" History has proven it's worth time and time again, teaching us – guiding the world.
We pray that horrible events in the volatile past may never occur again – that the chance will never be given for certain events to take place.
Unfortunately, the world has fallen into hell once more."
"We were fools to never absorb history's teachings."
Subversive FateAs far back as he could remember, there had always been space.
Space was his home. He was surrounded by secrets, always left in the dark. More often than not, recalled the boy, his mother had pulled he and his brother into ventilation shafts aboard the ship – Papa always absent, covering for them.
Darkness had become the eight year old's greatest ally. It had hidden him from his father's secrets, from the strange world he had become accustomed to. The shadows hid the boy from the uniforms, the guns, the 'mechs… Little could this eight year old ignore the full-scale war raging on around him.
He gazed out the window overlooking his father's empire. And Nicholas shook in horror and fear. All the fighting lessons Nicholas had taken never prepared him for the hellish war outside.
"Nicholas!" cried a new voice. His mama.
"I'm here," the boy answered, small hands pressed against the cold glass.
A tall woman stood in the doorway, holding in her arms a six-month-old child. The babe slept peacefully in its mother's arms, unaffected by the blasts outside. Katyusha's blonde hair seemed white in the dark room, making Nicholas far more terrified of his mother.
" Yes Mama?" he asked, turning to face the woman.
Katyusha's face seemed paler than normal at the sight of her eight-year-old son watching the war outside. "Come away from there Nicholas. Your father wishes to speak to you."
The three walked in silence, the child trying to compose himself before seeing his father – the great General whom presided over all five Pentagon worlds. The boy brushed dirt off of his gray jacket and pants, hoping to look somewhat impressive.
" Relax my son," his mother said softly. " Your papa will not hurt you. He will instead only wonder why you walk in with such a stiff demeanor, like one of his squadron commanders – instead of his firstborn son."
Nicholas nodded. " I'm sorry Mama," he apologized. " Don't be mad at me…"
"I'm not mad, Nicholas," stated Katyusha. Nicholas still smoothed out the wrinkles in his faded gray pants as she added, "Just worried."
The boy did not hear her; his heard was beating too hard in his chest. So loud that this was all he could hear. He is only my father, Nicholas thought. He straightened his jacket and pressed the button that would open the door to his father's study.
A queasy feeling came over Nicholas as he decided to take the first step into the dark office.
Casting a look back towards his mother's direction, Nicholas noted that she was now gone. I am alone, was his first thought. Then he remembered where he was and corrected himself. No, I am in my father's presence… I must be his ideal son…
A dim light hung above his father's desk, a lantern sat on the large window's sill behind it. The ship had lost a sever amount of power due to the rebel attack on the General's base. Nicholas could do nothing but wonder why so many hate his father so much. The concept was very hard for him to grasp, as his whole life had been sheltered. Secluded. A secret.
"Is that you Nicholas?" a deep voice wondered from behind the desk.
Nicholas held his breath.
"Answer me, my son," the voice seemed to command.
The boy's bottom lip began to twitch in fear. His father was mad… "I- I'm here father," he finally stuttered out.
Aleksandr stood from behind his desk, looming over his unusually tall son of eight. He stepped out from behind the desk and walked to where his Nicholas stood, quaking with fear. The General then kneeled down to look his son in the eyes.
" I'm not going to lie to you Nicholas," the General told him. " I believe you're old enough to hear the truth. This is all I can give to you right now in this time of hell."
Nicholas nodded as his father put a heavy hand on his tiny shoulders. " Is this a secret as well, father?"
There was a long moment of silence before the boy's father did something unexpected.
Aleksandr Kenensky burst into laughter. Something he hadn't done in decades, since he had been a child in Moscow. Nicholas had never heard his father laugh, so still believed he was angry. Little laughter had erupted from anyone since the war's beginning. It was a strange sound for the boy to hear – for anyone to palace. Aleksandr noticed his son's lack of emotion however, and silence the unfamiliar laughter.
Clearing his throat, the General began to speak again. "No," he answered, glancing once again into his son's deep green eyes. "You know about the war, Nicholas." The boy nodded, his unusually dark hair bobbing with his head. So Aleksandr continued his words of fate to his son: " I have enrolled you in a training camp to become a pilot of one of those damned machines. I fear that if I do not do so, your life may be in danger, Nicholas."
The boy's face bore no emotion. " As you wish, father."
* * * * * * * *
What do you think? Please R&R! More to come soon, promise!
- yuki