When Light Dies
Chapter 3
A. C. 182.
" So when will we initiate our next mission? " I set forward my inquiry.
" In one week. " Howard paused, then lowered his voice almost to a whisper, cold and dangerous. He didn't trust me. " Lowe, I trust your wits. You have proven yourself quite useful in the past two years. Don't go getting stupid this time."
I shifted my body in the metallic chair, never removing my gaze from him, who sat opposite of me separating by the desk, his hands resting upon the rusty surface, eyes equally intense.
" I understand. " I nodded. " Just tell me the plan and I'll follow it. You know that I'm not just doing this for food, right?" I never told him the real reason.
" A couple of friends of mine informed me that the Alliance has been secretly supplying an arsenal of theirs on L2-X20001 for sometime now. Rumor has it that it is the largest weapons arsenal in that cluster. You know what that means. " A shadow cast itself upon his wrinkled face, hiding his eyes.
" They are serious this time. They are ready to stage their first coup in the colonies. Very shrewd." I replied stating the obvious. " So we attack it? "
He merely nodded his head.
" Do we have enough human resources? I don't think we can take them down just with the people on this base." I knew he had a card up his sleeve. All I had to do was lure it out.
" No, we can't take them down just by ourselves." Silence. Then he stood up and turned his back on me. " But we could get some help from the people there."
" The civilians? " I questioned, not surprised at all. " Don't you think that's a bit overboard? Think about the casualties. "
" That's the only way. Besides, I'm not asking them to fight, we only need their support." His back still turned. He had yet to shed the light. " A little sacrifice is inevitable. I'm sure they would rather die than live in a hell hole under Earth's oppression."
What's your true motive? Using the civilians as human shields? It seems that's the only choice you have, right? The test lies in whether you have the guts to actually utilize such a method. Will you?
Of course he would.
" That's what you think." I sneered at his naïveté. " For someone as old as you, you sure can be idealistic. If we attack, with the help of the civilians, and we fail, the people of the colonies will hate us. People don't like those who bring them death, no matter which side they are on. No one wants to die."
" So they'd rather be slaves to those who conquer and oppress?" He shot back at me without facing me.
" Yes. They may despise the Alliance but as long as the Alliance doesn't hurt them physically, they'll have no real grudge against them. And so far, the Alliance has been prudent." I countered his assail. The truth was that as long as they had their money, these people could careless who ruled the universe. The Alliance was smart enough to realize that, thus the reason that they had been careful when handling the inter-space trade.
But their presence in space would always pose a threat to the colonists, causing paranoia as a result. No one likes to be threatened, certainly not the people of the colonies.
" Don't forget that they still hate the Alliance. All we need to do is to incinerate their anger and use it against the enemy. People are fickle, Lowe. Remember that. If one rises, the rest will follow." I could hear the triumph in his voice. Unfortunately, you will lose.
" An uprising you mean?" I got the picture, crystal clear.
" Yes. We storm the arsenal, steal the weapons and pass them to the civilians nearby. Then during the chaos, we destroy the arsenal completely." The plan was set.
" A mass revolt. Clever. The Alliance soldiers would have their hands full with the civilians, perfect opportunity for us to attack. Very clever." I applauded his intelligence. " The Alliance wouldn't be able to retaliate if they still want trust from the people. Without trust, there won't be a coup. And even they were to retaliate, the civilians who died in the riot would be considered martyrs. We don't just kill them, we offer them glory when they die. The people won't hate us because we bring honor to their deaths."
Howard was silent. He knew that I spoke the truth.
The sound of the door closing broke the silence.
" Who's there?" I shouted. No one was suppose to know about this mission, not until the right time. I jumped up from the chair, rushing to the door. Howard too turned to face me and the person outside. I opened the door and peeked out into the hall. It was dark without the lights on, and it was impossible to see through the opaque darkness. I knew he was there.
" Come out, Kid. Show yourself. " I could sense his presence.
