Chapter 143 - Decision

Ardan and Ceres returned back to the other two, only to see Halyon on the ground pinned by two soldiers. “What’s going on here?” Ardan asked Sierra, who was furious.

“This man tried to go towards you guys when we went to alert state yellow just now. Kept talking about having to stick with the main character or something to stay alive…” Sierra grumbled as she glanced at the struggling Halyon.

“Look, I’m sorry, I got a bit jittery okay? Could you please let me go now? You, yea you, your foot is nudging my groin, watch where you put th-OWW” Halyon pleaded.

Ceres didn’t blame Halyon for being so scared. He was a former Keeper, and for him to waltz right into the rebellion’s base alone was quite a shock for him. Halyon himself never really thought about it until Ceres left him alone, causing him to panic.

“You’re a Keeper, aren’t you? I’ve seen your file before. You’re the one who stunned me, Keeper 6.” Ardan knelt down to the pinned Halyon.

“Yes, was I placed on the ‘must-kill’ list?”

“I don’t think you were placed on any list, to be honest. Release him, he can’t do any harm with us here.”

The two soldiers complied, letting Halyon go. Halyon gingerly rubbed his inner thighs as he stood up, checking his body. He wasn’t sure whether to feel happy or slighted by what Ardan said.

“Let’s head to my office, we’ll need to discuss a few things privately.”

***

Ceres tapped the table, the three of them now seated in the ‘White Fang’s office. He was still incensed at what happened to Mr Qiu, but he channelled his rage into action, focusing on what he could do. There was no point moping about when his friends were still suffering out there.

Sierra was not allowed into the meeting, and Ardan planning to keep Ceres’s identity from her. “Why can’t I reveal myself to the rebellion? Wasn’t I supposed to be your trump card of sorts?” Ceres asked.

“The rebellion itself is not free of spies, and over the last few years I have learnt to trust no one but myself.” Ardan spoke with an authoritative tone, assuming the persona of the ‘White Fang’ in front of Ceres and Halyon.

“Let’s get straight to business. How much does he know?” Ardan pointed at Halyon.

“About half of everything. He knows my identity.”

“He’s a liability.”

“Yes he is, but I believed he’s changed his perspective.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t mind a converted Keeper helping us. This will be a great benefit to our intelligence and help us to plan offensive operations better. We will have to keep him under close watch. However he’s current a liability and we will have to detain him for a while.”

Halyon started to become worried: “Hey hey, I’m on your side now! You could call me the realest outer in the room right now. I won’t betray you two, really!”

“Sierra, prepare a holding room for one Keeper. Please enter to collect the Keeper.” Ardan ignored the pleas of Halyon.

Halyon’s face blanched. “It was just a joke guys, don’t take it too seriously!” Sierra barged into the room with the same two soldiers, immediately restraining Halyon again by grabbing his two arms and handcuffing them.

“Hey, I’m not a Keeper any longer, so you’ll treat me well right? Right?”

Sierra grinned as she gripped Halyon’s shoulder. “Of course, you’re one of our valuable sources of information now.”

“HELP ME!” Halyon yelled as the two soldiers dragged Halyon out of the room, with Sierra bowing as she took her to leave as well.

Ceres simply waved at him as he left. Only the two of them remained in the office now. “How did the two of you meet?” Ardan asked curiously.

Ceres explained how he met Halyon, while Ardan was surprised. “He fell down with you? Good, we can finally get some information on how they found us.”

“Don’t get your hopes up, he’s probably one of the most useless Keepers you’ve met.”

“Seems about right.”

“So, how does this whole rebellion thing work?” Ceres asked. “Who’s funding it, who’s running it?”

Ardan displayed a holographic image of the organizational structure. “We have different cell groups – all independent of each other. We only take command from the top: ‘Bonfire’. She’s in charge of the annual budget cycles and overall mission planning. Everything else goes, however, I want it to. This one hundred thousand strong cell group answers to me alone.”

Ceres was surprised. That was a huge force to be leading, one that could do significant damage if correctly trained and militarized. Sure, the Legions themselves had numbers in the millions, but with the advancements in exosuits and combat technology, even a single army division would be a force to be reckoned with.

