14 Apr 2012

Stryker #5, At the End of Eternity – Chapter 4

Posted by joncooper

“The number of people who have flocked into Tikal over the past three years has been astounding! It has been quite a challenge to find housing for everyone who wants to live here. It’s very encouraging, of course – I was hoping that people would leave the underground city and move back to the surface – but trying to make room for everyone is definitely putting a strain on our resources. I’m sure that the city is large enough to hold everyone; my only concern is whether we can keep up with the population’s fantastic growth.”
–Noel Lawson
June 18, 7243

 

Monroe Araiza and his small band of supporters arrived in the debating chamber thirty minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin. The cavernous stone room was located in the oldest section of Adrasta. According to legend the Founders had built that room before building any other part of the city. Back in those days the Spanish Emperor still ruled over the planet, and the Founders came to the fortress in secret to discuss the issues of the day. Once they realized that the Empire was doomed they turned their private retreat into a functional city and prepared for the collapse of Earth. When the Wall was erected and chaos broke out they were prepared. Within the confines of their stone fortress they were saved from the destruction that consumed the rest of the planet. The Founders had hoped that one day their children could leave the stone city and reclaim the Earth, but that day never came.

So for thousands of years their descendents simply endured. The debating chamber became a central icon in the city’s politics. In that room the leaders of Adrasta met and debated each other on matters of important public policy. It was the place where all political meetings of any importance were held, and it was where the fate of the city had been decided on more than one occasion. Monroe knew that today would be one of those times.

The giant room was circular in shape and had a lower level and an upper balcony. It could hold sixteen thousand people. The room was discreetly outfitted with modern electronic equipment so that the meetings could be digitally broadcast to the rest of the city. These days the chamber was rarely full, but occasionally something would happen that was important enough to cause every available seat to be taken. Monroe was not surprised to see that today’s turnout was quite high. Even though the session was not scheduled to begin for another half hour, many of the seats had already been taken and more people were arriving all the time.

Monroe and his friends found their seats and sat down. Although there was no prescribed seating, in practice certain groups tended to sit in certain sections. As the centuries passed those habits had solidified into traditions, to the point where sitting in a certain area meant that you held certain political views. Monroe’s group had chosen seats that were set aside for the opposition party – a section that was conspicuously vacant. Aside from those he had brought with him, the section was almost entirely empty. In fact, the only other person sitting there was a teenage girl.

The girl caught his attention because he had never seen her before. She was quite tall for her age and had long black hair. She had brown eyes and curiously brown skin. Her facial features and the structure of her cheekbones was especially striking. He was surprised to see that they bore more resemblance to the savages in the forests than to anyone who lived in Adrasta. His own kinsmen had interbred for so long that everyone had similar features, but hers were quite different. It was as if she was from an entirely different race.

Monroe leaned over to Doyle. “Do you know that girl over there?”

Doyle looked over to where his friend was indicating and shrugged. “I don’t think so. Perhaps someone invited her here. I don’t really know.”

“Can you ask around and find out for me? I’d like to know who she is. I’m quite certain that I’ve never seen her before.”

“Aren’t you a little old for her?” Doyle asked. “After all, –”

“That’s not at all what I mean,” Monroe replied sharply. “It’s her genetic code that puzzles me. She doesn’t look like she’s from around here. She appears to be an outsider – of a different line entirely. I’ve never seen anyone else like her. If she is from a different line of human beings then there may be hope for us after all. We desperately need more genetic diversity.”

“I think you’re seeing things. She’s just a young girl, and nothing more. I understand the importance of your genetics research but I think you’ve been spending far too much time buried in those books of yours. Do you even know what you’re going to say to the council tonight?”

“Yes, yes,” Monroe replied. “For whatever good it will do. Our strategic position is very poor, you know. We don’t have any power, we have very few friends, and we don’t have any arguments that might persuade this crowd. We have the truth on our side, but these days the truth just isn’t enough. People don’t care about the truth anymore. I foresee Evan winning a total victory tonight. The council was not swayed last time; I don’t see how things will be any different now, especially since Evan accomplished precisely what he set out to do. But I will still do what I can, for I suppose that’s all I can do.”

“You’re a bit of a pessimist,” Doyle commented.

“Four hundred people were killed today, and this room is packed with men who want to see that repeated on a global scale. You tell me where I’m supposed to be seeing hope.”

