Chapter
1 – Framed
A man answers the door to see two officers
with laser rifles.
“How can I help you officers?” the
man says.
“We’re here to collect on what you
owe,” one of them says.
“I was supposed to get more time to
pay it off. I already told everyone that I don’t make much. Can’t the little I’ve
given you buy me a little more time?”
“This is a little more time. We
were supposed to collect it last week. Today is payday, which means you should
have more to give us.”
“Please, I have children to feed. I
can only pay debts every other week because of how little I have.”
“That’s why we’re here. We need to
take the children away to the monastery.”
“I can take care of my own children.
I’m their father!”
“No, you can’t. Once your debts are
paid, you can have them back. They’ll be well taken care of.”
“Wait!”
“Don’t resist or else we’ll have to
bring you into jail, and you’ll have to pay off your debts in there plus for the
crime of resisting the law.”
“Excuse me, officers?” Both
officers turn around to see a man in a custom painted soldier’s mask approach
him. This man with mask and gun has the armor of a soldier on his arms and legs
but isn’t wearing any protective gear on his chest. “This card will pay for the
man’s debts.”
“Let me check it.”
The officers check the card and the
money goes through. They see the masked man’s ID that comes up along with the
amount.
They look at him and bow before one
says, “Oh, we didn’t recognize you with that mask, sir-”
“Don’t worry about it. Just continue
with your duty, officers.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you, sir!” the father says
as the masked man leaves.
“Did you have to intervene, Seth?”
the masked man hears over his comm.
“Yes, I did. Shouldn’t a man like
you know the value of charity, brother?”
“Of course I do. It’s just easier
to do what we need to with more money. No one on our side can pull in the funds
that we need. I mean just look at what’s in front of you.”
Among the advertisements Seth sees in
the city, there are also news reports and advertisements about the cause Seth
is supporting.
“The Church educates its citizens
to be the smartest servants of God in the galaxy, and yet, our governors, mayors,
and planetary leaders that obtain their positions fail the people they serve. Therefore,
you should be able to choose your own leaders. The law that is being looked
over and debated within the Church’s leadership will give you a special role.
You will be God’s instrument in helping his Church stay on course,” the woman
on one of the advertisements says.
“Are you sure Maiken should be one
of the figureheads of the movement?” Seth asks.
“Yes. Your wife, her accomplishments,
and her position make the people think things will really change. Her announcements
and videos are the most viewed too.”
“Your influence is invaluable as well,
brother.”
“Yes, but not as much as yours.
That is why you’re the one debating in the city hall today. Don’t take any more detours
because they’re expecting you to be there soon.”
“Got it.”
Seth runs to the city hall where there
is a large crowd surrounding a small stage inside the building. With his ID,
Seth uses a back entrance to get on the stage where he takes off his mask to
show his scarred face to the public, so they know it’s him.
“Seth, Seth, Seth!” the crowd cheers.
Seth waves at his supporters as he
takes his seat. The man on stage with him is an official in a formal tuxedo who
is representing the other side. Everyone is accounted for, Seth and the
representative shake hands, and the moderators calm down the crowd as the debate
begins.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Sergeant
Seth. My name is Secretary Levi,” the representative says.
“It’s an honor to meet you too
secretary. You don’t need to mention my rank. I’m not on active duty anymore.”
“But you still help guard a primary
base and if I’m not mistaken, you are still wearing the armor of a soldier.”
“That’s right, but I’m not a
soldier because of the injuries I sustained. Lost both arms and legs.”
“And you’re still alive thanks to the grace of God and your brother. Let’s get to the topic we’re here to talk about.
We are here to talk about giving your average citizen passed the age of twenty-one
the right to vote.”
“Yes. I thought talking about the war
I was in was a good segue to talk about it. The war I fought in was a loss to
the Church and Her faithful because of all the lives and resources lost. I
think everyone can agree it was a waste especially with all the riots that took
place because of it.”
“But I think you can agree that we
had to fight against the organized heretical army? They had a terrible influence
on us because of their lies and God knows how many souls went to Hell because
of them.”
“Yes, I do think the war was just,
but we fought it in the wrong way. Too many bad plans. Too many civilian casualties.
Too much bloodshed. The Church almost lost control of Earth because of it. Do
you really think we had to blow up their final planet to win?”
“It was the only way to end it
without losing any more of our own. I think we can agree on that, but enough
about the war. What makes you think that we need voting in our system? If you
wanted to influence politics, the average layperson could become a politician,
a businessman, or be a person of high status such as yourself? If you want to influence
the Church even deeper, then a person could become a priest, then bishop, then an
archbishop who holds a significant say in how the Church operates. Your
brother, your wife, and you are doing that right now.”
“That’s true, but the average
citizen needs to be heard. Not everyone can be all those things you said
because God gives us specific roles to fill.”
“Then maybe it’s God’s Will that
certain people shouldn’t have the power to affect their ruling government. To be in
power, you must have a certain level of knowledge and experience and most
people aren’t taught this in schools.”
“And yet, most people knew the war
was fought wrong while those in power didn’t. Your average person is smarter
than you think. They make up the most important part of our system. The family
is the foundation of the Church after all.”
