Pain of The Lone Spectre

by Adrian P

  “Exactly,” Charlotte nodded. “The Crowned Confederacy assumes that everyone is born equal, a beautiful optimistic thought, but that simply isn’t the reality,” she paused. “Some born to a poor family, others rich. Others have caring parents, I don’t. Some goes to school with decent classmates. I didn’t.”

  Silence.

  “These factors beyond control, the birth condition we do not have the power to shape, and yet, The Crowned Confederacy insisted that we are responsible for our own fate! What? Should we just mind our place? That poor people should remain poor? That jobless people deserve their fate?”

  “Ghost Girl…”

  She glared at Audi. “So of all people, I understand what it means to be born in a disadvantaged position. I understand why Matthew shot himself. I understand why you are in despair,” she paused. “But I don’t let the world defeat me. I don’t kill myself, because I know, millions of people out there are suffering just as I do.”

  The girl stood up.

  “That my destiny, my raison d'être, is to ensure everyone is free to pursue their own destiny,” she approached Audi. “Unbound by unnecessary work and labour. Independent of self-deprecating responsibilities.”

  The Bandana Boy took a deep breath. He scratched his hair and stood up. “Then we have a…job to do,” he said. “Stopping Konstantin before he destroys the world you’re trying to save.”

  Charlotte nodded.

  “I envy you, Ghost Girl.”

  She tilted her head.

  “You gaze straight at a burning world without losing faith in it,” he walked towards the door. “That is a strength I can never hold; for when I see a world in fire, I’d rather throw a bunch of logs into it and make the blaze bigger,”

  “Hoping whatever started the flames is quickly reduced to cinders, so nothing will ever burn again.”

  Chapter 3 / Part 2

  Princess Victoria leaned forward on a safety fence of her room’s terrace, exposing a view of a burning downtown area on the distance. She glanced down to the streets. Armoured cars of The Armed Forces arrived and established barricade throughout the suburb. Trucks with supplies of heavy equipment entered and brought down rifles, bullets, and explosive rockets ammunitions. She turned back and stepped into her room, closing the balcony door with both hands.

  The room was a spacious bedroom with living area. Dark red sofa with golden legs and twice-polished mahogany coffee table. High-definition entertainment projector with physical sensors peripherals was hung on the ceiling. Glimmering crystal lights emanated warm white light rays, painting the room in a yellow-red shade.

  Victoria sat on the bed and crossed her legs. She grabbed a children’s picture book lying on top of the blanket.

  PRINCESS OF THE LIGHT KINGDOM.

  It was her favourite since childhood. As she flipped the cover page onto the first, she reminisced the first time her step-brother, Prince Horlix, read it when she was four. The scent of a freshly-printed, newly-opened paper book.

  The first picture showed the prince of Panterra Nation who fell in love with the kind princess of Light Kingdom. The story went on, showing the struggle between the lovers to withstand the sabotages of a jealous princess from the Darkness Empire. At the very end, their love prevailed, and they united the world, ruling together in peace and harmony.

  Victoria related to the story at its most basic premise. She too, was an actual princess who wanted a world of peace and harmony. She looked up to the figure of the Light princess, who could remain stern, strong, and unflinching amidst the cruelties the world throws at her.

  “Is it too much to ask, that I be her?” she whispered to herself.

  The entrance door opened.

  A long-haired maid entered the room with a bouquet of flower on her arms. She smiled and approached the Princess. “Something to cheer you up.”

  “Dina,” the Princess turned and clasped her hands in front, holding her purple dress’ lower part as a breeze blew into the room. “What’s the occasion?”

  She handed the bouquet to her. “Beautiful isn’t it? An arrangement of orchids surrounded with lavender heathers,” Dina said. “Are they not your favourite?”

  The Princess smiled. She took the bouquet and brushed the orchid petals gently with her fingers. “Thank you, Dina,” she said. “I’ll be sure to treasure this.”

  Dina nodded. “Please do.”