Ardan continued showing a display of different missions. “We do everything we need to grow in strength. Recruitment, supply runs, guarding and mercenary missions. Anything that boosts the budget, we do it.”

Ceres nodded. He did not expect running the rebellion to be cheap in any way. It was effectively an illegal paramilitary force on its own. “But who’s funding the top? Must come from somewhere.”

“I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter, the money is what will enable us to keep going. We use it to buy supplies from Rockhold and every other outpost and town that are willing to support us.”

“Doesn’t sound like a lot of support.”

“Indeed,” Ardan sighed. “The majority of economic activity on Athen flows through New Saint. As my cell group doesn’t operate in that area, we have to make do with what we got nearby. What we lack in money, however, we make up for it in resources and parts.”

Ardan showed a logistics map, pinpointing which outposts supplied what. Ceres noted that they were a majority of mining operations, with a few outposts acting as factories to produce mechanical parts and exosuits needed to keep those operations going, forming a sort of minor economy between themselves.

Ceres noted that there was a factory that manufactured ammunition, exosuit parts and other equipment within this base, providing an in-house form of production should the external supply network collapse.

“Aren’t you in close proximity to New Saint? We could leverage on the huge number of factories there in the outer zones.” Ceres asked. He assumed the location of the rebellion base to be somewhat near Rockhold, which itself was near New Saint.

“It takes ages for New Saint to supply any outpost out here, so most colonists develop their own small circle of suppliers. It’s a circular economy in a sense – miners mine the resources, refiners turn that into usable metal, factories churn out the parts needed to mine, everybody wins.”

“And you get a few of the final parts needed to outfit the rebellion on top of your in-house factory.”

“Exactly. Out here, beyond Rockhold and New Saint, we are the enforcers. We help maintain the rule of law and enforce it whenever the Consortium fails to see, which is mostly everywhere other than New Saint.”

While disputes between outposts were supposed to be solved by the Consortium, the Dynasty of Hawthorn simply did not care enough about small fries bickering, most of the time rejecting their pleas or appeals from the yearly agenda.

When a criminal gang attacks an outpost, the New Saint enforcers or the Dynasty of Hawthorn’s private military force will not respond, leaving it up to the colonists to defend themselves.

For a small fee, rebellion soldiers will serve as a security force, protecting the colonists’ operations until they have accumulated enough defences to protect themselves.

“You’re like the good guy out here.” Ceres nodded at the list of missions completed by the ‘White Fang’.

“That’s what we do – we help those who deserve it the most.” Ardan smiled. “Now that you know what we’re about, let’s talk about how you can help. The first thing you have to choose is your code name. All the rebel soldiers have a callsign of sorts, and…”

“Dumpling.”

“… are you serious? I thought it would be something edgy like ‘Chaos’ or something.”

“After what I saw happened to Mr Qiu?”

“… Okay, Dumpling it is. Regardless, you have to start from the bottom up.”

“What? Why can’t I just go on missions straightaway?”

“Like I said, spies in the rebellion. You can never be too safe, and having you suddenly enter the rebellion with no background would immediately raise their suspicion of you. We need to have you act as though you’re a brand new outer, fresh out of New Saint.”

“You’re joking, was I not the reason this whole rebellion started? You should be showing off that you managed to rescue me rather than trying to hide me.”

“I will when the time is right. Be realistic Ceres, you can’t go waltzing around the rebellion declaring your identity, that’s a huge security risk. When it comes down to it, you can be sure I’ll use your name as a morale boost, but not right now. For now, you have to stay low as much as possible.”

“So, I can’t use my enhancements.”

“You can, but don’t make it too obvious is all I’m asking for and limit how many people see it. Now, take a look at the ranks we have.”

“No way I’m starting at the bottom as a recruit. I’ve been a recruit in the Military Orphanage for decades. You got to put me at least in the middle!”

“I already said I can’t play favourites, it’s too suspicious! Me spending this much time with you is already raising alarm bells in people around. You don’t have a say in this, I’m doing this to protect you and me. I don’t want the enforcers to attack us pre-emptively.”

“The enforcers already have the location of this base?”

“In guerrilla warfare, you always assume the worst. I wouldn’t be shocked to find out if the enforcers already knew you were here, but let’s not make it too easy for them.”

