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It was just a mission to the far end of Macbeth. Just a simple practise mission; it didn’t require any special skills, any unit would have done. They were just brushing up on piloting skills so they’d be ready when the Venomian teams attacked. It was just a simple, ordinary massacre. Who would have thought that a large percentage of Venom’s forces was hiding out there, that they weren’t really lying in ambush but had about ten times more firepower than the weak rookies General Pepper had sent out and about six more years of training, not to mention ships that were leaps and bounds ahead of the feeble Corneria practise jets where technology was concerned? No one, and that was the problem. But oh well--they were just soldiers. And there were only ten of them. After all, what did it really matter to Corneria if ten rookie pilots were shot down on the remote side of Macbeth? It was nothing at all if it wasn’t an almost microscopic setback. So they lost a few old, beat-up jets. Like they were any use at all. And after all--if the pilots had been any good to Corneria, shouldn’t they have been able to defend themselves a little better? That was what Commander Peter Hirozima had spent the morning being told. The simple truth of it was drilled into him several times in the space of the few hours he had spent in General Pepper’s briefing room, along with the yes-men officers who reinforced the credibility of every word Pepper spoke, energetically if not logically. But if it was nothing at all, like they said, Hirozima wondered to himself, why didn’t any of them want to go inform the families of the fallen? Hirozima was a smooth-coated stoat with a few years of experience under his belt and a passable amount of skill. The troops got along well with him; he was only a year or so older than any of them were, and very amiable and easy to be around. He was celebrated for his understanding and friendliness. That was one of the main reasons why Pepper had settled on him for this job. It was the first time Hirozima had done anything of the sort, and he dreaded it. He had reached the first house. Painted yellow, it was a small but definite place of solace, of tranquility. Other smooth, peaceful houses lined the avenue and their sentinels of oak trees dropped their leaves lazily on the pavement. The whole place seemed untouchable. He reluctantly reached for the brass knocker and gave the door two sharp raps. It was answered quickly by a pleasant looking goat. She had a faraway look in her eyes, but it was one of welcome at least. “Yes?” “Are you Mrs. Delving?” Hirozima consulted the list of names. She nodded slowly. “It’s about your son,” he told her and fidgeted. “Michael?” she said, a pang of worry making its way into her expression of peace. “What is wrong with Michael?” “He...he was sent on a practise mission to Macbeth the other day......” he took a deep breath. He couldn’t say it. “Uhhh.....I’m with the Cornerian Army, of which your son is...was...I mean....” Her eyes were wild and searching. “What’s going on? Please tell me...Michael...he’s all I’ve got...he was drafted, it’s...what has happened? Please tell me!” Suddenly, in a bout of strength he knew would not repeat itself, Hirozima found the ability to break the news to her. “Ma’am,” he said, with sudden firmness. “Michael Delving was killed on Macbeth yesterday afternoon.” And there, in the front lawn of that peaceful, seemingly untouchable pale yellow house amidst many other islands of tranquility, Peter Hirozima saw true agony for the first time in his life. It would not be the last time that day......
