Edgar had finished work late, and all
that was on his mind now was getting home. He walked down tiresome streets,
passing the few signs of life beyond the robotic road sweepers edging their way
across the road. Twilight drifted through the area, lit by dank street lamps and
neon signs. It would be like this at any time of day, light or dark, for the
looming shadows of the skyscrapers that reach miles into the sky block out most
traces of daylight. And yet, Edgar had once mused, this is only the smallest of
cities that covers only a fraction of a small planet, where others like ancient
Earth have not seen the face of bare soil for centuries.
A taxi flew overhead at the common high speed of the city. Edgar was
tempted call for one himself and get some fresh air for once, but he preferred
to walk. At least walking could keep him awake. He went on, dreary eyed with the hopes of seeing the comfort of
his own home, until a voice called from behind him.
‘Oy! Edgar! Not gonna give us the slip,
are you?’ It was Grahil. He stood under the flickering neon sign of the
‘Willows Tavern’ with a twisted cigarette jutting out from between his lips.
‘I want to go home Grahil.’ Edgar said.
‘Bad day, huh? Come on, drink your
sorrows away with us!’
‘Grahil, I really should go.’
‘Aww! Man, just have one bloody drink. It
won’t do you no harm.’
‘Fine.’
Grahil slammed a beer in front of Edgar, its foam slopping out and
soaking over the table. Edgar took a gulp of his drink.
‘So then, mate, what troubles you?’
‘Oh, you know. The GU has been taxing
more and still wanting more work done in a day. Soon I probably won’t even be
able to leave the office.’
‘Yeah I know the feelin’. Tempted to just
walk out on them one day.’
‘To find yourself penniless and without a
job. We’ve seen how it goes, Grahil. The GU doesn’t give a crap about us
workers. All just about keeping us down at the same constant state of rock
bottom. If one of us decides to leave their job it’s not the GU’s problem.’
Piped in a drunken Brian.
‘A man can dream can’t he?’
‘Yeah, well I had a dream that I had a
car made of cheese. In the end it all means jack.’
The bar maid came over and retrieved the
empty glasses. She seemed to be the only one happy in her situation. A lowly
band played in the back with their slow, hypnotic instruments. Edgar leaned
back in his chair, closing his eyes relishing this peace in ignorance of the
rest of the bar’s scuffles, loud discussions and drunken distraction.
‘Hello. What’s this then?’ Grahil muttered. The room had gone silent.
Edgar opened his eyes and saw the entrance of Governor Kailus, striding in with
his head high and his robe of office flowing from his shoulder. His advisor
slunk behind him, looking down with the tired, beaten expression of a man who
knows he has been bested. The band took up their instruments and retreated to
the back of their stage to make room for the strange visitor. He stood strong,
trailing his gaze across the room to assure he had everyone’s attention.
‘My people of Jarren,’ he smiled thinly, ‘I come to you now for the
proposition of betterment. I look upon you all, each and every man, woman and
child on this planet and all I see is depravity and misery. A depravity and
misery caused by the situation forced upon you by the systems of the Galactic
Unity put beyond your control for the sake of a false prosperity.’
Grahil shot a smug look toward the
others.
‘And this Unity,’ Continued Kailus,
‘believes that the name of prosperity is one in the same as complacency and
idleness. They discourage the development of man and the happiness of the
people for the sustainability of their regime. They take from you, my people,
what you have rightly earned for the claim of equal share.
‘Today I claim to you that we shall not stand for this any longer. Today
I claim that we shall fight for the progress of the people. I come to you today
with the proposition of a fair capitalism, so that you hard workers who try may
see the fruits of your labours, so that all may rise to the position they wish,
instead of what they are simply given. We must fight in our own revolution and
claim the galaxy as the peoples.
‘I ask of you now for your support, and for you willing participation in
a revolutionary army to seize the Unity and show the might of the people!’ He
finished and waited for a response.
‘So you want us to declare war on the
Unity?’ called a man from the back of the bar.
‘Precisely.’ Kailus affirmed.
‘In the name of capitalism, just like all
those failed rebel groups?’
‘In the name of capitalism, yes. However
a comparison to those petty skirmishes with the operation we shall have is a
poor comparison indeed. They were small groups easily beaten by the police
force of the local planets. The Unity only has such police forces as their
single defence. We shall have an army. I doubt they will withstand the might of
an entire planet.’
‘You sayin’ you want an entire planet to
fight for you?’ another bar patron called out.
‘I know I will have the majority. That is
unless you are denying me your support.’
The other glanced uneasily at their friends.
‘Er, no. No I think I could be in.’
‘Aha! We have our first soldier! Do we
have any more?’ Kailus cried.
‘What are you doing for weapons? Sticks
and stones may brake their bones, but I’m pretty sure a policeman could kill
me.’
‘We stop all current works in the factories and begin production of our
arsenal. Ships, land vehicles, guns. We shall be sufficiently well equipped for
when we launch our assault. Our attack shall be swift, moving from planet to
planet until we finally surround Terra and take our hold of the galaxy.
‘What do you say then? Will you fight by my side for the people?’
The room stayed silent for a moment as all ruminated over the
possibilities of conquest. Soon enough the bravest, or most drunken of the men
raised their hands, followed one by one with the rest of the bar. Kailus smiled
to himself.
‘Power to the people!’ he shouted in his
self-indulgence. The patrons of the bar all responded in a miss-timed unison
with the same chant. At once the bar was alive with the drunken men and women
rambled along with their ideas and hopes and desires.
Kailus turned to Hamad with a smug raise of an eyebrow.
‘You had to say power to the people,
didn't you?’ Hamad muttered to Kailus’ ignorance.
‘What was it you said? That I would be without
any support? Look around Hamad!’ Kailus said, gesturing to the crowd, ‘Is that
not support?
‘It would appear that I misjudged the
situation for the common citizens.’ Hamad replied coldly.
‘Common citizens?’ Scoffed the Governor,
‘That is very anti-Unity of you to consider there to be a lesser people.’
‘Well it is clear to see now there is a
divide between the leading and working people.’
‘So you support me now?’
‘Not in the slightest. We have been at
peace for centuries and I rather not ruin that. Begrudgingly, though, I can see
that something needs to be done about the situation.’
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