By David C. Daoust
It seemed the whole world was at the Starport. Considering how small the population of Twin Crown is, it was close to being true. Minus who? A stubborn minority that, unlike most First Wave, wanted nothing to do with Grady -smashed or no. And possibly those of Grady that were so uninterested in the moons future, or simply more interested in salvaging what they could from their lives? Sadie was guessing.
She was sore. Not physically, the tech had healed her fully, without so much as a scar, yet her soul was sore. The weight of the truth sat like a rock in her chest. Those days before, when all she dreamed of was performing, putting on shows for the masses, may be gone for good. That love just would not bring itself to the forefront, as it had always been in the past. Just the idea of putting on a show, for these people… that’s what it was, she knew. It was the vision that changed. From smiling adoring eyes, that she’d once envisioned, and the endless compliments that were sure to follow, all replaced by that ugly fierce hate she had not only witnessed, but felt herself- first hand. Cost her so much. Would she ever find a set of eyes, that she cared to perform for again?
It was all a mess. After an overnight stay she’d been released from the med facilities some time ago. She was moving through the makeshift fairgrounds, previously known as the starport’s landing bay, with those that had been there for her when she awoke. A Fairground filled with constituents, from all over the moon, listening to pitches, ideas, plans for the moon’s future.
Sadie had one arm latched around the arm of the oversized old Jinn, Hugo. The scaly lizard-man was three times her width and towered over her, despite his misshapen legs being so small and stubby. To her right was Harper, with Ratchet next to her. Their mother had sent Harper to bring Ratchet to the Starport for his broken fist. Ratchet had actually awoken in the bed next to Sadie, while she was still discussing what had happened with the local Doctor. Ratchet alone was there for the truth.
She was glad for the family that surrounded her. She knew her mother was busy with her little sisters, whom she was supposed to be watching when she’d snuck off to visit her boyfriend. To think this could have landed on one of their heads. She sunk lower into herself.
She’d sent Jessop away without seeing him; she didn’t know how to deal.
They moved slowly through the crowd. The small group allowed Sadie to set the pace. Sadie listened to the old Jinn’s cane tap against the solid concrete. He’d actually lifted the cane from the Med Facilities with a wink and a smile, said he’d used up his last excuse. Sadie didn’t understand what he meant, but he did seem to be moving around better already. She remembered once, her obnoxious little sister, Dicey, asked him why? Why, if he was going to change something about himself- why not those stubby little legs? She remembered his answer as well. He said Jinn didn’t change what makes them different, only that which makes them the same. He’d said it loud and proud, and she’d loved him for it.
Charles appeared from the crowd to greet them, awkwardly, but still in a cool kind of way that showed his age. Normally it would make her chuckle, but in her current mood, she welcomed it. The familiarity of it, or just the juvenile mindset behind the attitude- she found it a light in the dark. She listened to them chat, without a care where they were going.
Suddenly a buzz was sent through the crowd, as word was passed from one to another. Her small group seemed to quiet down, and seek out what could affect the crowd in such a way. The attention was pulled to a central monitor, a great screen that had been set up for all to see, front and center.
Everyone was suddenly all abuzz with what the screen showed them. It was clearly taken from the eyes of a drone.
It was a recording of a boy. A boy mired in wreckage- throwing a temper tantrum.
Sadie recognized Ratchet at once. And what he said, what he yelled, directly into the camera… was clear for all to hear.
I’m First Wave. I sent you.
And then the death sentence that followed -sent gasps throughout the gathered people.
Before they knew it, everyone was looking at them. Nay, they were all looking at Ratchet. Ratchet stood there like a doe in headlights. Sadie could see how embarrassed he was; mortified. He was stripped of that mask that he held for the world, his brand of bullshit that hid his true self, and he just stood there, human. Sadie would never forget it. She would wonder all her days if she would have seen it without what she’d just been through.
But then the anger erupted. And people spoke out.
“You can’t trust any of these people!” was the only cohesive sentence that Sadie could pluck from the din.
“I saw him, too.” An older woman stepped forward, her face twisted with hate, “Searching through the rubble- Robbing us.”
“You lie!” Harper looked betrayed, she yelled at the old woman from Grady, “You said you’d say right!”
“Why should I trust him now?” the woman asked after a moment of disgust crossed her face, “He’s sent those mechanized monsters to ruin our lives… he’d ordered them to kill us all. Murder me, my family… Who’s to say they wouldn’t have… or what may come next?”
The local sheriff showed up and took Ratchet by the Arm. Jessop’s dad. Sadie’s eyes found the ground and she felt herself flush. She had a lot of nothing to say.
Ratchet was still barren of his brand of bullshit, but Charles, Charles eyes were wild at the sight. Sadie could see it clear on his face; The sight of the man, that had just taken his little brother, so firmly. Charles didn’t care. He didn’t care how few of the people around him were First Wave; He wouldn’t care if he was alone. Nor did he pay attention to that massive scaly hand that tried to hold him at bay.
Charles the First’s fists were flying.
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