the Jerseyan fighters hidden in the ruins around. Their towering presence, over six-foot-five meters tall, making them even more intimidating. The symbol Cr the only item identifying their tactical assault commander, Major Chromes.

  Thump! In unison, they take one step forward as Rulez Haah slowly walks over. Slightly fazed by their might, she glances briefly back at Bruva Lem and her new husband, Method Bee, however, her only option is to proceed now. Convincing herself yet again that she can strike a deal with the Commissioner. Method A hangs back, keeping one eye on her cousin and one on the Space Soldiers. Major Chromes scans her, ready to engage - his weapon active.

  ‘Commissioner, how can I help you’? Rulez Haah presents herself, trying her best to sound eloquent and compliant. But, as she speaks, there’s another thump, the Space Soldiers step forward once more, moving closer to her.

  ‘The warlords, Method A and Method Bee, hand them over’, the Commissioner demands.

  Rulez Haah takes a step back, as if having just realised her own naivety, and replies in a squeaky voice, ‘Method Bee no longer warlord, my husband’. Seeing his threatening demeanour, ‘I give you Method A. We deal? Aye’?

  Method Bee gasps, ‘You betray my cousin! We family’!

  But as Rulez Haah looks back to answer, Bruva Lem screams, ‘Watch out’!

  Zap! The Commissioner removes out a small diamond phaser and fires it point-blank into Rulez Haah, the shot tearing through her torso. Without even a scream, she slumps to the floor as the Space Soldiers fire on the rest of the Jerseyans - boom!

  Method A grabs her stunned cousin, as Bruva Lem and Rulez Haah’s guards return fire. Major Chromes looks to strike her, only for the Jerseyan fighters scattered in the ruins to come to their aid, the ensuing deadly firefight lighting up the dark, cloudy sky. Like in Gambler’s Den, the Electrozappers do little to slow the Space Soldiers, but it buys the Method Cousins just enough time to retreat.

  Agh! Unable to reach his boss, Bruva Lem is forced to flee, only to be struck in his leg as he reaches the exit door. Method A and Bee come to his aid, dragging him inside and down the stairs. His near colourless, slightly bluish blood staining the floor. With all the guards on the roof neutralised, they bolt the door shut.

  More Jerseyans fighters race up to defend their position. Among them is a ‘medicine bruva’, who is quick to rub a medicinal fungi gel on Bruva Lem’s wound to staunch the bleeding, but he has been mortally wounded.

  Boom! Shots fire into the reinforced metal door. Bruva Lem then grabs Method A’s arm, announcing, ‘With Rulez Haah dead, you boss here’. Bruva Lem’s last act to block this entry point, ‘Go now, I blow up stairway’.

  With Method Bee having abdicated his status, she becomes the warlord of all of New Jersey. In a short amount of time, there becomes only two warlords: Gangs Hater and Method A.

  ‘Bruva, much respect… You gonna feast well in great hall’, Method A replies in a sad and squeaking voice, putting up a hang loose, shaka sign of respect, before leaving with Method Bee.

  In no doubt that his courageous death will earn him a seat in the Chamber of Warriors. A Jerseyan belief that those who die in battle receive the ultimate honour of transcending to a great hall, lined with Papini of every flavour. Celebrating in a never-ending festival of music and feasting. An afterlife that promises to be better than this underground, hostile world.

  Chapter 11 Journal Square Under Attack

  Kaboom! Using the Space Soldier’s trick against them, Bruva Lem blows himself up and seals the rooftop entrance.

  With the news spreading of Method A becoming the new warlord, she wastes no time to address the Jerseyans of Journal Square, communicating to all, ‘We not gonna let them go underground, we gotta fight them’! After their experience in Harrison, she warns next, ‘Back away when those Soldiers start beeping’, their explosion most deadly.

  She divides up the guards to defend the two-remaining ground-level entry points into the Transportation Center and the subway system from above, via John F Kennedy Boulevard and Summit Avenue. Although the station is well fortified, it is not designed to keep out the Space Army. Rulez Haah’s slow reaction has left the east side of New Jersey ill-prepared.

  Method A turns to Bee, intel suggesting John F Kennedy cannot withstand the assault, ‘I gotta go to Boulevard’.

  Method Bee has reservations, he thinks they should stick together at the subway entrance, ‘Cousin, nah, nah’!

  ‘No choice, Bee. Soldiers coming’!

  Heeding her call, Jerseyans of all walks of life hurry up from the ground with makeshift weapons in hand; teenagers, mothers, fathers and elders all fighting together. Rulez Haah’s personal
guards no longer the only ones defending their home.