* * *
Out went the call, to one and to
all
Comdr. Uruk Hai sat quietly in the rank innards of one of the many Venomian bases. He was a tallish iguana with years of experience; one of Venom’s best. As such, he had learned to be unfeeling and cruel no matter what. It wasn’t always easy. A Cornerian base on Katina had been ambushed by some Venomians earlier that day, and everyone on the base who had not been killed in the mêlée had been taken prisoner. Now, the forty-some odd collection of dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals sat grimly in the holding cell. Their eyes were dull and filled with loathing; there was no nervousness or hope hidden in them. They knew they would be gassed or something worse within just a few minutes; it was no use resisting. They were resigned to their fate and would not throw away their honour now. Lt. Mauhur Grishnakh padded into the discussion room where Hai already waited. “Sir?” Hai swallowed resolutely. “Yes?” “We’ve got two good ones. The first shot down 12 of our guys on Katina, and the other got 9.” Hai whistled under his breath. “They sure know how to train those guys over there.” Grishnakh nodded. “Shall I have them brought in?” “Yes, do. But...before you go...” “Yes, sir?” Grishnakh turned around. “Who was shot down?” Hai tried to convey his usual tone of firmness and authority and succeeded quite well, but there was something behind it. Pleading? Dread? Despair? Grishnakh consulted a list he held in his green paws. “Ummm....looks like Grander, Harris, Thorin, Vendel, Legas, Deeper, MacLongley, Delturo, Janson, Kelley, Hays, Gelisi, Vermonte, Lupisle, Morgan, Thorkelson, Halsten, Dolenz, Nesmith, Masters, Armstrong-Jones, Timokins, Lieber, Twellis, Regime, Took, Oldbuck, Baggins, Gamgee, Sherrington, Stoller, and Elessar. It was quite a battle.” He ticked off the list of names efficiently and quickly. “Excuse me, but...did you say Halsten?” A desperate searching light shone madly in Hai’s eyes. It was quickly dimmed as he regained control as best he good. Grishnakh’s eyes moved back down the list. “Yes, sir, I did.” Uruk Hai closed his eyes quickly and breathed deeply. After a moment he spoke. “All right...I...I was just wondering, that’s all. You may send in the pilots now.” For just a fleeting moment his thoughts went back to growing up on Edena, shoved into flight training a few years ago like everyone else his age, working hard and thanklessly for hours every day until he was “good enough.” But he couldn’t think of a single memory that didn’t somehow entail his best friend, Jeremiah Halsten, who had gone through hell along with him. “See you sometime, Jem,” Hai said quietly. “God knows where I’d be without you. Rest in peace....” His thoughts were interrupted as two stone-faced Katina vets were shoved none too gently into the room. Recruiting new pilots among the spoils of war was not uncommon on Venom. There was little they wouldn’t stoop to if Andross commanded it. Today, the new recruits were a raccoon and a grim-faced beagle. Hai cleared his throat and spoke. “You’ve been informed of the situation-- pledge loyalty to Andross, or burn alive with your friends? You first, miss....whatever your name is.” The raccoon’s expression wavered. “Y-yes.” “Well?” A single tear slid down her cheek. “No.” “You’ll burn?” Somewhere, the raccoon found strength. “Yes, I will,” she said. “And you can tell Andross I said he can take his empire and--” “That will be quite enough, coon. Jenner, take her away.” A nervous-faced orangutan dragged the raccoon away mid-sentence. Hai turned to the beagle. “And you, sir?” “I....I.....I’ve known my friends for so long....” “Your point is?” “I just....don’t know....if I can....” “Don’t tell me this. Yes or no will do.” The dog stared at the floor and said, in a barely audible whisper, “Yes.” At this point, any other Venomian officer would have grinned horribly. Somehow Hai could not.
* * *
Julkane, a young chimp, was sent down to execute the prisoners of the Katina base. He walked briskly into the holding chamber where more than twenty glassy-eyed animals stared mutely at him. The look in those eyes chilled him to the bone. The raccoon who had refused to join Andross was thrown roughly in, but she said nothing, only glared acidly at Julkane. The chimp did not know what to say. “Uhh....” he cleared his throat nervously. “You’re....uhhmm....going to be going to the fire chamber....uhm...right now....move along, there are guards outside...” The ranks of soldiers got up and filed silently out of the room. Their hands bound, they couldn’t fight back against the guards who were holding guns on almost every one of them. Not that any of them had the will to even attempt escape at this point.
* * *
A few minutes later, the first flames flickered at the feet of the soldiers. A few screamed and tried to run out of the chamber. They were shot immediately and fell to the ground, splashing sickeningly in the petrol covering the floor and consumed by flames. It was part of Julkane’s job to watch this, and he did so with a stony expression. He had learned to hide emotion well. As the flames licked up to the ceiling, roaring angrily now, Julkane’s attention wandered to the young raccoon. The flames were twirling about her now, and her eyes met Julkane’s. Then she did the last thing he had expected. With contempt for them all, she threw back her head and laughed even as the flames devoured her.
* * *
Throughout the night, they fashioned
their might
“There is some good in everyone,” somebody said quietly. “No,” snarled a wildcat. “It’s not true. Venom is evil. All Venomians are evil. It’s all right to kill them, they don’t have feelings....” “You’re wrong!” “The army,” said the wildcat in a chilling tone, “is never wrong.” “Did you ever stop to think that maybe they fight because they believe in their cause? Because they’ve found something they love?” “All foolishness!” he spat. “No one loves things any more. Desire, maybe.” “Maybe you have never loved anything, but there are some people left. But just hear me out: in the final analysis, love is power. And baby, if we’re not going to have that, life isn’t worth much anyway, no matter how you lay it out.” “We do not live in a perfect world,” the bobcat said. “But when all Venomians are dead, we will.” That moment was when she truly gave up hope. Life, she thought bitterly. What a joke.