Monroe sat back in his chair and waited for the meeting to begin. When the Founders had carved out the debate hall thousands of years ago it was made entirely out of granite rock. The ceiling, floor, and walls were made of solid stone, along with all of the room’s furnishings. Even the tables and chairs were made of carved stone. According to legend their ancestors had deliberately made the seats uncomfortable in order to force people to make their points more quickly. A long-winded speaker risked losing the support of a restless audience whose backs were hurting. At some point – no one knows when – the stone furnishings were removed and comfortable plush seats were installed. Monroe appreciated the comfort but he wondered if the Adrastans were getting soft. Not just physically soft (although one could make an argument there, given the provable deterioration of their genetic code) but intellectually soft as well. In the olden days great orators had spoken in this room, arguing the finer points of policy in front of an intelligent audience. People carefully weighed the arguments that were made and asked deep, penetrating questions. These days intelligence was hard to come by; a skilled speaker could easily sway the crowd, even if his arguments were flawed or nothing but lies. Discernment was practically a dead art. People had lost their passionate love for the truth.

In the center of the room was the circular stone table, around which the council sat. As far as anyone knew that was the very same table that the Founders had sat around. The table itself was in the shape of a ring, and the council sat along the outside edge of the table. In the area surrounded by the table – an open space roughly forty feet across – was where the orators would stand and present their arguments. Tonight that was where Evan Maldonado would be standing. The council would listen to him and then make their decision.

Monroe noticed that the council did not show up until right before the meeting started. There were presently six men on the council, led by the esteemed Conrad Forbes. Back when the city’s population was far larger than it was today the council had consisted of fifteen members. In modern times, however, six men were deemed enough to run the affairs of the city. Even though the council claimed to be constantly busy, the truth was that there was very little for them to do. Before Evan launched his program to exterminate the tribes the council had been meeting just once a year.

When Conrad called the room to order the debate hall was packed. The only available seats were in the opposition section, which was almost entirely empty. Monroe knew that his group was painfully conspicuous, but he did not care. He had been out of the public’s favor for so long that it no longer bothered him.

After going over the initial formalities Conrad got right to the business at hand. “General Maldonado, we meet here today to receive your report regarding the recent bombing campaign that you conducted. In your last meeting you promised this assembly that your neutron weapon would be sufficient to cleanse the planet of the savages and return control of the Earth to us. The council would like to know how your weapon performed in this morning’s field test.”

“I am pleased to report that it went exactly as planned,” Evan Maldonado replied. “The neutron bomb completely eradicated the entire tribe. Not one of them survived. Moreover, the radiation that was released by the bomb is already decaying, and will be reduced to harmless levels within the next two weeks. The operation was a complete success.”

Monroe stood up. “Objection!” he called out.

Conrad quickly motioned for him to be silent. “You may present your arguments later in the meeting, after the general has finished. Now is not your turn to speak.”

“But there are additional facts that he has omitted,” Monroe replied. “According to the rules of the debate hall, the orator may be challenged during his presentation should there–”

Conrad interrupted him. “This is not a debate, Monroe. The general is merely presenting his report to the council. If you have anything to add you may do so at the conclusion of his presentation. You are overruled.”

Monroe sat down, frustrated. Conrad turned to Evan and motioned for him to continue.

“The success of today’s venture is of critical importance to our future,” Evan announced. “What we have done today is proven that it is possible to cleanse this world of the savages who have held it hostage for the past five thousand years. For five millennia we have been forced to live in this stone prison while mindless savages ruled the world. We are all that is left of a once-mighty civilization that was destroyed by the folly of the Spanish Empire. It was the Founders’ wish that we reclaim the future that the Emperor stole from us. Instead of rebuilding this world, however, we have stayed huddled behind these stone walls, hoping that somehow the world would magically rebuild itself.

“I am here to tell you that we must set a new course for ourselves. I do not wish to speak ill of the dead, but the generations who came after the Founders utterly failed to live up to their dream. They foolishly chose to live in this prison for five thousand years, keeping the flame of civilized life alive but doing nothing to spread it. If they had simply acted and taken the initiative, we would have colonized the stars millennia ago. By now we might have even reached distant galaxies. They could have repossessed this planet, rebuilt the waste places, restored what the Emperor destroyed, and reclaimed our destiny. Instead they cowered in the corner, like fools.

