Escape From Redeem, Rise of an Emperor

Earth: City of Geneva

It took a third world war to bring planet earth under the control of one government. There were no clear winners and a truce was signed between the western nations and the Communist opposition of China and their allies.

That war had cost millions of lives. It was clear to both sides in the end that full scale world war, could never happen again. So the major powers of the world agreed to form a government under one elected leader. That elected leader was named President Edward Black; a wealthy technology tycoon turned politician, who promised global change and rebuilding, for all of Earth.

He had achieved all that and more by creating worldwide co-operation with trade. Black also formed a central tax system, that’s wealth was redistributed to where it was truly needed.

Food and energy were shared between all nations, instead of hoarded by the rich states and the wealthy few.

Black had done all of this within ten years of his election and the people demanded he was given more time. So it was agreed to leave Black in charge.

Year by year, he continued to succeed. By putting the planet together to achieve united goals, he had all but wiped out poverty and starvation. He knew that Technology should be well invested and invest he did. Using his vast resources, he brought together the greatest scientific minds that discovered clean and renewable energy, by using the power within water. This energy was so powerful and vast that a technological boom came shortly after its discovery.

Not all went well for the President in his early days as Earths leader. It was typical human nature for others to crave the power he wielded and several attempts were made on his life. Fortunately all were unsuccessful.

Eventually he decided to create a special division of Elite Guard for himself. These highly capable men were picked on intelligence. But above all, they had to show potential to become the very best warriors on the planet. Candidates were also expected to share in his vision, of prosperity for all.

As well as forming the Elite Guard, it became abundantly clear that to avoid a fourth World War, the planets military should become united. So he mixed up armies from different countries, educated them and made them the police of the entire planet. This world army would later be known as the Regiments; a military force that eventually carved a kind of peace for humanity, by crushing any serious criminal and cartel. They ruthlessly eliminated anyone, who opposed Blacks vision of prosperity for all of mankind. Only execution or life in captivity would await anyone foolish enough to threaten the new order of things.

It was true that Black’s rule was a harsh one and most fell into line eventually.

Growing old seemed to be the only challenge left, for the middle aged President. So he secretly discovered a way to prolong his life, by manipulating his gene code and thus stopping the cells in his body from dying. Black kept many secrets over his long term as leader, and this was the biggest of them all. Now with everlasting youth on his side, he set out to achieve his greatest ambition since he was a small boy, which was to travel to the stars.

Earth was becoming over populated again, even though it had suffered so many casualties in the previous World War. So he set the people the task to find a way to colonise the galaxy.

First Light speed was achieved, taking humanity to the edges of the solar system. This was only the tip of the ice berg. When Earth’s greatest minds discovered Warp travel, they could then go to other star systems. By enabling ships to move through tears in space, they could travel to other planets on distant stars in a matter of weeks or months.

It still excited him today as he thought of how quickly all of the habitable planets were found. The Alpha Centauri system was the very first to be colonised and was now the crown jewel of Blacks achievements. This system however, was just the beginning. Over the centuries, humanity had colonised hundreds of habitable planets. They then used the resources on these worlds, for further expansion and prosperity of mankind.

President Lionel Black was over a thousand years old. His current General of the planetary armed forces; William Defoe, noted as he sat opposite the great man, was that he did not look a day over 50.

‘So William, has Dorn and his family been found yet.’ The president said with genuine concern on his face. It had pained him deeply to learn that his most trusted friend and Captain of his Elite Guard had disappeared along with his family.

‘Nothing yet Mr President, but I can assure you I have the best people on it and we will not stop until we find them.’

The President got up out of his extensive leather chair that looked more like a throne, than something that you would have in an executive office. He turned to look out of his office window, which overlooked the city of Geneva. The Presidential Palace was raised from the ashes of the previous war and provided a base that was more suitable than the Americas or the Asia’s. The beautiful mountainous peaks were another reason to locate his Palace here. He so loved the mountains.

‘When I first formed the Elite Guard all those years ago William, I always handpicked each man. They are, as you know the best of the best.’ He turned back to the General and raised his eyebrows, which were a trait Defoe had come to know as, I want some answers.

