Part I: The Planet
This is our reality. Work planet after work planet, each populated by one single individual. A gargantuan drill armed with various powerful lasers ensures that previously grandiose landscapes are stripped in a matter of months. One machine per person. One person per planet. As if they were gifts. With the valuable, raw materials sent off to the Elite’s refineries, the process begins anew. All in the name of a glorious galactic-scale megastructure that will advance our civilization. As efficiency and speed are required above all else, the lowly miner is never able to rest nor return to his family until the work is done for all. This is our reality.
As I gaze outside my compound window, there are no noisy kids or stressed teenagers that I would expect back on my home planet. Rather, all that comes into view is the naked landscape of my planet, IEQ-830621. The surface is a jagged cover of rock, so black I cannot see my reflection, and some parts jut out to form menacing mile-high spikes, casting ominous shadows on the surface below. My planet looks as if it is a prehistoric prison for a huge beast. The looming sky is a permanent blood-red hue, as external light can never fully penetrate the atmosphere plagued by thick, noxious clouds. Without any weather, the world below possesses a creepily calm environment, only disturbed by the cacophonous, distant noises of other planet drills.
Part II: The Assault
Suddenly, my compound begins to judder and the ground trembles beneath me. Curious, I look outside, although the other half of my brain tells me that I should be running for cover. Soon, an imposing disc-shaped vessel comes into view in the vermillion sky. It touches down with a boom that resonates through every terrified bone in my body. At first, I cannot recall any reason why an Elite ship would come to my lonely planet, but then I remember the discovery I made a few days ago.
It was not very significant—just a small stone that was unidentifiable by any sophisticated program or sensor. I had contacted Captain Inek about it, but even though he is in charge of the entire star system of workers, he is far from the high ranks of the Elite. I never received any news back, so I had given up on the hope of becoming rich off my finding. They probably have other “pressing” matters to attend to, I remember thinking bitterly.
With the ship’s arrival, the possibility of my rags to riches life resurfaces. They may be here to congratulate me, I cheerfully hope
At that moment, a tall figure encased in distinctive Elite armour barges in. A guard. The man brandishes a malicious looking laser-blade and does not even flinch as pieces of my shelter shower down on his head.
Terrified of speaking out of line, I can only pray that the knife won’t come anywhere near my body.
A brief moment of silence occurs, before the Elite guard takes a menacing step forward.
“Where is it?” the man demands.
“Uhhhhh, I d-don’t know what you are talking about,” I stammer, reluctant to give up the strange rock. There is no way I can give up my only hope of achieving a better life this easily, I promise myself.
The guard has no time to play games however, and swings the weapon threateningly, making an ear-splitting sound. The blade slices through my compound wall like a hot knife through butter. He is not here to congratulate me, I realise.
Understanding that negotiating with the guard will certainly not go my way, I squeeze my eyes shut to hastily try and figure out a way to keep both the rock and all my limbs. But no ideas come to mind. Running out of patience, the guard slaps my face hard, awakening my senses.
His laser-powered suit is like nothing I have ever felt. One hit bounces my brain inside my skull and it feels as though an alarm clock has gone off inside my ears. He then holds his dagger to my face, slowly slicing my cheek with the scorching hot blade. Blood trickles from my wound and taints my dilapidated floor.
“Had enough yet?” he chortles wickedly. I know it is not unusual for the Elite to kill in order to obtain what they desire, so, nearly unconscious and badly beaten, I have no choice but to give in. My heart clenches as the guard snatches the strange stone away. Most of it, anyways.
I remember that there is a small sample that had chipped off accidentally which still remains hidden in my sock drawer, but I stay silent, the hope of a life-altering fortune still lingering in the back of my mind.
The guard leaves with the large portion of the rock, not noticing the small piece missing. After placing my discovery in his ship, rather than hearing an engine roaring to life, his footsteps slowly become louder. Is he not finished with me yet? Furious at my defiance, he pins me to the floor and slowly makes incisions at my most vulnerable pressure points. My screams for mercy are only met with mocking laughter.
The intense torture is too much, and eventually, I collapse to the floor.
…
Hours later, I awaken with severe pain in every bone and muscle of my body, but I somehow manage to awkwardly crawl toward a window. Fortunately, my aggressor’s ship is gone. I then go over to my drawer and breathe another sigh of relief when I find that the small fragment of rock is still nestled safely in my drawer.
At first, I feel ecstatic, as this little stone looks like it could fetch me a large sum of money—perhaps even enough to get me off this rotten work planet—but I soon realize that I would not be able to sell the fragment without alerting the Elite authorities at the same time.
When I finally muster enough strength to stand and look at my aching body, I scream and leap backward. The searing dagger left deep lacerations and the wounds look like a cauterization procedure gone disastrously wrong. I try to cry, but my tear glands seem to have dried up. My work planet is so remote that no medical units would respond, so I try to heal myself with the primitive health kit found in each planet’s compound. Although the scars on my body have slowly begun to heal, I still often wake up in the middle of the night screaming for the guard to stop, my emotional scars permanently engraved within my mind.
Part III: The Stone
For the next few days, when I am not attempting to repair my devastated compound or my damaged face, I try to dig out any additional information about the mysterious rock I unearthed.
