Tag: romance

Pegasus (Part 130)

Then the Emperor continued. “That is why I need you. You are the only one of my progeny to show the guile required to leave one’s comfort zone and try to effect change. It was something that I thought would be ubiquitous, but I was wrong.

The Empire faces many challenges. If I die without a successor, there will be war, and everything I have built will be ruined. All I ask is that you kill your comrades to show your loyalty. I don’t think that is too much to ask.”

For a moment, I wondered if he was serious. His seething eyes told me he was.

“Never!” I responded angrily.

He gasped and took a step. “Are you my blood at all?”

He placed his hands on his chest. Then fell to his knees, before tumbling to the floor.

A loud siren went off, and the whole room started flashing red. Within thirty seconds, the room was full of men in white overcoats, all huddled around the emperor. My bed was pushed over to a side wall, and I could no longer see what was happening.

Then I could hear them carrying him away, and the room was silent once more.

Pegasus (Part 129)

Just as I had accepted my fate, that dreaded voice bellowed for me to wake. “Open those eyes.”

And there he was beside me. Not the youthful image I had expected from television and other sources. He had shoulder-length grey hair and deep wrinkles. His eyes were a pale blue, surrounded by crow’s feet.

For a moment, he said nothing, just staring blankly as if I were some sort of exotic creature. I decided to speak first. “What is wrong with you?”

He gave a wry smile.

“Ah, you’ve never seen an old person before. Even with all our technologies, what would have been considered magic when I was born, there is a certain timespan we can not compensate for. In about two hundred years, you and many more will noticeably age. And there will be nothing you can do about it.”

I replied, somewhat confused. “Aging? I thought that disease was cured?”

He seemed to take some twisted delight in my response and laughed. “I thought it had been cured, too, but no. We extended our lifespan many times over, but it’s still nothing compared to the enormity of eternity. Eventually, our medicine ran into barriers that simply could not be overcome. And that is why you are here.”

Pegasus (Part 128)

For too long, I stewed in that bed, longing to touch Tabitha, or at least hear from some of the gang. I wondered where they were and what they were facing. I wasn’t in pain or discomfort; I was just restless for something, anything, to happen.

By now, I had spent hours looking at each imperfection on the ceiling in a trance-like state, wondering if they could be a clue to aid an escape. I could not raise my arms, only move my head slightly. It was like the messages from my brain were unable to reach the rest of my body. I feared it might be permanent.

Every so often, I would hear the electric door and the patter of feet. I would roar out “Help!” but to no avail.

In the service of the Emperor, no doubt.

I wondered about my time since meeting Tabitha. What mistakes had I made?

No, I had made none. She was the love of my life. All I had been doing was dying slowly. No matter what, at least I had given life a try. It might not be about to end well, but at least I tried. And I will always have the time I spent with her.

Pegasus (Part 127)

A familiar male voice came from the other side of the room. “Impressive view, I know. Imagine that all of humanity once lived on that now inhospitable rock. I remember it well. You could breathe the fresh air, look at the sky, and fear nothing worse than getting wet.

Not like now. There were warnings about how bad things could get, but they were ignored.”

I was now sweating profusely. It was the voice of the Emperor. He had heard it hundreds of times on his home habitat, usually speaking in Irish.

“What do you want?” For I could think of nothing better to say.

The voice grew louder and angrier. “What do I want? You’d swear I was the one in the wrong. Don’t think that I don’t know about your plan, and what you signed up for. I’ve been following your actions since you first met Tabitha. There are cameras everywhere in the habitats. It astounds me that the rebels ever thought they had a chance. I found your little adventure quite amusing. However, all good things come to an end, and I’m afraid your little adventure is no exception. But now we must decide what happens next.”

My heart sank. “Please leave Tabitha and the others out of it. It was all my idea.”

The Emperor laughed. There was a sound of an automatic door closing, and I was alone again.

Pegasus (Part 124)

As the cargo bay creaked open, I wondered what awaited us. Tabitha and I went one way, Tabitha and the smuggler the other. We set up a communication link between us and the group remaining on the ship. Communications were to be kept to the absolute minimum, as habitat security would almost certainly be listening in.

The habitat was bright. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust. Lush trees and grass surrounded the ship parking area. The air was clean and easy to breathe.

There was nobody else within view. I looked into the hazy blue sky to see the barely hospitable Earth in the distance.

I had studied the map before leaving and told Tabitha to follow me along a narrow pathway.

She held my hand. “It’s like heaven.”

I stopped and kissed her on the mouth. “It does feel like that. This habitat has pheromones in its atmosphere that give you a happy feeling.” I winked. “But we have to remember that this is a business trip.”

She nodded, and we continued on our walk.

After another few minutes, white pyramid-shaped structures appeared in the distance. Drones were darting from one to the next.

I clenched my jaw.

Pegasus (Part 122)

The entire rag group of rebels stood in astonishment when the Emperor’s habitat finally came into view by the naked eye. I believed it would look like all the others, but I was wrong.