  “Why are you here?” the Princess put the bouquet on a dressing table and positioned it to lean on the wall. “I’m sure you have better things to do than bringing me flowers.”

  “I can always spare a little time to cheer up our glorious princess,” she said. “But please don’t show yourself in the balcony. With the ensuing riot, who knows what these rabble-rousers would do if they spot a member of The Royal Family?”

  “Isn’t this place secured by Order of The Armed Forces?” Victoria asked. “They must go through several defensive lines to even reach this place.”

  “Unlike the police, our Troopers aren’t equipped to disarm rioting civilians; they’re armed to defeat veteran soldiers of The Brotherhood,” Dina replied. “If they have to engage the rioters, they would have to use deadly force. We don’t want to kill civilians, do we?”

  “Why not?”

  “Eh?”

  “These rioters are violent dissidents, and they have harmed fellow civilians and the police. If we have to defend ourselves, we should do so with proportional force.”

  The maid frowned. “The rioters are armed with improvised weapons, while our Troopers wield the most advanced rifles, armours, and equipment,” she said. “However the clash turns out, it will never be proportional.”

  “We don’t have a choice if they attack, do we? It’s merely self-defence, so—“

  “Princess!”

  Victoria flinched.

  “I’m tired of keeping myself silent, so I’m going to ask you bluntly,” Dina’s voice stiffened. “Did The Bandana Boy do something to you?”

  The Princess paused for five seconds. “Why do you say so?”

  “So you’re not denying it.”

  “I cannot deny something I don’t understand.”

  Dina sighed. “Look, I might be part of the Royal Family servants now, but I’ve served as a senior member of Galactic Intelligence Bureau for years,” she paused. “Reading people’s emotion might not be easy, but a person expressing disturbance is as clear as a star on dark nights.”

  “Disturbance, huh?” her face was neutral.

  Dina sighed. She stepped aside and showed her the door. “But Audi Prabian wants to see you.”

  Victoria’s face soured. “Why?”

  “See,” Dina sighed. “Just…talk to him. He has something urgent to tell you. About military operations.”

  “Can’t he relay his information through the Armed Forces?”

  “He insisted on talking to you directly.”

  Victoria clicked her tongue, albeit subtle. “Very well,” she said. “Send him in.”

  The door Audi leaned on opened in abrupt. He jumped forward and spun back. Dina stood with both eyes squinted tight. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I was waiting. That took you long.”

  The maid sighed. “Don’t get too comfortable in there. I’m warning you.”

  “Do you still not trust me, after all we’ve gone through?” Audi frowned. “Get used to my presence, maid. Even earlier—”

  Dina gritted her teeth. “You don’t understand, I’m not trying to protect her,” she leaned towards his ear.

  “I’m trying to protect you.”

  “What?” Audi turned to Dina, but the maid marched outside and closed the door.

  The boy sighed. He walked into the room and saw Victoria.

  Stop there,” Victoria said.

  The boy stopped.

  The princess sat down on a sofa. “I thought I made it clear that any command should be relayed directly to the Military Sector. Why are you insisting on talking
through me?”

  “Because I don’t need the Military Sector; I need you.”

  “Why?” she frowned.

  “According to our intel, Konstantin and his Brotherhood forces have entrenched themselves on the hill where Kotabaru’s Observatory is located,” he said. “The Armed Forces is ill equipped to attack a high ground with fortified defenders, so I want you to call in a different branch of the Military Sector.”

  “Which?

  “Marines of the Naval Armada.”

  Victoria paused.

  “Can’t you?”

  “I’m the Princess, there’s nothing I say will be defied by my subjects,” Victoria replied. “But how dare you ask for a conflict escalation.”

  “Escalation? Requesting the marines’ assistance is considered a conflict escalation?”

  “The situation in Bandar Prime is officially a theatre for Order of the Armed Forces,” she replied. “By involving the marines, you’re bringing in every branch of the Military Sector into this operation, barring the Red Berets,” she paused. “What kind of signal would that give the rest of the Military Sector? What kind of signal would that convey to The Royal Family in Terra?”