“Today we proved that we can overcome the mistakes of our past and build a new future. With my neutron bomb we can wipe out the savages that have dominated our world for far too long. That is exactly what I propose to do. I am here to ask the council to approve the construction of 153 neutron bombs. According to my scientists, these upgraded bombs – vastly more powerful than the one used today – will be enough to wipe out every single savage tribe on the face of the planet, leaving us as its undisputed masters. Once they are gone we can begin reclaiming the world and forging our future.”

One of the council members spoke up. “How long will this process take?”

“I can have the bombs built and ready for deployment in 90 days,” Evan replied. “By the time the fall season arrives the entire planet can be ours. The process is proven and effective, as you have seen.”

Conrad nodded. “You have indeed done exactly as you promised. The nuclear weapon that your men designed was as effective as you claimed, and the lack of unwanted side-effects is most encouraging. Are there any among the council who see reason to oppose this course of action?”

No one on the council said anything. The council leader then sighed. “Are there any among the assembly who can offer a reason why we should not give the general our approval?”

“Yes, there is,” Monroe replied loudly. “I wish to respond to his claims.”

“Very well. You may come forward and speak.”

Monroe got out of his seat, made his way to the council table, and entered the debating ring. He then looked at Evan. “Tell me, general. Why do you think our ancestors chose to stay in this fortress? They were as technically capable as we are. Why did they chose to not wipe out the tribes?”

“Must we debate this again?” Evan asked. “We’ve already gone over this before. I see no benefit in rehashing it.”

Conrad spoke up. “Answer the charge, general. You know the rules.”

Evan sighed. “Our ancestors were fools, Monroe. They thought that the savages could be saved and they spent thousands of years trying to help them. But you know what? They failed. The savages cannot be saved. They are a lost cause. Even you are not proposing that we try to find a cure for them! We cannot cure them, and they are standing in the way of progress. They are nothing but mindless monsters, bent on murder, destruction, and chaos. There is nothing good about them. If anything, cleansing the planet of them is an act of kindness. It will end their suffering and give our children a better, brighter future.”

“Are they human beings?” Monroe asked.

“Only technically,” Evan replied. “They are a tribe of insane lunatics at best, and criminal murderers at worst. In our own society if a person goes on a murderous rampage we bring him to justice and execute him. I fail to see why these people should be held to a different standard.”

“How many of us have they tried to kill?” Monroe asked. “Oh, that’s right – zero. Not one time in all of history have they ever mounted a campaign against us. Nor is it true that all of them are psychotic murderers. That’s how you enjoy painting them, but I have research that proves otherwise. Some of them are as you describe, but not all of them.

“Let’s be very clear about this, general. You’re not proposing the extermination of some pesky crab grass that is causing ecological damage. No, what you’re asking us to do is approve the slaughter of more than ten million human beings so that you can take what they have. You are proposing genocide, and you want to build an entire civilization on that foundation. The reason our ancestors stayed in this fortress is because they were unwilling to enrich their own future through mass murder.”

“The savages are a hopeless cause,” Evan replied. “You know as well as I do that they can’t be cured. You know that they don’t have a future. Why not end their suffering? Is five thousand years of insanity not enough for you? Don’t you realize that this is the only way that we can build a future for ourselves? Those savages are never going to rebuild the world! If we don’t do it then who will? Should all of our children agree to die out so that your madmen can continue killing each other?”

“We are called to be the children of light,” Monroe replied firmly. “That is the name the Founders gave our Order, and that is what’s written on the charter they engraved in the Hall of Stone. The whole reason they built Adrasta was so we could be a light to the world. Saving the lost was our very mission.”

“We are bringing the light to the world,” Evan replied. “Can’t you see that? This world has been ensnared in darkness for five thousand years. With my neutron bomb I can remove that darkness and make the land free once more. We have kept the light of civilization bottled up in here for millennia. Once I drive away the darkness we can spread the light once more and rebuild what has been lost.”

“You are completely missing the point! Have you even read the Charter? The light that we are to be spreading is not cultural advancement or scientific progress. Don’t you realize that the very people who destroyed this planet in the first place were part of the mightiest and most advanced civilization this world has ever seen? The light that the city was founded to spread was the light of the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ. We were commanded to be followers of God and to spread His words. That was our very purpose! Every one of the Founders dedicated their lives to that goal.”