It wasn’t that it was large, but rather the multitude of colors. Nobody could be left in any doubt that this was anything other than the residence of the star system’s ruler. It was semi-spherical, with a huge golden archway linking one side of the surface to the other.

The city, well, more like a town, was located near one of them. The habitat was sparsely populated with no real cities. Most of it was more like a huge wilderness.

I spoke to the others. “We’re about two hours from landing. Now we need a plan,”

“Kill the Emperor by blowing him up.” Tabitha looked at me blankly.

I allowed myself a small chuckle. “Yes, I know. But how and what role will we each play? I’m the only one who will not look out of place. Tabitha and I together should not arouse suspicion. Anymore, definitely will. The rest of you should stay in the ship.”

There were groans.

The smuggler interjected. “That won’t work. At the very least, you will need to complete the drug deal. Otherwise, you will be reported. Make no mistake about it.”

Pegasus (Part 121)

Drugs. I had thought as much. The latest craze was called “E77” and the ship was undoubtedly full to the hilt. Rumours had it that it was being manufactured “en masse” near Neptune. It was one of the most toxic substances known to man. The flesh of regular users just rotted away.

If we were caught with this amount of drugs, it would be an automatic death sentence for us all. Of course, that was what we were facing anyway. Nothing to worry about then.

I left the two ladies and went back to the ship’s controls. Leanne’s Mom gave me a knowing look.

We were three hours away from approaching the Emperor’s habitat. No sign of us being followed. I decided to look up this town called “Darius” on the ship’s computer and read silently to myself –

Darius is the third largest city on the Emperor’s habitat with a population of half a million residents, all of whom are directly related to the Emperor to some degree. It contains a military base and remains an important industrial base.

When I reach the end of the screen, it mentions that it is also a major smuggling hub for drugs and weapons, but these issues are being dealt with by a major clampdown currently underway.

Uug

Pegasus (Part 111)

It didn’t take long for that first drink to turn into two, then three. I knew one of the myriad of men would eventually bite and they did.

A burly, bald man dressed in fading clothes came over to us. He addressed us in English.

“What has brought you two here? I caught a word or two of English being spoken between you. I haven’t heard it being spoken in years.”

Tabitha looked at me wide eyed. I took the initiative.

“You don’t get away with too much around here. And where did you learn it? You seem quite fluent.”

“My mother is from Aruna V. She insisted we use it to communicate. And you never answered my question.”

“No, I didn’t. We’re here on business.”

“What kind of business?”

“We need to get a package onto the Emperor’s habitat, and we’re prepared to pay big.”

I let him glance at our bitcoin balance.

He murmured something to himself and then left to go to a backroom.

I could feel the sweat on my brow and took another gulp.

Then the man returned and said to follow him. We got up, leaving what remained of our drinks. It was action time.

Pegasus (Part 90)

Previously, I read about entering Earth’s atmosphere but to experience it is another. The shaking grew larger, and I could see the heat shield at the front glowing red.

Then, everything was still again. Tabitha shouted out her approval. We were coasting now in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The sky was beautiful blue. The toxic grey clouds that covered most of the planet were like a carpet below us. We were going to try and avoid them altogether.

That carpet gradually faded, then disappeared giving us our first opportunity to see the tainted purple sea. Tabitha was thrilled. “Do you think there is anything alive down there?”

I didn’t want to crush her dreams.

“Yes, I’m sure there must be something. What exactly, I don’t know.”

And maybe there was. I had serious doubts though.

A few minutes later, the sea turned to sand.

“We must be close,” Tabitha said.

“Another ten minutes or so.

The ruins of London were something else. They became visible as jagged pieces sticking out of the land in the distance. They drew closer and what were a few pieces, grew into a sea of its own. Tabitha scanned the vicinity for movement.

“Nothing, apart from some rats.”

Pegasus Part 70

Finally, after what seemed like an age, a ladder appeared in the distance. The pace of their crawling suddenly picked up in anticipation of reaching their destination. Sure enough, there was a hatch above them. Tabitha tried to open it but it was locked.

Tabitha banged it with her hand. No response.

She looked back with a frown.

Then she banged again more vigorously.

There was a clinking noise and the sound of noises. Then the hatch door opened and a foul smell entered the tunnel.

A voice came from above. There was a sense of fear and dread.

“Come quickly. Come on.”

It was a pale white freckled woman with red hair. When I clamored out of the hatch I was met with a scene of devastation. The charred remains of purple people were strewn across the floor of a spaceship hanger. The lighting was flickering on and off. Tabitha was staring blankly at me.

The red-haired woman was in a frenzy now.

“Come, come. We need to get off this station!” she implored.

We followed her out of instinct. She was now the only one with a plan.

She talked as she ran.

“Uncle Robbie, he told me there was a ship here that I could take. They’ll be back. We need to get outta here.”