Ceres finally relented, nodding in agreement though reluctantly. It seemed like a big waste of time to him, though he could understand where Ardan was coming from. This wasn’t a game anymore – it was a matter of life and death.

“It’s a simple hierarchy, you start out as a recruit, before doing a physical and combat assessment. Depending on that, you’ll go into the respective departments. No administration or command, of course.”

Ceres nodded his head. After what he saw, he was raring to get out there and dish out some revenge. It didn’t matter who first, as long as it got him and the rebellion one step closer. He was aware he couldn’t get revenge on his own, he needed to make sure the rebellion was there to support him.

“I’ll like to do exosuit repair on the field if possible.”

“No, you can’t register as an exosuit repairer.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“It’s too obvious. We’ll say your stint at Rockhold was just a fluke, and you were recruited for other reasons. If you show off your skills too much it’ll raise another alarm again. Look, I’ll tell you when the right time is for everything. You will eventually get what you need.” Ardan tried to placate the already fuming Ceres.

Ceres didn’t have another outburst, controlling his irritation. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”

“Of course. Don’t think I’m the small naïve boy from before.” Ardan smiled. “With that said, tomorrow is your first day. Let me walk you to your room.”

Ardan led Ceres out of the office and back to the hangar bay where he first arrived. The hangar bay served as the main focal point of the rebellion base. Almost all the foot traffic went through here, with the various training centers and VR pod rooms being located behind docks on a specific level.

As they moved through the hangar bay, many soldiers saluted Ardan, who merely acknowledged their salute with a simple head nod. Ceres followed from behind, staring at Ardan and sighing.

To think that the cute Ardan now was a big shot. It felt like he was a military general now. “You’re quite the big shot in here…” Ceres muttered.

“Don’t feel too bad. If those soldiers find out who you are, they might go crazy. Hell, even other cell groups might request for a transfer here just to meet you. You might find the rebellion to be slightly… cultish.”

“Why? I don’t think being cultish is a good thing right?”

“I’m not one for the cult myself, but I’ll take whatever I have on hand to make sure people remain motivated. I don’t care what they fight for, as long as they follow my direction.”

Ceres didn’t reply, unsure of how to feel about having a cult around him. After all, he had done to Mr Qiu and his friends? Ceres would never worship himself for what happened.

“So how strong are you now?” Ardan asked in passing while they navigated their way out of the hangar bay and entered an area designated as ‘living space’. Ceres couldn’t help smiling. In some ways, Ardan still retains that same naïve curiosity as before.

“Well, the only thing I can verify is that I can beat a high-rank slovesa one-on-one. Maybe. At least 30% of it.”

“Huh, looks like I’ll never get a chance to feel that for myself. You heard about the ceasefire, right?”

Ceres nodded. He already suspected Goras to have something to do with it, but it was out of his hands now.

“We should spar sometime, you and I,” Ardan said, his face completely confident.

“Oh? An exosuit duel?” Ceres raised his eyebrows.

“Of course! I’ve always lost to you in the past, but I have way more experience now!” Ardan puffed his chest up, causing Ceres to laugh for the first time since he saw Mr Qiu. “We’ll see about that.”

“Isn’t anyone going to be suspicious about how you’re personally leading me to my room though?” Ceres asked. “I mean, you’re the leader now.”

“I do it for every recruit I personally recruited, and I must have done it more than two hundred times. They won’t even bat an eye at you, especially if you stay low profile. We’re here. Welcome to your new shared bunk.”

Ardan tapped a button near a sliding door, causing it to pneumatically slide open to reveal six beds, stacked against the wall with a series of cupboards for personal belongings. There were already five recruits in there, and they barely gave Ceres a glance as he entered.

“Well then, ‘Dumpling’.” Ardan gave a tight salute. “Welcome to the rebellion.”

***

Maddy was standing in the main command section of the Keeper’s base, orbiting in a low planetary orbit above Athen’s surface. “Keeper 17, you are cleared to engage. Kill all suspected rebels.”

He stood in front of a desk-like terminal, the platform he was on elevated to overlook a spherical holographic map of the planet. Multiple red indicators marked the incidents recorded by the enforcers that have been transferred under the authority of the Keepers, and Maddy was overseeing every single incident.

