Chapter 7 Cyber Soul

Chapter 7

Cyber Soul

  Having already suspending all mining operations and any other surface work, Kian hoped Luna’s population would simply believe and accept the wonderful news he was about to give them. With Penny by his side, he entered Luna’s communication hub, a large white dome, as if he owned the place, which he did!

  Two interlocking semi circles of desks were located at the room's center. At each desk sat a man or a woman working on their respective news stories. Each was so absorbed in trying to find the reason for the sudden work stoppage, that they did not even notice him or Penny. One person did however; his name was Josh Macon, the station manager.

    Dressed in a dark sixties style suit replete with skinny black tie and white handkerchief sticking out of his chest pocket he made Kian feel like had had stepped back in time, when nothing could be further from the truth.

  The year was 6255 and Kian West was about to make history and turn everyone’s world upside down.

  “This is a secure location,” said Josh Macon, “I don’t know you.” He tilted his head trying to access the C hub’s computer. His face went white. He backed away fearing the worse. “I’m locked out. Did I break Company policy? Am I in trouble?” The man was terrified.

  Kian reached out to him, “It’s all right. The Company’s gone, no more threat, no more fear. My name is Kian West you know me as James East.”

  A pretty young brunette dressed in a black and white dress stood up, “No you’re not! He’s dead. There was a cave in. I researched the story myself!”

 “Company lies.” Said Kian, “and here’s another lie they told. The Earth is not a radioactive wasteland. It is perfectly safe. In fact, it’s safer now than it was 4,250 years ago, when I lived there. Its inhabitants call it Chimera now, yes Chimera is a real place just as real as the Chimerans, the animal people that live on Earth now, I’ve seen to that. I’ve set things right, well” he glanced down at Penny, “as right as I could anyway. I sent as many as I could back to their home. That’s your story, report it! And, here’s another breaking headline, you, all of you can go back to Earth whenever you want. Chimera, Earth is your home too! Report that too, tell the people the truth the real truth, its high time they heard it!” ”

  The lady in the black and white dress wasn’t buying it, “That ridiculous drivel, I’m calling the Company, Commander Read must here of this!”

  “He’s dead lady, a sea otter gobbled him up a few hours ago, I’m your Commander, no scratch that I’m your friend, please believe me, if you don’t. They never will, unless I do something, well, God like and I really rather not.”

 “They,” she asked.

  “The people,” Kian shouted, “the folks that went out there in that airless deathtrap everyday just to die for the company’s entertainment. The Company was evil and now they are all dead.”

“Dead,” Josh asked, “and who killed them?”

  “I did,” Kian said without batting an eye, “and I’d do it a thousand times over!”

 “That makes you a mass murderer,” the woman said.

  “That’s right Kathy,” Josh replied, “why should we listen to you, a murderer?”

   Kian had gotten so wound up he had not noticed that Penny had backed so far away from him that she pressed her back against the door. She had folded her arms across her chest and was sliding down to the floor when Kian noticed she was gone. He looked back. Saw her huddled on the floor and ran to her.

  “Baby, I’m sorry, didn’t mean for you to hear all that.”

  She darted her eyes away from him, then spoke, “You really killed them Kian?”

  He tried to stroke her head but she jerked away, “What are you Kian?”

 He slumped down beside her, “I’m a man Penny, just a man. I’m doin’ the best I can, but maybe I was wrong, I’m not perfect, help me Penny, I need you to keep me on the ground, or else I’ll just fly away.”

  “Did you have to kill them,” she asked, her tone had softened and she was looking at him again.

 “No, I guess not, I could have put them in suspension. But, they killed your parents Penny. They made me want to kill them.”

  “I know Kian; don’t ever let them make you do that again.”

  He started to argue that it was just punishment, and then he remembered she was still Chimeran. To them, death was something that happens to a person, never something you made happen to a person.