Embers of Change

3. Of orum and men

We walked in silence until we got back to the elevator that had brought us down to this level. We were supposed to head toward the upper level where the teleporting platforms were located. I stared at my companions, their expressions being perfect opposites: Drake seemed quite angry and concerned about the idea of implanting orum in the planet where I had been born—Centaur-3—, while Ed simply kept whistling a low tune, apparently unaware of the danger we were about to face. Around a century and a half ago, Earth had been torn apart by the same substance that we currently used as fuel to our marvelous technology. Would it be safe to infect another planet with it? I didn't think so, but that would never stop the Circle from doing what they wanted.

When we got inside the elevator, Ed pressed the corresponding button and immediately afterwards, the doors closed. The only thing we could hear now was the humming sound of the engines taking us up. Drake had his arms folded, his hands clenched in fists that he squeezed firmly. Even his usually pale face was now tinted in red. Why was he so furious? I wanted to ask, but I didn't know how he would react. I simply carried my gaze to the floor, leaning against the back wall of the elevator. Additional to our current mission, my mind kept remembering the monster from Earth. Was it safe to leave it alone? After all, that planet was our only source of orum.

"You seem deeply troubled" Ed noted, his small eyes staring directly to mine. I managed to fake a smile and shake my head a couple of times.

"I'm okay" I muttered, straightening my position. However, although Ed seemed like an extremely relaxed person, he excelled at perceiving when someone he cared about was hiding something. "It's just that I'm a bit nervous about the mission".

"Anyone on their right mind would be, lad" Drake said, his voice expressing how furious he was. "I can't believe the Circle will just send us to a suicide mission. Plus, we have to kill people. They've gone mad".

"They are rebels and the Circle has always maintained peace among all colonies since their beginnings until now" Ed argued, his eyes staring at the red number that was being shown by a screen located above the elevator doors which indicated the level we were in. We were ascending quite fast. "If there are rebels that have already killed innocent people, the best way to proceed is to exterminate them".

"Edward, how can you think like them?!" Drake shouted furiously.

"It's my humble opinion" the aforementioned answered. "We signed a contract where we claimed we'd serve the Circle in any way that would lead humankind to better situations, even if it meant sacrificing some of our no longer functional members. Unless you're not a man of honor, you should comply".

"They're just taking care of their money" Drake claimed in a low tone. He seemed somewhat defeated. "Catherine only cares about her money and sharing it with the unimportant farthest colonies has begun bothering her. So, what's the best solution? What had always happened throughout our history when 'nature' can no longer sustain human life?"

"Disaster", I answered weakly after a brief moment of tense silence.

"And since nature no longer has a hold of us, what is the only thing that rules over us and decides our fate?" Drake snorted after finishing his question. The answer was too obvious for anybody to say it aloud. "Do you understand why I'm behaving like this now, Ed? Or do you still believe that I'm just being paranoid?"

"You established an interesting idea" Ed said while folding his arms and closing his eyes momentarily, as if thinking deeply about the words expressed by Drake. "However, the only truth we have is that we know nothing about the Circle true intentions or the rebels', and even then, we're bound by contract to obey this organization".

"No. Not if that means pushing humanity to a worse scenario" I said while frowning. Though the thought felt somehow alien to me—I've never rebelled against anyone, much less a powerful organization like the Circle—, we had to act according to what our contract claimed. If supporting the Circle in this mission would only bring humanity to war, we would be obliged to abandon our mission.