The Sirius Chronicles (8 page)

Just as I stuffed them into my pocket the door knob started to turn. So I quickly got back on the table and started holding my stomach. When the doctor walked in he asked some more questions and started preparing an injection. He said a few people had come in with stomach problems today and he thought a virus was going around. I guess I picked the perfect thing to fake… After a few minutes I pretended like I felt better and he sent me on my way.

As I walked back to my room, I couldn’t believe how easily I was able to get the injectors. Maybe it was a sign of things to come… I could only hope making the switch in Cyrus’ lab would be just as easy. Now that I think of it he rarely ever leaves me alone… there’s no reason to. I guess it’s just going to have to be a waiting game. I’ll have to bring them with me every day and wait for my chance. Eventually I’ll get it.

Over the next 6 months I heard nothing from Kayin, and Sara rarely even glanced over at me in the lab. I had finally managed to steal 6 injection treatments a few months ago and get them into the hands of Kayin’s contacts. It seemed like an eternity before I finally got the chance. Cyrus rarely left his lab unattended and the man could literally work for 20 hours straight.

During this time he was able to create almost 1000 more workers for the mining camps. Over the last two months it’s been reported that the mining sites have produced more chrysos than in the last year. Apparently a group of the natives had found a large deposit right near the surface.

Instead of being happy with the immense progress and stopping the procedures, Commander Neros demanded another thousand workers. The head of the mining division claimed that with another 1000 workers they would hit 7,000 tons within another 3 years. As usual, it was nothing to kill more natives, even though most of us would all be happy to stay longer to prevent it…

Every day the militia was delivering more natives to Cyrus’ holding rooms. The cramped conditions were getting worse by the hour and sickness began to spread. In one of the holding rooms over half the natives had to be “removed”… I don’t know for sure but I can only guess they were dumped back on X-451 to die.

The only thing I could be happy about was the fact that I no longer had to watch them dying on those tables with tubes and wires coming from their heads. There were no more exploratory autopsies and inner cranial examinations… It had actually been quite a while since I’d seen native blood. They may still be dying and slaving away at the mining sites, but the real torture was over and it was only a matter of time before they would be free.

After another 14 hour day I was up on the observation deck looking down on X-451. It looked so similar to Aeris, there were just no signs of civilization. It was such a beautiful sight, but that only hid the sickening reality of what’s taking place on the surface.

I sat there for what seemed like hours, looking out and thinking about everything that had happened… and everything that was about to. I wanted to kill Cyrus more than ever before. Every day I could see the fear in the native’s eyes. I could see them staring at me as if to ask “why are you doing this to us?” I could just be my imagination, but I could see it…

Just as I was about to leave and try to get some sleep, someone sat down a few feet away from me. It was Kayin. He immediately said “just look forward and listen to what I have to say… I don’t have much time.”

He went on to tell me that he they had successfully enhanced 5 of the natives and have them gaining control over the others. He had spent the past months on X-451 secretly attempting to communicate with them. Their language only consisted of around 60 words now but it was enough… According to Kayin they still viewed all of us as supernatural deities and he had to use that to our advantage. We’d sort out that problem once they were free.

What he said next was exactly what I wanted to hear – “Atlas, I think we’re going to be ready in a few days. I have at least 50 militia and miners on our side at each mining camp and I think I’ve almost convinced the 5 native leaders to start a revolt. I’m pretending to be a messenger from their creator and telling them they are meant to be free… It seems to slowly be working as I gain their trust. We’ve been sneaking them food, water, and helping out with medical problems… So be ready Atlas, it really could be any day now.” Before I could say anything he got up and walked away.

Now that it was really going to happen I was almost scared. Not so much for myself, but about what might happen to everyone involved. Kayin could be totally wrong, the militia and miners still loyal to the ACI and this project might really fight back. Not everyone is a good person and according to history, money can make people do terrible things. There was a good chance we could end up having to kill hundreds of our own… but like Kayin said - no one on this mission is innocent.

It’s hard to think about having to shoot anyone, but at the same time I can remember many of the scientists being excited to start this project… I heard stories of the militia abusing the natives… All the events up until now really made me start to doubt everything. I have personally witnessed how evil we can be… and these acts are being committed by an organization that’s supposed to guide and watch over all of us. It’s almost as if my whole way of thinking and perceiving life was nothing more than an illusion…

Whatever the case may be, we all had to do this. If we’re all gunned down by the militia then so be it. If Kayin’s plan fails we can all go to our deaths knowing we did the right thing. It’s better than living like this.

I looked at X-451 for a few more minutes and then headed back to my room. Even though I had my doubts, I was also confident the plan would work. Everything seemed to be falling right into place. I had easily gotten the injections to the resistance and Kayin says support is building every day. Maybe tonight, sleep would come easily and I’d be free from the horrors that have been etched into my memory.

When I woke up, I was overcome with new feelings. All of this was no longer an idea so far away I could barely see it. Any moment I could receive word for the final debriefing before we take action. I just wish I could somehow relay all this to the natives still trapped in the holding rooms… waiting to see whether or not the injection would kill them or make them able for the slavery down below.

When I got to the lab it was empty. I walked over to the back to look for Cyrus and I found him standing over an opened up corpse. On the inside I cringed but I had to pretend like it didn’t bother me and I said “Where is everyone?”