The Kid, two years old now, walked in catlike quiet out of the shadows. His legs tiny but also agile in those little blue shorts. He slowly approached me and when he reached the door, I grabbed the collar of his white cotton shirt and dragged him in, hurting him in the process. He didn't let out a single whimper. I had made sure that he was used to the roughness of life.
I brought him in to the light of the office. Howard relieved a sigh. It was after all a two-year old Kid.
" Lowe, better watch out for him next time. " He sounded irritated. I ignored Howard.
" Were you outside the whole time? " I asked the Kid in a harsh tone.
He nodded, not afraid at all. I had made sure of that. Fear was unnecessary and should be hidden beneath the exterior.
" We are truly getting old, Howard. We couldn't even sense the Kid." I looked at him, still behind his desk. He glanced at the Kid and told me to take care of him.
" You've trained him well, I guess. " He motioned me to take him out of his office.
" Kid, go and fetch some water for me. " I commanded, then patted him on the head showing the only kindness I possessed. His dark brown hair was sparse and soft, his eyes stared into mine with the same sadness from before, it never left him.
" Yes, Odin." He spoke in his tiny voice and smiled returning his affection, although that smile didn't quite reach his lips. He turned and ran out of the office.
" Why did you say that to him? " Howard was confused.
" Make him useful. " I said.
" But he'll just come back."
" He won't. He knew better."
" A two-year old?" Howard chuckled at my silly remark.
" He knows me. He can sense when he isn't wanted like a pet, a dog. " I reassured him.
" He's quite the kid, then." He sat back into his chair as I did mine. " Have you told him about his parents?"
" Yes. He knew that I'm not his father, and I told him that I killed his parents."
" I see, does he know what parents are?" He asked.
" Yes. The female mechanics told him about it, they also bought him clothes and candy." That's why I had to be cruel to him. Too much kindness could blind the Kid, I had to take the job of showing him what this world was really like.
" He doesn't know about the concept of killing, does he?" Howard asked again.
" No, not yet. He is too sheltered living on this base. He is too normal as a Kid. Too kind." I answered. But a person needs that kindness too. It brings the little hope one needs to survive.
" Don't you think he would want revenge for his parents when he eventually understands?" He warned me.
" No. He would want revenge from me for keeping him alive, not by killing his parents. The concept of parents will always be foreign to him but not the concept of living. He will hate me for keeping him alive." I shook my head in acceptance. And he'll do that soon.
~ ~ ~
I looked for the kid around the base hoping to find him before we depart for L2. He was probably captured as a hostage by one of those mushy almost perky female mechanics. They would constantly praise his tiny features using such garbage as cute, and sweet. It made me sick every time when I went to claim him back to the real world. The Kid knew better though, he was keen to sense that those types of affections were fake, and would lose their effects after a while, but he seemed to be fond of them nonetheless. For sometime I could swear that he was manipulating their kindness to earn their absolute trust and use it to his advantage, in other words getting what he wants without having to work for it. I would have applauded for his shrewdness, but then again that would have made me a victim to his game too. I knew him too well to fall for the trap. Knowing him well didn't mean that I cared. My only job was to give him food and the rest was up to himself. I never took notice of him. I didn't care if I missed his first word, or the time he took his first step. I only cared if he was alive.
I saw him near the vans where the mechanics were busying themselves with the loading of our weapons for the coming mission. He was sitting in the shadows of a corner watching and listening. I walked over to him.
" Come out to the light." I ordered.
He complied and stepped out of the darkness.
" You never left, did you? " I asked him about what happened a few days ago.
He shook his head, eyes stared into mine. "No."
" You heard everything that was said afterward then?" I continued.
He nodded.
" Good." I patted his head once again. " I'm going to another colony for a few days. You are to come too. There is something you need to see, to learn."
He nodded even though he didn't quite understand it.
" You have to listen to me when we get there. And don't go wandering around without my permission. Understood?"
" Yes." He said quietly but firmly. I knew he would disobey me when the time comes.
" Good boy." I lied.