Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (11)

Timothy felt a sharp jolt through every fiber of his body. Exhalation but with a mix of dread. Finally, he would make it back it his home planet, back to the Alpha. And bloodletting and women too. It had been far too long.

But the threat from the Tyranids is grave. Everybody and everything he had ever loved or known faced destruction. His homeworld faced losing all of its life and being transformed into a dead rock. No more hive cities and even its toxic atmosphere would be no more. But if it were to be the end, it would indeed be glorious. A battle to the end against the Empire’s ultimate adversary.

The Emperor’s Representative wretched croaky voice brought him back to the moment.

“We’ll reach Uisneach in just a few days. The Alpha has been notified of your arrival. The world’s population is being enlisted into the armed forces. You are to lead the planetary defense, for the glory of the Emperor.

You will face a large Tyranid force. Plans are already in place should it look like to planet may fall. The Empire must persist no matter the cost.”

Timothy suddenly found himself talking.

“Uisneach will not fall.”

Wheelchair Wars Part 3 (10)

The day that Timothy would never forget started just like the dozens of ones before. Opening his eyes, the care-bot was there by his bed awaiting any instructions. Timothy had planned to ignore it just like every other day. His compact room had long felt more like a prison cell.

But then it spoke –

“The General has instructed you to visit his quarters in two hours. This directive has been given the highest priority.”

The thought of seeing that mass murderer sickened him. But, it was the will of the Emperor and he would obey.

“Get me up,” he commanded.

The robot meticulously went through the required routine. It gave Timothy time to think but he could think of nothing for the General to want to see him

Two hours later he was entering the General’s lair in his battle chair.

The room stank of decay. The General was standing there waiting for him in the middle of the room. His face was almost skeletal and he was draped in black cloth.

He began to speak.

“Do not be shocked by my appearance. I have been away from the Emperors life force for too long.

I have seen the hatred in your eyes. But I did what needed to be done for the good of the Empire and Emperor. It has largely been successful. There is just one hive ship of menace left and it’s next target is Uisneach.”

Timothy feels what little muscle he has, has grown tense. He wants to open fire to save his home.

“But there will be no Terminatus of Uisneach. Wheelchair Wars has become known throughout the Galaxy. Therefore the planet must be defended and that is what I want you to do.”

Wheelchair Wars – Part 1 (Sci-fi)

In the far future, there is only war. A darkness has descended upon humanity throughout the galaxy. Now there is only conflict, pestilence and death. For the average human, each day has become a struggle to survive full of servitude, pain and suffering. Scientific progress has halted and much of what was previously known has been lost.

In the vastness of the corrupted, militaristic Human Empire lies a world called Uisneach. It orbits a yellow star and has been inhabited by humans for many thousands of years. It’s atmosphere is toxic. Nobody remembers if it was always that way or if it was the humans who caused it. The world contains two hive cities, each containing many billions of people. One of them is called Xenos. It is the size of a small continent and extends upwards in layers towards the sky.

Each layer is filled by a different economic class. Near the bottom layers is the janitorial sector. To go lower is to go where there is no law, no order. There is no return. To go higher is to live a few years longer and possibly not have to watch your children die. Many fall down the rungs of layers but few rise.

The janitorial layer contains many of hundreds of millions of people. It has its own culture, heritage and language. Many here, scoff at the idea that they are part of some galactic empire or even that they exist on something called a planet that orbits a star. Light from their sun hasn’t reached this deep in a very long time.

One of their favorite customs is “Wheelchair Wars”. It’s one that this layer has that makes it renowned throughout the rest of the city. Nobody is sure why or how it has started, but now events are held in large stadia and broadcast throughout the world.

There are ten tribes, each one covering a large area. They select their best players, who must have a physical disability requiring wheelchair use for competition. They are given modified wheelchairs, now more like tanks, with which to fight to the death. Very few are expected to survive. Any that do and the eventual winner can look forward to serving as dreadnought commanders in the Imperial Army.