The crowd cheers for Seth before
being calmed down.
“I see your point; however, everyone
gives in to temptation especially when you have power. This is why praying for
those in power is essential in every person’s daily prayer routine. Besides
that, do you not think that the people will choose the wrong leaders who seem
like they’re promising to do the right thing only to do the opposite? Politics can
be that way especially for the political systems of our enemies and the
democracies of old.”
“Then how about we try having one planet’s
government have the right to vote to see how it stacks up against the others? Won’t
that be a good way of seeing how it will work out while avoiding any possible
damage?”
“If one planet has the right to vote,
then the others will try to do the same.”
“If that does happen, then maybe it
is God’s Will for the government to give its people their right.”
The crowd cheers again.
“Enough with the what-ifs. How
exactly will this voting system work exactly?”
“My wife and her supporters on my
home planet have a system they planned together that I think you’ll find interesting.
I couldn’t have done it myself. My wife and her friends are just too politically
smart for me.”
“I’d hope so with the title of the
Motherly Senator your wife has.”
Suddenly, the secretary is shot by
a masked person in the crowd. More masked people start coming out of the crowd
to shoot the side supporting the secretary. Seth, his fellow soldiers, and some
of his supporters attack the masked men and manage to take them alive. When everything
is settled, no one is killed despite the heavy injuries suffered by both sides,
but the supporters of the secretary accuse Seth’s side of staging an
assassination on the secretary. Both sides argue with one another as the guards
and officers come in to calm and assess the situation. Meanwhile, Seth watches
everything with his brother on his comm.
“Someone is trying to frame us for this,
brother, but who?” Seth says.
“It has to be someone who doesn’t want
us to change the present political system.”
“Hopefully, the authorities can
extract a confession out of the attackers.”
“Yeah.”
Another surprise comes as a ship
flies in and fires into the crowd where the prisoners are. Everyone in the crowd
is shot dead including the prisoners.
“Those…you aren’t getting away with
this!” Seth says as he takes out his transforming sword.
His sword changes to a laser assault
rifle with an underbarrel launcher that shoots out an explosive that crashes
the ship to the ground. Seth runs to the crash site to find only one survivor.
He takes the man out and questions him.
“Why?! Why did you have to kill
those people?” Seth says in a fury.
“It was for the greater good.”
Seth then knocks out the man and brings
him to the officers. He goes along with them to hear what the man says. What he
finds out is that the people who were shooting the crowd were hired mercenaries
allied with no government or empire. They were hired by an anonymous source
with an enormous sum of money to shoot the secretary his supporters. If the
squad that went in, couldn’t get out then the pilot was supposed to make sure
they didn’t talk. The pilot was then supposed to fly away, but since the city
they’re in doesn’t have any air defense, they didn’t expect to be shot down
from the ground.
The ship the pilot flew was a
spaceship given to them by the anonymous hirer. This spaceship was a Catholic
Empire vessel known for fast airstrikes, so the ships in the air didn’t suspect
the pilot of anything until it was too late. This is all the authorities could
pull out of pilot since he knew very little. With this information, Seth tells
his brother and wife, Maiken, about it.
“What should we do now?” Seth asks.
“We should investigate this
ourselves. From the picture you sent me, I’ve managed to find the mercenary guild
that the pilot frequents,” Maiken says, “I’ll be trying to alleviate this
situation as best as possible from my side.”
“Investigate this ourselves? We’re
already suspected in this case despite what the pilot said.”
“She’s right, brother. We can’t
trust too many people in the government to do an honest job.”
“Oh, come on. You’re just agreeing
with her because she’s your wife.”
“You know me better than that and
you know we’re right.”
“Fine, so who are we sending to the
mercenary’s guild?”
“I think you two should go.”
“Why the two of us?”
“Both of you have different levels
of clearance and different skills that will be useful in getting the
information we need.”
“I guess you’re right. Besides, I
wouldn’t completely trust my brother doing this on his own.”
“Why makes you say that?” Seth asks.
“Because we always work better as a
team and I’m your older brother, so I’m responsible for you.”
“I understand. I’ll meet you by the
cathedral and we’ll fly your ship from there?”
“Aren’t the authorities going to
question you or at least keep an eye on you since you’re a suspect?”
“They’ve already questioned me and
don’t think I’m guilty since they like me and appreciate my service to God and
the Church. They won’t mind if I come to meet you.”
“If you say so.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
Seth leaves to meet his brother at
the cathedral. No one else is around as they meet on the landing platform with
Seth’s brother’s ship. The two brothers hug each other as they meet.
“It’s good to be working with you
again like this, brother. We rarely get to see each other in person,” Seth
says.
“Business keeps us from being
apart, but you’re always in my thoughts and prayers.”
“Same to you. I see you’re wearing
the armor and helmet you wore in the war. Is the Bishop of the Battlefield back
in fight?”
“Hopefully, there will be no
bloodshed. Let’s try to make this as quick and painless as possible.”
“You got it.”
Seth and his older brother enter
the ship and fly off to the mercenary’s guild in the hopes of finding answers
to why the secretary and his supporters were attacked and who was the anonymous
source who hired the mercenaries to attack them.
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