Chapter
1 – Past the Boiling Point
Approaching a stand in front of
hundreds of cameras and thousands more people, I begin my speech.
“Men and women of the planet,
Aushalten. It should be of no surprise to you that yet another member of our
people has died, working for the people of Earth for the sake of his own, and
like the other martyrs, has drawn the bloody cross that you wear on your
shirts, shoulders, helmets, and capes with his dying breath. When the people of
Earth first came to us, they did so out of desperation after being attacked by
more advanced planets, and out of mercy, we shared our resources with them and
taught them what we had learned. There was harmony between us and our planet of
birth for a time, until the next generation came and took advantage of our
kindness. They asked us to work harder for them, and we did so, for their sake.
After that, another generation increased our workload, and again, we helped
them, but this time, it wasn’t because we wanted to, but because they turned
the weapons we gave them against us. This was their last mistake.
Ever since people first arrived
here, its inhabitants have suffered to mine the precious resources from it.
Generations of hardship have mutated its residents, turning our eyes red and
our skin black and brown, but it has also strengthened us so that we can live
here better than anyone else. Other men who live here are more reliant on the
breathing apparatuses we make than we are and can’t endure the work we do day
in and day out. Our people have suffered and died for the sake of others for
our entire history, all of them martyrs who are in Heaven. As our God has said,
that man has no greater love than this, to lay down his life for his friends.
The people of Earth say they share the same faith, but they no longer show it
through their example. While they relax on humanity’s peaceful homeworld, we
continue to slave away on ours, and the few allowed to go to Earth are now
looked down on or betray their brothers and sisters by not improving our
condition.
Because of this, we have no choice
but to fight back against our oppressors. The people of Earth, who look down on
us, will learn of the beast they have awakened. Even as we speak, our people
are bringing our divine vengeance down upon them. For those who stand against
us, we will be a terrifying beast of the night, relentlessly tearing at your
flesh, burning your riches, and erasing every last trace of your legacy. The
time for talk and negotiation is over. If you wish us to pass over you, then
stay out of our way and lay down your arms. Otherwise, you'd better pray for
mercy, because we have none left to spare.”
The ships of Aushalten arrive above
me just as explosions rock the city, and the cheers of the crowd in front of me
overshadow the noise. They all take up their arms and rush into the city as our
ships selectively bomb their targets. Meanwhile, a soldier from the crowd, my
brother, Adalwolf, approaches me on stage as I leave through the back. He’s
dressed like a normal soldier, wearing a black gas mask and armor, and a white
hooded cape. His red eyes are visible through the lens of the gas mask modeled
after the originals made when this planet was first established, and his armor
is modeled after the knights of legend, who conquered the stars and
exterminated the animals that plagued the planets.
Compared to him, I look like a
plain civilian, since I am wearing a crimson officer’s uniform, with a martyr’s
cross on my white armband, crimson pants, and black boots. If my brother
weren’t wearing his uniform, we’d look the same, except for the breathing
apparatus in my neck and different brown spots on my face.
“That was an amazing speech,
Shaeffer,” he says.
“It was just like I practiced. Heh.
To think I would be drawing upon the speeches I would make when we played with
our figures and watched stories that made similar speeches on TV,” I say.
“Do you really have to head out on
the front lines with me? A speaker and officer like you could be better off
giving words of inspiration on the radio or planning more attacks with the
other officers.”
“What could be more inspirational
than leading from the front? Remember who we are, brother. We are of the planet
Aushalten. We only know pain and suffering; therefore, we only know how to give
our lives in love and service to others. There’s no better place for me to be
than the front lines.”
“Alright. Since I can’t make any
rousing speeches like you can, I’ll simply support you as best I can.”
“That’s what you’re best at, and
all you need to do. Remember, I can inspire as many people as possible, but if
the soldiers don’t win the battle, then all my words are for naught.”
“Whatever you say, brother. You
don’t need to make an argument to do what you say.”
A ship meant for deploying soldiers
is waiting for me out the back of the hall I went through, which is full of
Aushalten’s history, statues of its saints, and paintings of its greatest
leaders. Boarding the ship with Adalwolf, we rise above the war-torn city,
taking in the ordered chaos. The towers and buildings, made of stone and metal,
with the only color coming from the neon lights and holographic displays that
decorate them, suffer little unintended damage, unless they are occupied by our
enemy, in which case they are crumbling. Both the law enforcement and civilians
of Aushalten turn against the men of Earth and overwhelm them with sheer
numbers and force. The so-called superhuman and cybernetically enhanced heroes
and members of the law-enforcing Dominion of Earth do little to slow us down,
and as they are killed, their corpses are trampled underfoot.
