The Last Revolution (4 page)

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

- Albert Einstein 1945

The Last Revolution:

Rise of a Nation

Chapter 1

Alden could feel the rhythmic beats of his heart against his rib cage. His legs were tight from the exertion but he loved the feeling. The workout reminded him he was in control of his body. The ocean air parted before him as he jogged along the beach and the sound of waves crashing against the beach was his constant companion. He barely noticed them, but in this moment he realized how comforting it had all become. The island’s central mountain rose before him, blanketed by a lush tropical forest.

The school was barely visible in the distance; the building’s roofs rose defiantly from the surrounding jungle. The rest of the campus was obscured by a small hill, but a warm shower and the barracks lay just around the corner. The Polemarch would be here within the hour and the thought of attending his first high-level meeting with General Sokolov and Polemarch Vasentus caused even more blood to surge through his veins.

There was a slight sting in his lungs and his chest tightened at the thought of the Polemarch. He had been the one who’d assigned them the Siberian mission.

Suddenly his arm vibrated; looking at the digital display on his wrist deck he pressed a button and initiated the communication subroutine. A holographic image of General Sokolov appeared before him and drifted effortlessly over the sand as he ran.

“Yes sir,” Alden said.

General Sokolov was in his military uniform smoking a cigar as usual. He looked up at Alden. “There’s been a change of plans. I need you to meet the Polemarch’s flight when it arrives.”

“Yes sir. Anything else I need to know?”

“Take Vasentus directly to the reactor. I’ll meet you there.”

With that Sokolov pressed a button and disappeared from Alden’s view.

Forty minutes later, Alden found himself standing in the sand once more, but now he was dressed in his best uniform and smelled far better. The sun was at its apex and scorched everything beneath it. A dozen soldiers had accompanied him to meet the Polemarch’s flight, including Gabriel. They were the only two Angele Dei currently on the island; the other soldiers were regular conscripts that had merely been assigned to the base. Gabriel stood several inches taller than him and bore a striking resemblance to the ancient Nordic races. In contrast Alden had short dark hair, an athletic frame and what he felt was decent enough looks.

The sound was barely audible at first, but Alden picked it up. Shielding his eyes from the sun he searched for the incoming jet. Dark clouds were forming in the distance, but they would dissipate under the weather net. Just then, an unnatural ripple appeared in the sky and the faintest sound of an engine washed over them. Gabriel must have heard it too, because he was the only other soldier looking up. The others didn’t even flinch; they had no idea what was going on.

The sand whipped up around them and Alden was forced to drop his hand slightly in order to shield his eyes from the debris. A large, sleek aircraft materialized on the runway just as the wheels made contact with the ground. The light refraction system dissipated, allowing the aircraft to become fully visible. The crisp smell of helium-3 jet fuel washed over him before dispersing amidst the swirling sand. The other soldiers struggled to keep their hats from flying off while still remaining somewhat poised.

The aircraft slowed to a roll, and then came to a stop before them. Steps opened from the back of the craft and descended to the pavement. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as he stared into the darkness of the jet waiting for something to happen. The Polemarch was second only to the Archon in power within the Council. The importance of his presence couldn’t be overstated. If this meeting required his personal attention it meant something big was coming.

Several Council soldiers marched out of the jet and took up positions on either side of the stairs. A large man, who seemed to tower over everyone, emerged. He was dressed in the Council’s white military robes, with black and gold accents along the edges. A ceremonial cape hung from his shoulders. His face partially obscured by a blue and gold mask, the edges barely hid the long dead skin underneath.

Alden presented a crisp salute. “Polemarch Vasentus. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“The same to you.” Vasentus walked up to Alden. I’d like to introduce you to Lao Ze'Nobuo. He’s one of the brightest minds inside the Council and I’ve asked him to join me on this trip.”

Alden shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

Lao stared him straight in the eyes and shook his hand with a firm grip. He was definitely military and would know how to handle himself under pressure. His view was penetrating and he bowed ever so slightly in recognition.

Vasentus turned to Gabriel who had been quietly standing behind them. “Please escort the rest of my delegation in the other car.”

Alden picked up Gabriel’s subtle expression as he saluted in acknowledgement and then walked back to the other utility vehicles. Gabriel had always looked up to the Polemarch and would certainly take this slight as an insult. Somehow, he knew he’d be blamed for it, just as he had everything else. They’d been brothers once, but that had been a long time ago.

Alden opened the rear door for the Polemarch, and helped him in, followed by Lao. They traveled down the long dirt road back to campus. The jungle encroached on both sides; branches hung low over the road, creating a tunnel through the wilderness.

“We haven’t had the opportunity to speak in a long time,” Vasentus said as their convoy disappeared into the jungle.

“No, sir. Not since the Siberian mission.”

Vasentus nodded and stroked his chin. “Terrible how that unfolded, but you handled yourself well and have the gratitude of us all.”

Alden stared out at the jungle; bursts of light and debris played out before him, trees disintegrating under the heavy barrage of weapon fire, bright red blood splattered across the snow. The praise and commendations that had followed were little comfort.

Shaking his head and returning to the present he nodded. “Yes, sir.” Not a single day passed that he didn’t think about it. At first it was because he couldn’t help it. The comments whispered behind his back kept him from forgetting during the day, and the terrors that plagued his dreams kept him from forgetting at night.

Vasentus pulled his hood down, revealing the dark blue mask that covered half his face. Gold filigree wrapped around the edges, carved into intricate and symbolic designs. He stared directly at Alden. “Has the general told you why I’m here?”

Alden shook his head. “No, sir. I just found out about it an hour ago.”

The Polemarch nodded at Lao. Alden had almost forgotten that he had been riding with them.

