Planet Omega

Chapter 22

 To be able to ensure Emma has freedom in her future, I have to learn more about the PRF and about the history from the perspective of non-humans. Lineya used to make me read books, but I never enjoyed that aspect of learning. I didn't go to school with the other kids, and I much preferred to learn by doing. She taught me to read and write as well as someone could teach a kid anything. I hated math. Scoffed at history.

Magic was what I loved to work on, and Lineya had found that perfect balance for me - read about magic and write incantations and spells to practice my basic skills, while also learning how to fight and actually use the elements around me. My world was very one sided until I was seven years old, and then I learned the truth about Planet Omega when Lineya took me in.

Most of the history books and works of literature written are by humans. Non-human species are always seen as unintelligent, stupid even. Unfortunately, humans have this pattern of doing things, of writing history and then ensuring others don't have a say in the portrayal. And in fact, anything written by others is considered inaccurate garbage. Human truth is the only truth.

It's why humans are braindead sheep and thinking about it too hard makes me furious. I wish I could scream it from the rooftops, just how stupid they can all be. How does no one question any of it?

The pawns. It has to be the pawns. Emma had made a good point about them a while back - give the humans some pawns, and it'll keep them happy. Take the pawns away, and humans begin to start seeing injustices, maybe think for themselves for a second.

Emperor Zaselir is the emperor who finally brought to life this concept of pawns, this idea that humans don't have to do mundane things if they don't want to. Mass producing these beings, these robot-like synthetic bodies that can be told what to do, means more time for humans to spend with their families and less time worrying about uncertainty. Pawns allow a sense of security and safety that humans could never offer other humans.

And the people ate that shit up so hard that even after the failure to launch the EMMA model pawns, humans bought out all of the next gen model of pawn. In a matter of thirty years, society changed to be nearly unrecognizable. History was certainly made - but at a steep cost.

Humans lost what little shred left of what made them human. Systematic complacency is what brings down even the most powerful of empires.

Lineya warned me that someday, when the Omega Empire expected it the least, it would be taken down all because it taught its citizens was to depend solely on the empire. Soldiers and an army were all good and well, but at the core of the empire, the very reason it existed in the first place, it would remain empty and self-satisfied.

I take my last long drag of the second cigarette I dared break out of my original six. This is one I've certainly earned, especially if I'm going to be reading all of these books and notebooks. Emma had brought many of her apartment books back with her, and she'd even written little comments and notes on the pages. Quite frankly, it all makes for a much more interesting read than it should.

Unfortunately, all good things do come to an end, and I flick the cigarette butt away from me. I still pick up my lighter to fiddle around with it as my eyes rove over the sentences of the book I'm only halfway done reading. Unless it's being studied as an opposing, incorrect view of a historical event, books written by non-humans are considered contraband. Funny how that works. Make humans the superior race, tell them they're perfect, and they never have to think about ethics and morals.

"Is there space for two?"

I look up and see Emma approaching, a warm smile on her face. The same warm smile I dream about at night quite often. Shifting to the side to make room, I pat the space on the blanket beside me. My back is against a wooden plank that leans against one of the unused train cars, a good hideaway spot to keep the sun out of my eyes when I just want to lay outside. There's enough space for the entire team, but Emma's learned how to ask, in case I want to be alone.