The Past Read online

  Toom-ta-ta-toom! The trumpet sounds right on cue with Dr King’s emergence in the gilded stand. Gigantic flags roll down on each side, one red and one blue. Like he foresaw, Dr King acts like an Emperor, dressed in the same ceremonial toga and golden leafed Corona as in the Universal Red and Blue Games.

  Given the high-profile nature of the executions today, he is flanked by numerous high-ranking Elites, including Commissioner Ming, Oligarch Linus Sugar, and Colonel Cornelius. Other usually more reclusive Elites have also turned out to make it a real show of power. It’s imperative to be seen at this execution, to make a powerful reassertion to its citizens of just who its superiors are.

  Even the Oligarch Bramsovica, the elusive Mayor of ColaBeers, is there, standing in the back. His small head balancing on a long body with short legs, somehow reaching over 6 feet 8 inches high. VanWest is surprised to see Captain Kun-lee, standing behind Colonel Cornelius. No longer pale and lifeless, Kun-lee gives VanWest a discrete and honourable nod, an acknowledgement of when VanWest and Barys saved his life in Pytheas’s Labyrinth. His task today is to guard the Elites, surveying the arena for any sign of trouble.

  The citizens hush as Dr King’s image replaces VanWest’s on the holoscreen. He steps forward and unrolls an old paper scroll - the sacred writings of the Universal’s commandments, written by the Wisemen of the Council. They are said to have saved mankind from doom. Though little is known about them beyond a short Universal Council approved Wiki entry. They are quite mysterious. Considered to be men of respect and repute, they are credited with stopping the chaos after the decline of Earth’s superpowers by leading the citizens to a new and fruitful land, Antarctica.

  ‘Citizens! Heed the laws by, which we live! Remember the three commandments! Lest I must say, the first to serve without question the Universal Council. The second to work for the progression of man and the Universal. And, the third, to destroy all those who defy the Universal Council’!

  Toom-ta-ta-toom! The trumpet sound prompts the uni-browed and near Cyclops eyed Commissioner Ming to step forward and stand beside Dr King. The Commissioner waits for a few moments, posing with outstretched arms to build the suspense, before calling in a grave voice for the citizens to ‘Recognise the crimes of the Utopians, the deviant and traitor Mad Newton and his daughter’.

  Pointing demonstratively down at them, ‘Today, on this here Judgment day, in this Colosseum, we exorcise the worst of the worst. Deviants called Utopians! Defiers of the sacred Universal commandments. Defiers of the Universal Council. They try to destroy our very existence, our progress, all for their own hedonistic gain. Be sure, today we show the might of the Universal’!

  ‘Salve the Universal’, the citizens chant in response.

  Waiting several minutes, he hushes them with both hands, ‘We thank the hero of the Universal Games, our Elite Enforcer VanWest! All Salve the Universal, and our hero’!

  Prompting a new long chorus, ‘Elite VanWest, all Salve thee, the Universal, all Salve thee’!

  Dr King speaks next, ‘Citizens! Lest we know, the only judgement that can be given today, on this sacred Judgment day, is one that befits their heinous crimes. The verdict can only be death… Death by fire and dagger’!

  ‘Death, Death, Death’! The spectators chant in response whilst a drumroll begins - da-da-dum.

  Dozens of blindfolded Utopians emerge, flanked by armed patrol androids. VanWest immediately recognises the cockroach farmer, from the Utopian’s secret base. Now bloodied and bruised like the rest, he is forced to walk barefoot in a torn prison garb, his eyelids cruelly fused shut. The patrol androids lead them to the front of the gilded stand, where they are forced to kneel before Dr King and the Elites.

  Da-dum-da-dum! The tempo of the drums increases as Commissioner Ming instructs the patrol androids to withdraw. A low-level forcefield encloses the prisoners, the first executions of this Judgment Day beginning.

  The Universal Council known to make the whole spectacle as entertaining and gory as possible, a trapdoor opens within the forcefield, causing the spectators to fall silent. Commissioner Ming continuing to build the suspense, holding his arms out again for several seconds, the drums still pounding. Finally, he nods - ROAR, two large animals emerge, drawing much applause. These pretty but terrifying animals have two menacingly large front canines, the size of VanWest’s arms, and paws the size of his torso.

