The Final Wars Rage by S A Asthana

Author:S A Asthana [Asthana, S A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-05T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15: CRONE

A Martian soldier dragged the civilian woman from her quarters and threw her out into the brightly lit hallway. She crumpled, the white folds of her required cotton-dress draping the spotless floor, and protested, “You cannot do this to us. The High Council cannot kill again.”

“Shut up!” The soldier kicked her in the stomach. As she cried in pain, he complained, “They are not cooperating, General.” The soldier’s face was drenched in sweat and nervousness.

Frank’s nose crinkled. The woman continued to wail, as did several other citizens down the hall. They fought with soldiers and resisted arrest. One shouted, “What have we done to deserve this?” Another cried, “You took my husband already in the last purge. My daughter will have no one left with her if I go too.”

The second purge wasn’t coming along smoothly. Frank wanted it done with quickly just like the last one — arrest required citizens, move them to the capital punishment hall, and put them to sleep using Ethrax gas. The entire process could be completed within a few hours if not for the protests and fighting. This time around, the selected citizens, or the useless ones as they were now termed, anticipated death. Frank sighed.

It was all necessary, though. Yes, every last bit of it was necessary. The High Council had to remain appeased and distracted from the magic act being conducted under their very noses — a magic act that could only end with Alice having Marie killed.

Hastened footsteps cut through the crying and yelling. Alice ran up the hallway. A part of him was elated to see his right-hand. Surely, she’d completed all tasks asked of her. No more circus charades.

Alice clicked her heels and saluted. “For the High Council.”

“Yes, yes. Now tell me what happened to those pirates?”

Alice dropped her gaze. Something was wrong.

As the disagreements played out between soldiers and citizens, Frank pressed, “Tell me you destroyed the threat, Alice. Tell me you did that much.”

She exhaled a sharp breath. “I tried. Got most of them. But…” Her words trailed away.

“But?” Frank shot her a steely gaze. “Yes?”

“But then we realized they had possession of our 1.V10. It’s operational and it almost took us out.”

Frank nearly buckled at the knees. Could she not do anything right?

“They have our 1.V10?” he confirmed.

She nodded.

“And it’s operational?”

“Yes, General. It took out my entire command. Only my captain and I were able to escape.”

“I see.” This useless child of a petri dish continued to disappoint. Yet another failed Martian experiment, just like terraforming.

A citizen cried, “We will not go without a fight.”

Another yelled, “The High Council has turned on us.”

Frank ignored the protests behind him and kept his dagger of a gaze on Alice. He asked, “And… what about…” He spied a security camera in the ceiling. The High Council watched. They listened. “What about your target in Nippon One?”

Alice’s eyes darted from left to right, clearly avoiding his gaze. “The target is still alive. But I’m working on it.” She spoke in a near whisper.

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