Civilization (I'll Stay Right Here)
By Kachimoochi
Chapter VI
Hope Isn't…Really Lost
Anaximander relived the past half hour in his head, mentally scolding and congratulating himself simultaneously, either side gaining momentary, but irrelevant ground.
"WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE"
"He needed our help; we can offer him a better life"
"ALIENS CAN'T BE PART OF CIVILIZATION, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME"
"This is a onetime deal, the poor guy has been lied to his entire life, no one knows what that is like more than us"
"THE GUY STOLE FROM YOU, HE ISN'T DOING HIS RACE ANY FAVOURS"
"I haven't forgiven him completely for that, but he was all but brainwashed for such an act"
"HAVE YOU EVEN THOUGHT OF WHAT ALTAIR IS GOING TO SAY ABOUT THIS, HOW ARE YOU EVEN GOING TO BRING HIM TO CIVILIZATION WITHOUT A GLOVE OR A DREAM?"
"Altair owes me more than enough favors, besides like I said, this is a onetime deal. This doesn't mean we are going to liberate every alien man we come across."
"CHARITY AND WELFARE HAS BEEN THE DESTRUCTION OF CIVILIZATION, WE WILL REGRET THIS"
"Only when it is given to the undeserving, now can we get back to the task at hand?"
"WHAT DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO SAY WHEN HE FINDS OUT THAT YOU HAVE A GETH AS A BUTLER?"
"All in good time, we are almost to the clinic, for god's sake please let me focus"
"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF MEEEEE….." Anaximander's antagonistic conscience faded comically.
Finally regaining control of his mental faculties, Anaximander approached the front of the pediatric clinic; he studied the entrance, only to find it completely unguarded and inconspicuous.
He activated his wrist-mounted computer and scanned the environment, locating security cameras, alarms, and the most obvious of all. Anaximander stared at the blue outline that was located beneath the clinic, paying close attention to the red, glowing Chinese guards guarding the elevator discretely hidden within a storage closet.
He would have been surprised if any of the staff were aware that they were part of a façade, he saw only a female janitor ever enter the secret elevator, and return from the secret facility located beneath the clinic. He would have been disgusted at the thought that a government could be so corrupt, so ruthless as to hide a drug facility underneath a children's clinic. But he was all but surprised, he knew just as much as they did, humanity was now weak, they were desperate. With only around 1.5 billion human males remaining on Earth, mainly contained to Asia and Afrika, the mainly female led governments were panicking.
Though they never exposed their fear, they only doubled down on their shaming tactics. Most countries on Earth encouraged men to breed as quickly as possible, so as to bridge the gap in the dwindling population growth. This also resulted in almost every country enacting massive immigration policies, leading to massive welfare states, leading in many cases to bankruptcy.
The citizens of Civilization were aware of Earth's circumstances, and they reveled in them. It wasn't common to simply find a citizen secretly visiting a city on Earth, and simply walking around and laughing. After each country fell, after they embarrassed themselves more, and after they even resorted to begging for their return, all Civilization offered was a laugh. This naturally led to an overall hatred of all men, not only the human kind.
These thoughts were ever-present in Anaximander's mind, but he forgot to revel in his self-esteem, no matter how morbid it seemed for a children's clinic be used as a drug facility, while in a war, it was nothing Anaximander hadn't seen before.
"Alright, enough self-righteousness" Anaximander concluded to himself.
Anaximander jaunted to an alleyway across from the clinic, between a bank and a Laundromat, leaning against the wall, continuing to study for a spot of entry, or an almighty idea for how to enter such a conspicuous building. He finally resulted to crouching behind a dumpster and viewing the clinic through the computer model, and a monocular.
"You know, the clinic employs alien labor to deliver vaccines in the back, right?" a voice spoke to him after a few minutes buried in his computer.
"Uhh…I was…I mean I meant to…HAKON!?" Anaximander suddenly faced the new figure, recognizing him as the Quarian he spiritually liberated earlier.
"I'm s-s-sorry Anaximander, but I kn-kn-knew you'd come here to do something important, so I followed you to see where you came from, are you a doctor of something?" The Quarian asked, equally crouching behind the dumpster and veering his cloudy mask into Anaximander's computer.