  Sabre-toothed cats! Judgment Day is known to occasionally feature long-extinct predators, cloned and brought back to existence, to give that extra wow factor. The Universal Council has outdone itself. The rapturous applause only serves to agitate these huge cats further, roaring louder and louder.

  A frightened prisoner runs forward. But, even before he can reach the forcefield, one of the cats pounces. Agh! It shakes the man violently as if he were a mere rag doll, biting his head from his body and sending blood squirting across the faces of the other Utopians. Several of the prisoners start to howl in terror, further incensing the cats who turn on them next.

  One ginger-haired Utopian begins to chant religiously, ‘Trust in Utopia’! It is one of the Most Wanted, Cisco ‘The Inquisitor’, a senior preacher of Utopianism. Weirdly, he doesn’t appear frightened, rather he looks content, his belief so strong he savours his soon to be martyr status.

  Those still alive join the chant, ‘Trust in Utopia’, which enrages Dr King greatly.

  Not waiting for the large cats to finish off their prey, he nods to move on to ‘Death by fire’! Flames shoot out from underneath, engulfing their bodies, which turns their skin black and their eyes yellow.

  Agh! The scene of their burning bodies is reminiscent of heretics being burnt at the stakes during the European Middle Ages. The horrific sight forces many in the stands to look away, while some even vomit. The Universal Council knows all too well that many watching empathise with these high-profile Utopians. This message is designed for them. Literally setting them on fire, in front of their very eyes, with-it burning their hopes for a more equitable and greener world.

  VonHelmann shouts again, his voice hoarse, ‘Down with the Council’.

  Dr King lifts his clenched fist triumphantly towards the grey sky as the executioner’s drum roll begins again - da-dum-dum-dum - this time more deliberately than before. A triumphant smile covers Dr King’s face as the attention turns to Mad Newton and his daughter. Captain Alpha’s laser dagger still pressed against Iris’s neck. With this grand finale, the Universal Council hope it will spell the end of the Utopians, breaking their resolve and that of their sympathisers for good.

  Alpha very much relishing the attention as it now turns to him, poses proudly as if he were an actual gladiator in a Roman Colosseum. He looks up at Dr King, waiting for his Emperor’s signal to slice her throat, a thumbs down. Like VanWest, he too has received a great prize.

  ‘Citizens! Our Enforcers and new Elites, VanWest and Alpha, captured these deviants. Lest we must say, their loyalty and skill pay homage to the might of the Universal Council and a warning to all those deviants that seek to destroy the progress of man and the Universal. Join me in celebrating the Elite VanWest and Elite Alpha!’

  ‘Elite VanWest, Elite Alpha’! The citizens chant.

  VanWest gazes at his beloved Iris, his mind swirling, what can he do to save her? Being an Elite doesn’t taste sweet. In fact, it tastes bitter, disgusting. He knows he MUST act! The tempo of the drumroll - da-dum-da-dum - signals the commencement of her execution.

  ‘Death by dagger’! Dr King starts a new chant, readying to give the thumbs down.

  VanWest knows what he can and MUST do. This new title of ‘Elite’ gives him special privileges, including Universal broadcasting rights. He can now show everyone what he has seen, the cruelties. Broadcasting to Judgment Day’s audience. He activates his Moggle X and interfaces with the network, instructing it to upload his memories tagged executions and massacres. Without obstruction, it intakes his memories and immediately updates the large holoscreens circling the arena.


  It’s live!

  Gasp! The drumroll falls silent. His memories play in succession, images of the slaughtered elderly citizens near the power station in Queen Elizabeth, and the massacre of innocent civilians in the slums of ColaBeers after capturing the NEA leader. Even though many citizens would have heard rumours about these heinous and nefarious events, this visual eye witness account provides undeniable and gruesome evidence of what the Universal Council has done. All under the guise and justification of progression!

  VanWest lifts his arms up and calls their attention, ‘Citizens of Earth, citizens of the Solar System! You know me as the hero of the Universal Games, the hero that destroyed the Utopians. But citizens I am not a hero, I like you am the Universal Council’s victim. We, victims of the Elites that murder innocents and plunder our worlds. Citizens, and fellow Enforcers, JOIN ME in arms! Rise up for your freedom! For your children and children’s children! It must stop, it MUST stop today’!