  “Konstantin is about to launch his superweapon again,” Audi raised his voice. “I wouldn’t be too worried if he had gone straight to the spaceport, but for him to head for a high ground detour means he’s preparing for another summoning of a hurricane, and perhaps worse! How many have died in Benteng City? Do you want another ten million to die in this city?”

  “Then make do with the Armed Forces!” Victoria yelled in return. “Uncle Evan painted you as a genius strategist who defeated Gleicherde and Brotherhood three years ago, but you would give up in the face of a slight disadvantage?”

  Audi kneeled.

  “My glorious Princess, Victoria Scythe Tanuya,” the boy kept his head down. “I am more than capable of using the power of our Armed Forces to defeat these Brotherhood. I’ve analysed their positioning. Their defence formation. Fifty different combinations of reactions for our every plan of attack.”

  Silence.

  “But no matter which plan I execute, the casualties on our side will be massive. There were already ten million deaths too many in the past few days, and I do not wish to raise the tally any more. The main invasion force of The Brotherhood will be here at any moment, and we can’t afford to lose unnecessary manpower. Not a single one.”

  “How is using the marines going to reduce casualty?”

  “Marines are made for versatility. Their armours are lighter, but they can adapt to situations much better than Armed Forces’ Troopers,” the boy replied. “Lend me their strength, and I will clean the Brotherhood up.”

  Victoria paused for a few seconds. She grabbed a communicator on a table and opened a channel. “Do we have Marines in range of Bandar Prime?”

  She waited for a response.

  “Really?” she straightened her pose. “That’s convenient timing. Get them to my location and report immediately. We have an urgent operation to conduct.”

  She hung up.

  “You’re in luck,” Victoria put the communicator back. “Chief Commodore Nettleton of the Naval Armada has assigned several squads of marines to Bandar Prime.”

  “What?”

  The Princess stood up. “They will be here shortly. Now please leave if you’ve got nothing else to—“

  “Princess,” the boy interrupted. “Have I done something to upset you again?”

  Victoria paused.

  “If something I’ve done has caused offence, then I must apologise. Whatever it is, it wasn’t my intention to—“

  “Of course it’s not your intention.”

  The boy kept silent.

  “You have sworn your upmost loyalty to me; that you will protect me from all sorts of dangers that this world poses. That you will lay down your life if it means preserving my life,” Victoria continued. “You’ve made yourself clear.”

  “Naturally,” Audi stood. “But let me make myself clear again, that I’m not merely doing this just because you’re a princess. Had that been the only reason, I would not personally attend you; I would assign a contingent of troops and command them from afar. Hell, you have your two ex-spy maids, I don’t really need to do anything.”

  Victoria glanced away.

  “I want you to…stay the way you are. In this brutal, unforgiving world, staying moral is a challenge even for the most exalted saints,” the boy clenched his fists. “You, princess, is one of the very few people I know who is willing to stand against this world. Someone who wishes to change it for the better.”

  “What’s in it for you?” the princess spoke softly. “Why do you care what I am, what I will become?”

  Audi took a deep breath. “Hope.”

  “Eh?”

  “I’ve witnessed so many; too many people fell victim to the way our world works. If you stay the way you are, then I would have someone to look up to,” Audi replied. “Someone that, despite being born in the purple, still remain incorruptible by the ways of the world.”

  Silence.

  “I’ve spoken too much, my apologies,” he bowed while stepping back towards the exit. “If the marines are coming soon, then I shall—“

  “Wait,” Victoria spoke.

  Audi stopped.

  “If,” she bit her lip. “If you want to watch over me, then you’ll have to stick around me for a little longer. Even after everything is over.”

  The boy paused. “What do you mean?”

  “When this crisis is over, The Royal Family will discover the truth that I’ve been travelling around without The Knights, and that is against our family’s sacred protocol,” Victoria said. “My mom, Princess Gabriella, would no doubt forbid me from travelling outside our palace in Ganymede for some time.”