"No!...well I do have a license in…I mean, I'm here on a secret mission that I can't presently disclose, just meet me at the spot I told you to and I'll explain everything." Anaximander whispered loudly while trying to wrestle back his wrist.
"Ohh…you mean the psychoactive drug facility in the basement of the clinic?" Hakon inquired, exclaiming surprised that Anaximander wasn't aware of such a widespread fact
"How the HELL do you know about the "secret" facility, I was told that it was classified information?" said a bewildered Anaximander.
"Everybody in the city knows about it, the Chinese military has threaten to kill anyone who speaks of it on the extranet or in public, but everyone knows it exists, nothing in China stays a secret for l-l-long in China. I just got here 2 months ago, and even I know that" Hakon said, taking pride in his knowledge of something over Anaximander.
"Alright, you've officially made me feel like the dullest human in the world, are you proud of yourself?" Anaximander said, exasperated on how he could miss such an obvious fact of Chinese life, there are no secrets.
"I get the ide-ide-idea; you're here to destroy the facility right? That's why you're so obsessed with male supremacy, I just thought you were insane" Hakon deduced correctly to Anaximander.
"I am here to stop production of a pill that is being used to torture and enslave human males, though I would prefer to do it as silent as possible, China isn't the place to fight the government openly. And if you had to suffer what I have suffered, you would have an in-group preference too. As long as I can prevent their suffering any further, than hope isn't…really lost." Anaximander enlightened Hakon.
"Touche" Hakon replied.
Anaximander stared at him dumbfounded.
"That is the ri-ri-right word, yes?" Hakon asked.
Anaximander didn't dignify him with a response.
"Well…if you intend to disobey my directions, I shall put you to work instead. You said that the clinic employs alien labor to deliver the chemical for the drug, yes?" Anaximander began again.
"Yes, I met many Turians in the homeless park who ran deliveries at the clinic, it was from them I learned of the secret facility" Hakon answered.
Anaximander turned away from him, pacing across the alley, pondering a plan.
"Well, I cannot afford to wait for you to be a double agent…I have to look for a way inside…but how?" He said.
"Hmm…I see your dilemma, you can't go into the clinic without a child, I know that is a rule, I can't go und-und-undercover, I could probably die if I were exposed to the chemicals. Can you find a weak spot on your…that things on your wrist?" Hakon joined Anaximander in pacing across the alley.
"It goes farther than that…the schematics show that the closet elevator is the only entrance into the facility, and it is operated by a hidden card reader, I can find where it is, but we cannot use it without the card. And if we get in a tussle, they can also manually shut down the elevator, we have no choice but to do this silently." Anaximander spoke, slowing his pacing, before finally stopping.
"Oh Jesus…I think I have an idea…but it's a bad idea" Anaximander spoke cryptically
Across the universe, in a galaxy not too far away, but far enough away.
The galaxy in question contained dozens of planets, but observation would prove that only one planet was inhabited.
It was an Earth-like planet; though it was completely covered by sea, save for one island.
If ever a visitor was allowed on the near barren planet, they would hear a British voice welcoming them…in a familiar opening tune.
The visitor would them be greeted to the sight of an anthropomorphic, blue train engine, and if one were lucky they would find the owner of the galaxy riding it.
This man is known as Soham Joseph
Though, one would be more accurate in calling him a boy, as his age was barely 14. One would also more accurately call him the little brother of Altair Joseph.
Soham was a special boy, though not in the sort of way one would expect. Soham was not like other boys, or rather he didn't think the same way, act the same way, and especially live the same way. If left to the wolves of Earth, he would have been picked clean and exploited by the forces that controlled it, if not for his older brothers. Though the brothers would swear that their campaign for liberation was one of righteousness, they would be lying, for the only reason they continues as far as they did, was to create a better life for their brother.
Soham's brain worked in a strange way as well, sometimes to his benefit, and sometimes to his detriment. He is a technological savant, being able to operate any form of technology, no matter it's origin with explicit ease. Though this also came at the loss of social skills, he didn't learn to talk until he was 5 years of age, and lacked much maturity to add. The core members of Civilization related him as a little brother equally, albeit one who would constantly play pranks on them, never knowing when to stop.
When offered his own galaxy, he chose to model it after his favorite television show, which he watched on old-fashioned DVD's: Thomas The Tank Engine.
