After Humanity

A short story by James Lomax, currently undertaking his Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. Part 11 of 12

Brace yourself! Carlos has been whisked out of his home by the Gorgon and a couple others to free their planet from human rule. He’s sided with them, and now has the titanic task of creating the best and most successful peaceful and non-violent protest. Poor stupid Gorgons. When will they learn?

CARLOS was dumbstruck. Sure, he knew about S.T.A.R.’s best tactics, but he could see the Gorgons had no chance. Well, that’s not true. Carlos knew of one factor that could lead to victory, but he needed Carlson, and who knows where he went. In the meantime, it seemed Carlos needed to concoct something fast, before the enforcers got to the mines.

He spent the next few hours deep in thought while scouts over the rim of the crater kept lookout.

It was obvious there was something out there coming towards them, probably on wheels, because the vibrations could be felt everywhere. A few large boulders fell off the rim and Gorgons scattered everywhere getting away.

He remembered his war days, where Carlos and another enforcer called Abe had used a large lever to topple boulders in the path of marching Frost armies in the bottom of canyons. That was where he got his first idea for the plan. His next idea came when he looked at the huge XVX meteorite, and wondered how dangerous it would be to live near something so explosive.

Gradually, a plan started to form, although Carlos knew it was way too late.

The thing on wheels (A giant van) was already in the crater, driving down towards him. Gorgons started attacking it, but it was undeterred, and got to Carlos without even a scratch on its grey plating. He braced for the worst, but the driver stepped out, and it was Carlson.

Yesterday, when Carlos knew it was a matter of time before he was discovered, he had whispered quickly to the android. What he whispered was actually the password to the weapons vault. Carlos had no idea how he would get to the weapons in prison, but it was on the spot, and he was panicking.

What happened next, as Carlson explained, was the android stealing a storage van and driving it over to the vault,

in which he took four motorised turrets, 10 shield-rifles and 40 pistols.

It wasn’t much, but it was desperately needed, and Carlos was grateful to his friend, who had used his extremely clever mechanical brain to correctly guess what was happening.

Now he knew he had more time, Carlos set to work. He ordered the miners to start cutting out large chunks of XVX, and the brutes to grab as many boulders as they could carry. He turned to his Gorgon to ask more about his parents.

“Very well then.” It looked like it was about to talk in depth, but then decided to say, rather cryptically, “X-45owl9, somewhere on it. You’ll find out more if this succeeds.”

It then ran away before Carlos could ask more.

By the afternoon, everyone was ready. Carlos and a squadron of ten took the shield-rifles and went off on the motorised turrets. Forty Gorgons and ten brutes followed, but hid amongst the rocks.

Carlos and the elite team deposited themselves in the Red canyon, and sent their location to The Black Hole, which could be seen in the sky.

A shuttle flew off, and landed further down the canyon, where a lot of enforcers could be seen coming out. This was not going to be easy.