  “Must be tough having an overprotective family.”

  “It’s not like I don’t understand their concern,” Victoria replied. “Prince Maxim’s death made them paranoid, and the Brotherhood invasion in Gleicherde heightened their fear. Imagine what’ll happen, if I tell them that I am facing Konstantin and his Brotherhood soldiers here.”

  “You are going under house arrest.”

  “Practically,” Victoria smiled, albeit subtle. “That’s why I want you to visit Ganymede often after all this, okay?”

  “But…”

  “I know you have a job in Nagisawa Corporation; I’m not asking you to quit,” she replied. “Just, come see me often.”

  “You said you’ll be locked inside Ganymede Palace, what am I supposed to do?” the boy asked. “Moreover, I’m just a civilian. No status. No title. Hell, I don’t even have money to bribe the Knights.”

  “Bribing the Knights won’t work,” Victoria made a soft laughter. “I’ll find a way. Ayu and Dina can help sneak past the palace security.”

  The boy frowned. “They seem to have more passion in espionage than housekeeping.”

  “They juggle around,” she replied. “But this means you have to deal with me. Everything, from the cute to the ugly sides.”

  “Did you just call yourself cute?”

  “Do you disagree?”

  “Well, I…” Audi scratched his head. “I certainly think you’re, err, well groomed.”

  Victoria pouted. “What am I? A dog?”

  The boy smiled. “But I’ll be more than happy to see you when you want. Let me defeat Konstantin and his Brotherhood cronies now; we shall talk about this after.”

  The princess nodded twice. “Go. Fight them. Win.”

  “As you wish, my princess.”

  The boy exited the room and closed the door.

  Victoria opened the door slightly and peeked out. The Bandana Boy stood near an open window, speaking on the communicator. The princess kept looking for minutes, staring at him for the entirety of the call. When the boy turned around the corner, she silently pushed the door shut and faced the floor.

  Maybe I can still make it. Sh
e thought. Look how much I’ve got him when that mercenary girl isn’t around.

  I need to keep her away.

  I won’t fail again this time.

  I won’t let my world slip away.

  The reason I can stand.

  The reason I can face this wretched world.

  I won’t let anyone steal it away.

  Not anymore.

  Chapter 3 / Part 3

  Three blue aircraft landed vertically on the street. As they touched the ground, a strong wind blew out of its engine exhaust onto the surrounding, bending trees and blowing leaves like an abrupt autumn. Their exit hatches opened, and soldiers marched out.

  Unlike Troopers’ green suit, these soldiers wore blue-clad armour with sleeker design than their Armed Forces’ compatriots. Their rifles were smaller, but they were equipped with jet boosters on their back. Each brought a large cylinder with them, and one placed it on the ground: expanding it two one arms’ length to form a shield covering his body’s entirety. Painted on its surface was a symbol of a Crowned Confederacy military branch.

  The Orbital Marines.

  As the marines unloaded their supplies, Audi walked towards them and searched for their leader. He analysed their suit, looking for a unique insignia plastered on their shoulder piece.

  Gotcha. He approached a man with silver badge.

  Audi was about to speak, but the man caught his sight. He smiled and dashed towards the boy. He snatched his hand and shook it.

  “Greetings, Bandana Boy,” the man said. “I am Captain Farzan of Pulsar Marine Company.”

  “Have we met before?”

  Farzan shook his head. “I am a classmate of the late Captain Euclid Tateman, back when we’re still students at the Martian Naval Military Academy.”

  “Tateman,” the boy paused. “He was a brave soldier.”

  “Survivors of the war in Gleicherde told me how much he respected you,” Farzan smiled. “The Crowned Confederacy sacrificed such a titan to win that war.”

  “That war has neither been won nor ended,” the boy replied. “It was but an opening stage to a greater conflict The Brotherhood planned to engulf our civilisation in.”