As we near the front lines, I check
my officer’s pistol, a humble laser revolver with a secondary function to shoot
bullets with the strength of a tank and ship-busting rifle. Meanwhile, Adalwolf
and the other soldiers with me have standard-issued rifles that fire lasers and
are loaded with incendiary bullets, and have the function of being able to be
taken apart to turn into a sniper, pistol, or grenade launcher. We land and are
immediately met with gunfire from the defenders from Earth, who are held up at
a spaceport. The men and women of Aushalten run for cover to defend those
charging the enemy, then charge ahead themselves, with those behind them
defending them. None of them shows any signs of fear or hesitation in the face
of all the gunfire and explosions, even as their neighbors die near them. In
fact, the more pain and death they see, the harder they fight.
Thus is the Aushalten way, and I
will not be found wanting in following it. I charge ahead with the current
leading wave, making sure to fire at the enemy with one hand and holding one
arm high, while screaming to my people to charge.
“For Aushalten! For the martyrs!
For our God and Lord!” I say to the accompanying cheers of civilians, soldiers,
and law enforcement behind me.
During the charge, I shield several
of the people charging with me from gunfire and getting hit in the process. I
take a married couple into one of the deep holes left by the battle's
explosions so they can be shielded by makeshift cover. Adalwolf is close behind
me, gets into the cover, and continues to fire at the enemy.
“What are you two doing? Don’t you
have a family, children, to go back home to?” I ask them.
“We do, but we are no strangers to
risking our lives for them,” the husband says.
“What difference is there from this
and the daily work we did where we could’ve died at any moment? This is more
important than that work because it’ll give our children a better life,” the
mother points out.
“I understand, but the family is
the foundation of society. Without people like you raising your children, then
this will all be for nothing. I admire your willingness and strength to sacrifice
yourselves for your children, but please, if you can, stay behind me or the
very back of the charge. You’re better alive than dead to Aushalten’s future.”
The married couple tepidly agree
and let Adalwolf and me go on ahead before they join the charge behind us.
“Maybe you should take your own
advice,” Adalwolf says.
“You can always replace an officer
or public speaker. You can never replace a child’s true father and mother,” I
say.
“Is that why you got shot for them?”
“I’m fine, brother.”
Adalwolf drags me into the cover of
a nearby destroyed storefront.
“You’re still upset about our parents’
deaths. I can see that.”
“This is why you’re much more than
a simple soldier. You have our mother’s perception, but please, let us talk about
this after the battle.”
“Fine, but do not let your vengeance
cloud your judgment.”
“My mind has never been clearer.”
Heading back out, I help our people
break down the doors of the spaceport. Just as we are entering it, our ships
are destroying the fleeing ships of our enemy, their tanks, and incoming
reinforcements. Going onto the runway and chasing our enemy, I switch my pistol’s
function to use its bullets to kill the heavily armored soldiers, the few
superhumans, and the pilots in the plane.
“Wait, stop! You can have whatever I
have in the plane!” one of the fleeing men says as he holds his hands up and
falls to his knees.
We don’t listen to him or his surrendering
allies and blow up his plane with our gunfire.
“No! Do you know who you’re messing
with? I’m an Elio.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of the mighty St. John
Elio from Earth. He helped conquer the Earth for God and was said to have been
born in an adoration chapel, had a great, simple heart, and had amazing powers
that inspired heroes and frightened his enemies. Your ancestor would be ashamed
of you because of what you’ve done to us,” I say.
“You won’t get away with this. You
think you’re in the right and know better than us, but you’re wrong!”
“We know we’re right because we
know what it means to suffer.” Adalwolf and my people behind me cheer in
agreement. “We know that true love means suffering for God and neighbor and the
giving of one’s life for others, something you people from Earth have forgotten.”
“Can I be spared, please? I’ll do
anything you want!”
I look at the descendant of Elio
and his guards as they eye their weapons and us, and know their true
intentions. Before they can fight us, Adalwolf and I shoot and kill them all.
“The only thing I want you to do is
beg God for forgiveness, but since you chose poorly, you’ll never get the
chance again.”
My people cheer at our victory. Our
ships come in with soldiers to secure the spaceport, take care of the wounded,
and take others to the next battle.
As we walk to the ship, Adalwolf
asks, “Was that truly wise?”
“Yes. That descendant of Elio was
pathetic and a disgrace to his family name. He would’ve been nothing more than
a prisoner who took up space. Besides, we do not need hostages or prisoners in
this war. We only need overwhelming victory.”
As Adalwolf and I fly away on our
ship, I tune into our radio to hear nothing but cheers of victory in all
sectors of our planet. All is going to plan, and Aushalten shall soon be under complete
control once more. All that’s left is one more holdout city, and then we go to
Earth to finish the fight.