  A shocked Dr King overrides his upload and erases it from the network, but the damage has already been done. The chants have returned, now no longer for Utopians to be executed, ‘Death to the Universal Council’!

  VanWest senses the momentum and urges them on, ‘Citizens and Enforcers, REBEL’!

  Dr VonHelmann joins, calling on his followers, ‘Utopians, fight! Fight till thy last breath’!

  Their battle cry spurs the citizens into action as they begin to pelt Dr King’s guards with their cockroach burgers and any other object they can find. Captain Kun-lee looks unsure how to react, as do the other Enforcers. Many have never witnessed such open dissent. Crucially, it is the Colonel’s intervention that swings this scene in their favour, ordering them all to step back and not engage. It seems the Colonel harbours the same misgivings as VanWest.

  A shocked Dr King shouts frantically to his new Elite, Alpha to finish the execution, finally giving the thumbs down. But VanWest, still armed with his Electroskeleton hand, reacts more swiftly and sends a shockwave - whoosh - that knocks Alpha back and destroys his dagger. The sight rallies the citizens further who race towards the Elite’s gilded stand. With the Colonel not ordering the Enforcers to engage, only the patrol androids are left to defend the Elites.

  An incensed Alpha sprints towards VanWest, tackling him to the floor before he can send another shockwave. His strength superior, he rips off VanWest’s Electroskeleton hand, smashing it on the arena floor. VanWest counterpunches have little effect as Alpha’s giant fists dig deep into his ribcage. With no body armour to protect VanWest, each fist bruises - crack.

  Alpha’s eyes narrow, now burning menacingly red, as he grabs VanWest by the throat and starts to choke him. His eyes like those of the Space Soldiers, his strength more machine than man. Worse, two metal blades jolt out from his wrists, thrusting one into VanWest’s right thigh. Iris runs over to try and help him, but with her hands still bound, she is easily tossed aside with a knock of Alpha’s elbow.

  Next, the blades push towards VanWest’s neck but, before they reach, flashes of orange light strike Alpha. His armour is not enough to protect him, and his skin is instantly incinerated. All that is left behind is a broken metallic skeleton, finally revealing his true self, a cyborg. It all makes sense now. The Universal Council has been experimenting with cyborgs as Enforcers.

  Undeniable proof that the Council seeks to replace them, just as they replaced humans in the Space Army hundreds of years ago. The Colonel had hinted at this in the elevator after his interrogation and torture - the reason why the Colonel supports him now.

  The light beam has also destroyed the silver Quantum Accelerator rod, in its place is a large hole. VanWest looks up to the gilded stand and finds, to his astonishment, that the Colonel is the one who fired the shot that saved his life. A mortified Kun-lee looks at Dr King and then at the Colonel, unsure what to do, as a still bound Iris runs into the arms of an injured VanWest.

  One of the most influential Enforcers, a hero to most, has joined the uprising, and now shouts, ‘The Enforcers of Queen Elizabeth are with VanWest’!

  The citizens chant, ‘Down with the Elites’! Further emboldened, they overwhelm the patrol androids guarding the Elites; ripping their long limbs and weapons from their metallic bodies.

  An enraged Dr King removes from under his toga a small diamond phaser and, in front of a confused and unsure Kun-lee, he fires a shot into the Colonel’s back. The force so strong that it blasts his legs from underneath him and throws him out of the stand, onto the arena’s floor.

  The incensed citizens, having overwhelmed the bots, clamber into the gilded stand, sending Commissioner Ming and Dr King into retreat, shoving Mayor Linus Sugar into their path, buying them a few valuable seconds to transport to their ships stationed close by. The Mayor’s screams - agh - echo across the Colosseum as he is mercilessly beaten and stamped to death.

  Captain Kun-lee has, by default, become the most senior Enforcer left in the arena. Not knowing what to do, he orders a retreat. Both to avoid a confrontation with the citizens as well as to seek guidance from higher-ranked Enforcers: Colonel Mason of ColaBeers and Colonel Mathieu of Ellsworth.

  VanWest limps over to a mortally wounded Colonel, ‘Thank you’!

  ‘Captain, it is I that thank you. Finally giving me the strength to defy the Council. Spluttering up gluts of blood, he continues, ‘VanWest, your courage roaching inspired me… You showed everyone that the Council are not all-knowing, just a bunch of power-mad murderers’.

