Road to faith
10067 CY (20 years ago)
The young Human and Magog conversed about a great many things. The Human talked about his childhood, schooling, his ambitions….
"…my father tried to groom me as the perfect little heir. He applied Nietzschean philosophy in his business management and was successful. I just… I just didn't have the heart to be as ruthless as he was."
"He thought your heart weak." Commented Bem.
"Exactly." Peter agreed. "I mean, I realize it's a hard galaxy out there. I realize that there are those who would tear down all that he had built. But by and large, my father was the one doing the tearing down. Bem, the man broke apart families, auctioning members out for indentured servitude."
"Legalized slavery."
"Yes," the young man knodded. "Do your people have anything like that?"
"No." replied the Magog. "All work for a common goal."
"Oh." Peter sighed. He had forgotten.
The young man had been frightened at first, upon learning that his companion was a Magog. Bem couldn't really blame him. The Magog were responsible for a great many atrocities inflicted on other races. Bem talked to his young companion about his instinctive desire to eat the flesh of other sentient beings. He talked about what he had seen in his travels; the good of life as well as the bad. The young man listened and with each story his fear dimmed.
Peter talked about his mother's death, and his finally getting the nerve to stand up to his father.
"Bem, when I told him that that little girl was not going to be sold to his friend, he just stared. I was waiting for the explosion but it never came. I … I think back and now I wish he would have."
"There was no more room for his justifications." Bem answered back.
Peter nodded. "We had moved beyond the point of games. He could have pointed out the legality of the transaction, citing chapter and verse of the Free Trade Alliance's Codex. But I knew… and he knew that I knew. She..she was so young, Bem." His voice started to break. "My father calmly took out a weapon and shot her. She didn't even have a chance to scream."
Bem closed his eyes.
"'for every action there is consequence' is what he simply said. He knew at that point he had power over me. He could kill anyone he wanted, kill anything he desired. If he couldn't have my respect, he would have my obedience. The ultimate control freak! I did the only thing I could. I took myself out of the equation; I ran."
The Magog looked at this hurting, bleeding, sorry young man and felt a stir of empathy. To be so full of energy but not have a purpose… to not have hope.
"What was your dream?" he quietly asked as the young man rubbed his bruised arm.
"My arm feels like it is falling asleep." He commented rubbing. He thought a moment. "I have thought about that a great deal Bem, and, with everything I could name, the only word it all amounts to is: happiness. I want to be happy."
The Magog's eyes brightened. "Do you believe that we are all inherently evil or good?"
"I would have to say evil, Bem. When I think back growing up, and all my family's associates, I find that I count more evil people than good."
"Most would answer the same way…and with good reason. There is more tribulation in the universe now, than ever before. It is a hard life to exist nowadays. But who of those, when it's all said and done, that I ask if they wish to be happy, would really refuse?"
The young man thought a moment. "I can't imagine anyone saying no."
"Exactly. Every person, every race, in one form or another, wants to be happy. To be content. Greed, selfishness, preying on the weak… those are simply the easiest roads to take in finding that goal."
"But they don't lead too…."
"No, Peter, they don't. But people do not realize that until they are near death, and so they pass on unfulfilled."
"There are those that don't care." Started Peter.
"Yes, there are those who have been conditioned by their upbringing. Who have been tempered by harsh experiences. Why should they care if they have already been taught, if they already believe that they will die unfulfilled? What is the point?"
"So… you are saying??"
"It's a simple enough equation Peter. The universe is bound together by civilization. Civilization is bound together by worlds. Worlds are bound together by tribes, prides, and families. The family is the most basic unit of civilization. Families are made up of people. People who, deep down, want to be happy. They just need a little help to find their way."
…and the Magog talked about his faith.
***
10087 CY (2 days ago)
The Andromeda Ascendant emerged from slipstream and into a nebula. Rev had a hard time convincing the Captain of the High Guard ship to continue into unknown space.
"Entering system designated QS-324. Captain, this system was quarantined by the Commonwealth!" Andromeda's hologram informed.
"Rev? We can't ignore a quarantine marker. If a system has this designation then there's a reason…" Dylan started.
"Arming weapons, Dylan." Tyr informed. "I told you once, Magog, that we don't like surprises."
"Nothing on the sensor probes," Beka announced from a nearby consol.
"Trance didn't damage the ship too much." Said Harper coming onto the bridge. "What did I miss?"
Dylan turned to Trance still seated in the Pilot's chair. "We were just leaving."
"Dylan, if what I suspect is right, we are all dead and your dreams of a Commonwealth will be no more." Rev called to the human captain.
Dylan turned to face Rev once more, signaling Trance to wait. Rev moved out to the middle of the bridge.
"Convince me Rev." Dylan commanded.
"Simply put, Captain, I believe that a friend of mine has traveled back in time to change history."
"How?" Tyr demanded.
"For what purpose?" Beka quickly followed.
"To die with a sense of fulfillment."
"Fulfilling what?" Trance asked.
Rev looked at her. "To force the universe to find it's way, THE way."
"I think you'd better start at the beginning, Rev. Trance, take us through the nebula and into the system. Tyr, keep an eye on our weapons." Dylan said.