  Boom! Shots ricochet along the concrete walls as Method A commands a dozen fighters to follow her into a corridor strewn with bodies of dead and injured guards. The grenades and missiles having created plumes of dust, they struggle to see ahead. More worryingly, there’s also a whiff of noxious gas, just like that released in Ellsworth and Queen Elizabeth. Albeit the Jerseyans, with their layers of wrinkled skin are more resistant than humans, it risks eventually killing them if they are exposed for too long.

  A dying guard grabs her leg as she proceeds, warning that ‘they storm past’.

  If true, not only have the Space Soldiers taken the ‘Boulevard’, but they are inside. With not a second to lose, Method A signals all to scramble back to the subway entrance, ‘Run NOW’. They risk being cut-off with nowhere to retreat, not even underground.

  As she turns, the infamous Major Chromes walks through the dust, his plasma blaster pointing in their direction. Bang! He fires at the now-dead sista, knocking her head clean off her body, which rolls over to a shocked Method A. More Space Soldiers join Major Chromes, firing their weapons next. Method A rounds a corner as quickly as possible to get away. Bang! As another shot forces her to slide under a rusty metal table.

  A short, fragmented message breaks through the Universal jamming devices, it is her contact from the World Trade Center subway stop in Manhattan, a cargo bay manager named Keys: We-st At-ack.

  Not unexpected news, Gangs Hater begins his incursion of New Jersey’s east side: Exchange Place and Hoboken. Not only has he allowed the PATH agreement to be broken and betrayed his own kind, he now kills fellow Jerseyans on behalf of the Universal Council. The Commissioner’s offer to govern all of New Jersey as a puppet state, under him one puppet warlord, enough to sway him. The situation looks even bleaker for Method A and the Jerseyans.

  Agh! The Space Soldiers continue to press, her Jerseyan fighters mowed down one after the other as they continue to fall back to Method Bee’s position. Another blast throws the rusty table and Method A back. Her ears ringing, she is just about able to get to her feet. Narrowly missing the next wave of shots.

  Thump! Rounding a second corner, a Space Soldier cuts her off, knocking her to the floor and her weapon away. All looks lost, but through a small crack in the wall, a king scorpion emerges, it’s Ken! Having sensed the danger, he has followed from Turnpike to come to Method A’s rescue. He clamps onto the Space Soldier and bends one of its elongated limps, his stinger following and blinding the Soldier, who immediately starts to beep. Method A grabs Ken’s claw, pulling them just about far enough away before the Space Soldier stops beeping.

  Kaboom! The ceiling caves in and flames lash at them. Just about making it back to the subway entrance, Method A is relieved to find a much-stressed Method Bee still holding the position.

  ‘Crazy A! Get behind me’!

  The noxious gas smell is strong here, an assault soon to follow. In addition to Ken, over 500 king scorpions have gathered on the stairs. The PATH network their home too, they come to defend it. Many others are fighting up and down the subway system to protect it from these intruders. The fight still raging in Harrison. Method Bee embraces Method A with a chest bump, relieved she has come back alive. His forehead though is even more wrinkled than usual, he knows they MUST act or risk opening up another entrance to the tunnels below. Already pressured from attacks east and west, New Jersey will be lost if they lose this position.

  Method A rechecks her messages. Hoping for a reply from her NEA contact, rebel leader Pretoria, on her earlier request for support but there is none. Method Bee hands her cousin a new weapon, a Subway Hunter rifle. Alongside the king scorpions, a thousand more Jerseyans have also come. This they know a fight for their lives and livelihoods.

  With these reinforcements, Method A returns to her plan, first to push the Space Soldiers out of the Transportation Center and second to relieve pressure on the aerial defences, so that they can challenge the spaceships in the skies. Whilst the numbers of Space Soldiers is far lower, they are superiorly armed and much stronger. To help give them extra resistance to the noxious gases, Rulez Haah’s servants hurry up and down the stairway, carrying plates and bowls of Papini powder.

  Boom! Shots fire through the clouds of dust at their entrenched position. It’s time. Method A waits for each to finish ingesting the Papini before giving the signal to charge.

  ‘Bruvas and sistas, we go fight’. Lifting her weapon high, her look resolute, ‘We gonna get revenge, for Journal, Rulez Haah, aye’!

  ‘Aye’! The gathered fighters reply together. Their resolve is stronger than ever, they call out, ‘For Rulez Haah! For Journal’!

  Ken commences the counter with the king scorpions, who scurry through the cracks in the walls to launch a surprise attack on the Space Soldiers, latching onto their metallic limbs they pull them to the floor. Their attention diverted, Method A leads the Jerseyans forward through the noxious gas, firing in quick succession.