‘The Captains of the guard are chosen because they excel even among others who are deemed outstanding. So I find it hard to believe, that a man of Dorn Bruce’s calibre could go missing without a shred of evidence as to his and his family’s whereabouts.’

The General was expecting the meeting to be an uncomfortable one. The President always wanted answers and Defoe on this occasion, could give none.

‘It is a complete mystery sir; we will not rest until we have some answers. In the meantime, you should look to protecting yourself until we know what has happened. Have you appointed a temporary Captain of the Guard, in Dorn’s absence?’

‘Yes, Dorn’s Lieutenant Guy Kruger. He is only temporary but has exceptional skill and would be a worthy Captain one day, in his own rite. I would like you to work with him and get me some answer’s William. I have him waiting outside now.’

The President pushed a button on his desk and spoke into an intercom.

‘Could you send Lieutenant Kruger in please Margaret?’

His secretary opened the door letting in Kruger, who the President thought had the most piercingly blue eyes he had ever seen.

‘Good Morning Mr President.’ Kruger said in a gravelly voice.

The President gestured for him to take a seat beside General Defoe.

‘Gentlemen, you have a lot of work to do, have you met before?’

The two men opposite the President looked at each other briefly and Defoe said. ‘We have met, but haven’t had the pleasure of working with each other. I will keep the Lieutenant informed of all developments...’

Black raised a hand to interrupt Defoe.

‘I want you to work with each other closely and I want daily briefings on your findings. Now gentlemen I must run a planet and her colonies, so unless you have any questions I bid you both good luck.’

Kruger looked dismayed at being dismissed from the Presidents side.

‘I want to discover the mystery Sir; Dorn is my friend. But I must look to your safety first.’

Kruger reminded the President.

‘Finding what happened to the Captain of my Elite Guard does concern my safety Lieutenant. So the quicker you resolve this, the quicker you may return to normal duty.’

Kruger inclined his head in submission. It was not wise to argue with Black when he was in a mood like this. He wisely chose to stay silent.

‘Keep me updated.’

The President said to them both, as he turned his back to look out the window, signalling that the meeting was over.

Defoe and Kruger left by a side door and made their way swiftly to the sub-basement of the building, which was used as a bunker or situation room.

They did not speak until they were inside the sound proofed bunker, which was recently checked for listening devises.

The six inch steel door closed with a hiss, sealing the pair inside.

Defoe had not seen Kruger since he had carried out his last orders.

‘So what was it like to kill the greatest warrior on the planet Guy?’

A thin smile rose on Kruger’s face, making him look more sinister than normal.

‘It was like slaughtering pigs and easier than I expected. His greatest weakness was that he trusted me. He didn’t suspect the ring I had on, carried a poison to incapacitate him. It was just a gentle pat on the back from a trusting friend, which was the undoing of the great Dorn Bruce. Then once he was in my power I went to work on him and his family, in my own way.’

The thin smile was now a full grin, showing perfect white teeth with slightly oversized canines that made him look almost feline.

The General still couldn’t believe Dorn could be taken out so easily.

‘I can recall a while ago; the Presidential mansion being infiltrated by religious fanatics.’ Defoe remembered the day well.

‘I was just a Major then; I recall we were in a meeting with my superiors and the President, when all hell broke loose outside. The Elite Guard were summoned to us immediately. We all watched the surveillance cameras in horror, as the perimeter guards were taken out by the group of zealots.’

Kruger had heard this story many times but never from Dorn himself. He indulged the general to continue any way.

‘Dorn ordered the other Guardsmen to wait with the President. Then he left us. We watched him lay in wait for the enemy on the screens and he systematically killed them all, using only a knife. He was like a ghost; when he had killed the last of the attackers we all just stared at the screen dumbly. Even his fellow Guardsmen seemed to be in awe.’

Defoe activated a hologram of a planet that rose in the centre of the table before continuing.

‘He would have been a great ally in our endeavour Guy. But he had too much honour. I knew I could never turn him against his beloved President. He would still have needed to be eliminated, even if he hadn’t found the weapons being wrought on Lunar Base.’

Defoe motioned towards the planet in front of them.

