Read Online Legacy (The Biodome Chronicles) by Jesikah Sundin - Free Book Online

jerked her head up with a shocked glance toward her brother. The man in the portal leveled his gaze at her, increasing the heartbeat that echoed in her ears. “I’m pretty sure Maidens don’t take leisurely strolls at 2 a.m. and ask about technology without due cause. So, what are you planning here? A prison break?”

     
    ***
     
    Nichols : You see, Thomas Hobbes correctly illustrates this problem, and that is, unfortunately, the cycle of humanity when faced with the idea of power. As I wish to remove the idea of power from the city, I turn to an alternative solution. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying chaos should rule, but rather an unseen force. How can someone fight air? We fight solid matter. Therefore, if you take away the illusion of solid matter, there is no argument. I plan on electing four Elements as a noble class, representing Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water, all four visible within the community. An unseen force, The Aether, will oversee the biodome city, this new Eden. The Aether is a part of the community organically, yet nobody knows who holds the position. One of the community may even be married to this person and be unaware. I am curious to see how this plays out. I wish for peace and harmony. I seriously doubt that will exist if there is always a quest for power and control.
    Adams : This unseen force will be a member of the city, but their position is a secret to the other residents?
    Nichols : Precisely.
    Adams : And what happens if the secret is revealed?
    Nichols : Well, it is not so much about whether it is revealed, but why it should remain a secret. If a colony is on Mars, where can the people go and find safety should a war break out? There must be a government in place, but not identifying the king or queen should eliminate factions and power plays, ensuring the overall safety of the colony.
     
    —Hanley Nichols and Jennifer Adams, Atoms to Adams Daily Show , August 15, 2030
     
    ***

    T he hooded man gave him a wary look. “You are a Dungeon Master?” The girl darted a quick look at the man and then blinked her eyes in confusion.
    “You nailed it. I’m the one who controls the story and makes all the rules,” Fillion said with a flat voice. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.
    Was that an attempt at role-playing game humor? It was a stupid joke. But he’d play along anyways, too bored to resist an opportunity to poke fun at the context of their existence.
    “Like I said,” he began again, trying to keep a straight face, “I’m in charge of communication and salvation. What part of this game is confusing you?”
    The hooded man furrowed his brows in another contemplative look and the girl narrowed her eyes at him. Again. Fillion couldn’t help himself and smiled pretentiously in reply.
    “How many captives are you warding?” the man asked in an even tone. The candle flickered with his breaths.
    “Right now? Just a boy and a girl.”
    The look on the man’s face was priceless. The hooded man actually believed he was a prison warden. Fillion blinked back laughter. It was hard to hide his amusement as he thought of all the people he wanted to lock away—namely one. He welcomed the pinch as he bit the inside of his cheek to stay in control.
    God, they were such idiots. The man and girl honestly believed in portals and dungeon masters. They probably thought Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy were real, too. Their soft British accents further humored him. New Eden Township was planted in the middle of a desert in California and colonized by Americans.
    The society inside the Mars prototype was created by live action role-players. They were hippie save-the-planet geeks who had seized the opportunity to live out their fantasies for twenty-five years by claiming it all in the name of science.
    They must take their jobs seriously, too. The second generation played the part to perfection. Fillion easily gathered that they were clueless to just how different they were from