Not always finding internet in humanity was futile when faced with a world of anthropomorphic train engines, it was as if one never had to grow up. His brothers were only relieved that they could protect him from the horrors he never knew he escaped on Earth. Though due to his technological prowess, he is often consulted for technological help, and gadget-making, it being the only connection Soham has to the home he left long ago.
It is in this capacity we find Soham, connecting wires, programming languages, and operating tracks of his beloved trains simultaneously, having the time of his life, until all at once, his Pip-Boy activated a call.
"Soham Joseph, ruler of Sodor and self-proclaimed genius, to whom am I speaking to?" he asked his Pip-Boy whilst remaining focused on his various tasks at hand.
"Eh…hi Soham…it's uhh…Anaximander…do you remember me…I'm a friend of your brothers" Anaximander asked awkwardly, in fear of the consequences he could face if his brothers found out that he was trying to enlist Soham's help.
"Mmmmmm…sure I remember you, black hair, black beard, old fashion sense, average intelligence, last met at birthday party of Nasir Robertson three months ago…nice to talk to you" Soham stated, not giving his full attention.
"Ehh…right, nice to talk to you too…eh anyway I hate to disturb you, but…" Anaximander tried to gain confidence, reminding himself of their mutual friendship, having known each other for years.
"Mmmm…you want either advice, tech support, or inventions, I may be half Indian but that doesn't mean I'm a miracle worker, exactly what do you need Anaximander" Soham said, now offering a modicum of attention to the older friend, he hadn't thought about in a while.
Soham hadn't encountered Anaximander one-on-one very much, though they were together at almost every one of Civilization's triumphs, making them brothers-in-arms. He also provided much of the technology used by the Civilization citizens, such as the wrist-mounted computer "Pip-Boy" to the female robot companions which almost all citizens possessed.
"Right, so I am in Hong Kong, and your brother asked me to…" Anaximander began, unsettled slightly by Soham's swift mind.
"Mmmm…In Hong Kong, on Civilization business, espionage, no doubt to dismantle drug facility located beneath the pediatric clinic stealthily to free men and prevent international incidents, continue" Soham now stopped his previous duties, and preemptively started work on a prototype invention for whatever Anaximander may desire.
"AH FOR CHRIST'S SAKE...IS THIS PLACE EVEN A SECRET!" Anaximander exclaimed into the sky.
"Eh…sorry about that, anyways I've sent you the schematic for the building. There is only one entrance which is the only exit to both the clinic, and elevator to the facility, there is a docking bay in the back but it only employs Turians, so I was thinking…" Anaximander counted to ten to relieve his blood pressure, before continuing on.
"Mmmm…better idea, use docking bay, sending you prototype active camouflage, will disguise you as Turian, will send you two for friend beside you, will manually hack into the keycard reader when inside closet, opening comm channel, stay updated, Goodbye" Soham finished the prototype, and commanding a robot servant to air drop it to Anaximander's location, before making a slight modification for the Quarian he noticed beside his old friend.
"Goodb…man that kid's strange, but he is a genius, I am still worried about this though" Anaximander stated, the call having disconnected.
"Why, does his technology fail often?" Hakon asked.
"Oh no, he never fails, he'd probable send himself into a coma if he ever did, I'm just worried what his brother will think if he finds out I asked for his help".
"Why would his brother care if you helped him?" Hakon further inquired.
"You know Altair Joseph right? The co-founder of Civilization, Soham is his little brother, and he is VERY protective of him, he never even allowed him to leave their house until they created his own galaxy". Anaximander enlightened.
"You work for Altair Joseph? The Fleet has branded him a terrorist and warlord, everyone in the Milky Way knows who he is. He's your boss?" Hakon asked, so shocked that he didn't even stutter once more.
"Eh…long story, but you'll get used to it if you join Civilization" Anaximander stated, his head glued to the sky, praying Soham wouldn't prank him and land the package on his head, again.
"You're going to let me join Civi-vi-vilization?" Hakon asked with childlike excitement, falling immediately into fantasies of owning something for the first time in his life, Quarians often existed in shared property ships, it was unimaginable hell.
"It isn't my decision, but you seem like a good guy who went down the wrong lonesome road, I just hope you do not screw me over, or that Altair kills me for bring you to his galaxy" Anaximander said, focusing on a small dot appearing overhead.