‘Let us turn our thought now of the future; our future. Has his son been sent to Redeem as I instructed?’

‘Yes, although I could not see why you couldn’t let me just kill him. It would have been more of a mercy you know. One day it could harm our cause.’

The General did not mind in the slightest killing children. But he needed Caleb Bruce alive. President Black had woven too many secrets into the young man. The Prison colony was the perfect place to keep him on ice.

‘No one escapes from Redeem Guy’. Defoe said evilly.

***

Redeem: Class A Prison World

Caleb lay in a heap in his cell, trying not to make a sound. His ribs were badly bruised from the beating he had just received. Fortunately, apart from his nose, nothing seemed to be broken.

He set the nose straight with a sudden snap, causing his eyes to water with fresh agony. He knew that if he left it until later, he would have to re-brake the bone again to set it straight.

The re-setting of the bone however, did nothing to improve his already puffing eyes. But his vision seemed to be fine as he surveyed his surroundings.

The cell was small, no more than seven feet square. The height was slightly better, making the enclosed space seem bigger than it actually was. He also noticed what looked like a steel bar fixed to either side of the cell walls. A rope was tied to it, which had already been prepared in a hang man’s noose.

Just as he was contemplating his own execution, a hatch in the door opened with a scrape.

The pair of eyes looked Caleb up and down judgingly.

‘Why would you fly me to another planet, only to beat and execute me? Would it not have been cheaper to have just put a bullet in my brain back on Earth?’

The man who Caleb assumed was a guard smiled as if he had said something amusing. It occurred to him strangely that dental hygiene was very low on this guards agenda. As the only teeth he did have, all seemed to be rotten.

‘You don’t talk as rough as most of the blokes we got in here. But we have got a few who talk proper, like you. But that won’t do you any good in here. Most of the others didn’t like your sort when they were free men, and in this place you should make nice sport for some. Even though you are a big lad.’

He had always been the biggest when training with others his own age. At 6ft 4 he had towered over most students, back at the Advanced Training Academy. He had the brawn to match his height as well, making him look more athletic than muscle bound.

’If I am to be a prisoner then what is the noose for?

The guard flashed a rotten smile again.

‘Well it cost a lot of money to keep you terrors fed and watered, so the warden always keeps one in ya cell just in case you’re feeling a bit low. If you ask me it’s a mercy to go out to the noose.’

‘I don’t want to put ideas into the Wardens head, but why doesn’t he just execute all the prisoners if it cost so much to feed us?’

This was a question Baz had heard many times, during his three years at the prison world. He had been a guard on Earth once, but the pay here was quadruple that of what a near illiterate man like he was could earn.

‘Most of you deserve it I’ll warrant. But I think he likes the suffering, as do most of us in this line of work.’

‘Do you like it?’ retorted Caleb.

‘Oh yes, but I do it mainly for the credits. I’ll be something when I go back home. Now I can’t talk all day, I’ve got a few of the new ones to cut down. So if you don’t swing during the night. Then breakfast is served at eight, your highness.’ Baz said merrily.

The hatch slammed shut and Caleb heard the guard’s footsteps down the hall. He sat on the cell floor and meditated, trying to ignore the rope and the hell he was currently in. As expected though, the blood from the several cuts on his face, were already starting to clot.

He knew by the morning all his wounds would be practically healed. His father had told him, when he was very young that he was special and not like others. He was made in a lab, using his mother and fathers DNA. They had then enhanced it to be greater than any other, in both body and mind.

During his training he had been placed with the other cadets, who had been selected from excellent genetic stock. But he knew he was destined for something bigger than them, from an early age. He had stood out, over cadets in their fifth years whilst only being a raw recruit himself.

Fast healing was only the beginning with Caleb, as he contemplated the unwanted attention his lack of injury might gather. He would deal with that when the time came but for now he just let his mind drift to nothingness.

***

The light in his cell flashed on and Caleb’s eyes snapped open from his meditative state.

The door to his cell opened mechanically and he rose to his feet, feeling in a much better state than he was the night before. The bruising on his face and body had practically gone now. The only evidence of the cuts to his face was dried blood, on his dirty grey prison issue shirt.

