Colony Wars 1: War Never Ends

Chapter Two - The Council Meeting

16th February 2076 – 1st Galactic Step

Khao Sarn Road

New Dawn City

Earth

Solar System

Viktor was still bleary eyed the next morning as he fell into the sandy coloured jeep's passenger seat. He had been rudely awoken by the drivers loud knocking upon the door to his lab. He then had to change his clothes hurriedly and at the last moment, he remembered to grab his shipyard plans before dashing out of the doorway. The driver had been staring angrily at the ruffled scientist and he was tapping his foot impatiently as Viktor scrambled into the vehicle.

"Finally... Sir," mumbled the military driver as Viktor swung his body up, over and into the jeep. The filthy car leapt to life as the driver punched in the ignition codes. Its engine rumbled loudly under Viktor, then the sudden acceleration pushed him backwards into the uncomfortable black seat as the jeep surged forward. Dirt billowed out from under the tyres and Viktor was forced to pull his headscarf up over his face just to the keep the dust out of his eyes.

The wind tore at Viktor's thick padded clothes as the mildly toxic winds rushed over the top of the boxy canyon and caused a powerful downdraft. The day had dawned in the same way as it had for the past two months, a ruddy red smudge illuminated part of the black cloudy atmosphere, while brilliant white flickers of lightning sizzled down to the ground. Viktor had only seen the sky beyond the smoky haze twice since the bombs had fallen, some seventy odd days ago.

Viktor dared to lower his soft white scarf and trusted that his glasses would keep most of the sand out of his eyes. He saw that the jeep was zipping along the main causeway toward the Chateau at the end of the canyon. The trail had been named Khao Sarn Road after a street in Bangkok that was originally the home of a large rice market. The reason that street had been given its peculiar name was because it was full of dilapidated stalls, which were all selling various rice-based meals. Rice was now the main form of sustenance within New Dawn City, thanks mainly to the huge rice fields that were sheltered beneath the four gigantic steel domes, which sat above the crevasse.

Viktor heard a multitude of different languages being shouted at him as the stall vendors tried to coax customers into purchasing their wares. He smiled grimly, as he thought about how all the monetary exchange rates meant nothing, meaning that those scrappy bits of paper money were worthless. Food was handed out free of charge, as fast as it could be grown, but that did not stop all these greedy entrepreneurs from trying to make a quick profit from all the newbies that were arriving all the time.

The wheels of the jeep squealed suddenly as the driver swung the controls over to skid the vehicle into a large side street. Viktor grasped the handrail over his head to steady himself as the driver slewed the car back again in the opposite direction to pull up before another box house.

This house was only slightly different, but it was a very special difference, across the front of the dwelling was about a foot of bright green grass.

"You might wanna move into the back seat buddy, I mean Sir," said the driver in a gruff unfriendly American voice.

"Huh, w... what?" stammered Viktor as he felt the man's cold blue eyes stare right through him.

"President McGowan likes to sit in the front, Sir," replied the guard as he rolled his eyes towards the dark ruddy sky.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Viktor said as he levered his thin body out of the black chair and rolled over onto the large rear bench.

"Thank you... Sir," muttered the guard softly, then he clambered out of the jeep and went to knock on the president's door. The small metallic door swung open instantly and President Jamison McGowan strode out purposefully.