"Quarians are a fiercely loyal race, despite what other species would have you believe" Hakon said.
"In good time Hakon…in good time"
Before long, a wooden box was released from a flying drone, realizing the ACME package mere inches away from Anaximander's head, he still didn't know if it was a coincidence or a prank.
"Right, open box, find application disk for Pip-Boy, put in device and choose active camouflage, added wrist mounted one-time use device for Quarian acquaintance. Will remain in contact to offer Intel, GOODBYE" Soham spoke into both of their interfaces, having hacked into Hakon's.
"Thank you, my na-na-name is Hako-"
"Mmmm….yes, Hakon'Lorric Vas Lorrcraff, on pilgrimage from Migrant Fleet, stationed presently in Hong Kong China, facial recognition reveals emotions of confusion, hopefulness, and nervous resulting in constant stuttering, I can relate I used to stutter too, pleased to make your acquaintance" Soham spoke, not allowing Hakon to finish his sentence.
"Alright…let us see here" Anaximander said, examining the customization options for his Turian camouflage.
He settled on a random male Turian design, containing blue facial markings, and armored plating, he still retained his Pip-Boy, but it was rendered invisible to anyone's eyes.
Hakon chose much of the same, though his facial markings were red, and his armor grey.
"BE CAREFUL, any contact of a violent nature such as stab or shot will immediately deactivate camouflage, any casual contact will apply to your true body, since your bodies are thicker, not insult but fact, than Turians, your mass will still be touchable, but not seen. Avoid contact with any person on your body, and try to avoid any members of the Turian race, this is still a prototype, there may be aspects of the Turian anatomy I missed, start moving. I think I can hack into the keypad without the card" Soham said, reclining in the safety of his planet light-years away from their position.
"And away we go" stated Anaximander patting Hakon on the back, and gingerly straying to the back of the clinic, where the loading bay was located.
When they reached the back of the clinic they noticed it almost contained Turian workers, many of which wore rusted armor and were coughing and vomiting profusely. They still resumed working, dextro items were worth their weight in gold, and they couldn't afford to lose their moderately paying jobs. The chemicals were obviously poisonous when unrefined, one could only imagine the effects when condensed into a pill, and shoved down the throat of human male.
Their camouflage seemed to be serviceable, aside from the general stare from a passing Turian, they attracted no questionable attention, and they stealthily made their way within the loading dock, and on to their next challenge.
"Were in, now what? Aliens aren't allowed in the clinic, and that is the only entrance to the elevator, it wouldn't be wise to deactivate our camouflages either" Hakon observed.
"Yes…good idea, if were caught the Chinese will blame Turian extremists or the Hierarchy, Civilization will never be implicated…if we can manage not to get shot or stabbed" Anaximander stated, once again exasperated at the obvious idea he obviously missed.
They reached the end of the dock, passing the vats of glowing chemicals, and climbed the metallic stairs to a platform containing a single door, with the words "No Non-Humans Past This Point-Intruders Will Be Killed" in Mandarin.
"I must admit, I am feeling some fear now" Hakon admitted, maneuvering himself behind Anaximander, reminding themselves not to get to close, so as not to deactivate their Turian camouflage.
"Any advise Soham?" Anaximander equally thought.
"The door is at the opposite end of the corridor from the door, and all the way to the right, it's the only door, and is marked "Closet" in Mandarin, you can't miss it" Soham said.
"Yes, but are there any guards or doctors around, it doesn't behoove us to charge in and rush into the closet, they'll know we're here for the clinic, and they'll be even madder than they already are" Anaximander reminded.
"Mmmm…sensors indicate that there is only a receptionist facing the opposite way from your door, I'll make a distraction, be ready to move fast and silently, you're Turians now, you'll have to crouch rather low to stay out of sight, think of it as a knee exercise" Soham said, whilst trying to hack into the comm console beside the receptionist.
"Hmmm…This will be easy" Hakon noted his strong Quarian tarsals, noting Anaximander's stiff Human legs.
"The things I do for Civilization…..Ar…GOD that smarts" Anaximander exclaimed, sharp but manageable pain rushing to his knees.
The two "Turians" cracked the door open and were greeted with the sight of the Chinese female receptionist arguing loudly on her phone console with Soham, they needed only to prepare themselves for their next move.