He walked into the brightly lit corridor and surveyed it for the second time. This time he looked with his eyes less swollen. He looked to his right as his cell was the last one of the many that were housed down the solid concrete corridor.

The other inmates stood to attention with their eyes to the front. Caleb thought it prudent to do likewise. Another new inmate began looking all around, as a guard with a pock marked face and a truncheon approached him menacingly. He delivered a blow to the poor prisoner’s stomach that knocked the wind out of his already bruised form.

‘Eyes front when you stand for the morning count, scum.’ The guard shouted. Like a predatory serpent looking for a meal, he looked around for anyone else to defy his instruction. No one did.

The count finished and everyone began walking toward the big double doors that buzzed open at their approach. Caleb noticed as he walked that all of the new inmates had suffered a severe beating on arrival. Their bruised and swollen bodies told a sad tale of the previous night’s induction to Redeem.

Eventually the corridor opened into a big open space, which appeared to be the canteen. Caleb lined up and waited to be served the most appalling looking food he had ever seen. On the space transport to the planet, the food was much of the same. But if anything, the meal that was presented to him now was even worse. He could have sworn that the sloppy gruel was moving. The bread looked edible; he would have to eat it all, to keep his strength up.

Back on earth the dieticians prepared him his daily meals, which were both nutritious and appetising. He would kill to have one of those hearty plates in front of him now. Instead of the cold slop and bread, that would be his only sustenance. The water he was given was no better either.

It murkiness did not refreshing in the slightest, but hydration was more important than food, so he would have to drink it down.

He looked around to find out how many of the new inmates had survived the first night.

Only a few men appeared to have not taken the nose. He could not blame them. Caleb noticed that he had earned a few curious looks in his direction. Maybe this was because his face was in much better condition than the other new prisoners. To his dismay he thought this might seem like he had broken too quickly or was favoured by the guards.

Either way the distrustful stares from both the new inmates and the old, told him that he would need to watch his back with the other prisoners. As well as the violence from the guards he would have to be careful.

***

Earth: Presidential Bunker, Geneva

The planet glowed in the centre of the holographic table and illuminated the faces of General Defoe and Kruger.

‘The planet was discovered eight years ago.’

Defoe said to Kruger, who looked confused. He had never seen this planet before.

‘Every planet we find is widely publicised sir. Correct me if I am wrong, but I have not seen this world before.’

‘You are correct. There are few men privy to the knowledge of this planets existence. Most are dead, including our friend Dorn Bruce.’

Kruger had heard about a scouting mission that had never returned, about four years ago. He wondered now, if his new master had taken measures to silence them. Knowing Defoe, he knew it would be an accurate assumption.

‘What’s so special about a planet that requires all who know its existence to expire? Am I going to share their fate General?’ Kruger asked the question evenly and without fear. This was the world they lived in and the General was well known to tie up loose ends after he had no further use of them.

‘You are far too valuable to me to eliminate Guy. When we have overthrown Black, you will be my second in command. Remember also, that there is no one who knows the location of this planet, other than you and me. But we will have to tell our inner circle soon, for my plan to work.’

Kruger did not believe that for a second. He knew Defoe had a large network of soldiers, assassins and bureaucrats at his disposal. Kruger would play along. Knowing that he was useful for now or the General would not be showing him this.

‘The special thing about this planet Lieutenant is the fact that the scouts found life on it.’

Many of the planets initially found by the first scouts of Earth had only been barren rocks, gas giants or worlds completely covered in water.

At first they started to find microorganisms. Then to the wonder of all of Humanity, alien animals, with only a base intelligence were discovered. Kruger, like everybody knew this and felt this information was underwhelming.

‘So they found life, it would not be the first. Why is this one any different from the others?’

Defoe had been looking forward to telling someone about his discovery for years now. He would enjoy seeing shock on the face of the Lieutenant, who seemed impervious to emotion.

‘Because the life they found on planet X1 Guy... Is intelligent life! Who are barbarous and warlike and could be the key to our revolution.’

Kruger’s eyes went wide and Defoe smirked at seeing this cold man show emotion.