Evan laughed. “The savages aren’t capable of understanding anything, much less comprehending religion! But since you’re so concerned about their souls, why don’t you give it a try? Go out there and tell them about this Jesus of yours. See how far you get. I bet you won’t even live through the day.”

Conrad interrupted them. “Do not bring religion into this, gentlemen. This is a policy debate. Religion has no place here.”

“The Founders did not think so,” Monroe replied. “They felt that God belonged in every facet of life.”

“The Founders are long dead and returned to dust. Do you have any other arguments to make or are you quite done? Your philosophical arguments are petty and a waste of time. If that is all you have to offer then you may return to your seat.”

Monroe shook his head. “No, there is more. General Maldonado painted a very glowing picture of what happened today, but I noticed that his official report failed to include any photographs. Therefore, I would like to add these to the official record. I feel that they will add some clarification to what happened today.”

Monroe took a stack of photographs out of his pocket and placed them in front of the head of the council. Conrad picked them up and began going through them. He paled slightly. Each picture showed a scene of utter devastation. The forest had been replaced with an enormous crater. The ground was fused and blackened, and the smoke in the air was thick. There was not a trace of life to be seen.

“Evan, are these pictures accurate?” Conrad asked.

Evan nodded. “Yes, they are. As I said, the bomb was quite effective. Every trace of the savage tribe that we targeted has been eliminated.”

Monroe spoke up. “And as you can see, the bomb also eliminated every tree, every blade of grass, and every living thing. The forest is entirely gone. Moreover, the bomb fused the soil and destroyed all of the bacteria in it. You took a place that was teeming with life and wiped out every last living thing in it.”

“Oh, it will grow back,” Evan replied. “After all, it did when the Emperor destroyed the world.”

“The Spanish Emperor used chemical weapons, not neutron bombs. It is possible that the damage is permanent. If anything does grow back it will be at least a century – possibly more – before life returns to that spot.”

“Perhaps. That remains to be seen. Even so, that is a small sacrifice to make. I would rather wait a century than wait forever.”

Monroe stared at him, surprised. “General, you want to unleashing your neutron weapons on the entire planet. When you are done the whole world will look like those photographs! You aren’t saving the world; you’re asking for permission to obliterate it! Even the Spanish Emperor didn’t obliterate the entire ecosystem. You’re hoping that after you wipe out every last living thing in the entire world that, somehow, it will all magically grow back, but you have no idea if it will. In fact, you haven’t even bothered to ask the question. It’s entirely possible that when you’re done this planet will become as uninhabitable and dead as the Moon. What you’re going to do is far worse than anything the savages have ever done.”

Conrad spoke up. “General, is it really necessary to eliminate all of the savages all at once? Couldn’t you conduct the bombing campaign in stages and allow the planet time to recover?”

Evan shook his head. “The savages are like a cancer. If you have cancer and wish to survive you must eliminate all of it, not just part of it. If you leave behind anything then the cancer will take root again and you will find yourself battling death once more – which is exactly what we’re facing here. If we do this at all then we ought to make a clean sweep of it, and eliminate the problem entirely. I do not approve of half-measures.”

“Is there any danger to this?” Conrad asked. “I do not want to approve a plan that will cause the Earth to become uninhabitable.”

“That will not happen,” Evan replied firmly. “The Earth will bloom again, as it always has. If it turns out that we must help the process along then we will do so. We can plant seeds, tend fields, and even terraform the planet if that’s what it takes. The ancient books within our archives contain the knowledge needed to turn a dead planet into a live one. If those techniques worked on distant planets then they would assuredly work here as well – but I do not think that will be necessary. These are all very solvable problems.”

The head of the council nodded, and turned to Monroe. “The general has a plan to deal with the fallout from his weapon, Monroe. Do you have any other objections?”

“Do you not see that this will be our doom?” Monroe asked. “We are dying out as a race. If we ever become the only human beings left on this planet then our doom will be sealed. We need some genetic variation–”

“That is enough,” Conrad said firmly. “The council has heard your quackery before and has no patience for it. Since you have presented no substantive arguments against General Maldonado’s proposal, I recommend that we accept his plan and give him whatever funding he needs to carry it out. Do any on the council disagree?”

When there were no voices of dissent, Conrad spoke up. “So is the decision of the council. General, you have our full support. This session is now dismissed.”

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