Finally, after days of online browsing, I come across a promising but out of date discussion board that contains a small icon of my rock entitled, “The Truth of the 019-2 Ship Crash.” Annoyingly, I am required to answer a series of questions before accessing it. After examining the questions, it becomes evident that this website was created by somebody from the low class, since questions about secret traditions and customs are only known by us. Once I successfully load the old discussion, the exact rock before it was chipped is on display, sending chills down my spine. “Th-this should not be possible,” I stutter. As soon as I start to read, my stomach drops. I realize that I cannot recognize several of the ancient symbols. Despite this, I manage to understand that this rock was an ancient mystical relic—an individual can gain increased intelligence and longevity if they absorb enough energy from the stone. Make them extraordinary. Unequal.
Other than the fact that the stone was used secretively long ago by the Elite to better control the masses, not much more is known about this ominous, powerful object. One day, a handful of lowly officials discovered this rock unintentionally, and when they learned of its properties, demanded that it become publicly available for everyone’s benefit. They argued that our civilization could advance to unforeseen levels if everybody could work more efficiently and for a longer period of time. The government, made up of the wealthy and the Elite, disagreed: they feared an uprising if everybody was to be considered equal. In order to keep word of the mystical relic from getting out to the public, the Elite threatened to kill the families of those who knew of the relic’s existence. This led to the creation of several cryptic but informative messages buried deep in the web, waiting to be discovered in the future. As a final stand against Elite oppression, the officials managed to blast the substance into space, hopeful for it to never be discovered again. However, just as I expected, the aftermath of the act of “treason” ended poorly for the officials. Everyone who had any knowledge of the rock was put onto a spacecraft, which then conveniently crashed into the Star of Inaequalitas.
And then, since only the Elites have any knowledge of the stone, the treasure hunt began! I think aloud.
Putting the pieces together, I discover what all the solitary mining is really for. “There is no plan to build a galactic-scale megastructure! It was just used as a front to discover this rock!” I blurt out. I slump back in my chair, a feeling of guilt replacing the initial excitement of my discovery.
In the midst of my lengthy contemplation, the small fragment in my drawer begins to vibrate intensely, as if it were inviting me to go over and check it out. I give in to the temptation and walk over nervously to steady the effervescent stone. The glowing red rock feels cold in my sweaty and shaky hands, and it is mystifying to see it shift phases. One second, it feels as soft and squishy as a stuffed animal; another, it feels as hard as the guard’s fists. I play with the rock all night, clutching it in my hands as I fall asleep. Although the stone is small, I absorb a large amount of its power throughout the night, changing me forever.
Part IV: The Choice
The next morning, newly aware of my increased cognitive abilities, I wake up to think about my situation. I understand that I have a simple choice to make—either I side with the Elite or I fight against them. Joining the privileged is tempting; I would live comfortably for the rest of my life. However, many of my poor friends would continue to suffer. After a lengthy neuron war, what finally pushes me to decide that I must use my advanced senses for the greater good is my beautiful wife, Eleanor, who would not stay by my side if I were to climb to the top of the political ladder. I consider talking and reasoning with the Elite government, but I quickly dismiss this as imprudent, knowing that the Elite do not negotiate. In fact, they would probably end my life or imprison me indefinitely to keep the secret of the rock.
Part V: The Reunion
I cannot go through this precarious situation alone, and if there is anybody I trust wholly, it is Eleanor. Although I could be punished severely, I board my emergency spacecraft and head off to my home planet, where my wife and I used to live together. Even with my augmented intelligence, she will still have probably have better judgement than me. Living without her has been awfully difficult, and on my trip back home, I am barely able to contain my excitement. As I step through the threshold I have not crossed for two years, I immediately embrace her. The smell of freshly washed hair and shampoo wafts to my nose. She does not ask how or why I have come and pulls me closer to give me a long kiss, then messes with my tousled hair. Man, I forgot how beautiful she truly is! In my wonder, the depressing thoughts in my mind quickly vanish. Her presence alone tremendously boosts my mood—I have never been more confident about my situation resolving itself. Lying in bed, my wife and I agree to not talk about anything serious the first night; we just have fun and share humorous anecdotes until we fall asleep. However, no matter how much I try to enjoy these moments, I cannot help but think about my inability to protect her from the potential consequences of my accidental discovery.
A day passes. The authorities either don’t notice or just don’t care about my absence on my work planet. As much as I want to delay the inevitable conversation about how I am now a target of the Elite government, I know that avoiding this subject could endanger my wife as well. After I explain the story of the scars on my face from start to finish, my wife blankly stares at me, unsure of what to say.
She then replies apprehensively, “Well, do the right thing of course, and spread the word. Just think about how many people you can help out of oppression.”
“What about you?” I ask, “You would be in tremendous danger!” It pains me to see that I have to endanger my family to save the masses from oppression.
“It would be honourable to die for the cause,” she declares. Shocked by my wife’s courageous words, there is no more excuse to back down.
“Okay. I know what I have to do,” I reply as confidently as I can.
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If you have read some of my previous blogs, you probably know that I love creative writing. This month, I attempted to do something I have never done before—write an entire short story. However, it turns out that it writing a story takes far longer than it seems! I am still working on the next sections of the story, so if this seemed interesting to you, look out for part 2 next month!
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