He looked up and replied “Well as you know we’ve almost provided Neros with all the workers he needs so I’ve dismissed the rest of the teams to other science divisions… You and I can take care of the rest, it’ll only take a few more months.” He was standing there holding his hands up… the white gloves he was wearing had turned red…

He got back to work and continued to speak – “Since we’re almost done and will still be left with years of nothing to do I’ve been given another project… I will attempt to advance one of the natives far beyond our average intellect in the hopes of being able to apply the studies back on Aeris. This could lead to a substantial jump in mental evolution for all of us Atlas.”

I thought to myself – “Maybe it would make all of you smart enough to realize what you’re doing is wrong…”

Cyrus went on to say it was one of the most important experiments in the history of the world. All I heard was white noise. I saw nothing more than a man that enjoyed hurting things for his own interest and amusement. His words no longer meant anything to me… The more he talked the more it reminded me how much I wanted to end him.

Then I realized something horrible had just happened… Cyrus would be using the advanced treatments after all and I had switched almost all of them for injectors filled with water. This was bad; it was only a matter of time before he’d figure it out. I had to get word to Kayin immediately, but there was no way. I was stuck here until Cyrus dismissed me.

What he said next struck serious fear within me – “I’ve already administered the first dose to a subject over in lab 2. He won’t be showing any improvements until tomorrow and I don’t need you here today. I’m just doing some personal research on the differences in their physiology… Go ahead and take the day off Atlas.”

I was almost frozen stiff by the time he finished talking… he would know something was wrong by the morning. He might not immediately think to examine the injectors but eventually it’ll be the only thing left to check. I had even less time than I thought… As soon as I got to a safe distance I started running back towards the team quarters. I had to tell Sara to relay the message to Kayin. We had to act today, tomorrow at the very latest. Otherwise everything could be compromised.

By the time I got to Sara’s room I was totally out of breath. She opened the door and I just walked in and sat down. She looked alarmed and said “What are you doing!? What’s going on?”

I put my hand up to motion for her to stop and wait while I caught my breath… … - “The plans have changed Sara. Cyrus has been ordered to do more intelligence experimentations on one of the natives. He’s already used one of the swapped injections. He’s going to know something’s not right by tomorrow morning… You have to tell Kayin now!”

Surprisingly she didn’t look alarmed – “Atlas relax, I just got word from Kayin that we’re to meet first thing in the morning for a final debriefing before we begin the takeover… It doesn’t matter. Just calm down… Go back to your room and I’ll come get you when it’s time.”

I nodded, regained my composure, and left. Instead of going back to my room like she said, I decided to go sit on the observation deck. Even though it was technically “day time” the view in space never changed... It was one of the things that helped me keep my sanity all this time. When I looked out into the stars I could forget about my life for a while. If today would be my last day alive, I can’t think of any other place I’d want to spend it.

As I looked down on X-451 I thought back to my first day on The Aurora. It was truly hard to believe everything that’s happened was real. I went from being excited about the adventure of saving Aeris to becoming part of something truly evil… I know that for the rest of my life I’ll never be the same, and the things I’d seen will never go away.

I also had to wonder what would happen when we got back… Would we be rewarded and celebrated, or punished? Knowing what I do now it might not even be safe to return to The Aurora. We might have to get our story out to the public first, just to protect ourselves. I think it would be safe to say that the majority of the ACI and our government can’t be trusted. If they would do all this, than killing us and burying our story would be easy for them.

Kayin and the others may not have realized it yet, but setting the workers free is only the first step… There will be a lot more that needs to be figured out. We’d also still have to finish mining the chrysos. Maybe if everyone on the ship participated things would move along quickly. Once we take The Sirius there won’t be a need for a science or militia division… The chrysos, getting home, and healing our world will be the only things that matter.

In exactly 8 hours the final meeting will take place and Kayin will direct everyone’s actions. As far as I know I’d be taking care of Cyrus… What I could truly look forward too is not ever having to be involved in anything like this again, whether we succeed or not. I leaned back and closed my eyes.

I must have fallen asleep… I awoke to Sara pushing on my shoulder – “Atlas... Atlas!” She sighed heavily “I’ve been looking for you… I told you to stay in your room so I could come get you!” I got up and apologized. Sara immediately calmed down and said “It’s ok, but we have to go, Kayin is probably waiting for us.”

She led me back to the same elevator but this time we were going to a different floor. I looked over at her and she said “We had to find a bigger space, there are going to be a lot more people this time, and they’ll be relaying audio down to our people on X-451.” A lot more people?.. That’s exactly what we need.

After navigating a series of hallways she finally stopped and opened a door. When I walked in I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were hundreds of people crammed into one of the storage rooms, waiting for Kayin to give his final commands… As I looked over the crowd I knew this was going to work.

Kayin noticed Sara and I come in and he began – “Everyone!.. This is it!.. Five mining sites are waiting to be sabotaged by our men on the ground and the natives have agreed to fight alongside us… I will hand pick 20 people to accompany me to the flight deck to take control of the ship and bring Neros to justice. 40 more will accompany Atlas to secure the natives on the ship and find Cyrus… But first we will split up and take the two weapons rooms… Does everyone understand!?” The entire room shouted – “YES!”