  Major Chromes retreats behind the first row, keeping himself away from danger. Seeing the Space Soldiers greatly outnumbered, he orders a tactical retreat. Firing his Plasma blaster into the ceiling, he buries those at the front so the rest can get away.

  Beep-Beep! A familiar sound returns.

  Method A calls out to take shelter, ‘Get back! Get down’!

  Kaboom! The explosion spreads through, decimating everything in its path. Now aware of this danger, most take cover on hearing the sound. And Method A wastes no time in capitalising on the Space Soldiers retreat, splitting the Jerseyan fighters and king scorpions into two groups, hers to continue to Summit Avenue on the west side of the building and Method Bee the others to retake John F Kennedy Boulevard. Hoping to rid the surface of any remaining Space Soldiers as well as their tactical assault commander, Major Chromes.

  Method A checks her communicator again for news from Pretoria, she is both relieved and excited to find his response: Following Lt. Colonel Indium Spaceships. Earth Resistance, NEA, Free Enforcer Come To New Jersey To Expel Commissioner and Space Army.

  The EaRA does not so much come for altruistic reasons - to aid the Method cousins, they come to rid Earth of Commissioner Ming and the smaller contingent of the Space Army to prevent their return to the capital, this time supported by Gangs Hater’s up-armoured cargo ships. Their speed of action critical. The Commissioner’s heavy-handed approach to finding VanWest, including declaring Universal law in New Jersey, has left his forces stretched and allowed the NEA, Utopians and Free Enforcers to forge an alliance.

  Notwithstanding, this small contingent has managed to kill so many in Antarctica and New Jersey. It’s terrifying to think what the entire Space Army could do. The need for VanWest, Iris and LeSouris to find and kill Dr King remains vital to the defence of Earth.

  Method A receives a second message from Pretoria, now closer the EaRA is able to circumvent the Universal’s jamming devices: Incoming 5 Min. Make Support.

  With this news of their imminent arrival, Method A sends a communication on all frequencies to continue the fight, ‘Fire at them ships’.

  Calling on any Jerseyan that can help. Those of her cargo ships not yet impounded or destroyed, emerge up-armoured, their shields at maximum join the fray as Method Bee updates that ‘Boulevard clear, machines on the run’.

  Zoom! But without warning, an intense red light fills the ground in and around Journal Square, blinding Method A and all the Jerseyans with her. In that instant, she finally realises the more sinister reason why Major Chromes retreated so quickly. It was a little too easy. Commissioner Ming has a lone MLS-Arts at his disposal, the most advanced long-range spaceship ever produced, from space it can hit any target on Earth with pinpoint accuracy. Lt. Colonel Indium, having withdrawn from Queen Elizabeth, also arrives. Universal’s spaceships number as follows:

  - Commissioner Ming – SCC-300

  - Major Chromes – MLS-25

  - Lt. Colonel Indium – MLS-5 />
  - 20 Standard class spaceships

  - MLS-Arts long-distance artillery spaceship

  Agh! The temperature soars, causing the stones around to heat up rapidly and redden. Method A collapses, she can see her skin boiling. A new message reads 30 Seconds. She wonders if it is already too late for her. Looking around, the other Jerseyans are collapsing too, they do not have long until they are next to fall prey to the Space Soldiers’ trickery.

  Boom! The ground shakes violently, and the intense red light fades. Houston leads the battleships, Pretoria having joined her. Her fleet now numbers 250 strong, with more having joined from space and other areas of Earth. Trailing close behind is Captain Kun-lee, the commander of the Free Enforcers, leading the patrolships whose numbers also reach 250 strong. Dr VonHelmann and Lt. Colonel Wang come too, trailing further behind on the Elite SCC-40.

  Albeit the spaceships are more advanced, they are far outnumbered by the combined fleets of the NEA, Free Enforcers and Method A’s Jerseyans. Having already inflicted major damage and casualties, the Commissioner is not willing to put his own life at risk and immediately orders to withdraw and regroup on the red planet with Dr King. He knows that the Space Army commanded by Four-star General Vladimir will far outmatch the EaRA’s eclectic fleet of 500 plus.

  The melees have come at a steep cost to the Free Enforcers, losing half of their numbers, so too that of the NEA and nearly all of New Jersey’s cargo ships. The battles over New Jersey and Queen Elizabeth may have been won, but the war is far from over.

  The MLS-Art spaceship finally withdraws too, its damage has been huge, firing deep into the ground it has killed tens of thousands around Journal. Major Chromes leaves in his own MLS class ship too, having transported the remaining Space Soldiers inside, they all speed to Mars. Less than two days travel away, one for the fastest spaceships.

  ‘Method Bee, cousin, you good’? Method A asks through her communicator. But there is no answer, she asks again, ‘Method Bee’!