The discovery of intelligent life was extraordinary. President Black had hoped for years that they would find it, and now he would wish he had not.

‘What do you plan to do now sir? How can aliens help our endeavour?’

‘These aliens; which I have named species X1, have the technology to travel the stars, as we do. But fortunately for our planet, we have escaped their notice. That is until the time comes, when we reveal ourselves to them.’

Kruger was struggling to see how this would help them topple Black and his government.

‘I agree sir that this is a great discovery. But how does it help our revolution?’

Defoe was contemplating holding back his plan, but decided they were in too deep now. He would need Kruger, his unofficial number two, to be fully informed.

‘The plan is simple. We have already tried to communicate with them. Unfortunately all of our envoys were killed on the spot. We have also tried to communicate from space, which has resulted in the boarding and capture of our vessel.’

‘So they have one of our ships?’

The General had always wondered what had happened to his secret scouting vessel. He told Kruger how a coded message came to him of the sudden boarding of their ship; and then nothing. He always hoped that the captain would have followed his orders of destroying the craft, if they were captured.

‘The information gathered tells us many things Lieutenant, and among them is that the aliens are capable of travelling to our world, if they knew where to find us. With a faster ship we could bombard their planet and return home. Leading the warlike creatures back to earth and starting the conflict that Black has avoided all his reign.’

Kruger was beginning to understand the general’s plan now, and nodded his understanding.

Defoe continued.

‘With Dorn out of the way the path for us to eliminate the President is open. You once again Guy, will be the instrument that ends that man. It must appear to have been the work of our Green skinned invaders. Only then will the planet rally behind us as their new leaders, to exterminate the enemy that killed their beloved Edward Black.’

Kruger felt he needed to point out a significant problem.

‘Suppose we can lure them back Sir, without the ships being destroyed or captured. How do we know we can defeat this war like enemy? We could be toppling a President and annihilating ourselves in the process.’

The General had thought this through and began showing the Lieutenant, the weapon capabilities of species X1. It appeared that they preferred close quarter combat to projectile or energy weapons, which was why the scout ship was boarded instead of blown to pieces. Probes had been observing the tribes fight each other for years and this style of fighting remained. They did have a limited supply of projectile weapons, but conflict after conflict the weapon of choice appeared to be mainly bladed weapons.

’So as you can see Lieutenant we should not have a problem winning this war.

Defoe stared at Kruger, with uncontrolled joyful menace.

‘And then I will rule this planet and use Black’s Genetic engineering to create an army of super warriors, just like Dorn’s brat. With you as my second we will change this false utopia, and harvest the resources so the strong will prosper and the weak perish. Then the natural order will be resumed.’

The General had been hungry for power ever since he was a child. He could never understand why his parents had punished him for taking other children’s toys. After all, why should they have them, if they were too weak to keep them?

The new world that President Black had engineered was generosity on a grand scale. Why should the mighty feed the planet? And why should the strong struggle to help the poorest of this world. Greed was a good thing to Defoe. It was a reward for being powerful enough to take what you wanted in life. He knew he was strong enough to take Blacks power, and his secret of eternal youth.

Then he would run the planet and the colonies how they should be run.

Kruger was impressed; the plan had its risks but the rewards, if the plan worked were beyond his wildest dreams. With the gen hanced soldiers, being secretly created on Lunar base. It would be hard to fail.

‘When do we begin the attack?’ Kruger asked.

The General had been planning this for years and now was the time to act.

‘Immediately Lieutenant, I will dispatch a ship with instructions of a hit and run on the planet. But don’t worry about them getting back to earth to tell their tale. I will trigger the ship to self-destruct upon re-entry.’

The General always did like to tie off loose ends. Defoe continued ‘Be ready to terminate Black; you have your orders Lieutenant.’

Kruger saluted to Defoe crisply and then headed for the door. But before he opened the sealed entrance, Defoe stopped him and said quite casually.’

‘Oh and by the way Lieutenant if you succeed in your mission, your new rank will be High Lord of Earth under me as Emperor.’

The title would be just reward for his efforts but Kruger had higher ambitions. But for now he would serve Defoe and enjoy the killing to come, for his new Emperor.