  Coughing up more blood, he warns, ‘Beware… their Space Army, they will amass over Mars and come to wreak revenge. Beware… your past… do not hesitate to… do not hesitate… to kill those evil doctors in their base’.

  ‘Colonel, I don’t understand. Which doctors? Which base’? VanWest replies.

  The Colonel musters his final energy to lift his forearm, which ejects out a red diamond-shaped chip, ‘MARS! Take this… the coordinates. Be-ware the doctors. And, most of all, BE-WAR-E YOURSELF’, he shouts with his last dying breath.

  Mars? Doctors? Myself? VanWest has so many questions to ask but the Colonel passes away. He thought the Council’s main base was on the Moon, alongside the Enforcer Academy.

  VanWest takes a brief moment to pay his respects, a small salute. Iris has to pull him away, ‘We have to get out, your leg is bleeding badly’.

  VanWest struggles to comprehend the Colonel’s final words but he knows that he must go and find this base on Mars, using his chip for directions. Iris helps him towards her father, who is still chained against the metal pole.

  The citizens now overrunning the arena’s floor, continue to chant in defiance, ‘Death to the Universal’!

  Chapter 19 A New Beginning

  Iris embraces her father, ‘Papa! Papa! I love you’!

  Dr VonHelmann replies, ‘My love, so happy you have been saved. Praise be’.

  A big brawny brute of a man with a black beard and moustache is barging through the citizens. VanWest, at first, believes him to be a danger and tries block his way but, to his astonishment, the burly man embraces Iris, lifting her up like a child.

  ‘Pretoria! Am I glad to see you’! Iris welcomes him with a smile.

  ‘Me too. We make quick now’! Pretoria breaks their restraints with his Corrupter device, Iris holding her father’s much-weakened body upright.

  They must leave the Colosseum as fast as possible. Not only because of the risk of large sabre-toothed cats attacking once the weakened forcefield fails, but also the SCC class ships of Dr King and Commissioner Ming that hover close by. They could strike down at them.

  ‘Hey, help him first’! Iris calls on Pretoria to go to the aid of VanWest who struggles to walk with his injured leg.

  Pretoria glares angrily at VanWest, to him this is no friend, ‘Him’?!

  ‘Yes, do what she asks’! Dr VonHelmann instructs.

  Pretoria shakes his head sideways but agrees, reluctantly lifting VanWest’s arm over his shoulder, as Iris helps her father. T
hey head for the entrance of the arena to a giant metal door that has been opened. VanWest looks around, dismayed to see that all the Enforcers have left, hoping more would come from the Colonel’s rally. With them gone, the Universal Council will not hesitate to eradicate all those left inside.

  Working together to reach the entrance, the holoscreens suddenly go dark and a dissonant - grumbling - noise roars through, so strong it nearly knocks them off their feet. A long and narrow vessel uncloaks, a ship VanWest knows all too well, the SCC-400. The citizens stare stupefied up at it. A second ship follows, a slightly older version of the same class, the SCC-300, which belongs to Commissioner Ming. VanWest urges the group to continue to the entrance.

  For the citizens, it takes a few valuable seconds to realise what is about to happen, and then to react. Screams of terror breakout as they flee, trampling over one another to find an escape. Some willing to even risk death by jumping over the arena’s walls. Having moved faster, VanWest and the group are closer to the entrance but it could be too late for them too.

  A white light jolts down from the SCC-400, causing Pretoria to throw VanWest against the wall before jumping on top of Iris and Dr VonHelmann to shield them with his large frame. Row by row, the citizens disappear. Narrowly stopping short of them by only a few yards. Not waiting for its return, they scramble through the metal door.

  Waaahhhh! Sirens wail outside as patrol androids swarm the area. Still no clearer on what the Enforcers have decided to do; there is not one Enforcer in sight. Pretoria helps them to a nearby transport hub as the laser and proton shots from the patrol androids, now encircling the colosseum, whizz past, incinerating - boom-boom, boom-boom - everything they hit. Having heeded their call, the NEA rebels engage, several waiting in front of the hub, bravely returning cover-fire to allow them to make their escape.

  Hurrying inside, a flash of light immediately transports them to another hub located in Downtown, Queen Elizabeth where Pretoria rather unkindly throws VanWest down. Iris helps her father to lean against a wall for support. They take a moment to catch their breath.