Read Online City Without Suns by Wade Andrew Butcher - Free Book Online
Authors: Wade Andrew Butcher
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lowered it back to my side. The cadence and volume of the clapping increased. He hesitated, but he dared not stall very long. He took a step back and cracked the whip across my stomach. I buckled as the blood poured from the wound. The clapping stopped. In some strange and counterintuitive way, I was honored Leonidas had chosen me as I endured the piercing sting. I viewed his sentiment toward me as opposite from the motivation that led him to eliminate the pathetic young recruit.
Leonidas yelled after the delay, “Incorrect! That is not why I deserve your loyalty, although it is true and the answer is admirable. Always be honest with me, and you will be correct. You do not have to speak what you think we want to hear. Speak what is true. I have your loyalty because you fear me, and you want to survive. The same is true for those we serve and protect. In addition to admiring you, they must fear you, or your cause will be lost. Fear is what keeps them in line.”
I wear the scar across my middle to this day. It was not until I was able to watch General Mason during the first three years of this voyage that I realized how twisted the leadership style of Leonidas was. The style that I grew to think normal in my youth is now quite possibly the last I will see. I wish I could have known General Mason longer and worked under his thoughtful governance.
The Islands had a nearly zero rate of crime. There were two rooms in the jail cell, and they were almost always empty. The ruthless enforcement coming from the Special Forces was commended as the primary factor. It was that worldwide reputation that earned Leonidas his role on Gambler. His tactics may have been unconventional, but they worked. I bought into them as a means to a worthy end of peace and deterrence. He had my unconditional loyalty. He always did, until I was called to escort Isla to extermination. But I will not revolt outright. I might be exterminated along with Isla next time if I did. I must figure out what to do.
In the meantime, I am happy to add Eon to my short list of friends, which I can still count on half of one hand.
Chapter 13
January 19, 2830
Today when I went to the lower levels during my off-duty hours, Isla was not in her room. I asked Eon where she was, and he pointed in the direction of the genetics lab. I walked through the dank smell of the lower levels to the labs. Only twenty-three years into a voyage, the once spotless and shiny bright surfaces were already dingy and old from neglect. I wondered what they might look like after centuries.
There were many empty rooms. Like most places on the ship, the capacity was not utilized, which seemed like a contradiction to me with the claims from our Commander about the necessity of purging. I think time and loneliness have changed him. He was always tough, and in fact cruel, but he was never irrational when he reported to the General.
I came across some of the staff and asked if they had seen Isla Wington. They just shook their heads and did their best to avoid me. No doubt, the sight of a patrol was frightening. Although saddened at my status as an unwelcome intruder, I understood and kept searching.
I arrived at what looked like an operating room with an observation window. Isla laid on her back in the middle of the room on a table. She was in restraints and unsedated. Two attendants stood over her, one holding her head straight while the other probed through a tube down her throat into her lungs. Isla squirmed, but the restrictive belts held her tight. Her discomfort showed in her bulging eyes.
I didn’t know anything about genetics, but I thought all they needed was a blood sample, or a skin or hair sample for that matter. I could not understand a reason why she was being encroached upon like that. Then I remembered something Isla told me. She thinks they will have difficulty reproducing her
Leonidas yelled after the delay, “Incorrect! That is not why I deserve your loyalty, although it is true and the answer is admirable. Always be honest with me, and you will be correct. You do not have to speak what you think we want to hear. Speak what is true. I have your loyalty because you fear me, and you want to survive. The same is true for those we serve and protect. In addition to admiring you, they must fear you, or your cause will be lost. Fear is what keeps them in line.”
I wear the scar across my middle to this day. It was not until I was able to watch General Mason during the first three years of this voyage that I realized how twisted the leadership style of Leonidas was. The style that I grew to think normal in my youth is now quite possibly the last I will see. I wish I could have known General Mason longer and worked under his thoughtful governance.
The Islands had a nearly zero rate of crime. There were two rooms in the jail cell, and they were almost always empty. The ruthless enforcement coming from the Special Forces was commended as the primary factor. It was that worldwide reputation that earned Leonidas his role on Gambler. His tactics may have been unconventional, but they worked. I bought into them as a means to a worthy end of peace and deterrence. He had my unconditional loyalty. He always did, until I was called to escort Isla to extermination. But I will not revolt outright. I might be exterminated along with Isla next time if I did. I must figure out what to do.
In the meantime, I am happy to add Eon to my short list of friends, which I can still count on half of one hand.
Chapter 13
January 19, 2830
Today when I went to the lower levels during my off-duty hours, Isla was not in her room. I asked Eon where she was, and he pointed in the direction of the genetics lab. I walked through the dank smell of the lower levels to the labs. Only twenty-three years into a voyage, the once spotless and shiny bright surfaces were already dingy and old from neglect. I wondered what they might look like after centuries.
There were many empty rooms. Like most places on the ship, the capacity was not utilized, which seemed like a contradiction to me with the claims from our Commander about the necessity of purging. I think time and loneliness have changed him. He was always tough, and in fact cruel, but he was never irrational when he reported to the General.
I came across some of the staff and asked if they had seen Isla Wington. They just shook their heads and did their best to avoid me. No doubt, the sight of a patrol was frightening. Although saddened at my status as an unwelcome intruder, I understood and kept searching.
I arrived at what looked like an operating room with an observation window. Isla laid on her back in the middle of the room on a table. She was in restraints and unsedated. Two attendants stood over her, one holding her head straight while the other probed through a tube down her throat into her lungs. Isla squirmed, but the restrictive belts held her tight. Her discomfort showed in her bulging eyes.
I didn’t know anything about genetics, but I thought all they needed was a blood sample, or a skin or hair sample for that matter. I could not understand a reason why she was being encroached upon like that. Then I remembered something Isla told me. She thinks they will have difficulty reproducing her
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