The command section was designed like a sphere as well, with people working at all portions of the wall thanks to the micro-gravity. Countless conversations could be heard faintly as the operators continuously supported the various Keeper squads that were engaged in active espionage missions around the planet, capturing hostile rebels.

A clerk looked down from above at Maddy. “Sir, Dr Theria is waiting for you at the launch bay.”

Maddy nodded, kicking off towards an exit door. The exit door led down a bright corridor, where Maddy held on to a simple device that moved along rails, allowing him to quickly traverse the base. Every corridor had multiple rails, allowing staff members to use them at the same time.

The launch bay was always busy, with shuttles coming to and fro, ferrying supplies and people to the ground. Not everyone could stay on the base long-term. It was not because of the lack of technology to maintain human habitation – that had been solved more than 800 years ago.

What was not solved was human rights and their work contract – it was illegal by Loeric Empire law to hold them in a space station continuously, hence the continuous rotation of shifts every two weeks.

The lack of artificial gravity in the launch bay made it slightly easy for push-bots to move cargo and equipment around, while designated handrails that acted like a conveyer belt of handgrips along the ceiling allowed people to move swiftly through the launch bay to their destination.

In the midst of the hectic launch bay, Dr Theria was looking around warily, while Kitana stood with a nonchalant look, her helmet removed. “Dr Theria, glad you made it out alive.” Maddy smiled as he floated towards Dr Theria.

“Hmph, if you allocated more Keepers to me I could have fought off the entire Queen’s Guards and continued!” Dr Theria grumbled, while Kitana merely stood stoically behind.

“Kitana, head to Room A78 for debriefing, then head to the drop bay. I may need you soon for another mission potentially.”

Kitana saluted before moving off, leaving Dr Theria alone with Maddy. The two of them grabbed onto a handgrip, which began to move the two of them slowly across the launch bay. “All strings cut, I hope?” Maddy spoke to Dr Theria as they floated in another direction, heading towards Maddy’s office.

“Of course. None of the mercenaries was left alive. The worms would have eaten them out from within – I made sure of that.” Dr Theria merely nodded as though he was simply stating what he ate for lunch yesterday.

“I assume that means the project is complete?”

“Yes, with the current data samples collected, we have more than enough to move to the next stage of implementation.”

“Good. Your payment is already in your bank account. You may return to the university for now. I will arrange a shuttle for you…”

Dr Theria rubbed his hands happily. “Such a fortunate choice I’ve made to come to this planet instead of wasting away on Strathon.”

Maddy nodded but didn’t reply.  Dr Theria was one of the many professors pulled from all over the Loeric Empire to the University of Athen. As such, its prestige and reputation as a boundless research institution were slowly growing, enabling it to slowly overtake Strathon gradually.

Many of the current administration did not know this, but Maddy knew it as part of the inner circle – the entire planet was a big testing ground. He still wasn’t sure how Oliver Athen managed to pull it off right under the noses of the Loeric Empire, but it seemed like even the Dynasty of Hawthorn was tacit on it.

What he did not understand was why Oliver Athen did not seem to heavily push for the rebels to be eradicated. Judging from the increased capabilities of the enforcers, they should be well-equipped to take over the entire planet and any minor settlements or criminal enclaves like Rockhold with enough time.

It did not matter to Maddy – to him, all other humans beneath him were just resources to be utilized to their fullest. His sick tendencies may have seemed to have disappeared over the years, but they had only been sunk to a deeper hidden level.

However, this did not mean he was okay with the current plan. He wanted to accelerate it. If it were up to him, he would spare with the pleasantries and immediately utilize the entire outer population as human subjects for clinical trials.

But he too accepted that he did not and could not know every part of the plan that Oliver had, only following orders to the best of his ability. He wasn’t an expert in media manipulation and control after all. For now, the feeling of power was already good enough for him. He chased strength, after all, not morals.

Despite not having gone out to battle for a long time, the sheer power he felt when he gave a simple command to kill dozens of people gave him a sense of further detachment, assuming he had any lingering attachment or empathy to the ‘rebels’ he was killing. It was like it was just part of the job. A necessary evil if he had to put it in a single phrase.

However, was this the end state for Athen? A permanent testing ground? Maddy too harboured ambitions of greater strength, but he wondered if that was the same for Oliver.

“What is your final goal, Oliver?”