“There was an explosion at a police graduation ceremony in the lunar colony of Apollo City at 0300 yesterday morning,” Lao said, with just the slightest hint of an accent.

“How many dead?” Alden leaned forward. “Has anyone claimed responsibility?”

“Initial reports indicate 12 dead and another 45 wounded. We think it was one of the lunar terrorist groups, but no one’s claimed responsibility yet.”

“Why would they want to bomb a graduation ceremony?” Alden asked. “How’s the Council going to respond?”

“They’re trying to destabilize our security efforts and make the financial and human cost more than we or the Three Nations can handle. But our resolve is strong, and we will find those that carried out this cowardly act and bring them to justice.”

The Polemarch added, “Our resources are stretched to the limit, and the terrorists know we’re in a precarious place trying to provide peace and security within the colonies. They’re punishing anyone that works with us, as they did with the attack yesterday.” He paused for a moment, gazing sightlessly out the window. After a moment, he continued, “General Sokolov informs me you’ve become an accomplished strategist. How would you handle this situation?”

The question took him back for a moment; it was rare to hear compliments on the island and Sokolov was as cold as any human could be. If he felt any confidence in his abilities he’d certainly never shared them with him. Did Vasentus really care what he had to say? “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Vasentus nodded.

“We obviously have to respond, as you’ve already mentioned. To let them get away with this would only invite more attacks. As I’m sure you’re aware, we’re effectively waging two wars, one for the hearts and minds of the people and another against the insurgents themselves. People need to know they’re safe and we’ll protect them. We have to turn public perception against the terrorists, ostracize them, and convince people to turn them in.”

“That’s quite a lofty goal.” Lao leaned back into this seat. “How would you accomplish that?”

“As they’re killing people, we need to be building hospitals, schools. We have to make people’s lives better. Draw a stark contrast between the death and despair brought by the terrorists, and the hope and opportunity provided by the Council. We stopped the Three Nations from going to war, and helped broker the most critical treaty in human history. We’re a beacon of hope within a dark world, the colonists must know that.”

Vasentus smiled. “You’re a good man, Alden, but the world’s just not that simple anymore.” He looked out the window. They passed out of the jungle and emerged at the top of a large hill. The school was only a few kilometers in front of them, with the mountain rising majestically behind it.

“The place looks empty,” Vasentus said, disrupting Alden’s thoughts.

“Yes, sir. Most of the students and primary staff members are at sea conducting naval exercises.”

Vasentus looked at Alden raising his visible eyebrow. “Really, what are they practicing?”

Alden glanced at his wrist deck. “It’s currently 0700 so they’ll be practicing hostage rescue.”

“What does that involve?”

“In twenty minute intervals they’ll be flown by copter from the deck of the Council vessel Enoch and lifted to three hundred meters. They’ll parachute down, making a quiet dive into the water. They’ll covertly swim fifty meters before making contact with the target ship’s hull. From there they’ll climb on board, locate the targets and neutralize them, hopefully without the loss of a single life. From the moment they leave the copter they’ll have exactly twenty minutes to finish. Missing any stage of the exercise will result in total failure and they’ll have to start over.”

“Why aren’t you out there with them?” Vasentus asked.

“I’ve already completed the exercise, sir.”

“Really?” Vasentus seemed intrigued. “How long did it take you?”

“Ten minutes, twenty-three seconds, sir.”

“Very good.” Vasentus smiled. “I guess we’ve trained you well.”

Their trio of utility vehicle came to a slow stop on the outskirts of the campus. They were in front of building G7, a single story, non-descript structure that’s only quality was how unimpressive it looked. But Alden knew otherwise. Buried deep underground was the reactor he’d given up so much for, and he hated it.

“Please sir, if you’ll follow me.” Alden stepped out of the car and helped Vasentus down.

Members of the Polemarch’s staff disembarked from the trailing vehicles along with Gabriel and several soldiers who were tasked with guarding their convoy. Even in the most secure of locations you could never be too cautious, and the general wasn’t taking any chances. Despite Alden’s history with the Polemarch, his real mission was protection.

They formed an impressive entourage as armed guards outside the building opened the doors and allowed them to pass.

Alden instructed everyone except for Gabriel and Vasentus to remain there and wait for their return.

“Lao will be joining us as well,” Vasentus said.

Alden knew the command structure and Vasentus was at the top, but he had orders. “I’m sorry sir, this facility is off-limits to all nonessential personnel.”

Vasentus nodded. “I understand that and wouldn’t expect anything less from you or General Sokolov. However, as the head of all military affairs for the Council, I’m in charge of everyone that makes those rules. Lao will be going with us, and that is final.”

Alden wanted to stand his ground; the reactor was secretive and incredibly dangerous. Exposing it to anyone outside secure island personnel was risky. At the same time, he knew the Polemarch had the authority to overrule protocol and continued disobedience would not be met with understanding. What was going on here? No one was ever allowed inside without prior security clearance by the General. Vasentus would know that.

The four men boarded the large elevator and began their descent. It only took a few seconds for them to make the thirty-story trip. The doors were pulled open by armed guards, weapons at the ready. Alden led Vasentus to a pristine railing that looked out over the massive space. The room centered on a giant reactor that bathed the room in bright flashes of lights from within. Several scientists walked around the floor beneath them. The soothing hum of the generators could be heard in the distance.

Alden peered down at the machine, imagining the fusion reactor at the core. The same reactor he’d been sent to Siberia to find.

“What percentage of the island does this power?” Lao asked.

“We only harness a small fraction of its energy output,” said a booming voice from behind. Alden turned to see General Sokolov approaching them. He was wearing his formal dress uniform and his chest was covered in medals. “I apologize for being unable to meet your flight. I was taking care of some loose ends. I assume you’re happy with what you’ve seen so far?”