* * *
It’s a very extraordinary
scene
“Sometimes,” Lillian Rush said, staring up at the stars, “Your whole world opens up in different rhymes and tunes, with the highways making up the verse, and you don’t know what to do.” “But sometimes the box you’re in composes your universe,” shrugged her friend, Carrie Ann Dressler. “And sometimes,” sneered Lillian, “Sometimes you get to plow down the little people.” “Why, Lilly, whatever can you mean?” Carrie Ann assumed a mocking tone. The young gecko examined her claws. “Last week we blew up an entire spacebound base,” she said casually. “A couple of nova bombs and it was all over. Corneria’s boys never really stood a--” “Please don’t say it,” Carrie Ann bit her lip suddenly. “Please, please don’t say it.” “Why not? Just because you used to fight for Corneria doesn’t mean you should feel regret. You serve Andross now, and you’re on the right side, you can be sure. At least you’re on the winning side. And that’s what really matters, isn’t it?” “Yes...I guess you’re right...as long as we win, what does it really matter who has to die?” “Don’t worry, Carrie. Cornerians are all scum. They don’t know anything about right and wrong. It’s all right to kill them, we’re doing evolution a favor by wiping out the stupid, dangerous people.” “You believe in evolution?” “That’s what this economy is based on. Why shouldn’t I believe in it? What else is there?” “But the theory of evolution is full of holes. I mean, if people left a load of building materials lying around and then left them for a thousand years, would it become a building?” “Don’t think about things like that,” spat Lillian with sudden passion. “It’s not our job to understand. We just have to do what’s right and not question the authority.” “But what if we’re not really doing what’s right? What if Andross is wrong?” “Girl, you are lucky we’re friends. Anyone else would have reported you for that and you’d be burning with the others this second,” Lillian cautioned, alarmed. “I....suppose you’re right....” “Of course I am. I’m saying what Andross says. And Andross is always right. You just haven’t been with the army long enough to realise that. Soon you will, and then you won’t have any problems with it.” They didn’t speak anymore. Silently, they turned and looked up at the stars, both minds filled with thoughts that were not endorsed by Andross. But nobody would ever have to know that.
* * *
But a house in the country * * *
The two small, frightened lizards were shoved into the courtroom, ready for their trial to begin. Anywhere else in Lylat, being captured by Corneria would mean instant execution, but those stationed in Sector Y were more kind-hearted than most. Venomian prisoners were tried for treason first, and then executed. Yes, the Sector Y soldiers were real heroes. Young creatures growing up on Venom were conditioned from a very early age. Most of them didn’t know half the facts; the knew only the ones Andross wanted them to know. They believed the lies with all their hearts and couldn’t see that Corneria were “the good guys”. To them, Venom was fighting for what was right and Corneria was trying to destroy that. These two lizards were a special case. Mr. and Mrs. Floris, they were. Melanie Floris had sacrificed her chance for escape so she could remain with her husband. Remain with her husband she did, and after all, what could be more romantic than dying with your true love?
* * *
Circle sky, * * * There was a Venomian land raid on Eversville, a small community nestled among the mountains in the upper latitudes of Macbeth. The Venomian soldiers marched on the town and had it at bay in minutes, and all the people were roughly pulled out of their homes and made to stand out in the town square. “Mommy, please,” a small boy whimpered. “What’s going on? I want to go home...” “Be strong, James,” his mother replied, the tears flowing from her eyes. “Please be strong for mommy. You’re not going to see your friends again.” “Ever?” he said in a whisper. “Ever,” she responded. “This is a bad thing that’s happening to us right now, but we’ll be going into the sunlight now, James, and it will be better....” “I don’t understand, mommy,” the young bobcat said. “Why are they killing each other? Why are they doing this? I don’t understand why one person would ever kill another.” “I envy you,” she said. “Don’t worry, James. We will not win this war, but someone will, and it will be the people. The people have to defeat the war, because war has nothing to do with people. War is something inhuman.” Then the firing squads began.
* * *
We must be what we’re going
to be, * * *
All else is silence. |
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